📖 A — The English dictionary · page 2

abc — Everyday, meaning 1: the ABC (or ABCs): the alphabet, the letters A to Z.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The ABC of something: the simplest basic facts about it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (abbreviation) ABC is also the name of big TV and radio companies: the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the American Broadcasting Company.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Easy as ABC» means very easy.↗ Example: My little sister is learning her ABC.↗ · We sang the ABC song in nursery.↗ · This book teaches the ABC of looking after a pet.↗ · Fractions are as easy as ABC once you understand them.↗ · We watched the news on the ABC in Sydney.↗ · An ABC book has a picture for every letter.↗

abdicate — Everyday, meaning 1: To abdicate is to give up being king or queen.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To abdicate a responsibility is to fail to do something you should.↗ Example: King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 so he could marry.↗ · Queen Margrethe of Denmark abdicated in 2024.↗ · The emperor was forced to abdicate.↗ · Parents cannot abdicate their responsibility to keep children safe.↗ · After the king abdicated, his brother became king.↗ · She refused to abdicate.↗ · But the old king, who had never expected that Jason would return alive, basely refused to fulfil his part of the compact, and declined to abdicate the throne.↗

abdication — Everyday, meaning 1: Abdication is when a king, queen or other ruler gives up the throne of their own free will.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Abdication of a duty or responsibility means failing to do what you should do, as if giving it up.↗ Example: The abdication of Edward VIII shocked Britain in 1936.↗ · After the king's abdication, his brother was crowned.↗ · The queen announced her abdication on television.↗ · Leaving the little ones alone was an abdication of responsibility.↗ · The history book has a whole chapter on the abdication crisis.↗ · Her abdication let her son become king.↗ · After the voluntary abdication of Oedipus, his two sons, Eteocles and Polynices, took possession of the crown and reigned over the city of Thebes.↗

abdomen — Everyday, meaning 1: Your abdomen is the front part of your body between your chest and your hips; it is the scientific word for your tummy or belly.↗ It holds your stomach, intestines, liver and other organs.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In insects and spiders, the abdomen is the back section of the body.↗ Example: The doctor pressed gently on my abdomen.↗ · Your stomach is inside your abdomen.↗ · An insect's body has a head, a thorax and an abdomen.↗ · The bee's sting is at the end of its abdomen.↗ · Sit-ups make the muscles of your abdomen stronger.↗ · A sudden sharp pain in the abdomen needs a doctor.↗ · The spider has a big round abdomen.↗ · Label the abdomen on the diagram of the ant.↗

abdominal — Everyday, meaning 1: Abdominal means to do with the abdomen, the belly part of the body between the chest and the hips.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Abdominals (or «abs», informal) are the muscles of the tummy.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) In insects, abdominal means to do with the abdomen, the back part of the body.↗ Example: Sit-ups make your abdominal muscles stronger.↗ · The doctor asked if she had any abdominal pain.↗ · An insect has a head, a thorax and an abdomen; the stinger of a bee is at its abdominal end.↗ · Wear a seat belt low across your hips, not across your abdominal area.↗ · He trained his abs for the race.↗ · Abdominal pain on the right side can be serious, so tell a grown-up.↗

abduction — Everyday, meaning 1: An abduction is the taking away of a person by force or trickery, against their will.↗ Example: The giant's abduction of the princess shocked the village.↗ · After the abduction, the prince set out to rescue her.↗ · The wicked witch planned the abduction of the baby.↗ · The police searched for the missing child after the abduction.↗

abhor — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: To abhor something is to hate it strongly and find it disgusting or wrong.↗ Example: And I will set My tabernacle among you, and My soul shall not abhor you.↗ (Torah LEV.26.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite, for he is thy brother; thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian, because thou wast a stranger in his land.↗ (Torah DEU.23.7, JPS 1917)↗ · and if ye shall reject My statutes, and if your soul abhor Mine ordinances, so that ye will not do all My commandments, but break My covenant; (Torah LEV.26.15, JPS 1917)↗ · God heard, and was wroth, and He greatly abhorred Israel; (Writings PSA.78.59, JPS 1917)↗ · I hate and abhor falsehood; Thy law do I love.↗ (Writings PSA.119.163, JPS 1917)↗ · Wherefore I abhor my words, and repent, seeing I am dust and ashes.↗ (Writings JOB.42.6, JPS 1917)↗ · I abhor cruelty to animals.↗ · The good queen abhorred lies.↗ · Everyone abhorred the thief who stole from the poor.↗ · She abhors waste of food.↗

