AI -abbr
- ad interim
- airborne intercept
- air interception
- artificial insemination
- artificial intelligence
AIA -abbr
- American Institute of Architects
Ai·as ['ī-əs] -n
- ajax
ai·blins ['ā-blənz] -adv
- perhaps
aid ['ād] -vb, n
- to provide with what is useful or necessary in achieving an end
- to give assistance
- a subsidy granted to the king by the English parliament until the 18th century for an extraordinary purpose
- the act of helping
- help given : assistance
- providing aid and comfort
- tangible means of assistance (as money or supplies)
- an assisting person or group
- something by which assistance is given : an assisting device
- hearing aid
- a tribute paid by a vassal to his lord
AID -abbr
- Agency for International Development
- artificial insemination by donor
aide ['ād] -n
- a person who acts as an assistant
- a military officer who acts as an assistant to a superior officer
aidedecamp [,ād-di-'kamp, -'käⁿ] -n
- a military aide
- a civilian aide usu. to an executive
aideme·moire [,ād-mām-'wär] -n
- an aid to the memory
- a mnemonic device
- a written summary or outline of important items of a proposed agreement or diplomatic communication
aid·man ['ād-,man] -n
- an army medical corpsman attached to a field unit
AIDS ['ādz] -n
- a disease of the human immune system that is characterized cytologically esp. by reduction in the numbers of CD4-bearing helper T cells to 20 percent or less of normal thereby rendering the subject highly vulnerable to life-threatening conditions (as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) and to some (as Kaposi's sarcoma) that become life-threatening and that is caused by infection with HIV commonly transmitted in infected blood esp. during illicit intravenous drug use and in bodily secretions (as semen) during sexual intercourse
AIDSrelated complex -n
- a group of symptoms (as fever, weight loss, and lymphadenopathy) that is associated with the presence of antibodies to HIV and is followed by the development of AIDS in a certain proportion of cases
AIDS virus -n
- hiv
ai·grette [ā-'gret, 'ā-,] -n
- a spray of feathers (as of the egret) for the head
- a spray of gems worn on a hat or in the hair
ai·guille [ā-'gwēl, -'gwē] -n
- a sharp-pointed pinnacle of rock
ai·guil·lette [,ā-gwi-'let] -n
- aglet
- a shoulder cord worn by designated military aides
ai·ki·do [,ī-ki-'dō, ī-'kē-(,)dō] -n
- a Japanese art of self-defense employing locks and holds and utilizing the principle of nonresistance to cause an opponent's own momentum to work against him
ail ['āl] -vb
- to give physical or emotional pain, discomfort, or trouble to
- to have something the matter
- to suffer ill health
- ailment
ai·lan·thus [ā-'lan(t)-thəs] -n
- any of a small Asian genus ( Ailanthusof the family Simaroubaceae, the ailanthus family) of chiefly tropical trees and shrubs with bitter bark, pinnate leaves, and terminal panicles of ill-scented greenish flowers
- tree of heaven
ai·le·ron ['ā-lə-,rän] -n
- a movable airfoil at the trailing edge of an airplane wing that is used for imparting a rolling motion esp. in banking for turns
ail·ment ['āl-mənt] -n
- a bodily disorder or chronic disease
- unrest, uneasiness
ai·lu·ro·phile [ī-'lu̇r-ə-,fī(-ə)l, ā-] -n
- a cat fancier : a lover of cats
ai·lu·ro·phobe [-,fōb] -n
- a person who hates or fears cats
aim ['ām] -vb
- to direct a course
- to point a weapon at an object
- aspire, intend
- aim s to reform the government
- guess, conjecture
- point
- to direct to or toward a specified object or goal
- a program aim ed at reducing pollution
- mark, target
- the pointing of a weapon at a mark
- the ability to hit a target
- a weapon's accuracy or effectiveness
- conjecture, guess
- the directing of effort toward a goal
- a clearly directed intent or purpose
AIM -abbr
- American Indian Movement
ain ['ān] -adj
- own
ain't ['ānt]
- am not : are not : is not
- have not : has not
- do not : does not : did not used in some varieties of Black English
Ai·nu ['ī-(,)nü] -n
- a member of an indigenous people of the Japanese archipelago, the Kuril Islands, and part of Sakhalin Island
