📖 A — The English dictionary · page 28

alphabetical — Everyday, meaning 1: Arranged in the order of the letters of the alphabet, A to Z.↗ Example: Put these words in alphabetical order.↗ · The class register is in alphabetical order by surname.↗ · Dictionaries are alphabetical.↗ · The books are sorted alphabetically by author.↗ · Apple comes before banana in alphabetical order.↗ · Make an alphabetical list of the animals.↗

alphabetically — Everyday, meaning 1: In the order of the letters of the alphabet, from A to Z.↗ Example: The class list is sorted alphabetically.↗ · Put these words alphabetically: dog, cat, ant.↗ · Library books are shelved alphabetically by author.↗ · A dictionary is arranged alphabetically.↗ · Line up alphabetically by first name.↗ · The computer sorted the files alphabetically.↗

alpine — Everyday, meaning 1: To do with high mountains, especially the Alps in Europe.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Alpine: belonging to the Alps themselves.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: noun A small plant that grows high on mountains.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (sport) Alpine skiing: racing down slopes, as opposed to cross-country skiing.↗ Example: We stayed in an alpine village in Switzerland.↗ · Alpine meadows are full of flowers in summer.↗ · Ibex and marmots are alpine animals.↗ · Grandma grows little alpines in her rock garden.↗ · Alpine skiers race down steep slopes.↗ · The air is thin and cold in the alpine zone above the trees.↗ · The sound of these bells is often heard amidst Alpine scenery.↗

already — Everyday, meaning 1: Already means before now, or before a certain time.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Already means sooner than expected: «Are you finished already?».↗ Example: She has already read 40 pages.↗ · He already has 12 stamps.↗ · 15 guests have already arrived.↗ · The tank already holds 8 liters.↗ · I've already eaten lunch.↗ · Is it dark already?↗ · The bus has already left.↗ · You're home already?↗ · She already knew how to swim.↗ · We have already learned our times tables.↗ · "They're quite full already," answers Nicholas.↗ · And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt already.↗ (Torah EXO.1.5, JPS 1917)↗ · Hence this book was known already in the second or at the beginning of the third century of the Christian Era.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗ · However, the manuscript variant found in the present edition is certainly old, appearing already in the oldest extant versions of the SY in the commentary of Saadia Gaon.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · Wherefore I praised the dead that are already dead more than the living that are yet alive; (Writings ECC.4.2, JPS 1917)↗ · That which is hath been long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God seeketh that which is pursued.↗ (Writings ECC.3.15, JPS 1917)↗ · Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God hath already accepted thy works.↗ (Writings ECC.9.7, JPS 1917)↗

alright — Everyday, meaning 1: Fine, safe, not hurt or not ill.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Good enough, acceptable, OK.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Used to agree: yes, OK.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (UK, informal greeting) "Alright?" means hello, how are you.↗ Example: Are you alright?↗ You look pale.↗ · The film was alright, but not great.↗ · "Can we go now?" "↗ Alright."↗ · Don't cry, it'll be alright.↗ · Alright, mate?↗ (UK greeting)↗ · Is it alright if I sit here?↗

also — Everyday, meaning 1: Also means too, or as well, adding one more thing.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Also can start a new point: «Also, bring a coat».↗ Example: Tom has 5 apples.↗ He also has 3 pears.↗ · She also bought 2 notebooks.↗ · The shop also sells 40 cakes.↗ · He also ran 3 miles on Sunday.↗ · I like dogs, and I also like cats.↗ · She sings and also plays the guitar.↗ · Also, remember your lunch.↗ · Frogs live on land and also in water.↗ · He is not only fast but also strong.↗ · Our teacher also coaches football.↗ · These have also been left unchanged.↗ · But the LORD hearkened unto me that time also.↗ (Torah DEU.9.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And also unto thy bondwoman thou shalt do likewise.↗ (Torah DEU.15.17, JPS 1917)↗ · And they made their father drink wine that night also.↗ (Torah GEN.19.35, JPS 1917)↗ · Is Saul also among the prophets?'↗ (Prophets 1SA.10.11, JPS 1917)↗ · These also are sayings of the wise.↗ (Writings PRO.24.23, JPS 1917)↗ · I also will make the pile great, (Prophets EZK.24.9, JPS 1917)↗

