a
[adjective]
Synonyms: excellent, blue-ribbon, first-class, first-rate, five-star, front-rank, Grade A, number one, prime, superior

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

I. A¹ , a /eɪ/ noun (plural A’s, a’s)

1. [uncountable and countable] the first letter of the English alphabet

2. [uncountable and countable] the sixth note in the musical scale of C major or the musical key based on this note

3. [countable] the highest mark that a student can get in an examination or for a piece of work:
I got an A in French.
Julia got straight A’s (=all A’s) in high school. ⇒ A level

4. an A student American English someone who regularly gets the best marks possible for their work in school or college

5. [uncountable] used to refer in a short way to one of two different things or people. You can call the second one B:
A demands £500, B offers £100. ⇒ plan A at plan¹(5)

6. from A to B from one place to another
get/go from A to B
Hiring a car was the best way to get from A to B.

7. from A to Z describing, including, or knowing everything about a subject:
the history of art from A to Z

8. A34, A40 etc the name of a road in Britain that is smaller than a motorway, but larger than a B-road ⇒ A-road

9. [uncountable] a common type of blood

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. A²
the written abbreviation of amp or amps

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

a S1 W1 /ə; strong eɪ/ (also an) indefinite article, determiner

1. used to show that you are talking about someone or something that has not been mentioned before, or that your listener does not know about:
We have a problem.
There was a hole in the fence.
Suddenly they heard a loud bang. ⇒ the¹

2. used to show that you are referring to a general type of person or thing and not a specific person or thing:
Would you like a sandwich?
I want to train to be an engineer.
He’s a really nice man.
Take a look at this.
It needs a good clean.

3. used before someone’s family name to show that they belong to that family:
One of his daughters had married a Rothschild.

4. one:
a thousand pounds
a dozen eggs
You’ll have to wait an hour or two.

5. used in some phrases that say how much of something there is:
There were a lot of people at the party.
A few weeks from now I’ll be in Venice.
You have caused a great deal of trouble.

6. used to mean ‘each’ when stating prices, rates, or speeds:
I get paid once a month.
The eggs cost $2 a dozen.

7. used before singular nouns to mean all things of a particular type:
A square has four sides (=all squares have four sides).
A child needs love and affection.

8. used once before two nouns that are mentioned together very often:
I’ll fetch you a cup and saucer.
Does everyone have a knife and fork?

9. used before the -ing forms of verbs when they are used as nouns referring to an action, event, or sound:
There was a beating of wings overhead.
Bernice became aware of a humming that seemed to come from all around her.

10. used before nouns that are usually uncountable when other information about the quality, feeling etc is added by an adjective, phrase, or clause:
Candidates must have a good knowledge of chemistry.

11. used before the name of a substance, food etc to refer to a particular type of it:
Use a good cheese to make the sauce.
plants that grow well in a moist soil

12. used before the name of a drink to refer to a cup or glass of that drink:
Can I get you a coffee?
Renwick went to the bar and ordered a beer.

13. used before the name of a famous artist to refer to a painting by that artist:
an early Rembrandt

14. used before a name to mean someone or something that has the same qualities as that person or thing:
She was hailed as a new Marilyn Monroe.

15. used before someone’s name when you do not know who they are:
There is a Mr Tom Wilkins on the phone.

16. used before the names of days, months, seasons, and events in the year to refer to a particular one:
We arrived in England on a cold wet Sunday in 1963.
I can’t remember a Christmas like it.


GRAMMAR
a, an
Before a word beginning with a vowel sound, use an:
an elephant
an umbrella
an obvious mistake
► Use an before an 'h' that is not pronounced:
an hour later
an honest explanation
► Use a before a 'u' that is pronounced like 'you':
a university
a unique opportunity
► Use an before an abbreviation that is pronounced with a vowel sound at the start:
an SOS call
an MP3 file

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

I. a-¹ /ə/ prefix

1. in a particular condition or way:
aloud
alive (=living)
with nerves all a-tingle (=tingling)

2. old use in, to, at, or on something:
abed (=in bed)
afar (=far away)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. a-² /eɪ, æ, ə/ prefix
not or without:
amoral (=not moral)
atypically (=not typically)

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

A-1 /ˌeɪ ˈwʌn/ adjective old-fashioned
very good or completely healthy:
Everything about the resort was A-1.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

I. A1 /ˌeɪ ˈwʌn/
the A1 a main British road that goes from London to Edinburgh

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

II. A1, the /ˌeɪ ˈwʌn/
a main British road that goes from London to Edinburgh

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

A3 /ˌeɪ ˈθriː◂/ noun [uncountable]
a standard size of paper, used in Europe and Japan. A3 paper measures 297 x 420 millimetres ⇒ A4, A5

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

A4 /ˌeɪ ˈfɔː◂ $ -ˈfɔːr◂/ noun [uncountable]
a standard size of paper, used in Europe and Japan. A4 paper measures 210 x 297 millimetres ⇒ A3, A5

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

A5 /ˌeɪ ˈfaɪv◂/ noun [uncountable]
a standard size of paper, used in Europe and Japan. A5 paper measures 148 x 210 millimetres ⇒ A3, A4

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

a
indefinite article
1.
BAD: I hope you all have a enjoyable stay.
GOOD: I hope you all have an enjoyable stay.

Usage Note:
Always use an (NOT a ) before a word beginning with a vowel sound: 'an egg' , 'an envelope'.

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2.
BAD: The child had been a deaf since birth.
GOOD: The child had been deaf since birth.
BAD: One of the girls I share with is a British.
GOOD: One of the girls I share with is British.

Usage Note:
Do not use a/an before an adjective (e.g. 'deaf', 'British') unless the adjective is followed by a noun: 'Her husband is disabled.'
Compare: 'The footbridge cannot be used by the disabled.' (= all people who are disabled)

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3.
BAD: My husband is doing a MSc in civil engineering.
GOOD: My husband is doing an MSc in civil engineering.

Usage Note:
Use an (NOT a ) before an abbreviation that begins with a vowel sound: 'an MSc' 'an MP'.

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4.
See ANOTHER 6 (another)

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5.
BAD: Sometimes it is difficult to live a honest life.
GOOD: Sometimes it is difficult to live an honest life.

Usage Note:
Use an (NOT a ) before words beginning with h when the h is not pronounced: 'an honour', 'an hour'.

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Common Errors ▲

A
Arse 
Ass 
Battery Size 
Blood Type

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲

A1
Excellent (rating)

[TahlilGaran] Acronyms and Abbreviations Dictionary ▲