📖 A — The English dictionary · page 4

abrupt — Everyday, meaning 1: Sudden and unexpected, often in an unpleasant way.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Short and rude in the way someone speaks.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (of a slope) Very steep.↗ Example: The bus came to an abrupt stop and we all lurched forward.↗ · The film had an abrupt ending.↗ · Sorry I was abrupt on the phone; I was in a hurry.↗ · There was an abrupt change in the weather.↗ · The path ends in an abrupt drop to the sea.↗ · His abrupt answer made her feel hurt.↗ · This abrupt departure was a great blow to the State, especially as no one had any idea what had become of the Prince.↗

abruptly — Everyday, meaning 1: Suddenly and unexpectedly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: In a short, rude or unfriendly way.↗ Example: The music stopped abruptly.↗ · She stood up abruptly and left the room.↗ · The road ended abruptly at a fence.↗ · "No," he said abruptly.↗ · The temperature dropped abruptly at night.↗ · The line on the graph rises abruptly after the third day.↗ · ‘I want a boy to tend my cattle,’ he said abruptly, ‘as the one I had has run away.↗

abs — Everyday, meaning 1: (informal) Abs are the stomach muscles; it is short for abdominal muscles.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: ABS (in capitals) stands for anti-lock braking system, which stops a car's wheels locking when the driver brakes hard.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: ABS is also a hard plastic used for things like LEGO bricks.↗ Example: Sit-ups help to strengthen your abs.↗ · The coach said, "Tighten your abs and keep your back straight."↗ · The car has ABS, so it can steer while braking hard.↗ · LEGO bricks are made of ABS plastic.↗ · Strong abs help you keep good posture.↗ · He showed off his abs at the beach.↗

abscise — Everyday, meaning 1: (science) To abscise means for a plant to drop a leaf, flower or fruit by forming a special layer of cells where it joins the stem.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) To abscise also means to cut something off.↗ Example: In autumn, oak and maple trees abscise their leaves.↗ · The plant abscises flowers that were not pollinated.↗ · A corky layer forms before the leaf is abscised.↗ · Some trees abscise small fruits when it is too dry.↗ · Scientists study how plants decide when to abscise their leaves.↗ · Evergreen trees abscise old needles a few at a time.↗

abscond — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To abscond means to leave secretly and suddenly, especially to escape from somewhere or to avoid being caught.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To abscond with something means to run away with money or things that are not yours.↗ Example: The thief absconded with the cash box.↗ · Two prisoners absconded from the open prison.↗ · The club treasurer absconded with all the money.↗ · (jokey) Our dog absconded with the Sunday roast.↗ · The man absconded before the police arrived.↗ · The puppy absconded with my sock.↗

absence — Everyday, meaning 1: Absence is being away from a place, like school or work, when you should be there.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: An absence is a time when someone is away.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Absence of something means it is not there or there is none of it.↗ Example: She had three absences from school this term.↗ · Your absence was noticed at the meeting.↗ · In the absence of light, plants cannot make food.↗ · After a long absence, the swallows returned.↗ · There were 28 pupils and 3 absences, so 25 were present.↗ · The absence of rain made the grass turn brown.↗ · The teacher marked his absence in the register.↗ · In his absence things are usually quiet on the island.↗ · C. to denote the absence of degrees, minutes, or seconds in their sexagesi- mal notation.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗ · As the - indicates the absence of a vowel letter, and is similar in its nature to the zero, which indicates the absence of a digit, it is possible that the " originated from the zero.↗ (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914))↗

absent — Everyday, meaning 1: Absent means not here, not in the place where someone is expected to be, such as school or work.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Absent means missing or not there at all, as in «Snow was absent this winter».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Absent-minded means forgetful, thinking about something else.↗ Example: Tom was absent from school because he had a cold.↗ · Who is absent today?↗ · The teacher marked three children absent.↗ · Colour was absent from the old black-and-white photos.↗ · Grandpa is a bit absent-minded and often loses his glasses.↗ · If you are absent, bring a note from home.↗ · Fish are absent from this salty lake.↗ · While he was absent the boy woke up and dressed himself.↗ · and Mizpah, for he said: 'The LORD watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another.↗ (Torah GEN.31.49, JPS 1917)↗

absolute — Everyday, meaning 1: Absolute means total, complete, as much as possible: absolute silence.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Certain and not changing: an absolute rule.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (maths) The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero, always positive or zero.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: An absolute ruler has complete power.↗ Everyday, meaning 5: (informal) Used for force: an absolute disaster, an absolute legend.↗ Example: There was absolute silence during the test.↗ · The absolute value of minus seven is seven.↗ · Nothing can be colder than absolute zero.↗ · The king had absolute power.↗ · That party was an absolute disaster!↗ · You're an absolute star for helping.↗ · Safety is an absolute must on the trip.↗ · The Zohar represents absolute truth, and the Sepher Jezirah provides the means by which we may seize, appropriate and make use of it."↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · However, this is grammatically peculiar, as immot is usually only the construct plural of אֵם em 'mother', whose absolute plural is rather אִמָּהוֹת immahot.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Sefaria community translation)↗ · 23) The ancient philosophers maintained that if God is the first cause, and He is necessarily, He, the immediate effect of Him, as an absolute unity, (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877)↗

