📖 A — The English dictionary · page 3

abolish — Everyday, meaning 1: To officially end a law, rule, system or custom so that it no longer exists.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To get rid of something completely.↗ Example: Many countries fought to abolish slavery.↗ · The school abolished the rule about wearing hats.↗ · Some people want to abolish homework for young children.↗ · The new government promised to abolish the tax.↗ · Britain abolished the slave trade after a long campaign.↗ · Our club abolished the joining fee, so now it is free.↗ · That rite was abolished by 4 Geo. iv. c. 52.↗

abolition — Everyday, meaning 1: The act of officially ending a law, system or custom.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (history) Especially the ending of slavery and the slave trade.↗ Example: The abolition of slavery was a turning point in history.↗ · People marched and wrote letters for abolition.↗ · The abolition of the fee meant more children could join.↗ · Frederick Douglass spoke out for abolition in America.↗ · After the abolition of the rule, pupils could bring phones.↗ · The abolition movement grew stronger every year.↗

abomasum — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: The fourth stomach of an animal such as a cow or sheep that chews the cud.↗ Example: He made the letter Tzadi reign, and bound to it a crown, and formed with it Aquarius in the World, and Shevat in the Year, and the abomasum in the Person.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · And these are the Twelve Leaders in the Person: two hands, two legs, two kidneys, spleen, liver, gall, rumen, abomasum, craw.↗ [note 2: Identification of the latter four terms is very strange.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗

abominable — Everyday, meaning 1: Abominable means very bad, hateful or extremely unpleasant.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Abominable can mean very poor or disagreeable, as in «abominable weather».↗ Example: The witch's trick was abominable.↗ · It was abominable of him to doubt her.↗ · The weather today is abominable.↗ · The beetle called the world an abominable place.↗ · Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing.↗ (Torah DEU.14.3, JPS 1917)↗ · Therefore shall ye keep My charge, that ye do not any of these abominable customs, which were done before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.↗ (Torah LEV.18.30, JPS 1917)↗ · How much less one that is abominable and impure, man who drinketh iniquity like water!↗ (Writings JOB.15.16, JPS 1917)↗ · But Levi and Benjamin he did not number among them; for the king's word was abominable to Joab.↗ (Writings 1CH.21.6, JPS 1917)↗ · Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?↗ (Prophets MIC.6.10, JPS 1917)↗

abominably — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: In a hateful, disgusting or wicked way.↗ Example: And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.↗ (Prophets 1KI.21.26, JPS 1917)↗ · The fool hath said in his heart: 'There is no God'; they have dealt corruptly, they have done abominably; there is none that doeth good.↗ (Writings PSA.14.1, JPS 1917)↗

abomination — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: Something that is hated, disgusting or deeply wrong.↗ Example: Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind; it is abomination.↗ (Torah LEV.18.22, JPS 1917)↗ · They roused Him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations did they provoke Him.↗ (Torah DEU.32.16, JPS 1917)↗ · For all that do such things, even all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.↗ (Torah DEU.25.16, JPS 1917)↗ · 'Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, (Prophets EZK.16.2, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou hast borne thy lewdness and thine abominations, saith the LORD.↗ (Prophets EZK.16.58, JPS 1917)↗ · For my mouth shall utter truth, and wickedness is an abomination to my lips.↗ (Writings PRO.8.7, JPS 1917)↗

aboriginal — Everyday, meaning 1: Aboriginal: belonging to the first peoples of Australia, who have lived there for more than 60 000 years (Aboriginal people, Aboriginal art).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: aboriginal (lower case): belonging to a place from the very beginning; native, original (aboriginal peoples of Canada).↗ Example: Aboriginal people have lived in Australia for more than 60 000 years.↗ · We looked at Aboriginal dot paintings in art class.↗ · Many Aboriginal languages are still spoken today.↗ · The assembly began with an Acknowledgement of Country.↗ · Dreaming stories explain how the land and animals came to be.↗ · Uluru is a sacred place for the Aboriginal people of that land.↗ · They are possibly a relic of the days of Aryan conquest, when the fair-skinned, fair-haired Aryan conquered the swarthier aboriginals.↗

abortion — Everyday, meaning 1: An abortion is a medical operation or treatment that ends a pregnancy on purpose, so a baby is not born.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal, rare) An abortion can mean a plan or attempt that fails and is stopped early.↗ Example: Abortion is a medical topic that adults often debate.↗ · Some people support abortion rights and others are against them.↗ · The news talked about new laws on abortion.↗ · A doctor explained what an abortion is.↗ · Different countries have different rules about abortion.↗ · The space mission was aborted because of a fault.↗

