ADJECTIVE Something that is antiseptic can kill some germs.
antler antlers
NOUN Antlers are the branched horns on the top of a male deers head.
antonym antonyms
NOUN a word that means the opposite of another word Happy is the antonym of sad.
anxiety anxieties
NOUN nervousness or worry
anxious
ADJECTIVE 1 If you are anxious, you are nervous or worried.
2 If you are anxious to do something, you very much want to do it. She was anxious to pass her ballet exam.
any
ADJECTIVE OR PRONOUN 1 one, some or several Have you any sausages?
2 even the smallest amount or even one She cant eat nuts of any kind.
3 no matter which or what Im so thirsty, any drink will do.
anybody
PRONOUN any person
anyhow
ADVERB 1 in any case Its still early, but Im going to bed anyhow.
2 in a careless way They were all shoved in anyhow.
anyone
PRONOUN any person I wont tell anyone.
anything
PRONOUN any object, event, situation or action Can you see anything?
anyway
ADVERB in any case Its raining, but Im going out anyway.
anywhere
ADVERB in, at or to any place Can you see him anywhere? We havent got anywhere to play.
apart
ADVERB OR ADJECTIVE 1 When something is apart from something else, there is a space or a distance between them. The gliders landed about seventy metres apart.
ADVERB 2 If you take something apart, you separate it into pieces.
apartment apartments
NOUN a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a building
ape apes, aping, aped
NOUN 1 a large animal similar to a monkey, but without a tail. Apes include chimpanzees and gorillas.
VERB 2 If you ape someones speech or behaviour, you imitate it.
apex apexes or apices
NOUN The apex of something is its pointed top. the apex of a cone
SYNONYM: vertex
apologize apologizes, apologizing, apologized; also spelt apologise
VERB When you apologize to someone, you say you are sorry for something you have said or done.
apology NOUN
apostrophe apostrophes
NOUN 1 a punctuation mark () used to show that one or more letters have been missed out of a word, for example hes for he is
2 Apostrophes are also used with -s at the end of a noun to show that what follows belongs to or relates to the noun. If the noun already has an -s at the end, for example because it is plural, the apostrophe comes after the s. For example, my brothers books (one brother), my brothers books (more than one brother).
apparatus
NOUN the equipment used for a particular task The firefighters wore breathing apparatus.
apparent
ADJECTIVE 1 An apparent situation seems to exist, although you cannot be certain of it.
2 clear and obvious It was apparent they would get on well together.
apparently ADVERB
appeal appeals, appealing, appealed
VERB 1 If you appeal for something, you make an urgent request for it. The police appealed for witnesses to come forward.
2 If something or someone appeals to you, you find them attractive or interesting.
NOUN 3 a formal or serious request an appeal for funds to help people in need
appear appears, appearing, appeared
VERB 1 When something appears, it moves from somewhere you could not see to somewhere you can see it. The sun appeared from behind the clouds.
2 If something appears to be a certain way, it seems or looks that way.
appearance appearances
NOUN 1 Someones or somethings appearance is the way they look to other people.
2 If a person makes an appearance in a film or a show, they take part in it.
3 The appearance of something is the time it begins to exist.
appendicitis
NOUN a painful illness in which a persons appendix becomes infected
appendix appendices or appendixes
NOUN 1 Your appendix is a small, closed tube forming part of your digestive system.
2 extra information that comes at the end of a book
When appendix means the body part, the plural is appendixes. When it means the part of a book, the plural is appendices.
appetite appetites
NOUN a desire to eat
[from Latin appetere meaning to desire]
appetizing
ADJECTIVE When food is appetizing, it looks or smells good and you want to eat it.
applause
NOUN the sound of people clapping to show their enjoyment or approval of something
apple apples
NOUN a round fruit with smooth skin and firm white flesh
appliance appliances
NOUN any machine in your home that you use to do a job like cleaning or cooking. For example, a toaster is a kitchen appliance.
application applications
NOUN If you make an application for something, you make a formal request, usually in writing.
apply applies, applying, applied
VERB 1 If you apply for something, you ask for it formally, usually by writing a letter. My brother is applying for jobs.
2 If you apply something to a surface, you put it on or rub it into the surface. She applied sun cream to her face.
3 If you apply yourself to a task, you give it all of your attention.
appoint appoints, appointing, appointed
VERB If a person appoints someone to a job or position, they formally choose them for it. The teacher appointed Sunita as team captain.
appointment appointments
NOUN an arrangement you have with someone to meet them
appreciate appreciates, appreciating, appreciated
VERB If you appreciate something that someone has done for you, you are grateful to them for it.
apprehensive
ADJECTIVE If you are apprehensive about something, you feel worried and unsure about it.
apprentice apprentices
NOUN someone who works with another person for a length of time to learn that persons job or skill
approach approaches, approaching, approached
VERB If you approach something, you come near or nearer to it.
appropriate
ADJECTIVE suitable or acceptable for a particular situation
approval
NOUN If you ask for approval for something that you want to do, you ask for agreement with your plans.
approve approves, approving, approved
VERB 1 If you approve of something or someone, you think they are acceptable or good.
