ascending ADJECTIVE
When things are arranged in ascending order, each thing is higher than the one before it. The numbers 21, 37 and 49 are in ascending order.
ash ashes
NOUN 1 Ash is the dust left after a fire.
NOUN 2 An ash is a large tree.
ashamed ADJECTIVE
If you are ashamed, you feel sorry about something you have done.
ask asks, asking, asked
VERB 1 If you ask someone a question, you are trying to find something out.
VERB 2 If you ask someone for something, you want them to give it to you.
asleep ADJECTIVE
If you are asleep, your eyes are closed and your body is resting.
aspirin aspirins NOUN
Aspirin is a drug which you take to help you if you have a pain, fever or cold. An aspirin is a tablet of this drug.
ass asses NOUN
An ass is an animal like a horse but smaller and with longer ears.
assemble assembles, assembling, assembled
VERB 1 If you assemble something, you fit the parts of it together.
VERB 2 When people assemble, they come together in a group.
assembly assemblies NOUN
Assembly is a gathering of all the teachers and pupils in a school.
assistant assistants
NOUN 1 A person’s assistant is someone whose job is to help them.
NOUN 2 A shop assistant is a person who works in a shop selling things.
asthma NOUN
Asthma is a disease of the chest. It causes wheezing and makes it difficult for you to breathe properly.
astonish astonishes, astonishing, astonished VERB
If you are astonished by something or someone, you are very surprised.
astronaut astronauts NOUN
An astronaut is a person who travels in space.
astronomer astronomers NOUN
An astronomer is a scientist who studies the stars and planets.
at
PREPOSITION 1 You use at to say where someone or something is. Rajeev waited for me at the bus stop.
PREPOSITION 2 You use at to show the direction something is going in. I threw the snowball at my brother.
PREPOSITION 3 You use at to say when something happens. The party starts at six o’clock.
ate VERB
Ate is the past tense of eat.
atlas atlases NOUN
An atlas is a book of maps.
atmosphere atmospheres
NOUN 1 A planet’s atmosphere is the layer of air or other gas around it.
NOUN 2 You can use atmosphere to talk about the general mood of a place. In the classroom the atmosphere was relaxed.
atom atoms NOUN
An atom is the smallest part of any substance.
attach attaches, attaching, attached VERB
When you attach something to an object, you join the two things together.
attachment attachments NOUN
An attachment is a computer file that is attached to an e-mail or text message.
attack attacks, attacking, attacked VERB
If a person attacks somebody, they try to hurt them.
attempt attempts, attempting, attempted VERB
If you attempt something difficult, you try to do it.
attend attends, attending, attended VERB
If someone attends something like a meeting, they are present at it.
attention
NOUN 1 If something attracts your attention, you notice it suddenly.
NOUN 2 If you pay attention to someone, you listen carefully to them.
attic attics NOUN
An attic is a room at the top of a house, just under the roof.
attract attracts, attracting, attracted
VERB 1 If something or somebody attracts you, you find them interesting. Joe was attracted to the display by the flashing lights.
VERB 2 If something like a magnet attracts an object, it makes it move towards it.
attractive ADJECTIVE
If something is attractive, it is nice to look at.
audience audiences NOUN
An audience is a group of people watching or listening to something like a play, film, talk or piece of music.
August NOUN
August is the eighth month of the year. It has 31 days.
aunt aunts NOUN
Your aunt is the sister of one of your parents, or the wife of your uncle.
author authors NOUN
The author of a book is the person who wrote it.
authority authorities
NOUN 1 Authority is a quality that someone has that makes people take notice of what they say.
NOUN 2 The authorities are people like the police who have a lot of power.
autograph autographs NOUN
An autograph is the signature of a famous person.
automatic ADJECTIVE
An automatic machine is one that can do things on its own.
automatically ADVERB
autumn autumns NOUN
Autumn is the season between summer and winter. The weather cools and many trees lose their leaves.
available ADJECTIVE
If something is available, you can get it. Tickets are available now.
avalanche avalanches NOUN
An avalanche is a huge mass of snow and ice that falls down a mountain.
avenue avenues NOUN
An avenue is a wide road with trees on either side.
average averages
NOUN 1 An average is a result obtained by adding several amounts together and then dividing the total by the number of different amounts. If four children have a total of 36 sweets, the average is nine sweets per child.
ADJECTIVE 2 If something is average, it is the standard or usual thing.
avoid avoids, avoiding, avoided VERB
If you avoid someone or something, you keep away from them.
awake ADJECTIVE
If