- the language of the Ainu people
ai·o·li [(,)ī-'ō-lē, (,)ā-] -n
- a mayonnaise flavored with garlic and sometimes other ingredients (as red pepper)
air ['er] -n, adj
- breath
- the mixture of invisible odorless tasteless gases (as nitrogen and oxygen) that surrounds the earth
- a light breeze
- empty space
- nothingness
- a sudden severance of relations
- tune, melody
- an accompanied song or melody in usu. strophic form
- the chief voice part or melody in choral music
- outward appearance of a thing
- a surrounding or pervading influence : atmosphere
- the look, appearance, or bearing of a person esp. as expressive of some personal quality or emotion : demeanor
- an artificial or affected manner
- public utterance
- he gave air to his opinion
- compressed air
- aircraft
- aviation
- air force
- the medium of transmission of radio waves
- radio, television
- airtime
- a football offense utilizing primarily the forward pass
- trailing by 20 points, the team took to the air
- an air-conditioning system
- the height achieved in performing an aerial maneuver
- a snowboarder catching big air
- the maneuver itself
- to expose to the air for drying, purifying, or refreshing : ventilate often used with out
- to expose to public view or bring to public notice
- to transmit by radio or television
- to become exposed to the open air
- to become broadcast
air bag -n
- an automobile safety device consisting of a bag designed to inflate automatically esp. in front of an occupant in case of collision
air ball -n
- a missed shot in basketball that fails to touch the rim and backboard
air base -n
- a military base chiefly for the operation of aircraft
air bladder -n
- a sac containing gas and esp. air
- a hydrostatic organ present in most fishes that serves as an accessory respiratory organ
air·boat ['er-,bōt] -n
- a shallow-draft boat driven by an airplane propeller and steered by an airplane rudder
air·borne [-,bȯrn] -adj
- : done or being in the air : being off the ground: as
- carried through the air (as by an aircraft)
- supported esp. by aerodynamic forces or propelled through the air by force
- transported or carried by the air
- trained for deployment by air and esp. by parachute
air brake -n
- a brake operated by a piston driven by compressed air
- a surface that may be projected into the airstream for increasing drag and lowering the speed of an airplane
airbreath·ing ['er-,brē-thiŋ] -adj
- of, employing, or being an engine that requires air for combustion
air·brush [-,brəsh] -n
- an atomizer for applying by compressed air a fine spray (as of paint or liquid color)
airbrush -vt
- to paint, treat, or alter (as to conceal imperfections) with or as if with an airbrush
air·burst [-,bərst] -n
- the burst of a shell or bomb in the air
air·bus [-,bəs] -n
- a short-range or medium-range subsonic jet passenger airplane
air chief marshal -n
- a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a general in the army
air commodore -n
- a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a brigadier in the army
aircon·di·tion [,er-kən-'di-shən] -vt, n
- to equip (as a building) with an apparatus for washing air and controlling its humidity and temperature
- to subject (air) to these processes
air·craft ['er-,kraft] -n
- a vehicle (as an airplane or balloon) for traveling through the air
aircraft carrier -n
- a warship with a flight deck on which aircraft can be launched and landed
air·crew ['er-,krü] -n
- the crew manning an airplane
aircush·ion vehicle -n
- hovercraft
air dam -n
- a device attached to the underside of the front of an automobile to improve stability, aerodynamic performance, and engine cooling by redirecting the flow of air
air·date [-,dāt] -n
- the scheduled date of a broadcast
air·drome ['er-,drōm] -n
- airport
air·drop [-,dräp] -n, vt, adj
- delivery of cargo, emergency supplies, or personnel by parachute from an airplane in flight
airdry [-'drī] -adj
- dry to such a degree that no further moisture is given up on exposure to air
- to dry by exposure to air
- to become dry by exposure to air
