a couple of

A n 1: the blood group whose red cells carry the A antigen [syn: {A}, {type A}, {group A}] 2: a metric unit of length equal to one ten billionth of a meter (or 0.0001 micron); used to specify wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation [syn: {angstrom}, {angstrom unit}, {A}] 3: any of several fat-soluble vitamins essential for normal vision; prevents night blindness or inflammation or dryness of the eyes [syn: {vitamin A}, {antiophthalmic factor}, {axerophthol}, {A}] 4: the basic unit of electric current adopted under the System International d'Unites; "a typical household circuit carries 15 to 50 amps" [syn: {ampere}, {amp}, {A}] 5: the 1st letter of the Roman alphabet [syn: {A}]

A. A. Michelson n : United States physicist (born in Germany) who collaborated with Morley in the Michelson-Morley experiment (1852-1931) [syn: {Michelson}, {A. A. Michelson}, {Albert Michelson}, {Albert Abraham Michelson}]

A. A. Milne n : English writer of stories for children (1882-1956) [syn: {Milne}, {A. A. Milne}, {Alan Alexander Milne}]

A battery n : battery used to heat the filaments of a vacuum tube [syn: {A battery}]

a billion adj : (U.S.) denoting a quantity consisting of one thousand million items or units; (Britain) denoting a quantity consisting of one million million items or units [syn: {billion}]

a bit adv : to a small degree; somewhat; "it's a bit warm"; "felt a little better"; "a trifle smaller" [syn: {a little}, {a trifle}]

a bit much adj : being excessive or unreasonable; "the clothes she wears are a bit much"; "in retrospect the elaborate preparations seemed de trop"; "this is entirely too much!" [syn: {a bit much(p)}, {de trop}, {too much(p)}]

a capella singing n : singing without instrumental accompaniment [syn: {a cappella singing}]

a cappella singing n : singing without instrumental accompaniment [syn: {a capella singing}]

A. Conan Doyle n : English author who created Sherlock Holmes (1859-1930) [syn: {Conan Doyle}, {A. Conan Doyle}, {Arthur Conan Doyle}, {Sir Arthur Conan Doyle}]

a couple of adj : more than one but indefinitely small in number; "a few roses"; "a couple of roses" [syn: {a few(a)}, {a couple of(a)}]

A. E. Housman n : English poet (1859-1936) [syn: {Housman}, {A. E. Housman}, {Alfred Edward Housman}]

A. E. Kennelly n : United States electrical engineer noted for his work on the theory of alternating currents; independently of Oliver Heaviside he discovered the existence of an atmospheric layer that reflects radio waves back to earth (1861-1939) [syn: {Kennelly}, {A. E. Kennelly}, {Arthur Edwin Kennelly}]

A. E. W. Mason n : English writer (1865-1948) [syn: {Mason}, {A. E. W. Mason}, {Alfred Edward Woodley Mason}]

a few adj : more than one but indefinitely small in number; "a few roses"; "a couple of roses" [syn: {a few(a)}, {a couple of(a)}]

a fortiori adv : for a still stronger, more certain reason; "if you are wrong then, a foritori, so am I" [syn: {with greater reason}, {with more reason}]

a good deal adv : to a very great degree or extent; "we enjoyed ourselves very much"; "she was very much interested"; "this would help a great deal" [syn: {a lot}, {a great deal}, {much}, {very much}]

a great deal adv 1: to a very great degree or extent; "we enjoyed ourselves very much"; "she was very much interested"; "this would help a great deal" [syn: {a lot}, {a good deal}, {much}, {very much}] 2: frequently or in great quantities; "I don't drink much"; "I don't travel much" [syn: {much}, {often}]

