📖 A — The English dictionary · page 36

annually — Everyday, meaning 1: Annually means once every year.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Annually means for each year, in a year: «she earns 30,000 pounds annually».↗ Example: The fair is held annually in our village.↗ · Trees grow a new ring annually.↗ · The town gets 800 millimetres of rain annually.↗ · The swallows return annually.↗ · He saves 120 pounds annually, which is 10 pounds a month.↗ · The school photo is taken annually.↗ · The former was held annually, and the latter, which lasted several days, was celebrated every fourth year.↗

annul — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal, law) To officially say that something such as a marriage, contract or election never counted and is cancelled.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (church) In the Catholic Church, an annulment declares that a marriage was never valid.↗ Example: Henry VIII asked the Pope to annul his first marriage.↗ · The court annulled the election result.↗ · The contract was annulled because it was unfair.↗ · Their marriage was annulled after a few months.↗ · The judge annulled the agreement.↗ · Catholics believe an annulment means a marriage was never valid.↗

annum — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal, money) A year; "per annum" means each year or for every year.↗ Example: The bank pays 3% interest per annum.↗ · Her salary is fifty thousand pounds per annum.↗ · The club charges twenty dollars per annum to join.↗ · The tree grows about 30 centimetres per annum.↗ · If the rent is 1,200 per annum, how much is it per month?↗ · The rate is written as 5% p.a. on the poster.↗ · The farm produces ten tonnes of wheat per annum.↗

annunciation — Everyday, meaning 1: (church, Bible) The Annunciation is when, as the Bible tells, the angel Gabriel came to Mary to say that she would be the mother of Jesus.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: The church feast that remembers this.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal, rare) An announcement.↗ Example: The Annunciation is told in the Gospel of Luke.↗ · In the painting of the Annunciation, the angel holds a lily.↗ · Our church keeps the feast of the Annunciation in spring.↗ · Mary said yes to God at the Annunciation, Christians believe.↗ · We acted out the Annunciation in the nativity play.↗ · Gabriel's words at the Annunciation begin «Hail Mary» in many prayers.↗

anoint — Everyday, meaning 1: (church, Bible) To anoint is to put holy oil on someone's head or body as a sign of blessing, healing, or being chosen by God, for example as a king or priest.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) To anoint someone is to choose them for an important role, like "anointed as the next captain".↗ Everyday, meaning 3: In old tales, "anointed" before an insult, as in "anointed rogue", is a grumpy way of saying "confounded" or "wretched".↗ Example: Samuel anointed David with oil to show he would be king.↗ · The priest anointed the sick woman and prayed for her.↗ · A woman anointed Jesus' feet with perfume.↗ · The new king was anointed in the abbey.↗ · The coach anointed Maya as our new captain.↗ · "Christ" means "the anointed one".↗ · "Oh, you anointed villain!" says the ass, roaring like thunder.↗ · And thou shalt anoint the laver and its base, and sanctify it.↗ (Torah EXO.40.11, JPS 1917)↗ · This was the dedication-offering of the altar, after that it was anointed.↗ (Torah NUM.7.88, JPS 1917)↗ · oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense; (Torah EXO.25.6, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD anointed thee king over Israel; (Prophets 1SA.15.17, JPS 1917)↗ · And the LORD said: 'Arise, anoint him; for this is he.'↗ (Prophets 1SA.16.12, JPS 1917)↗ · And Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle.↗ (Prophets 2SA.19.11, JPS 1917)↗

anon — Everyday, meaning 1: Anon means soon or shortly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: «Ever and anon» means now and then, from time to time.↗ Early Modern English, meaning 1: Soon, shortly, or straight away.↗ Example: I will come anon.↗ · Ever and anon the bell rang from the tower.↗ · Anon he heard the word Peter.↗ · Anon he caught the word Peter.↗ (Peter Pan) · Ever and anon the light from his cigar gave a touch of colour to his face.↗ (Peter Pan) · Anon I thought of the mourning mother beneath the cross at Golgotha, so deep was the expression of pain.↗ (Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen)

anonymous — Everyday, meaning 1: Anonymous means made, given or done by someone whose name is not known or not told.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A person who is anonymous is not named or not known.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Something plain and dull with nothing special about it can be called anonymous: «an anonymous grey building».↗ Example: Someone left an anonymous note on my desk.↗ · An anonymous donor gave the hospital a lot of money.↗ · The survey is anonymous, so do not write your name.↗ · The poem was written by Anonymous.↗ · The man wanted to stay anonymous, so the paper did not print his name.↗ · Online, people can be anonymous, so be careful who you talk to.↗ · The office was in an anonymous grey building.↗