Aire·dale terrier ['er-,dāl-] -n
- any of a breed of large terriers with a hard, wiry, black-and-tan coat called also Airedale
air·er ['er-ər] -n
- a frame on which clothes are aired or dried
air·fare ['er-,fer] -n
- fare for travel by airplane
air·field [-,fēld] -n
- : an area of land from which aircraft operate: as
- airport
- air base
air·flow [-,flō] -n
- a flow of air
- the motion of air (as around parts of an airplane in flight) relative to the surface of a body immersed in it
air·foil [-,fȯi(-ə)l] -n
- a body (as an airplane wing or propeller blade) designed to provide a desired reaction force when in motion relative to the surrounding air
air force -n
- the military organization of a nation for air warfare
- a unit of the U.S. Air Force higher than a division and lower than a command
air·frame [-,frām] -n
- the structure of an aircraft, rocket vehicle, or missile without the power plant
- aircraft
air·freight [-'frāt] -n, vt
- freight transport by air in volume
- the charge for this service
air·glow [-,glō] -n
- light that is observed esp. during the night, that originates in the high atmosphere of a planet (as the earth), and that is associated with photochemical reactions of gases caused by solar radiation
air guitar -n
- an imaginary guitar that one pretends to play
- the action of playing air guitar
air gun -n
- a gun from which a projectile is propelled by compressed air
- any of various hand tools that work by compressed air
- airbrush
air·head [-,hed] -n
- an area in hostile territory secured usu. by airborne troops for further use in bringing in troops and materiel by air
airhead [-,he-dəd] -n, adj
- a mindless or stupid person
air·hole [-,hōl] -n
- a hole to admit or discharge air
air·ing ['er-iŋ] -n
- exposure to air or heat for drying or freshening
- exposure to or exercise in the open air esp. to promote health or fitness
- exposure to public view or notice
- a radio or television broadcast
airkiss ['er-,kis] -vt, n
- to greet from a distance with a kissing motion of the lips
air lane -n
- a path customarily followed by airplanes
air letter -n
- an airmail letter
- a sheet of airmail stationery that can be folded and sealed with the message inside and the address outside
air·lift ['er-,lift] -n, vt
- a system of transporting cargo or passengers by aircraft often to or from an otherwise inaccessible area
air·line [-,līn] -n
- an air transportation system including its equipment, routes, operating personnel, and management
air line -n
- a straight line through the air between two points
air·lin·er [-,lī-nər] -n
- an airplane operated by an airline
air lock -n
- an intermediate chamber with two airtight doors or openings to permit passage between two dissimilar spaces (as two places of unequal atmospheric pressure)
- a stoppage of flow caused by air being in a part where liquid ought to circulate
air·mail ['er-,māl] -n, vt
- the system of transporting mail by aircraft
- the mail thus transported
air·man [-mən] -n
- a civilian or military pilot, aviator, or aviation technician
- : an enlisted man in the air force: as
- an enlisted man of one of the three ranks below sergeant
- an enlisted man ranking above an airman basic and below an airman first class
airman basic -n
- an enlisted man of the lowest rank in the air force
airman first class -n
- an enlisted man in the air force ranking above an airman and below a sergeant
air·man·ship ['er-mən-,ship] -n
- skill in piloting or navigating aircraft
air marshal -n
- a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a lieutenant general in the army
- sky marshal
air mass -n
- a body of air extending hundreds or thousands of miles horizontally and sometimes as high as the stratosphere and maintaining as it travels nearly uniform conditions of temperature and humidity at any given level
air mattress -n
- mattress
Air Medal -n
- a U.S. military decoration awarded for meritorious achievement while participating in an aerial flight
air mile -n
- a mile in air travel
airmind·ed ['er-'mīn-dəd] -adj, n
- interested in aviation or in air travel