A horizon n : the top layer of a soil profile; usually contains humus [syn: {A-horizon}, {A horizon}]

a hundred adj : being ten more than ninety [syn: {hundred}, {one hundred}, {100}, {c}]

a hundred and one adj : being one more than one hundred [syn: {hundred and one}, {one hundred one}, {101}, {ci}]

a hundred thousand adj : (in Roman numerals, C written with a macron over it) denoting a quantity consisting of 100,000 items or units [syn: {hundred thousand}]

a hundred times adv : by a factor of one hundred; "they money increased a hundredfold" [syn: {hundredfold}]

a Kempis n : German ecclesiastic (1380-1471) [syn: {a Kempis}, {Thomas a Kempis}]

a la carte adj : (of a restaurant meal) having unlimited choices with a separate price for each item [ant: {table d'hote}] n : a menu having individual dishes listed with separate prices adv : by ordering items listed individually on a menu; "we ate a la carte"

a la mode adj : in the current fashion or style [syn: {a la mode(p)}, {in style(p)}, {in vogue(p)}, {modish}] adv : with ice cream on top or on the side; "we served the apple pie a la mode"

A level n : (England) the advanced level of a subject taken in school (usually two years after O level) [syn: {A level}]

a little adv : to a small degree; somewhat; "it's a bit warm"; "felt a little better"; "a trifle smaller" [syn: {a bit}, {a trifle}]

a lot adv : to a very great degree or extent; "we enjoyed ourselves very much"; "she was very much interested"; "this would help a great deal" [syn: {a good deal}, {a great deal}, {much}, {very much}]

a million adj : (in Roman numerals; M written with a macron over it) denoting a quantity consisting of 1,000,000 items or units [syn: {million}]

a million times adv : by a factor of a million; "it increased a millionfold" [syn: {millionfold}]

A. Noam Chomsky n : United States linguist whose theory of generative grammar redefined the field of linguistics (born 1928) [syn: {Chomsky}, {Noam Chomsky}, {A. Noam Chomsky}]

a people n : the people who live in a nation or country; "a statement that sums up the nation's mood"; "the news was announced to the nation"; "the whole country worshipped him" [syn: {nation}, {land}, {country}]

a posteriori adj 1: involving reasoning from facts or particulars to general principals or from effects to causes; "a posteriori demonstration" [ant: {a priori}] 2: requiring evidence for validation or support adv : derived form observed facts [ant: {a priori}]

a priori adj 1: involving deductive reasoning from a general principle to a necessary effect; not supported by fact; "an a priori judgment" [ant: {a posteriori}] 2: based on hypothesis or theory rather than experiment adv : derived by logic, without observed facts [ant: {a posteriori}]

a thousand adj : denoting a quantity consisting of 1,000 items or units [syn: {thousand}, {one thousand}, {1000}, {m}, {k}]

a trifle adv : to a small degree; somewhat; "it's a bit warm"; "felt a little better"; "a trifle smaller" [syn: {a bit}, {a little}]

a trillion adj : (U.S.) one million million; (Britain) one quintillion [syn: {trillion}]

a zillion adj : very large indeterminate number; "a zillion people were there" [syn: {zillion}]

AA n 1: an international organization that provides a support group for persons trying to overcome alcoholism [syn: {Alcoholics Anonymous}, {AA}] 2: an associate degree in arts [syn: {Associate in Arts}, {AA}]

Aachen n : a city in western Germany near the Dutch and Belgian borders; formerly it was Charlemagne's northern capital [syn: {Aachen}, {Aix-la-Chapelle}]

Aaland islands n : an archipelago of some 6,000 islands in the Gulf of Bothnia under Finnish control [syn: {Aland islands}, {Aaland islands}, {Ahvenanmaa}]

Aalborg n : a city and port in northern Jutland [syn: {Aalborg}, {Alborg}]

Aalost n : a town in central Belgium [syn: {Alost}, {Aalost}]

Aar n : a river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine [syn: {Aare}, {Aar}, {Aare River}]

aardvark n : nocturnal burrowing mammal of the grasslands of Africa that feeds on termites; sole extant representative of the order Tubulidentata [syn: {ant bear}, {anteater}, {Orycteropus afer}]

aardwolf n : striped hyena of southeast Africa that feeds chiefly on insects [syn: {Proteles cristata}]

