a

• aThe first letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.
• a b cThe first three letters of the alphabet, used for the whole alphabet.
• A batterythe battery used to heat the filaments of a vacuum tube
• a bitto a small degree; somewhat
• a capella singingsinging without instrumental accompaniment
• a cappellasung without instrumental accompaniment
• a cappella singingsinging without instrumental accompaniment
• a chevalAstride; with a part on each side; -- used specif. in designating the position of an army with the wings separated by some line of demarcation, as a river or road. A position à cheval on a river is not one which a general willingly assumes. Swinton.
• a couple ofmore than one but indefinitely small in number
• a fewmore than one but indefinitely small in number
• a fortioriwith greater reason; for a still stronger, more certain reason
• a good dealto a very great degree or extent
• a great dealto a very great degree or extent
• A horizonthe top layer of a soil profile; usually contains humus
• a hundred timesby a factor of one hundred
• a KempisGerman ecclesiastic (1380-1471)
• a la carte(of a restaurant meal) having unlimited choices with a separate price for each item
• a la modein the current fashion or style
• A levelthe advanced level of a subject taken in school (usually two years after O level)
• a littleto a small degree; somewhat
• a lotto a very great degree or extent
• a mensa et thoroA kind of divorce which does not dissolve the marriage bond, but merely authorizes a separate life of the husband and wife. Abbott.
• a million timesby a factor of a million
• a posterioriinvolving reasoning from facts or particulars to general principles or from effects to causes
• a prioriinvolving deductive reasoning from a general principle to a necessary effect; not supported by fact
• a trifleto a small degree; somewhat
• a-A, as a prefix to English words, is derived from various sources. (1) It frequently signifies on or in (from an, a forms of AS. on), denoting a state, as in afoot, on foot, abed, amiss, asleep, aground, aloft, away (AS. onweg), and analogically, ablaze, atremble, etc. (2) AS. of off, from, as in adown (AS. ofdüne off the dun or hill). (3) AS. a- (Goth. us-, ur-, Ger. er-), usually giving an intensive force, and sometimes the sense of away, on, back, as in arise, abide, ago. (4) Old English y- or i- (corrupted from the AS. inseparable particle ge-, cognate with OHG. ga-, gi-, Goth. ga-), which, as a prefix, made no essential addition to the meaning, as in aware. (5) French à (L. ad to), as in abase, achieve. (6) L. a, ab, abs, from, as in avert. (7) Greek insep. prefix a without, or privative, not, as in abyss, atheist; akin to E. un-. Note: Besides these, there are other sources from which the prefix a takes its origin. A 1 A 1. A registry mark given by underwriters (as at Lloyd's) to ships in first-class condition. Inferior grades are indicated by A 2 and A 3. Note: A 1 is also applied colloquially to other things to imply superiority; prime; first-class; first-rate.
• A-bomba nuclear weapon in which enormous energy is released by nuclear fission (splitting the nuclei of a heavy element like uranium 235 or plutonium 239)
• a-goodIn earnest; heartily. [Obs.] "I made her weep agood." Shak.
• A-horizonthe top layer of a soil profile; usually contains humus
• A-linewomen's clothing that has a fitted top and a flared skirt that is widest at the hemline
• A-lista list of names of specially favored people
• a-morningsIn the morning; every morning. [Obs.] And have such pleasant walks into the woods A-mornings. J. Fletcher.
• a-okin perfect condition or order
• a-okayin perfect condition or order
• A-oneof the highest quality
• A-scan ultrasonographythe use of ultrasonography to measure the length of the eyeball
• a-seaOn the sea; at sea; toward the sea.
• A-teama group of elite soldiers or a leadership group of advisors or workers in an organization
• a-tiptoeOn tiptoe; eagerly expecting. We all feel a-tiptoe with hope and confidence. F. Harrison.
• A. A. MichelsonUnited States physicist (born in Germany) who collaborated with Morley in the Michelson-Morley experiment (1852-1931)
• A. A. MilneEnglish writer of stories for children (1882-1956)
• A. Conan DoyleBritish author who created Sherlock Holmes (1859-1930)
• A. E. BurnsideUnited States general in the American Civil War who was defeated by Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Fredericksburg (1824-1881)
• A. E. HousmanEnglish poet (1859-1936)
• A. E. KennellyUnited States electrical engineer noted for his work on the theory of alternating currents; independently of Oliver Heaviside he discovered the existence of an atmospheric layer that reflects radio waves back to earth (1861-1939)
• A. E. W. MasonEnglish writer (1865-1948)
• A. Noam ChomskyUnited States linguist whose theory of generative grammar redefined the field of linguistics (born 1928)
• A. testudineusa small perch of India whose gills are modified to allow it to breathe air; has spiny pectoral fins that enable it to travel on land
• A.D.in the Christian era; used before dates after the supposed year Christ was born
• A.E.Irish writer whose pen name was A.E. (1867-1935)
• a.k.a.as known or named at another time or place
• a.m.before noon
• A'manthe Israeli military intelligence which produces comprehensive national intelligence briefings for the prime minister and the cabinet
• aaan associate degree in arts
• AAAan aneurysm of the abdominal aorta associated with old age and hypertension
• Aachena city in western Germany near the Dutch and Belgian borders; formerly it was Charlemagne's northern capital
• aahexpress admiration and pleasure by uttering `ooh' or `aah'
• Aaland islandsan archipelago of some 6,000 islands in the Gulf of Bothnia under Finnish control
• Aalborga city and port in northern Jutland
• aaliia small Hawaiian tree with hard dark wood
• Aalsta town in central Belgium
• AaltoFinnish architect and designer of furniture (1898-1976)
• aamA Dutch and German measure of liquids, varying in different cities, being at Amsterdam about 41 wine gallons, at Antwerp 36½, at Hamburg 38¼. [Written also Aum and Awm.]