abhorrence — Everyday, meaning 1: Abhorrence is a deep feeling of hatred or disgust for something wrong or cruel.↗ Example: She felt abhorrence for the cruel steward.↗ · His abhorrence of lies made him honest.↗ · Everyone showed abhorrence at the thief.↗ · The faithful wife held cheating in abhorrence.↗ · And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproaches and everlasting abhorrence.↗ (Writings DAN.12.2, JPS 1917)↗

abide — Everyday, meaning 1: In «can't abide» / «cannot abide»: to dislike someone or something so much that you cannot put up with them.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In «abide by»: to obey or follow a rule, law or decision.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (old-fashioned, Bible) To live or stay somewhere; to remain: «Abide with me».↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: To remain or stay somewhere for a time.↗ Example: Everyone must abide by the rules of the game.↗ · I can't abide people who are rude to waiters.↗ · «Abide with me» is a famous hymn.↗ · The players agreed to abide by the referee's decision.↗ · The Badger could not abide parties.↗ · A law-abiding citizen obeys the law.↗ · And Laban said: 'It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.'↗ (Torah GEN.29.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And her brother and her mother said: 'Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.'↗ (Torah GEN.24.55, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou shalt not oppress thy neighbour, nor rob him; the wages of a hired servant shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.↗ (Torah LEV.19.13, JPS 1917)↗ · Or will he abide by thy crib?↗ (Writings JOB.39.9, JPS 1917)↗ · Now she had liers-in-wait abiding in the inner chamber.↗ (Prophets JDG.16.9, JPS 1917)↗ · But who may abide the day of his coming?↗ (Prophets MAL.3.2, JPS 1917)↗ · And Laban said: 'It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man; abide with me.'↗ (Torah GEN.29.19, JPS 1917) · “Do you abide by it?”↗ Goll demanded.↗ (Irish Fairy Tales) · And her brother and her mother said: 'Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go.'↗ (Torah GEN.24.55, JPS 1917)

ability — Everyday, meaning 1: Ability is the power or skill to do something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An ability is a special talent, something a person is good at.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Ability can also mean how well someone can do something, as in «reading ability».↗ Example: Bats have the ability to find their way in the dark.↗ · She has a great ability to make people laugh.↗ · Do the test to the best of your ability.↗ · The ability to swim can save your life.↗ · Each superhero has a different special ability.↗ · Practice will improve your reading ability.↗ · Chameleons have the ability to change colour.↗ · Grateful for these favours, the animals determined to repay him to the best of their ability.↗ · It tends to be used of things that are marvelous, miraculous, or otherwise supernatural and extraordinary, i.e. that which defies the human ability to do or understand and must therefore be divine, e.g. [Deuteronomy 28:59], [Psalm 118:23], [Psalm 139:6].↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' tunics.↗ (Writings EZR.2.69, JPS 1917)↗

abject — Everyday, meaning 1: Abject means very miserable, poor and low in condition, with no hope or comfort.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Abject can also describe fear or apology that is total and humble, as if you have no pride left.↗ Example: The beggar lived in abject poverty.↗ · The soldier fled in abject fear.↗ · He made an abject apology to the king.↗ · The prisoners lived in abject misery.↗ · But when I halt they rejoice, and gather themselves together; the abjects gather themselves together against me, and those whom I know not; they tear me, and cease not; (Writings PSA.35.15, JPS 1917)↗ · All her people sigh, they seek bread; they have given their pleasant things for food to refresh the soul. '↗ See, O LORD, and behold, how abject I am become.'↗ (Writings LAM.1.11, JPS 1917)↗

ablaze — Everyday, meaning 1: Ablaze means burning strongly, on fire: «The barn was ablaze.».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Ablaze with light or colour means shining very brightly: «The sky was ablaze with fireworks.».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Ablaze with a feeling means full of strong feeling: «eyes ablaze with anger».↗ Example: The old barn was ablaze by the time the firefighters arrived.↗ · Lightning set the forest ablaze.↗ · The sky was ablaze with fireworks on Bonfire Night.↗ · In autumn the trees are ablaze with red and gold.↗ · Her eyes were ablaze with excitement.↗ · The city was ablaze with Christmas lights.↗ · The whole firmament was ablaze with the northern lights, and yet the darkness triumphed.↗ · For a fire is kindled in My nostril, and burneth unto the depths of the nether-world, and devoureth the earth with her produce, and setteth ablaze the foundations of the mountains.↗ (Torah DEU.32.22, JPS 1917)↗ · As the fire that burneth the forest, and as the flame that setteth the mountains ablaze; (Writings PSA.83.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Unto Thee, O LORD, do I cry; for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath set ablaze all the trees of the field.↗ (Prophets JOL.1.19, JPS 1917)↗