absolutely — Everyday, meaning 1: Completely, totally: absolutely right.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Used as a strong «yes» when you agree: «Absolutely!».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: With «not» or «nothing», a strong «no»: absolutely not, absolutely nothing.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (informal) Used to make a feeling stronger: absolutely starving.↗ Example: Are you coming? — Absolutely!↗ · You are absolutely right.↗ · I'm absolutely starving.↗ · Absolutely not, you can't go out in this storm.↗ · There was absolutely nothing left in the fridge.↗ · The sunset was absolutely beautiful.↗ · Make absolutely sure the tap is off.↗ · But since you ask me, I must confess that it lacks three things to make it absolutely perfect."↗

absolution — Everyday, meaning 1: (church) Absolution is when a priest, in God's name, declares that a person's sins are forgiven, especially after confession.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Absolution is being set free from blame or guilt.↗ Example: After confession, the priest gave her absolution.↗ · The vicar said the words of absolution and everyone felt lighter.↗ · He wanted absolution for the lie he had told.↗ · Saying sorry to her friend felt like absolution.↗ · Catholics believe absolution forgives their sins through the priest.↗ · The service begins with confession and absolution.↗

absolved — Everyday, meaning 1: To absolve someone is to free them from blame, guilt or punishment, saying that they are not responsible.↗ Example: The judge absolved the boy of blame.↗ · The king absolved the knight after the accident.↗ · Her father absolved her from the broken vase.↗ · Because it was an accident, he was absolved of all guilt.↗

absorb — Everyday, meaning 1: To absorb a liquid, gas or heat is to take it in, as a sponge takes in water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To absorb information is to learn it and understand it.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: To be absorbed in something is to be so interested in it that you notice nothing else.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: To absorb a shock or blow is to take its force so it does less harm.↗ Example: A sponge absorbs water.↗ · Paper towels absorb spills.↗ · Black clothes absorb more heat from the Sun.↗ · Plant roots absorb water from the soil.↗ · She was so absorbed in her book that she didn't hear me.↗ · A bike helmet absorbs the force of a fall.↗ · I need time to absorb all this information.↗ · Which material absorbs the most water?↗ · Crimthann absorbed instruction like a sponge and digested it as rapidly.↗

absorbent — Everyday, meaning 1: Absorbent describes a material that can soak up liquid, like a sponge or a paper towel.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Something absorbent takes in and holds water or another liquid instead of letting it run off.↗ Example: A sponge is very absorbent.↗ · We tested which paper was the most absorbent.↗ · Use an absorbent cloth to wipe up the spill.↗ · Plastic is not absorbent, so water runs off it.↗ · Towels are made of absorbent cotton.↗ · Nappies have an absorbent layer inside.↗ · Kitchen roll is more absorbent than tissue paper.↗

absorption — Everyday, meaning 1: The taking in of a liquid, gas, heat or light by something: a sponge's absorption of water.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (science) The way food or medicine passes into the body or blood: absorption of food in the gut.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Being completely interested in something: her absorption in the book.↗ Example: We tested the absorption of three kinds of paper towel.↗ · Black clothes have high absorption of the sun's heat.↗ · The absorption of food happens mostly in the small intestine.↗ · Plant roots take in water by absorption.↗ · Her absorption in the puzzle meant she did not hear the bell.↗ · Paper towel A soaked up 30 ml and B soaked up 45 ml, so B had better absorption.↗ · Sand has fast absorption of rainwater.↗

abstain — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) To abstain is to choose not to do something you might enjoy, like eating sweets or drinking alcohol.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: To abstain in a vote is to choose not to vote for or against.↗ Example: Grandad abstains from sugar in his tea.↗ · Three pupils abstained in the class vote.↗ · During the fast, they abstain from food until sunset.↗ · She abstained from chocolate for a whole month.↗ · Of 30 voters, 18 said yes, 9 said no, and 3 abstained.↗ · He abstained from arguing and stayed calm.↗ · She not only abstained from beating him, but encouraged him.↗ · he shall abstain from wine and strong drink: he shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat fresh grapes or dried.↗ (Torah NUM.6.3, JPS 1917)↗

abstemious — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Abstemious means eating and drinking very little, especially not much rich food or alcohol; holding yourself back from pleasures.↗ Example: The old monk lived an abstemious life of bread and water.↗ · Grandad is abstemious and never drinks alcohol.↗ · She was abstemious at the party and had only one small cake.↗ · During Lent some Christians are more abstemious and give up treats.↗ · The athlete kept to an abstemious diet before the race.↗ · He was too abstemious to have a second helping.↗

abstention — Everyday, meaning 1: An abstention is when someone chooses not to vote, neither for nor against.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Abstention is choosing not to do or have something you might want, like food or alcohol.↗ Example: The vote was twelve for, eight against, with three abstentions.↗ · Ruby's abstention meant the result was a tie.↗ · Abstention from sweets during Lent was hard for Tom.↗ · The council counted the abstentions separately.↗ · There were no abstentions; everyone voted.↗ · In the class vote for the trip, there was one abstention.↗

abstract — Everyday, meaning 1: (adjective) Being an idea or feeling rather than a thing you can touch or see: love, fairness and time are abstract.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (art) Not showing real things but using shapes, colours and lines: an abstract painting.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (noun) A short summary at the start of a science article or report.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (verb, formal) To take something out, or to pick out the main ideas.↗ Example: "Happiness" is an abstract noun.↗ · The painting was abstract: just red squares and blue lines.↗ · Bravery is abstract; you can't hold it in your hand.↗ · Read the abstract to see what the experiment found.↗ · Fractions felt very abstract until we used pizza slices.↗ · We made abstract art with splashes of paint.↗ · "Chair" is concrete, but "comfort" is abstract.↗ · [239] Kruchina, as an abstract idea, is of the feminine gender.↗