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| ALTERNATE | | angles n.pl. Two angles formed alternately on two sides of a line.
- —v. (-ting) 1 (often foll. By with) occur or cause to occur by turns.
- (foll. By between) go repeatedly from one to another (alternated between hope and fear). —adj. - (with noun in pl.) Every other (on alternate days).
- (of things of two kinds) alternating (alternate joy and misery). alternately adv. Alternation n. [latin alterno do by turns: related to *alter] | |
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| ALTIMETER | | n. Instrument indicating altitude reached. | |
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| ALUMINIUM | | n. (us aluminum) silvery light and malleable metallic element resistant to tarnishing by air. | |
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| ALUMINIZE | | v. (also -ise) (-zing or -sing) coat with aluminium. | |
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| AMARYLLIS | | n. Bulbous plant with lily-like flowers. [greek, a girl's name] | |
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| AMBERGRIS | | n. Waxlike secretion of the sperm whale, found floating in tropical seas and used in perfumes. [french, = grey amber] | |
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| AMBIGUOUS | | adj. - having an obscure or double meaning.
- difficult to classify. ambiguity n. (pl. -ies). [latin ambi- both ways, ago drive] | |
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| AMBITIOUS | | adj. - full of ambition or high aims.
- (foll. By of, or to + infin.) Strongly determined. | |
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| AMBULANCE | | n. - vehicle equipped for conveying patients to hospital.
- mobile hospital serving an army. [latin: related to *amble] | |
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| AMBUSCADE | | n. & v. (-ding) = *ambush. | |
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