• Aara river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine
• aard-varkAn edentate mammal, of the genus Orycteropus, somewhat resembling a pig, common in some parts of Southern Africa. It burrows in the ground, and feeds entirely on ants, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.
• aard-wolfA carnivorous quadruped (Proteles Lalandii), of South Africa, resembling the fox and hyena. See Proteles.
• aardvarknocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata
• aardwolfstriped hyena of southeast Africa that feeds chiefly on insects
• Aarea river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine
• Aare Rivera river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine
• Aarhusport city of Denmark in eastern Jutland
• Aaron(Old Testament) elder brother of Moses and first high priest of the Israelites; created the golden calf
• Aaron BurrUnited States politician who served as vice president under Jefferson; he mortally wounded his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel and fled south (1756-1836)
• Aaron CoplandUnited States composer who developed a distinctly American music (1900-1990)
• Aaron Montgomery WardUnited States businessman who in 1872 established a successful mail-order business (1843-1913)
• Aaron's rodtall-stalked very woolly mullein with densely packed yellow flowers; ancient Greeks and Romans dipped the stalks in tallow for funeral torches
• aaronicPertaining to Aaron, the first high priest of the Jews. AARON'S ROD Aar"on's rod`. Etym: [See Exodus vii. 9 and Numbers xvii. 8] 1. (Arch.) A rod with one serpent twined around it, thus differing from the caduceus of Mercury, which has two.
• aaronicalPertaining to Aaron, the first high priest of the Jews. AARON'S ROD Aar"on's rod`. Etym: [See Exodus vii. 9 and Numbers xvii. 8] 1. (Arch.) A rod with one serpent twined around it, thus differing from the caduceus of Mercury, which has two.
• AARPan association of people to promote the welfare of senior citizens
• AASan associate degree in applied science
• AAVEa nonstandard form of American English characteristically spoken by African Americans in the United States
• abthe eleventh month of the civil year; the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar (in July and August)
• ab initioat the beginning
• ab-A prefix in many words of Latin origin. It signifies from, away , separating, or departure, as in abduct, abstract, abscond. See A- (6).
• abaa fabric woven from goat hair and camel hair
• ABA transit numberan identification number consisting of a two-part code assigned to banks and savings associations; the first part shows the location and the second identifies the bank itself
• abacaPhilippine banana tree having leafstalks that yield Manila hemp used for rope and paper etc
• abacinateblind by holding a red-hot metal plate before someone's eyes
• abacinationThe act of abacinating. [R.]
• abaciscusOne of the tiles or squares of a tessellated pavement; an abaculus.
• abacistOne who uses an abacus in casting accounts; a calculator.
• abackby surprise
• abactinal(of radiate animals) located on the surface or end opposite to that on which the mouth is situated
• abactionStealing cattle on a large scale. [Obs.]
• abactorOne who steals and drives away cattle or beasts by herds or droves. [Obs.]
• abaculusA small tile of glass, marble, or other substance, of various colors, used in making ornamental patterns in mosaic pavements. Fairholt.
• abacusa calculator that performs arithmetic functions by manually sliding counters on rods or in grooves
• abadaThe rhinoceros. [Obs.] Purchas.
• Abadana port city in southwestern Iran
• abaddonThe destroyer, or angel of the bottomless pit; -- the same as Apollyon and Asmodeus.
• abaftat or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
• abaisanceObeisance. [Obs.] Jonson.
• abaiserIvory black or animal charcoal. Weale.
• abaistAbashed; confounded; discomfited. [Obs.] Chaucer.
• abalienate(Civil Law) To transfer the title of from one to another; to alienate.
• abalienationThe act of abalienating; alienation; estrangement. [Obs.]
• abaloneany of various large edible marine gastropods of the genus Haliotis having an ear-shaped shell with pearly interior
• abampa unit of current equal to 10 amperes
• abamperea unit of current equal to 10 amperes
• abandTo abandon. [Obs.] Enforced the kingdom to aband. Spenser.