Aare n : a river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine [syn: {Aare}, {Aar}, {Aare River}]

Aare River n : a river in north central Switzerland that runs northeast into the Rhine [syn: {Aare}, {Aar}, {Aare River}]

Aarhus n : port city of Denmark in eastern Jutland [syn: {Arhus}, {Aarhus}]

Aaron n 1: American professional baseball player who hit more home runs than Babe Ruth (born in 1934) [syn: {Aaron}, {Henry Louis Aaron}, {Hank Aaron}] 2: (Old Testament) elder brother of Moses and first high priest of the Israelites; created the Golden Calf [syn: {Aaron}]

Aaron Burr n : United States politician who served as Vice President under Jefferson; he mortally wounded his political rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel and fled south (1756-1836) [syn: {Burr}, {Aaron Burr}]

Aaron Copland n : United States composer (1900-1990) [syn: {Copland}, {Aaron Copland}]

Aaron's rod n : tall-stalked very woolly mullein with densely packed yellow flowers; ancient Greeks and Romans dipped the stalks in tallow for funeral torches [syn: {common mullein}, {great mullein}, {Aaron's rod}, {flannel mullein}, {woolly mullein}, {torch}, {Verbascum thapsus}]

AARP n : an association of people to promote the welfare of senior citizens [syn: {Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons}, {AARP}]

AAS n : an associate degree in applied science [syn: {Associate in Applied Science}, {AAS}]

AB n 1: the blood group whose red cells carry both the A and B antigens [syn: {AB}, {type AB}, {group AB}] 2: a bachelor's degree in arts and sciences [syn: {Bachelor of Arts}, {BA}, {Artium Baccalaurens}, {AB}] 3: the eleventh month of the civil year; the fifth month of the ecclesiastical year in the Jewish calendar (in July and August) [syn: {Ab}, {Av}]

ab initio adv : at the beginning; "at first he didn't notice anything strange" [syn: {initially}, {at first}, {at the start}]

aba n 1: a loose sleeveless outer garment made from aba cloth; worn by Arabs 2: a fabric woven from goat and camel hair

ABA transit number n : an identification number consisting of a two-part code assigned to banks and savings associations; the first part shows the location and the second identifies the bank itself [syn: {bank identification number}, {BIN}, {ABA transit number}]

abaca n 1: a kind of hemp obtained from the abaca plant in the Philippines [syn: {Manila hemp}, {Manilla hemp}] 2: Philippine banana tree having leafstalks that yield Manila hemp used for rope and paper etc [syn: {Manila hemp}, {Musa textilis}]

aback adv 1: having the wind against the forward side of the sails; "the ship came up into the wind with all yards aback" 2: by surprise; "taken aback by the caustic remarks"

abactinal adj : (of radiate animals) located on the surface or end opposite to that on which the mouth is situated [ant: {actinal}]

abacus n 1: a tablet placed horizontally on top of the capital of a column as an aid in supporting the architrave 2: a calculator that performs arithmetic functions by manually sliding counters on rods or in grooves

Abadan n : a port city in southwestern Iran [syn: {Abadan}]

abaft adv : at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane; "stow the luggage aft"; "ships with square sails sail fairly efficiently with the wind abaft"; "the captain looked astern to see what the fuss was about" [syn: {aft}, {astern}] [ant: {fore}]

abalone n : any of various large edible marine gastropods of the genus Haliotis having an ear-shaped shell with pearly interior [syn: {ear-shell}]

abamp n : a unit of current equal to 10 amperes [syn: {abampere}]

abampere n : a unit of current equal to 10 amperes [syn: {abamp}]

