Ab-sorb-ent /eb’zc:bent/ adj able to absorb liquid: absorbent cotton wool.

Ab-sorb-ing /eb’zc:bin/ adj

[of a story, film, book etc] very interesting. Ab-sorp-tion /eb’zc:pfn/ nu 1 the state of using a great deal
of attention, time etc: complete absorption in sport interfered with his students. 2 [tech] the process of
taking in liquid, heat etc. ab-stain /eb’stein/ vi abstain [from [doing] sth] to refuse to drink, take part in
etc, some-thing: his doctor told him to abstain from beer and wine. At the last election he abstained
[from vot-ing]. Ab-stain-er nc a person who abstains. Ab-stemi-ous /eb’sti:mies/ adj taking only a little
[food or drink]. Ab-stemi-ous-ly adv ab-stemi-ous-ness nu ab-sten-tion /eb’stenfn/ n 1 nu the refusal to
act etc [esp not using one’s vote at an election]. 2 nc instance of this: there were six votes for, three
against and two abstentions. Ab-sti-nence /’aebstinens/ nu the state, act, of avoiding e.g. food,
enjoyment or esp alcoholic drink. Ab-stract /’aebstraekt/ adj thought of separately from facts, objects or
particular examples, often as ideal rather than real: a flower is beautiful but beauty itself is abstract. Ab-
stract /’aebstraekt/ nu the ideal or general nature of something rather than its real or outer from. In the
abstract regarded in a general or theoretical way. ,abstract ‘art nu art which does not represent an
object, scene etc in its true, normal or usual from.

,abstract ‘noun nc [gram] one referring to an idea, quality or state, such as length, goodness, freedom,
poverty. Compare concrete nonu.

Ab-stract /’aebstraekt/ nc a short account, e.g. of the main points of a book, speech etc. compare
summary.

Ab-stract /eb’straekt/ vt abstract sth [from sth] to take something out; separate something [from
another]: abstract metal from ore; abstract the main events in the story. Ab-stract-ed /eb’straektid/ adj
thinking or wor-rying about something. Compare distracted.

Ab-stract-ed-ly adv

Ab-strac-tion /eb’straekfn/ n [formal] 1 nu the state of being abstracted: in a moment of abstrac-tion. 2

nc an idea of a quality [e.g. truth, beauty] separate from actual examples: don’t lose your self in
abstractions [= be realistic]. Ab-struse /eb’stru:s/ adj [formal] using words with a meaning that is difficult
to understand. Ab-struse-ly adv ab-struse-ness nu ab-surd /eb’s3:d/ adj unreasonable; foolish; ridi-
culous: what an absurd suggestion! Don’t be absurd! Ab-surd-ity nc, nu ab-surd-ly adv abun-dance
/e’bvndens/ nu 1 a large amount: food and drink in abundance. 2 an abundance of sth more than
enough of something: an abun-dance of good things. Abun-dant /e’bvndent/ adj [usually attrib] more

Than enough; plentiful we have abundant proof

Of his guilt.

Abuse / e bju s/ n 1 nc, nu (an instance of) unfair

Or immoral use abuse of power; an abuse of trust

2 nun angry or insulting language abuse from an

Enemy; shower abuse on somebody. 3 nc, nu (an

Instance of) harmful use The record-player suf-

Fered a lot of abuse.

Abuse /e’bju z/ vt 1 to use (something) unfairly

Abuse /e’bju z/ vt 1 to use (something) unfairly

Or immorally Don’t abuse the confidence they

Have placed in you. 2 (formal) to say severe, cruel

Or unjust thing to or about (a person).

Abuse-ive /e’bju siv/ adi angry and insulting

Abusive language.

Abus-ive-ly adv

Abys-mal /e’bizmel/ adi (esp fig and inforemal)

(of something bad) extreme; extremely bad

Abysmal ignorance/ weather .

Abys-mal-ly /-meli/ adv an abysmally small

Wage increase.

Abyss /e’bis/ nc (pl ----es) (formal) 1 a hole so

Deep as to appear bottomless. 2 (fig) the lowest

Level the agyss of despair.

a/c abbr (commerce) account.

AC /,ei ‘si / abbr (electricity) alternating current.

Aca-dem-ic /,aek e’demik/ adi 1 (attrib) (of

Teaching, studying, schools, colleges etc) school-

Cal or scientific) academic subjects; the academic( =

Is of no practical importance).
Academic ‘dress nu formal clothes worn by

University teachers and students, including a

Gwn, hood and cap.

,academic ‘freedom nu the freedom to teach

And to discuss issues without outside, e.g.

Government, interference.

Ace-demi-cal-ly /-kli/adv

Aca-demi-ic /,ae ke’ demik/ nc teacher, gradu-

Ate student etc at a university etc.

Aca-dem-ician /e,kaede’misn/ nc a member of

An academy.

Acad-emy/e’kaedemi/ nc (pl -ies) (A- in names)

An institute for higher learning, usually for a

Apecial purpose a naval/military academy; the

Royal A cademy of Music.

ACAS/’eikaes/ aconym (GB) Advisory , Concili-

Ation, and Arbitration Service (a government

Department to help settle industrial disputes).

Ac-cede /aek’si d/ vi eccede (to sth) (formal)

To agree (to a request etc).