able — Everyday, meaning 1: If you are able to do something, you can do it; you have the skill, strength, time or chance to do it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An able person is clever or good at things, like an able pupil.↗ Example: I am able to swim a whole length now.↗ · Will you be able to come to my party?↗ · She wasn't able to open the jar.↗ · Birds are able to fly, but penguins are not.↗ · Owls are able to see in the dark better than us.↗ · He was able to finish the puzzle in ten minutes.↗ · The more able readers chose longer books.↗ · After the injury he was able to walk again.↗ · "Should I be able to see these flowers?"↗ · And if thou knowest any able men among them, then make them rulers over my cattle.'↗ (Torah GEN.47.6, JPS 1917)↗ · I am not able to bear all this people myself alone, because it is too heavy for me.↗ (Torah NUM.11.14, JPS 1917)↗ · And I spoke unto you at that time, saying: 'I am not able to bear you myself alone; (Torah DEU.1.9, JPS 1917)↗ · Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?↗ (Writings PRO.27.4, JPS 1917)↗ · None is so fierce that dare stir him up; who then is able to stand before Me?↗ (Writings JOB.41.2, JPS 1917)↗ · There are the workers of iniquity fallen; they are thrust down, and are not able to rise.↗ (Writings PSA.36.13, JPS 1917)↗

ablution — Everyday, meaning 1: An ablution is a washing of the body, often as part of a religious ritual or a set custom before prayer or a special act.↗ Example: Before prayer he made his ablutions at the river.↗ · The priest performed his ablutions in silence.↗ · The prince asked for water for his last ablution.↗ · Each morning the monk took his ablutions in cold water.↗

abnormal — Everyday, meaning 1: Not normal or not usual, different from what is expected, often in a way that is worrying.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science, medicine) Outside the healthy or typical range, like an abnormal heartbeat or an abnormal test result.↗ Example: It was abnormal for the dog to be so quiet.↗ · The doctor said the X-ray showed nothing abnormal.↗ · We had abnormally warm weather for winter.↗ · An abnormal heartbeat can be a sign of illness.↗ · One abnormal reading was much bigger than all the others.↗ · The plant had abnormal yellow spots on its leaves.↗ · Mum thought the noise from the car was abnormal and took it to the garage.↗

aboard — Everyday, meaning 1: Aboard means on or into a ship, plane, train or bus.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: "All aboard!" is a call telling people to get on because it is leaving.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (informal) Coming aboard can mean joining a team or project.↗ Example: All aboard!↗ The train is leaving.↗ · There were 40 people aboard the ship.↗ · The pilot welcomed us aboard.↗ · We climbed aboard the bus.↗ · At the stop 5 more got aboard, so now 25 are aboard.↗ · No pets are allowed aboard.↗ · Welcome aboard, new team member!↗ · The pirates leapt aboard the boat.↗ · With one bound, he leaped aboard.↗

abode — Everyday, meaning 1: An abode is a home or place where someone lives.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «Take up one's abode» means to go and live somewhere for a long time.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Stayed or lived in a place for a time.↗ Example: The old woman's abode was a small cottage.↗ · They took up their abode in the forest.↗ · The goose let the travellers stay in her abode for the night.↗ · This humble abode is my home.↗ · So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor.↗ (Torah DEU.3.29, JPS 1917)↗ · From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.↗ (Torah NUM.11.35, JPS 1917)↗ · So ye abode in Kadesh many days, according unto the days that ye abode there.↗ (Torah DEU.1.46, JPS 1917)↗ · And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.↗ (Writings EZR.8.32, JPS 1917)↗ · Gilead abode beyond the Jordan; and Dan, why doth he sojourn by the ships?↗ (Prophets JDG.5.17, JPS 1917)↗ · Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem; and they abode there.↗ (Prophets 2SA.15.29, JPS 1917)↗ · So we abode in the valley over against Beth-peor.↗ (Torah DEU.3.29, JPS 1917) · And so they abode with the goose all night.↗ (Grimm's Fairy Stories) · From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed unto Hazeroth; and they abode at Hazeroth.↗ (Torah NUM.11.35, JPS 1917)