abandon n 1: the trait of lacking restraint or control; freedom from inhibition or worry; "she danced with abandon" [syn: {wantonness}, {unconstraint}] 2: a feeling of extreme emotional intensity; "the wildness of his anger" [syn: {wildness}] v 1: forsake, leave behind; "We abandoned the old car in the empty parking lot" 2: stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas, claims, etc.; "He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage"; "Both sides have to give in these negociations" [syn: {give up}] 3: give up with the intent of never claiming again; "Abandon your life to God"; "She gave up her children to her ex-husband when she moved to Tahiti"; "We gave the drowning victim up for dead" [syn: {give up}] 4: leave behind empty; move out of; "You must vacate your office by tonight" [syn: {vacate}, {empty}] 5: leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch; "The mother deserted her children" [syn: {forsake}, {desolate}, {desert}]

abandoned adj 1: no longer inhabited; "weed-grown yard of an abandoned farmhouse" 2: left desolate or empty; "an abandoned child"; "their deserted wives and children"; "an abandoned shack"; "deserted villages" [syn: {deserted}] 3: free from constraint; "an abandoned sadness born of grief"- Liam O'Flaherty

abandoned infant n : a child who has been abandoned and whose parents are unknown [syn: {foundling}]

abandoned person n : someone for whom hope has been abandoned

abandoned ship n : a ship abandoned on the high seas [syn: {derelict}]

abandonment n 1: the act of giving something up [syn: {forsaking}, {desertion}] 2: withdrawing support or help despite allegiance or responsibility; "his abandonment of his wife and children left them penniless" [syn: {desertion}, {defection}] 3: the voluntary surrender of property (or a right to property) without attempting to reclaim it or give it away

abarticulation n : dislocation of a joint

abase v : lower in esteem; hurt the pride of [syn: {humiliate}, {mortify}, {chagrin}, {humble}]

abasement n 1: a low or downcast state: "each confession brought her into an attitude of abasement"- H.L.Menchken [syn: {degradation}, {abjection}] 2: depriving one of self-esteem [syn: {humiliation}]

abash v : cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious [syn: {embarrass}]

abashed adj : feeling or caused to feel uneasy and self-conscious; "felt abashed at the extravagant praise"; "chagrined at the poor sales of his book"; "was embarrassed by her child's tantrums" [syn: {chagrined}, {embarrassed}]

abashment n : feeling embarrassed due to modesty [syn: {bashfulness}]

abasia n : inability to walk

abasia trepidans n : abasia due to trembling of the legs

abasic adj : of or relating to abasia (inability to walk) [syn: {abatic}]

abate v 1: make less active or intense [syn: {slake}, {slack}] 2: become less in amount or intensity; "The storm abated" [syn: {let up}, {slack off}, {slack}, {die away}]

abatement n 1: an interruption in the intensity or amount of something [syn: {suspension}, {respite}, {reprieve}, {hiatus}] 2: the act of abating; "laws enforcing noise abatement"

abatic adj : of or relating to abasia (inability to walk) [syn: {abasic}]

abating adj : decreasing in amount or intensity [syn: {subsiding}]

abatis n : line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) toward the enemy [syn: {abattis}]

abattis n : line of defense consisting of a barrier of felled or live trees with branches (sharpened or with barbed wire entwined) toward the enemy [syn: {abatis}]

abattoir n : a building where animals are butchered [syn: {butchery}, {shambles}, {slaughterhouse}]

abaxial adj 1: situated away from the axis of any body or part [syn: {abaxile}] 2: (biology) facing away from the axis of an organ or organism; "the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem" [syn: {dorsal}] [ant: {adaxial}]

abaxile adj : situated away from the axis of any body or part [syn: {abaxial}]

abbacy n : the jurisdiction or office of an abbot

abbatial adj : of or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess

abbe n : a French abbot

Abbe condenser n : a condenser having 2 or 3 lenses with wide aperture for use in microscopes [syn: {Abbe condenser}]

abbess n : the superior of a group of nuns [syn: {mother superior}, {prioress}]

abbey n 1: a church associated with a monastery or convent 2: a convent ruled by an abbess 3: a monastery ruled by an abbot

abbot n : the superior of an abbey of monks [syn: {archimandrite}]