abound — Everyday, meaning 1: To abound means to exist in large numbers or amounts: «Rabbits abound in these fields.».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To abound in or with something means to have lots of it: «The river abounds with fish.».↗ Example: Wildflowers abound in the meadow in June.↗ · The Great Barrier Reef abounds with colourful fish.↗ · Rumours abounded about the new teacher.↗ · Stories about the old castle abound in the village.↗ · Mistakes abound in his homework.↗ · Opportunities abound for children who love sport here.↗ · The Sirens would appear to have been personifications of those numerous rocks and unseen dangers, which abound on the S.W. coast of Italy.↗ · ()f the Sefer Yetzirah II little need be said ; it abounds in trifles, contradictions and repetitions.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.↗ (Writings PRO.8.24, JPS 1917)↗ · A faithful man shall abound with blessings; but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be unpunished.↗ (Writings PRO.28.20, JPS 1917)↗

about — Everyday, meaning 1: About tells what something is on or what it is to do with: a book about dinosaurs.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: About can also mean nearly or roughly, as in «about 10».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: About can mean here and there, all around a place: children running about the yard.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: «Be about to» means be just going to do something.↗ e.g. I was about to call you.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: «Up and about» means out of bed and active again after being ill.↗ Everyday, meaning 6: (casual) «What's that about?» or «What's he on about?» asks what someone means or why they are acting oddly; «What about …?» and «How about …?» make a suggestion.↗ Everyday, meaning 7: (formal) In the exam voice «about» is replaced by stiff words: «concerning», «regarding», «in respect of», «pertaining to»; «approximately» replaces «about 10».↗ Example: The words «each», «every» and «packs of» tell us about equal groups.↗ · The story is about Mia and her 12 stickers.↗ · This problem is about sharing 20 grapes among 4 friends.↗ · There are about 30 children in our class.↗ · We read a book about sharks and whales.↗ · The train leaves in about ten minutes.↗ · Don't worry about the test; you have practised.↗ · I was just about to call you!↗ · The puppies ran about the garden all morning.↗ · what are you on about, it's 12 not 20↗ · About time!↗ The bloody bus is finally here.↗ · Determine approximately how many pupils are present, given that 3 of the 32 enrolled pupils are absent.↗ · What do you think about it?"↗ · And Laban felt about all the tent, but found them not.↗ (Torah GEN.31.34, JPS 1917)↗ · This shall be to them the open land about the cities.↗ (Torah NUM.35.5, JPS 1917)↗ · All the hangings of the court round about were of fine twined linen.↗ (Torah EXO.38.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Round about his teeth is terror.↗ (Writings JOB.41.6, JPS 1917)↗ · And Thy faithfulness is round about Thee.↗ (Writings PSA.89.9, JPS 1917)↗ · And Israel set liers-in-wait against Gibeah round about.↗ (Prophets JDG.20.29, JPS 1917)↗

above — Everyday, meaning 1: Above means higher than something.↗ The sky is above the ground.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Above also means more than a number or level: above 10, above zero, above average.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In a book, above means earlier on the page: see the picture above.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: Above all means most importantly.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: Above can also mean too proud or too good to do something.↗ Example: The temperature is 5 degrees above zero.↗ · How many numbers above 20 are in the list?↗ · She lives 3 floors above Tom.↗ · The bird flew 12 m above the tree.↗ · The town is 300 m above sea level.↗ · Hang the picture above the bed.↗ · Look at the table above to answer the question.↗ · Above all, be kind.↗ · His marks were above average.↗ · He was above all that sort of thing.↗ · And he was honoured above all the house of his father.↗ (Torah GEN.34.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And he made a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sealskins above.↗ (Torah EXO.36.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And Moses took the redemption-money from them that were over and above them that were redeemed by the Levites; (Torah NUM.3.49, JPS 1917)↗ · 'My beloved is white and ruddy, pre-eminent above ten thousand.↗ (Writings SNG.5.10, JPS 1917)↗ · Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold, yea, above fine gold.↗ (Writings PSA.119.127, JPS 1917)↗ · His roots shall dry up beneath, and above shall his branch wither.↗ (Writings JOB.18.16, JPS 1917)↗

