AA

n. Brit. = advanced level (see ADVANCE).

abbr. Australasia.

n. (also a) (pl. As or A's) 1 the first letter of the alphabet. 2 Mus. the sixth note of the diatonic scale of C major. 3 the first hypothetical person or example. 4 the highest class or category (of roads, academic marks, etc.). 5 (usu. a) Algebra the first known quantity. 6 a human blood type of the ABO system. øA1 1 Naut. a a first-class vessel in Lloyd's Register of Shipping. b first-class. 2 colloq. excellent, first-rate. A1, A2 , etc. the standard paper sizes, each half the previous one, e.g. A4 = 297 x 210 mm, A5 = 210 x 148 mm. from A to B from one place to another (a means of getting from A to B). from A to Z over the entire range, completely.

abbr. (also A.) 1 Brit. (of films) classified as suitable for an adult audience but not necessarily for children. °Now replaced by PG. 2 = A LEVEL. 3 ampere(s). 4 answer. 5 Associate of. 6 atomic (energy etc.).

abbr. US colloq. excellent; in good order. [all systems OK]

ˈeɪbɔm n. = atomic bomb. [A (for ATOMIC) + BOMB]

adj. (of a garment) having a narrow waist or shoulders and somewhat flared skirt.

n. the side of a gramophone record regarded as the main one.

abbr. (Hymns) Ancient and Modern.

abbr. 1 artists and recording. 2 artists and repertoire.

abbr. 1 Automobile Association. 2 Alcoholics Anonymous. 3 Mil. anti-aircraft. 4 Brit. (of films) classified as suitable for persons of over 14 years. °Now replaced by PG.

abbr. 1 (in the UK) Amateur Athletic Association. 2 American Automobile Association. 3 Australian Automobile Association.

abbr. US Amateur Athletic Union.

n. a human blood type of the ABO system.

abbr. 1 able rating or seaman. 2 US Bachelor of Arts. [sense 1 f. able-bodied; sense 2 f. L Artium Baccalaureus]

n. 1 the alphabet. 2 the rudiments of any subject. 3 an alphabetical guide.

abbr. 1 Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 American Broadcasting Company.

abbr. anti-ballistic missile.

n. a system of four types (A, AB, B, and O) by which human blood may be classified, based on the presence or absence of certain inherited antigens.

abbr. Association of British Travel Agents.

abbr. 1 (also ac) alternating current. 2 Brit. aircraftman. 3 before Christ. 4 Companion of the Order of Australia. [sense 3 f. L ante Christum]

abbr. (in the UK) Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service.

abbr. Australian Capital Territory.

abbr. adrenocorticotrophic hormone.

abbr. Brit. (preceding a name) Aircraftwoman.

abbr. (of a date) of the Christian era. °Strictly, AD should precede a date (e.g. AD 410), but uses such as the tenth century AD are well established. [Anno Domini, 'in the year of the Lord']

abbr. 1 aide-de-camp. 2 analogue-digital converter.

abbr. 1 adenosine diphosphate. 2 automatic data processing.

abbr. (in the UK) Amalgamated Engineering Union.

) abbr. Technical, Administrative, and Supervisory Section of the AEU.

abbr. audio frequency.

abbr. 1 (in the UK) Air Force Cross. 2 Association Football Club.

abbr. (in the UK) Association of First Division Civil Servants (cf. FDA).

abbr. (in the UK) Air Force Medal.

abbr. annual general meeting.

abbr. advanced gas-cooled (nuclear) reactor.

abbr. in the year of the Hegira (AD 622); of the Muslim era. [L anno Hegirae]

abbr. artificial insemination.

abbr. artificial insemination by donor.

abbr. artificial insemination by husband.

abbr. US Alaska (in official postal use).

abbr. US Alabama (in official postal use).

abbr. 1 amplitude modulation. 2 US Master of Arts. 3 Member of the Order of Australia. [(sense 2) L artium Magister]

abbr. adenosine monophosphate.

abbr. African National Congress.

abbr. Officer of the Order of Australia.

abbr. any other business.

abbr. Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical, and Computer Staff.

abbr. annual or annualized percentage rate (esp. of interest on loans or credit).

abbr. (in the UK) Advanced Passenger Train.

abbr. US Arkansas (in official postal use).

abbr. Associate of the Royal Academy.

abbr. 1 (in the UK) Agricultural Research Council. 2 Aids-related complex.

abbr. Anglo-Saxon.

abbr. 1 Amateur Swimming Association. 2 American Standards Association.

abbr. Computing American Standard Code for Information Interchange.

abbr. Association of South East Asian Nations.

abbr. Action on Smoking and Health.

abbr. air-to-surface missile.

abbr. Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.

abbr. Atlantic Standard Time.

abbr. Brit. 1 air traffic control. 2 Air Training Corps.

abbr. adenosine triphosphate.