anonymously — Everyday, meaning 1: Without giving your name, so nobody knows who you are.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In a way that hides who someone is.↗ Example: Someone anonymously left flowers at the school gate.↗ · The money was donated anonymously to the hospital.↗ · You can report problems anonymously in the class box.↗ · The letter was sent anonymously, with no signature.↗ · She liked to help people anonymously.↗ · The survey was filled in anonymously so we could be honest.↗ · Online, some people post anonymously and say unkind things.↗ · The stories had previously appeared from time to time, anonymously, in Moetjens' little magazine the "Recueil," which was published from The Hague.↗

anorak — Everyday, meaning 1: A waterproof jacket with a hood, often padded.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (UK, informal) A person who is very interested in a hobby that others think is boring, like train numbers; a nerd.↗ Example: Put on your anorak; it's raining.↗ · My anorak has a hood that folds away.↗ · He's a real anorak about trains.↗ · She left her anorak on the school bus.↗ · We wore anoraks on the windy hill.↗ · Don't be such an anorak.↗

another — Everyday, meaning 1: Another means one more of the same kind: have another cookie.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Another means a different one: try another way.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: As a pronoun, another means some other person or thing: one dog barked at another.↗ Example: To find how many more one has than another, we subtract the smaller from the bigger.↗ · Jo picks 5 flowers, then another 3 flowers.↗ · One box holds 8 eggs and another box holds 6 eggs.↗ · Can I have another slice of pizza?↗ · This pen does not work; please give me another.↗ · Let's try another way to solve it.↗ · The children helped one another clean up.↗ · We will go to the zoo another day.↗ · "I have many sprats," said another.↗ · Each board had two tenons, joined one to another.↗ (Torah EXO.36.22, JPS 1917)↗ · And Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.↗ (Torah GEN.25.1, JPS 1917)↗ · And they said one to another: 'Behold, this dreamer cometh.↗ (Torah GEN.37.19, JPS 1917)↗ · And My glory will I not give to another.↗ (Prophets ISA.48.11, JPS 1917)↗ · Let his days be few; let another take his charge.↗ (Writings PSA.109.8, JPS 1917)↗ · And he could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.↗ (Prophets 2SA.3.11, JPS 1917)↗

answer — Everyday, meaning 1: An answer is what you say or write back to a question.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An answer is the result of a sum or problem: the answer is 12.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To answer is to reply, or to pick up the phone or open the door when someone calls or knocks.↗ Example: Not quite.↗ Look at the word «more»: it tells us to add.↗ The answer is 3 + 1 = 4.↗ · Write the answer in the box.↗ · Check your answer by adding back.↗ · Put up your hand if you know the answer.↗ · Can you answer the phone, please?↗ · I knocked, but nobody answered.↗ · The answer to 6 × 7 is 42.↗ · She answered all ten questions in the quiz.↗ · "Yes, I was," answered the genius.↗ · And Ephron answered Abraham, saying unto him: (Torah GEN.23.14, JPS 1917)↗ · And all the people shall answer and say: Amen.↗ (Torah DEU.27.15, JPS 1917)↗ · And the children of Heth answered Abraham, saying unto him: (Torah GEN.23.5, JPS 1917)↗ · And I answered: Here am I. (Prophets 2SA.1.7, JPS 1917)↗ · Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: (Writings JOB.4.1, JPS 1917)↗ · Then answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said: (Writings JOB.8.1, JPS 1917)↗

answerable — Everyday, meaning 1: Having to explain your actions to someone and take responsibility: «answerable to» someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Able to be answered.↗ Example: The head teacher is answerable to the governors.↗ · You are answerable for your own behaviour.↗ · Is that question answerable?↗ · Police must be answerable to the public.↗ · The captain is answerable for the team's kit.↗ · Some riddles aren't answerable at all.↗ · And answerable unto the border of the priests, the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth; all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.↗ (Prophets EZK.48.13, JPS 1917)↗