• abandonthe trait of lacking restraint or control; reckless freedom from inhibition or worry
• abandonedforsaken by owner or inhabitants
• abandoned infanta child who has been abandoned and whose parents are unknown
• abandoned personsomeone for whom hope has been abandoned
• abandoned shipa ship abandoned on the high seas
• abandonedlyUnrestrainedly.
• abandoneeOne to whom anything is legally abandoned.
• abandonerOne who abandons. Beau. & Fl.
• abandonmentwithdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility
• abandumAnything forfeited or confiscated.
• abanetSee Abnet.
• abangaA West Indian palm; also the fruit of this palm, the seeds of which are used as a remedy for diseases of the chest.
• abannationBanishment. [Obs.] Bailey.
• abannitionBanishment. [Obs.] Bailey.
• abarticulationdislocation of a joint
• abasecause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
• abasedLowered; humbled.
• abasedlyAbjectly; downcastly.
• abasementdepriving one of self-esteem
• abaserHe who, or that which, abases.
• abashcause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious
• abashedfeeling or caused to feel uneasy and self-conscious
• abashedlyIn an abashed manner.
• abashmentfeeling embarrassed due to modesty
• abasiainability to walk
• abasia trepidansabasia due to trembling of the legs
• abasicof or relating to abasia (inability to walk)
• abassiA silver coin of Persia, worth about twenty cents.
• abassisA silver coin of Persia, worth about twenty cents.
• abatablecapable of being abated
• abatable nuisancea nuisance that can remedied (suppressed or extinguished or rendered harmless)
• abatebecome less in amount or intensity
• abatementthe act of abating
• abatement of a nuisance(law) the removal or termination or destruction of something that has been found to be a nuisance
• abaterOne who, or that which, abates.
• abaticof or relating to abasia (inability to walk)
• abatisa line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) pointed toward the enemy
• abatisedProvided with an abatis.
• abatora person who abates a nuisance
• abattisa line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) pointed toward the enemy
• abattoira building where animals are butchered
• abatureGrass and sprigs beaten or trampled down by a stag passing through them. Crabb.
• abatvoixThe sounding-board over a pulpit or rostrum.
• abawedAstonished; abashed. [Obs.] Chaucer.
• abaxialfacing away from the axis of an organ or organism
• abaxiallyin an abaxial manner
• abaxileAway from the axis or central line; eccentric. Balfour.
• abayBarking; baying of dogs upon their prey. See Bay. [Obs.]
• abaya(Arabic) a loose black robe from head to toe; traditionally worn by Muslim women
• abbAmong weaves, yarn for the warp. Hence, abb wool is wool for the abb.
• abb woolSee Abb.
• abbaFather; religious superior; -- in the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic churches, a title given to the bishops, and by the bishops to the patriarch.
• abbacythe jurisdiction or office of an abbot
• abbatialof or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess
• abbaticalAbbatial. [Obs.]
• abbea French abbot
• Abbe condensera condenser having 2 or 3 lenses with wide aperture for use in microscopes
• abbessthe superior of a group of nuns
• abbeya monastery ruled by an abbot
• abbotthe superior of an abbey of monks
• abbotshipThe state or office of an abbot.
• Abbott Lawrence LowellUnited States educator and president of Harvard University (1856-1943)
• abbreviateshorten
• abbreviated(of clothing) very short
• abbreviationshortening something by omitting parts of it
• abbreviatorone who shortens or abridges or condenses a written work
• abbreviatoryServing or tending to abbreviate; shortening; abridging.
• abbreviatureAn abbreviation; an abbreviated state or form. [Obs.] 2. An abridgment; a compendium or abstract. This is an excellent abbreviature of the whole duty of a Christian. Jer. Taylor.
• ABCthe elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
• ABC'sthe elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
• abcoulomba unit of electrical charge equal to 10 coulombs
• ABCsthe elementary stages of any subject (usually plural)
• abdalA religious devotee or dervish in Persia.
• abderianGiven to laughter; inclined to foolish or incessant merriment.
• abderiteAn inhabitant of Abdera, in Thrace. The Abderite, Democritus, the Laughing Philosopher.
• abdestPurification by washing the hands before prayer; -- a Mohammedan rite. Heyse.
• Abdiasan Old Testament book telling Obadiah's prophecies; the shortest book in the Christian Bible
• abdicablecapable of being discarded or renounced or relinquished
• abdicantAbdicating; renouncing; -- followed by of. Monks abdicant of their orders. Whitlock. One who abdicates. Smart.
• abdicategive up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
• abdicationthe act of abdicating
• abdicativeCausing, or implying, abdication. [R.] Bailey.
• abdicatorone who formally relinquishes an office or responsibility
• abditiveHaving the quality of hiding. [R.] Bailey.
• abditoryA place for hiding or preserving articles of value. Cowell.
• abdomenthe region of the body of a vertebrate between the thorax and the pelvis
• abdominalof or relating to or near the abdomen
• abdominal actinomycosisa serious form of actinomycosis that affects the abdomen
• abdominal aortaa branch of the descending aorta