📖 A — The English dictionary · page 31

ammonite — Everyday, meaning 1: An ammonite is an extinct sea animal with a coiled shell, related to today's octopus, squid and nautilus.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An ammonite is also the fossil of this animal, often found in rocks as a stone spiral.↗ Example: We found an ammonite fossil on the beach.↗ · An ammonite has a shell shaped like a spiral.↗ · Ammonites died out at the same time as the dinosaurs.↗ · Mary Anning collected ammonites at Lyme Regis.↗ · The museum has an ammonite as big as a car tyre.↗ · Ammonites were related to squid and octopuses.↗ · An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of the LORD; even to the tenth generation shall none of them enter into the assembly of the LORD for ever; (Torah DEU.23.3, JPS 1917)↗ · Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah; (Prophets 2SA.23.37, JPS 1917)↗ · Zelek the Ammonite, Nahrai the Berothite, the armour-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah; (Writings 1CH.11.39, JPS 1917)↗ · Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said: 'Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall break down their stone wall.'↗ (Writings NEH.3.35, JPS 1917)↗

ammunition — Everyday, meaning 1: Ammunition is the bullets, shells, or other things fired or thrown in a fight.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In a story, ammunition can be any things a person throws at an enemy.↗ Example: The soldiers filled the wagon with ammunition.↗ · The boys ran out of ammunition and looked for more.↗ · The ammunition wagon got stuck in the mud.↗

amoeba — Everyday, meaning 1: A tiny living thing made of just one cell, which you can only see with a microscope.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: It has no fixed shape: it moves by pushing out parts of itself like fingers (called pseudopods) and eats by wrapping round its food.↗ Example: Under the microscope the amoeba changed its shape.↗ · An amoeba is made of just one cell.↗ · The amoeba wrapped around a tiny bit of food.↗ · Amoebae live in pond water.↗ · We drew the amoeba with its little pseudopods.↗ · Some amoebas can make people ill if they drink dirty water.↗

among — Everyday, meaning 1: Among means in the middle of a group: a house among the trees.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Among means shared with each person of a group: shared among three friends.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Among means being one of a group: she is among the best runners.↗ Example: 12 cookies are shared equally among 3 friends.↗ How many cookies does each friend get?↗ · Mr Lee shares 30 pencils among 6 pupils.↗ · 24 grapes are split among 4 children.↗ · The rabbit hid among the tall grass.↗ · Among all the fruits, I like mangoes best.↗ · The prize money was divided among the four winners.↗ · She was among the first to arrive.↗ · He searched among the shavings--no one!↗ · Give unto us a possession among the brethren of our father.'↗ (Torah NUM.27.4, JPS 1917)↗ · Every male among the priests may eat thereof; it is most holy.↗ (Torah LEV.6.29, JPS 1917)↗ · 'Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them.↗ (Torah NUM.8.6, JPS 1917)↗ · Is Saul also among the prophets?'↗ (Prophets 1SA.10.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Will they part him among the merchants?↗ (Writings JOB.40.30, JPS 1917)↗ · Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?'↗ (Prophets ISA.33.14, JPS 1917)↗

amorous — Everyday, meaning 1: Amorous means full of love, often romantic love (an old-fashioned word).↗ Example: The amorous prince sang under her window.↗ · A young man in an amorous mood wrote her a poem.↗ · The story is about an amorous knight.↗

amount — Everyday, meaning 1: An amount is how much there is of something.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An amount is a sum of money.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To amount to is to add up to a total, or to be the same as.↗ Example: What is the total amount of money?↗ · She paid the same amount each week.↗ · He spent an amount of 25 dollars.↗ · Find the amount of water left.↗ · Plants need the right amount of sunlight.↗ · The bill amounted to 40 dollars.↗ · Use a small amount of glue.↗ · A large amount of snow fell overnight.↗ · They gave the same amount of time to each game.↗ · His excuses amount to nothing.↗ · The amount is six bushels--just what you have.↗ · The Hebrew letters amount in nimieration to 440, that is 400, 30 and i o.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · And he made the most holy place; the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits; and he overlaid it with fine gold, amounting to six hundred talents.↗ (Writings 2CH.3.8, JPS 1917)↗

