Collins Dictionaries - Collins Primary Illustrated Dictionary

any

ADJECTIVE OR PRONOUN 1 one, some or several • Have you any sausages?

2 even the smallest amount or even one • She can’t eat nuts of any kind.

3 no matter which or what • I’m so thirsty, any drink will do.

anybody

PRONOUN any person

anyhow

ADVERB 1 in any case • It’s still early, but I’m going to bed anyhow.

2 in a careless way • They were all shoved in anyhow.

anyone

PRONOUN any person • I won’t tell anyone.

anything

PRONOUN any object, event, situation or action • Can you see anything?

anyway

ADVERB in any case • It’s raining, but I’m going out anyway.

anywhere

ADVERB in, at or to any place • Can you see him anywhere? • We haven’t 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 someone’s 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 he’s 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 brother’s 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 Someone’s or something’s 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 person’s 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 person’s 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.