ant — Everyday, meaning 1: A very small insect with six legs that lives in large, organised groups called colonies, often in nests under the ground.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: "Ants in your pants" is a jokey way of saying someone cannot sit still.↗ Example: An ant has six legs.↗ · A long line of ants carried crumbs back to their nest.↗ · The queen ant lays all the eggs.↗ · Ants can carry things much heavier than themselves.↗ · Don't poke the ant hill or they might bite.↗ · In the story, the ant saved food for the winter.↗ · We watched ants through a magnifying glass.↗ · Stop wriggling — you've got ants in your pants!↗ · He found an ant in it.↗ · § H The ten digits and zero — close tliy mouth from speaking and thy heart from thinking, and if tliy heart should leap, let it come back to its place; for concerning this has the coven- ant been made.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise; (Writings PRO.6.6, JPS 1917)↗ · The ants are a people not strong, yet they provide their food in the summer; (Writings PRO.30.25, JPS 1917)↗

antacid — Everyday, meaning 1: A medicine that makes stomach acid weaker, used for heartburn and indigestion.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (adjective) Working against acid: «antacid tablets».↗ Example: Grandpa took an antacid after the spicy curry.↗ · Antacids neutralise stomach acid.↗ · In science we dropped an antacid tablet into vinegar and watched it fizz.↗ · The doctor said to take antacids for heartburn.↗ · Some antacids taste like chalk.↗ · Medicines like antacids must be kept away from small children.↗

antagonist — Everyday, meaning 1: The main enemy or opponent of the hero in a story, play or film (opposite: protagonist).↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A person who strongly opposes someone.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (science) A muscle or chemical that works against another.↗ Example: The wolf is the antagonist in Little Red Riding Hood.↗ · Every good story needs an antagonist.↗ · The two scientists were bitter antagonists.↗ · The triceps is the antagonist of the biceps.↗ · The antagonist tries to stop the hero.↗ · Name the antagonist in the novel.↗ · At the near approach of his redoubtable antagonist he turned and fled for his life.↗

antarctic — Everyday, meaning 1: The Antarctic is the very cold region around the South Pole, including the continent of Antarctica and the seas around it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Antarctic describes things from or about that region, like Antarctic ice or Antarctic animals.↗ Example: Penguins live in the Antarctic, not the Arctic.↗ · The Antarctic is the coldest place on Earth.↗ · Scientists study the Antarctic ice.↗ · Antarctic winters are long and dark.↗ · Explorers crossed the Antarctic on skis and sledges.↗ · Whales feed in Antarctic waters in summer.↗

antbird — Everyday, meaning 1: A small bird of the tropical forests of Central and South America; some kinds follow army ants to catch the insects fleeing from them.↗ Example: Antbirds follow army ants through the forest.↗ · The antbird snapped up a fleeing cricket.↗ · There are over 200 kinds of antbird.↗ · We saw a picture of an antbird in our rainforest book.↗ · Antbirds live in Central and South America.↗ · The antbird's song rang through the trees.↗

ante — Everyday, meaning 1: An ante is a stake put into the pot before a card game starts.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To up the ante means to increase what is at stake or make a situation more serious or demanding.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Ante- at the start of a word means "before", as in antenatal (before birth) or anteroom.↗ Example: The team upped the ante by training twice a day.↗ · The players put in their ante.↗ · Antenatal classes help parents before a baby is born.↗ · The bully upped the ante, so the teacher stepped in.↗ · An anteroom is a small room before a bigger one.↗ · Ante up — everyone puts in a coin!↗ · "I found myself in an ante-room," said the shadow.↗

anteater — Everyday, meaning 1: An anteater is a South and Central American mammal with a long snout and a long sticky tongue that eats ants and termites.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Loosely, other ant-eating animals (like the echidna or pangolin) are sometimes called anteaters.↗ Example: The anteater poked its long nose into the termite mound.↗ · An anteater has no teeth.↗ · The giant anteater has a bushy tail.↗ · Its tongue is longer than my arm!↗ · The baby anteater rode on its mother's back.↗ · Anteaters live in South America.↗

antecedent — Everyday, meaning 1: An antecedent is something that came before something else and led to it.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (grammar) An antecedent is the noun or phrase that a pronoun refers back to: in «Sam lost his hat», «Sam» is the antecedent of «his».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (plural, formal) Your antecedents are your ancestors or family background.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (formal adjective) Antecedent means coming before.↗ Example: In «The dog wagged its tail», «dog» is the antecedent of «its».↗ · Make sure every pronoun has a clear antecedent.↗ · The bicycle's antecedent was a wooden walking machine.↗ · The causes antecedent to the war were complicated.↗ · His antecedents came from Ireland.↗ · The penny-farthing was an antecedent of the modern bike.↗