altar — Everyday, meaning 1: (church) An altar is a holy table at the front of a church where the priest or minister prepares communion (the bread and wine).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (religion, history) An altar is a table or stone where people in old religions offered gifts or sacrifices to God or gods.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (idiom) To sacrifice something on the altar of something is to give it up for that thing.↗ Example: The priest stood at the altar and blessed the bread and wine.↗ · The bride and groom walked up to the altar.↗ · Candles and flowers were placed on the altar.↗ · In the Bible, Noah built an altar after the flood.↗ · My brother is an altar server at Sunday Mass.↗ · The ancient Greeks made offerings at altars to their gods.↗ · The moujik hid himself behind the altar.↗ · And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.↗ (Torah GEN.33.20, JPS 1917)↗ · And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Adonai-nissi.↗ (Torah EXO.17.15, JPS 1917)↗ · This was the dedication-offering of the altar, after that it was anointed.↗ (Torah NUM.7.88, JPS 1917)↗ · Ye offer polluted bread upon Mine altar.↗ (Prophets MAL.1.7, JPS 1917)↗ · And Hezekiah commanded to offer the burnt-offering upon the altar.↗ (Writings 2CH.29.27, JPS 1917)↗ · And they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.↗ (Prophets EZK.9.2, JPS 1917)↗

alter — Everyday, meaning 1: To alter something is to change it, usually a little.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: If something alters, it becomes different.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To alter clothes is to make them fit better, for example by shortening them.↗ Example: We had to alter our plans because of the rain.↗ · Grandma altered my school trousers so they fit.↗ · Heating can alter the shape of chocolate.↗ · The road was altered to make room for a cycle lane.↗ · If you alter one number in the sum, the total changes.↗ · Nothing can alter the fact that we lost.↗ · The caterpillar's body altered completely inside the cocoon.↗ · Thus may circumstances alter the course of a man's life!↗ · Most literally, it means ‘waste(land)’, the lifeless open desert, a translation of [Genesis 1:2] so far captured in English only by Robert Alter’s The Hebrew Bible (2019), who poetically renders תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ tohu vavohu as “waste and welter”; cf.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · 'Alter having written this supplement I lound that Mr. S. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · My covenant will I not profane, nor alter that which is gone out of My lips.↗ (Writings PSA.89.35, JPS 1917)↗ · and may the God that hath caused His name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples, that shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem.↗ (Writings EZR.6.12, JPS 1917)↗ · Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this; (Writings EZR.6.11, JPS 1917)↗

alteration — Everyday, meaning 1: An alteration is a change made to something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An alteration is a change to clothes to make them fit better, like shortening trousers.↗ Example: Mum took the dress for alterations.↗ · We made a few alterations to our story.↗ · The house needs some alterations before we move in.↗ · (formal) No alterations may be made to the answer sheet.↗ · The alteration made the trousers fit perfectly.↗ · Any alterations to the timetable will be on the board.↗ · The king knew of nothing that could have produced such an alteration.↗

altercation — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) An altercation is a noisy argument or small fight between people, usually in public.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal, news and police) It is a polite word reporters and police use for a fight or scuffle when they do not want to give details.↗ Example: There was an altercation between two fans outside the stadium.↗ · The report said a brief altercation took place in the playground.↗ · Police were called after a verbal altercation in the car park.↗ · The headteacher wrote that both boys were involved in the altercation.↗ · A physical altercation broke out at the bus stop.↗ · Nobody was hurt in the altercation.↗ · The players had an altercation with the referee.↗

altered — Everyday, meaning 1: Altered means changed, made different.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective) Altered describes something that has been changed: an altered photo.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (euphemism) An altered pet has had an operation so it cannot have babies.↗ Example: She altered her plan when it started to rain.↗ · We altered only the amount of water in the test.↗ · The photo had been altered to look scary.↗ · Mum altered my school skirt so it fits.↗ · The road was altered after the accident.↗ · His voice had altered as he grew older.↗ · (euphemism) Our cat has been altered by the vet.↗ · ‘Have you altered your mind, then?’ interrupted the Fairy.↗