SYNONYMS: favour, like
2 If someone approves a plan or idea, they agree to it. The council approved plans for the new swimming pool.
SYNONYMS: agree to, permit
approximate
ADJECTIVE near but not exactly right What was the approximate time you arrived?
apricot apricots
NOUN a small, soft, yellowish-orange fruit
April
NOUN the fourth month of the year. April has 30 days.
apron aprons
NOUN a piece of clothing worn over the front of normal clothing to protect it
aquarium aquaria or aquariums
NOUN a glass tank filled with water in which fish and other aquatic animals or plants are kept
aquatic
ADJECTIVE An aquatic animal or plant lives in water.
aqueduct aqueducts
NOUN a bridge with many arches, which carries a water supply over a valley
arable
ADJECTIVE Arable land is used for growing crops.
arc arcs
NOUN 1 a smoothly curving line
2 In geometry, an arc is a section of the circumference of a circle.
arcade arcades
NOUN a covered passageway where there are shops or market stalls
arch arches, arching, arched
NOUN 1 a structure that has a curved top, supported on either side by a pillar or wall
VERB 2 If something arches, or if you arch it, it forms a curved line or shape. The cat arched its back.
archaeology; also spelt archeology
NOUN the study of the past by digging up and examining the remains of things such as buildings, tools, and pots
[from Greek arkhaios meaning ancient]
archbishop archbishops
NOUN a bishop of the highest rank in a Christian Church the Archbishop of Canterbury
archery
NOUN a sport in which people shoot at a target with a bow and arrow
architect architects
NOUN a person who designs buildings
architecture
NOUN the art or practice of designing buildings
arctic
NOUN 1 The Arctic is the region north of the Arctic Circle.
ADJECTIVE 2 very cold indeed You need specially warm clothes for arctic conditions.
are
VERB a present tense of be
area areas
NOUN 1 a particular part of a place, country, or the world a built-up area of the city
SYNONYMS: district, region, zone
2 the measurement of a flat surface The area of the playground is 1500 square metres (1500 m2).
arena arenas
NOUN a place where sports and other public events take place
[from Latin harena meaning sand, because of the sandy centre of an amphitheatre where gladiators fought]
arent
VERB a contraction of are not
argue argues, arguing, argued
VERB 1 If you argue with someone about something, you disagree with them about it, sometimes in an angry way.
2 If you argue that something is true, you give reasons why you think that it is.
argument arguments
NOUN a talk between people who do not agree
arid
ADJECTIVE Arid land is very dry because there has been very little rain.
ANTONYM: fertile
arise arises, arising, arose, arisen
VERB When something such as an opportunity or a problem arises, it begins to exist.
aristocrat aristocrats
NOUN someone whose family has a high social rank, and who has a title such as Lord or Lady
aristocratic ADJECTIVE aristocracy NOUN
arithmetic
NOUN the part of mathematics that is to do with the addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of numbers
[from Greek arithmos meaning number]
arithmetical ADJECTIVE
arithmetically ADVERB
arm arms, arming, armed
NOUN 1 the part of your body between your shoulder and your wrist
PLURAL NOUN 2 Arms are weapons used in a war.
VERB 3 If a country arms itself, it prepares for war.
armada armadas
NOUN a large fleet of warships The Spanish Armada was the fleet sent to destroy the English in 1588.
armchair armchairs
NOUN a large chair with a support on each side for your arms
armistice armistices
NOUN In war, an armistice is an agreement to stop fighting.
armour
NOUN 1 In the past, armour was metal clothing worn for protection in battle.
2 In modern warfare, tanks are often referred to as armour.
army armies
NOUN a large group of soldiers who are trained to fight on land
aroma aromas
NOUN a strong, pleasant smell
[a Greek word meaning spice]
aromatic ADJECTIVE
around
PREPOSITION 1 situated at various points in a place or area There are several post boxes around the town.
2 from place to place inside an area We walked around the stalls at the summer fair.
3 surrounding or encircling a place or object We were sitting around the table.
4 at approximately the time or place mentioned The jumble sale began around noon.
arrange arranges, arranging, arranged
VERB 1 If you arrange to do something, or arrange something for someone, you make plans for it or make it possible. I arranged to meet him later. Dad arranged a trip to the circus for us.