amp — Everyday, meaning 1: Short for «ampere», the unit used to measure electric current.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Short for «amplifier», a machine that makes sound from a guitar or microphone louder.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (slang) «Amp up» means make something stronger or more exciting.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (slang) «Amped» means very excited.↗ Example: The current in the circuit was two amps.↗ · The guitar was plugged into a huge amp.↗ · Turn the amp down, it's too loud!↗ · This fuse is rated at 13 amps.↗ · The coach amped up the training before the final.↗ · I'm so amped for the school trip!↗

amphibian — Everyday, meaning 1: An animal with a backbone that is cold-blooded, has moist skin, usually lays eggs in water, and lives part of its life in water and part on land, like frogs, toads, newts and salamanders.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A vehicle or plane that can travel on both land and water (amphibious vehicle).↗ Example: A frog is an amphibian.↗ · Amphibians start life in water and can later live on land.↗ · Tadpoles breathe with gills, but adult frogs breathe with lungs.↗ · Newts and salamanders are amphibians too.↗ · Amphibians have smooth, moist skin, not scales.↗ · We found frogspawn in the pond — amphibian eggs!↗ · Some frog skins are poisonous, so don't lick or touch your mouth after holding one.↗

amphipod — Everyday, meaning 1: An amphipod is a small shrimp-like animal with no shell on its back, such as the sand hopper found on beaches.↗ Example: Sand hoppers are amphipods that jump on the beach.↗ · Amphipods are food for fish and birds.↗ · We found amphipods under stones in the stream.↗ · Amphipods are crustaceans, like crabs and shrimps.↗ · Some amphipods live in the deepest ocean trenches.↗ · Our pond dip found tiny amphipods.↗

amphitheatre — Everyday, meaning 1: An amphitheatre is a round or oval building with rows of seats rising around an open space, where people watch shows or games.↗ Example: The Romans watched fights in a great amphitheatre.↗ · We look down on the crowd in the amphitheatre.↗ · The seats rise in rows all around the arena.↗

ample — Everyday, meaning 1: Ample means more than enough; plenty.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Ample can mean large, about size, for example «an ample garden».↗ Example: We have ample time to finish the test.↗ · There is ample room for everyone in the minibus.↗ · The garden is ample for a vegetable patch.↗ · There was ample food at the party.↗ · She had ample chances to say sorry.↗ · The library has ample books on space.↗ · The knowledge that we have been of service to you is ample payment.↗

amplification — Everyday, meaning 1: Making a sound or signal louder or stronger.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Adding more detail to explain something better.↗ Example: The concert used powerful amplification.↗ · A guitar amplifier gives amplification to the strings' sound.↗ · Hearing aids work by amplification.↗ · Your answer needs more amplification.↗ · A cupped hand gives a little amplification to your voice.↗ · The microphone's amplification made her voice boom.↗

amplifier — Everyday, meaning 1: A machine that makes sounds louder, especially from guitars, microphones and music players.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science) Any device that makes an electric signal stronger.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Something that makes a feeling or effect stronger.↗ Example: The guitarist plugged into the amplifier.↗ · Turn the amplifier down, it's too loud!↗ · A microphone, an amplifier and a speaker work together.↗ · The school hall has a big amplifier for assemblies.↗ · A hearing aid is a tiny amplifier.↗ · Our band's amp crackled during the concert.↗

amplify — Everyday, meaning 1: To amplify a sound is to make it louder, often with electronic equipment.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To amplify something is to make it bigger, stronger or more important.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To amplify a statement is to add more detail to explain it.↗ Example: The speakers amplify the singer's voice.↗ · A megaphone amplifies your voice.↗ · Shouting amplified the argument.↗ · Social media can amplify rumours.↗ · Could you amplify your answer with an example?↗ · Cupping your hands round your mouth amplifies your call.↗

amplitude — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) The size of a wave: how high it rises from its middle line.↗ In sound, bigger amplitude means louder; in light, brighter.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Large size or plenty.↗ Example: A loud sound has a big amplitude.↗ · Draw a wave with a small amplitude.↗ · The earthquake's waves had a huge amplitude.↗ · Amplitude is measured from the middle line to the top.↗ · Turning up the volume increases the amplitude.↗ · The amplitude of the swing got smaller as it slowed down.↗

amulet — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: A small charm worn to protect a person from harm or bad luck.↗ Example: the headtires, and the armlets, and the sashes, and the corselets, and the amulets; (Prophets ISA.3.20, JPS 1917)↗