Ac-cel-ate /ek’selereit/ vi (of a driver) to

Increase speed She accelerated and passed the bus

In front. 2 vt to cause (something) to occur faster

Or happen earliar Fertilzers accelerate the growth

Of plants. 3 vi ( of a process) to become faster,

Increase quickly Hostilities are accelerating.

Ac-cel-er-ation /ek,sele’reisn/u the act, rate,

Of increasing speed.

Ac-cel-erator /ek’sclereite(r)/ nc 1 a device,

c. g. the pedal in a car, used for controlling apeed.

2 (physics) a device for increasing the speed of

Atomic particles. 3 (chem) a substance for

Increasing the speed of a chemical reaction.

Ac-cent /’aeksent/ n 1 nc an individual, local or

National way of pronouncing speaking English

With a foreign accent. 2 nc a mark or symbol used

In writing and printing to show a vowel sound or

Syllabic stress acute accent, circumflex, grave. 3 nc an emphasis when speaking (using stress or
intonation) : in the word ‘today’ , the accent is on the second syllable. 4 nu (informal) the emphasis
given to one aspect of a display, performance etc: At this year’s Motor Show the accent is on sports cars.

Ac.cent / vt put emohasis on (a syllable or word).

Ac.cen.tu.ate / vt to give more emphasis or importance top (something) : The lines in her dress
accentuate her height.

Ac.cept / vt 1 to take, receive, (something given ) : accept a gift ? prioze. 2 to agree to take (something
offered) : accept an invitaqtion /a job. 3 to approve of, agree to, (something) : He accepted the judges
decision. I accept that change is necessary.

Ac.cept.able / adj satisfactory; welcome : Is this proposal acceptable to you? Opp unacceptable.

Ac.cept.ance / n1nu the act of taking or receiving something offered. 2 nc, nu a positive reply to an
invitation or offer. 3 nu approval ( the usual word) : there was complete acceptance of the plan.

Ac.cept.ed /adj generally agreed to be true : an accepted fact.

Ac.cess /n access (to sth) 1 n or sing the way in (to a place) : the only access (to the house) is across the
field. There is easy access to the shops. Gain access (to sb/sth) (to be given permission) to talk (to a
person), use ( a set of information etc) : How did you gain access to the manager / the files/ my office ? 2
nu the opportunity, means etc to obtain, reach, use, something : Student must have access to good
books. Access road nc a road leading to a motorway or other main road.

Ac.cess.ible /adj able to be reached, visited easily etc: an accessible hospital / manager. Opp
inaccessible.

Ac.cess.bil.ity /nu

Ac.cess/ vt (computers) to select ( information) from a storage system.

Access time nu the time needed to select an amount of information from a storage system.

Ac.cess.ary / nc accessory (2).

Ac.ces.sion/ n accession ( to sth) 1 nu the act of obtaining power etc: the Queen’s accession to the
throne. 2 nc (formal) an addition : recent accessories to the school library.

Ac.cess.ory /nc (pl-ies) 1 (usually pl) something that is extra, helpful or useful but not an essential part:
the accessories of a bicycle (e.g. the lamp, a pump). 2 (also accessory) (legal) a person who helps in or
knows about a crime.

Ac.ci.dence/ nu (gram) the part of grammar concerning the variable from of words to make tenses, case,
numver etc.

Ac.ci.dent /n 1 nc something that happens unexpectedly and often without an obvious cause, usually
something unfortunate and undesireable: She had an accident. Accidents will happen ( saying) Some
unfortunate events must be accepted as inevitable. 2 nu by accident not expected or planned: we met
by accident.

Accident.prome adj (of a person) often having accidents.

Ac.ci.den.tal / adj happening unexpected and not planned : an accidental meeting with a friend. The
scientific discovery was accidental.

Ac.ci.den.tal.ly/ adv

Ac.claim / vt (formal) 1 to welcome ( a person, thing) with shouts of approval : acclaim the winner of a
race. 2 to state ( something) with enthusiasm : acclaim him as a greater actor.

Ac.cla.ma.tion / nu (or n(pl) (formal) enthusiastic shouts of praise and approval.

Ac.cli.mat.iz.ation (also –is.action) /nu

Ac.col.ade / nc a show of great praise or approval.

Ac.com.mo.dat.ing /adj willing to do things to please others; easy to live, work, reach an agreement,
with.
Ac.com.mo.da.tion / nu a place to stay or live: Accommodation was difficult to find during the Olympics
Games.

Ac.com.pani.ment / nc 1 something that naturally or often goes with another thing: Disease is often an
accompaniment of famine. 2 (music) (usually) the instrumental part to go with a voice, choir or solo
instrument : a song with piano accompaniment.

Ac.com.pan.ist / nc a person who plays music for a singer or another musician.

Ac.com.pany / vt ( pt, pp-ied) 1 to go with (a person) : She usually accompanies the doctor on his
rounds. 2 to do something or occur at the same time as ( something) : A fever is often accompanied by a
headache. 3 ( music) to play, sing, an accompaniment (2) to (a singer, player).

Ac.com.plice / nc a helper or companion ( in doing something illegal) : an accomplice in a bank robbery.

Ac.com.plish / vt to do or finish (something) successfully : accomplish a task.

Ac.com.plish.ment / n (formal) 1 nu successful achievement: the accomplishment of their arms. 2 nc

something well done or successfully completed.

Ac.cord / nu (formal) of one’s own accord without being asked or forced; willingly. In/out of accord
(with;/sth) agreeing /not agreeing (with a person, thing). With one