alternate — Everyday, meaning 1: To alternate means to change again and again between two things, one after the other: red, blue, red, blue.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: As an adjective, alternate means every second one: «on alternate days» = one day yes, one day no.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In US English alternate also means another one you can use instead (an alternate route); a person who can take someone's place is an alternate.↗ Example: Alternate red and yellow beads on the string.↗ · We have PE on alternate days.↗ · The weather alternated between sun and rain.↗ · Take alternate steps on the stones to cross.↗ · Write the alternate numbers from 2: 2, 4, 6, 8.↗ · Mark the alternate angles on the parallel lines.↗ · The two brothers alternate washing and drying the dishes.↗ · If the road is closed, take an alternate route.↗ · Zeus gave the desired permission, and the faithful brothers were both allowed to live, but only on alternate days.↗

alternately — Everyday, meaning 1: Alternately means first one thing, then the other, again and again, taking turns.↗ Example: Thread red and blue beads alternately.↗ · The light flashed red and green alternately.↗ · We took turns alternately to read a page.↗ · She was alternately happy and sad all day.↗ · Plant the tulips and daffodils alternately.↗ · Hop alternately on your left and right foot.↗ · Superstition made her alternately shudder with cold or burn with the heat of fever.↗

alternation — Everyday, meaning 1: The pattern of one thing following another again and again, like day and night or red then blue.↗ Example: The alternation of day and night is caused by Earth spinning.↗ · The pattern shows an alternation of red and blue beads.↗ · There is an alternation of high and low tides.↗ · The song has an alternation of loud and soft parts.↗ · The alternation between sun and rain made a rainbow.↗ · Look for the alternation in the number pattern 3, 7, 3, 7.↗

alternative — Everyday, meaning 1: An alternative is another choice or possibility instead of the first one.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: As an adjective, alternative means different from the usual one, as in «an alternative route».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Alternative can describe things outside the mainstream, like alternative music.↗ Example: If it rains, the alternative is to play indoors.↗ · Rice is a good alternative to pasta.↗ · We took an alternative route because of the traffic.↗ · Wind and solar are alternative energy sources.↗ · Try an alternative method to check your answer.↗ · We had no alternative but to walk home.↗ · My brother likes alternative rock music.↗ · The author uses some alternative spellings--for example, "arn't" rather than "aren't", "dulness" rather than "dullness", both "shan't" and "sha'n't"--which have been left unchanged.↗ · There exist alternative traditions where this term in the SY is vocalized instead as אַמּוֹת ammot 'cubits' or אֻמּוֹת ummot 'nations'.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

altitude — Everyday, meaning 1: Altitude is how high something is above the level of the sea or above the ground, as for a plane, mountain or town.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (maths) In a triangle, the altitude is the line straight down from a corner to the opposite side, at a right angle; its length is the height.↗ Example: The plane flew at an altitude of 10,000 metres.↗ · At high altitude it is harder to breathe.↗ · The pilot began to lose altitude before landing.↗ · Some climbers get altitude sickness.↗ · Draw the altitude of the triangle from the top corner.↗ · The town sits at an altitude of 2,000 metres above sea level.↗ · On page 16 we read as follows: "All his (Gods) creation, and every minutest part thereof, participates of two most essential forms : the line 1 the symbol of the altitude, and the circle 0 the symbol of the horizon.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

altogether — Everyday, meaning 1: Altogether means counting everything together as one total.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Altogether means completely: the noise stopped altogether.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Altogether can mean on the whole, when you think of everything.↗ Example: Anna found 8 cards and then found 6 more.↗ How many cards did Anna find altogether?↗ · Ben has 7 pens and Lucy has 9 pens.↗ How many pens do they have altogether?↗ · There are 4 boxes with 6 crayons in each.↗ How many crayons are there altogether?↗ · That will be 12 dollars altogether, please.↗ · The rain stopped altogether by lunchtime.↗ · It was a wonderful day altogether.↗ · Our class raised 85 pounds altogether at the bake sale.↗ · It was altogether a ridiculous concert.↗ · I took thee to curse mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast blessed them altogether.'↗ (Torah NUM.23.11, JPS 1917)↗ · I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto Me; and if not, I will know.'↗ (Torah GEN.18.21, JPS 1917)↗ · Now mount Sinai was altogether on smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire; and the smoke thereof ascended as the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mount quaked greatly.↗ (Torah EXO.19.18, JPS 1917)↗ · I would with one step burn it altogether.↗ (Prophets ISA.27.4, JPS 1917)↗ · His mouth is most sweet; yea, he is altogether lovely.↗ (Writings SNG.5.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Oh that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it would be your wisdom.↗ (Writings JOB.13.5, JPS 1917)↗