amuse — Everyday, meaning 1: To amuse someone is to make them laugh or smile.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To amuse someone is to keep them busy and interested so they do not get bored.↗ Example: The clown amused the children with silly tricks.↗ · Her joke amused the whole class.↗ · We amused ourselves with card games on the train.↗ · The toys kept the baby amused for an hour.↗ · The teacher was not amused when the frog jumped out.↗ · Dad's funny voices always amuse me.↗ · “Now let us see what we can do to amuse ourselves.”↗

amused — Everyday, meaning 1: Finding something funny so that you smile or laugh.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Kept busy and happy, not bored.↗ Example: She was amused by the puppy chasing its tail.↗ · Mum was not amused when I spilt the paint.↗ · The games kept us amused on the long drive.↗ · He gave an amused smile.↗ · I was amused at my brother's silly dance.↗ · A colouring book kept the toddler amused.↗ · The old man was much amused.↗

amusement — Everyday, meaning 1: The feeling of finding something funny.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Fun or entertainment; something that keeps you entertained.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (plural) Rides and games at a fair or seaside, as in "amusements".↗ Example: We went to the amusement park and rode the roller coaster.↗ · She watched the kittens in amusement.↗ · Much to our amusement, the teacher wore a funny hat.↗ · The seaside town had amusements on the pier.↗ · They played cards for amusement.↗ · There was little amusement on the rainy day.↗ · And this was her favorite amusement.↗

amusing — Everyday, meaning 1: Amusing means funny in a gentle way that makes you smile or laugh.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Amusing can mean pleasant and entertaining, keeping you happy for a while.↗ Example: Dad told an amusing story about his first day at work.↗ · The clown was very amusing.↗ · I found the puppy's tricks amusing.↗ · It's amusing to watch the ducks chase each other.↗ · The book is short but amusing.↗ · The teacher did not find the joke amusing.↗ · “Thank you very much for your amusing dance.↗

amygdala — Everyday, meaning 1: The amygdala is a small almond-shaped part deep inside the brain that helps us feel and react to emotions, especially fear.↗ Example: The amygdala helps you feel scared when you see danger.↗ · Your amygdala reacts before you even think.↗ · Deep breathing helps calm the amygdala.↗ · The amygdala is shaped like an almond.↗ · Each brain has two amygdalae, one on each side.↗ · Scientists study the amygdala to understand fear.↗

an — Everyday, meaning 1: An is a small word used before a word that starts with a vowel sound, like an apple, an egg or an hour.↗ It means one.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In rates «an» means each or per: «60 km an hour», «5 dollars an hour».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (casual) In quick talk «an» is often swallowed or turned into «a»: «a apple» is heard but wrong in writing.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (casual) «'n'» or «an'» is a clipped «and»: «fish 'n' chips», «me an' him»; this is a different word.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (formal, old) Some formal writers still use «an» before a sounded h: «an historic day», «an hotel».↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Used before a word that starts with a vowel sound, to mean one.↗ Example: Sam has an apple and 3 pears.↗ · A car goes 60 kilometres an hour.↗ · She earns 5 dollars an hour.↗ · An egg costs 20 cents.↗ · An elephant is the biggest land animal.↗ · We waited for an hour and a half.↗ · An owl lived in the tree; the owl hooted all night.↗ · It is an honour to meet you.↗ · been waiting like an hr, where r u (casual)↗ · 5 bucks an hour?? that's a rip-off (casual)↗ · An 8 and an 18 are both even.↗ · Remuneration is at a rate of 5 dollars per hour; compute the earnings for a period of 6 hours.↗ (formal exam)↗ · Then an idea came to him.↗ · And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.↗ (Torah GEN.33.20, JPS 1917)↗ · Now an omer is the tenth part of an ephah.↗ (Torah EXO.16.36, JPS 1917)↗ · and the second row a carbuncle, a sapphire, and an emerald; (Torah EXO.28.18, JPS 1917)↗ · Shall windy words have an end?↗ (Writings JOB.16.3, JPS 1917)↗ · Or hast thou an arm like God?↗ (Writings JOB.40.9, JPS 1917)↗ · Why are the nations in an uproar?↗ (Writings PSA.2.1, JPS 1917)↗ · And he erected there an altar, and called it El-elohe-Israel.↗ (Torah GEN.33.20, JPS 1917) · He would think me an adventurer."↗ (The Arabian Nights Entertainments) · Misery, or an evil end, or simply evil, ROH.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)