abracadabra — Everyday, meaning 1: Abracadabra is a magic word said by magicians when they do a trick, as if it makes the magic happen.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) Abracadabra also means words that sound clever or mysterious but make no sense.↗ Example: «Abracadabra!» said the magician, and the coin vanished.↗ · My little sister waved her wand and shouted «Abracadabra!»↗ · At the party the magician pulled a rabbit from his hat after saying abracadabra.↗ · Long ago, people wrote abracadabra on charms to keep sickness away.↗ · The instructions were pure abracadabra to Grandad.↗ · Saying abracadabra didn't make my homework disappear!↗

abrade — Everyday, meaning 1: To abrade means to scrape or wear away the surface of something by rubbing: «The rough rope abraded his hands.».↗ Example: Wind full of sand abrades the rocks in the desert.↗ · The rough rope abraded his hands.↗ · Pebbles carried by the river abrade the riverbed.↗ · She fell off her bike and abraded her knee.↗ · Sandpaper abrades the wood until it is smooth.↗ · Glaciers abrade the rock beneath them, leaving scratches.↗

abrasion — Everyday, meaning 1: A scrape on the skin where the top layer has been rubbed off, like a grazed knee.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science) The wearing away of a surface by rubbing, like rocks worn smooth by sand, water or wind.↗ Example: She fell off her bike and got an abrasion on her elbow.↗ · Clean an abrasion with clean water before putting on a plaster.↗ · The rocks on the beach were smoothed by abrasion.↗ · The river carries stones that wear away its bed by abrasion.↗ · He had only cuts and abrasions after the fall.↗ · Wind blowing sand causes abrasion in deserts.↗

abreast — Everyday, meaning 1: Abreast means side by side, facing the same way: «three abreast».↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Abreast of something means level with it: «The car drew abreast of the bus.».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To keep abreast of news or changes means to stay up to date with them.↗ Example: We walked to the museum two abreast.↗ · The cyclists rode three abreast and blocked the lane.↗ · The runner drew abreast of the leader on the last lap.↗ · Dad reads the news to keep abreast of what's happening.↗ · The ships sailed abreast across the bay.↗ · Teachers keep abreast of new ideas in teaching.↗ · It was drawn by twelve snow-white horses, harnessed four abreast; their trappings were flame-colored velvet, embroidered with diamonds.↗

abridged — Everyday, meaning 1: To abridge a book or story is to make it shorter by leaving parts out, while keeping the main story.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Abridged means shortened in this way: an abridged version.↗ Example: The teacher abridged the long story for us.↗ · This is an abridged version of the tale.↗ · I abridged the rules so the class could read them quickly.↗ · The abridged book is only forty pages long.↗

abridgment — Everyday, meaning 1: An abridgment is a shorter version of a book, story or speech, with the main parts kept and the rest left out.↗ Example: This book is an abridgment of the Odyssey.↗ · The abridgment left out the long speeches.↗ · Here is an abridgment of one of these stories.↗ · The short abridgment was easy to read in one lesson.↗

abroad — Everyday, meaning 1: Abroad means in or to a foreign country, one that is not your own: go abroad, live abroad.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «From abroad» means coming from another country.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Spread around in many places, or out of doors.↗ Example: We are going abroad this summer, to France.↗ · My uncle lives abroad in Japan.↗ · You need a passport to travel abroad.↗ · Our class has pen pals from abroad.↗ · Many children from abroad join our school and learn English.↗ · When you go abroad, the money may be different.↗ · But if the scall spread abroad in the skin after his cleansing, (Torah LEV.13.35, JPS 1917)↗ · Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad.↗ (Torah DEU.23.12, JPS 1917)↗ · But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad.↗ (Torah EXO.1.12, JPS 1917)↗ · Abroad the sword bereaveth, at home there is the like of death.↗ (Writings LAM.1.20, JPS 1917)↗ · Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in the streets.↗ (Writings PRO.5.16, JPS 1917)↗ · And the Levites took it, to carry it out abroad to the brook Kidron.↗ (Writings 2CH.29.16, JPS 1917)↗ · But if the scall spread abroad in the skin after his cleansing,↗ (Torah LEV.13.35, JPS 1917) · “They are gone abroad,” said the other.↗ (Andersen's Fairy Tales) · Thou shalt have a place also without the camp, whither thou shalt go forth abroad.↗ (Torah DEU.23.12, JPS 1917)