abbr. 1 (also au.) astronomical unit. 2 öngstræm unit.

abbr. (of a date) from the foundation of the city (of Rome). [L ab urbe condita]

abbr. (in the UK) Amalgamated Union of Engineering Workers.

abbr. (in the UK) Association of University Teachers.

abbr. 1 audiovisual (teaching aids etc.). 2 Authorized Version (of the Bible).

n. a long-range radar system for detecting enemy aircraft. [abbr. of airborne warning and control system]

abbr. colloq. absent without leave.

abbr. US Arizona (in official postal use).

n. a drug intended for use against the Aids virus. [chem. name azidothymidine]

n. any of several plants, esp. rose of Sharon (Hypericum calycinum). [ref. to Ps. 133:2]

n. any of several tall plants, esp. the great mullein (Verbascum thapsus). [ref. to Num. 17:8]

ˈbædən n. 1 hell. 2 the Devil (Rev. 9:11). [Heb., = destruction]

n. & adj. --n. a member of a dynasty of caliphs ruling in Baghdad 750-1258. --adj. of this dynasty. [Abbas, Muhammad's uncle d. 652]

n. & adj. --n. the culture of the earliest palaeolithic period in Europe. --adj. of this culture. [F Abbevillien f. Abbeville in N. France]

n. 1 an animal of a Scottish breed of hornless black beef cattle. 2 this breed. [Aberdeen in Scotland, Angus Scottish county]

adj. & n. --adj. of Aberdeen. --n. a native or citizen of Aberdeen. [med.L Aberdonia]

n. & adj. (also abo) Austral. sl. usu. offens. --n. (pl. Abos) an Aboriginal. --adj. Aboriginal. [abbr.]

abbr. Archbishop.

symb. Chem. the element actinium.

n. & adj. --n. 1 a native or inhabitant of Acadia in Nova Scotia, esp. a French-speaking descendant of the early French settlers in Canada. 2 a descendant of French-speaking Nova Scotian immigrants in Louisiana. --adj. of or relating to Acadians. [F Acadie Nova Scotia]

var. of AKKADIAN.

adj. & n. --adj. 1 of or relating to Achaea in ancient Greece. 2 literary (esp. in Homeric contexts) Greek. --n. 1 an inhabitant of Achaea. 2 literary (usu. in pl.) a Greek. [L Achaeus f. Gk Akhaios]

adj. & n. (also Achaemenian) --adj. of or relating to the dynasty ruling in Persia from Cyrus I to Darius III (553-330 BC). --n. a member of this dynasty. [L Achaemenius f. Gk Akhaimenes, ancestor of the dynasty]

adj. & n. (also Acheulean) --adj. of the palaeolithic period in Europe etc. following the Abbevillian and preceding the Mousterian. --n. the culture of this period. [F acheul÷en f. St- Acheul in N. France, where remains of it were found]

n. a person's weak or vulnerable point. [L Achilles f. Gk Akhilleus, a hero in the Iliad, invulnerable except in the heel]

n. the tendon connecting the heel with the calf muscles.

n. the first man, in the Biblical and Koranic traditions. øAdam's ale water. Adam's apple a projection of the thyroid cartilage of the larynx, esp. as prominent in men. not know a person from Adam be unable to recognize the person in question. [Heb. ' adam man]

adj. of the style of architecture, furniture, and design created by the Scottish brothers Robert and James Adam (18th c.).

n. a disease characterized by progressive anaemia and debility and brown discoloration of the skin. [T. Addison, Engl. physician d. 1860, who first recognized it]

n. propr. a machine for printing addresses on envelopes.

n. (pl. Adivasis) a member of the aboriginal tribal peoples of India. [Hindi adinivasi original inhabitant]

abbr. (preceding a name) Adjutant.

adj. of or relating to A. Adler, Austrian psychologist d. 1937, or his system of psychology.

abbr. (preceding a name) Admiral.

n. (pl. -ies) 1 (hist. except in titles) (in the UK) the department administering the Royal Navy. 2 (admiralty) Law trial and decision of maritime questions and offences. øAdmiralty Board hist. a committee of the Ministry of Defence superintending the Royal Navy. [ME f. OF admiral(i)t÷ (as ADMIRAL)]

əˈdəunɪs n. a handsome young man. øAdonis blue a kind of butterfly, Lysandra bellargus. [the name of a youth loved by Venus: L f. Gk f. Phoen. adon lord]

n. 1 the season before Christmas, including the four preceding Sundays. 2 the coming or second coming of Christ. 3 (advent) the arrival of esp. an important person or thing. øAdvent calendar Brit. a calendar for Advent, usu. of card with flaps to open each day revealing a picture or scene. Advent Sunday the first Sunday in Advent. [OE f. OF advent, auvent f. L adventus arrival f. advenire (as AD-, venire vent- come)]