air·mo·bile [-,mō-bəl, -,bēl, -,bī(-ə)l] -adj
- of, relating to, or being a military unit whose members are transported to combat areas usu. by helicopter
air·park [-,pärk] -n
- a small airport usu. located near an industrial area
air piracy -n
- the hijacking of a flying airplane : skyjacking
air·plane ['er-,plān] -n
- a powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings from which it derives most of its lift
air plant -n
- epiphyte
- any of several kalanchoes (esp. Kalanchoe pinnata)
air·play [-,plā] -n
- the playing of a musical recording on the air by a radio station
- a song getting a lot of airplay
air pocket -n
- a condition of the atmosphere (as a local downdraft) that causes an airplane to drop suddenly
air police -n
- the military police of an air force
air·port ['er-,pȯrt] -n
- a place from which aircraft operate that usu. has paved runways and maintenance facilities and often serves as a terminal
air·post [-'pōst] -n
- airmail
air·pow·er [-,pau̇(-ə)r] -n
- the military strength of a nation's air force
air pump -n
- a pump for exhausting air from a closed space or for compressing air or forcing it through other apparatus
air quotes -n pl
- a gesture made by raising and flexing the index and middle fingers of both hands that is used to call attention to a spoken word or expression
air rage -n
- an airline passenger's uncontrolled anger that is usu. expressed in aggressive or violent behavior
air raid -n
- an attack by armed airplanes on a surface target usu. hyphenated when used attributively
air rifle -n
- a rifle whose projectile (as a BB or pellet) is propelled by compressed air or carbon dioxide
air right -n
- a property right to the space above a surface area or object
air sac -n
- one of the air-filled spaces in the body of a bird connected with the air passages of the lungs
- alveolus
- a thin-walled dilation of a trachea occurring in many insects
air·screw ['er-,skrü] -n
- an airplane propeller
air·ship [-,ship] -n
- a lighter-than-air aircraft having propulsion and steering systems
air show -n
- an exhibition of aircraft and aviation skills
air·sick [-,sik] -adj, n
- affected with motion sickness associated with flying
air·space [-,spās] -n
- the space lying above the earth or above a certain area of land or water
- the space lying above a nation and coming under its jurisdiction
air·speed [-,spēd] -n
- the speed (as of an airplane) with relation to the air
air·stream [-,strēm] -n
- a current of air
- airflow
air·strip [-,strip] -n
- a runway without normal air base or airport facilities
airt ['ārt, 'ert] -n
- compass point : direction
- direct, guide
air taxi -n
- a small commercial airplane used for short flights between localities not served by scheduled airlines
air·tight ['er-,tīt] -adj, n
- impermeable to air or nearly so
- having no noticeable weakness, flaw, or loophole
- permitting no opportunity for an opponent to score
air·time [-,tīm] -n
- the time at which a radio or television broadcast is scheduled to begin
- the time or any part thereof that a radio or television station is on the air
airtoair [,er-tə-'(w)er] -adj
- launched from one airplane in flight at another
- involving aircraft in flight
air vicemarshal -n
- a commissioned officer in the British air force who ranks with a major general in the army
air·wave ['er-,wāv] -adj
- of, created for, or heard on the airwaves
air·waves [-,wāvz] -n pl
- the medium of radio and television transmission not used technically
air·way [-,wā] -n
- a passage for a current of air (as in a mine or to the lungs)
- a designated route along which airplanes fly from airport to airport
- such a route equipped with navigational aids
- airline
- a channel of a designated radio frequency for broadcasting or other radio communication
air·wor·thy [-,wər-thē] -adj, n
- fit for operation in the air
airy ['er-ē] -adj, adv, n
- of or relating to air : atmospheric
- high in the air : lofty
- performed in air : aerial
- unreal, illusory
- being light and graceful in movement or manner : sprightly, vivacious
- exceptionally light, delicate, or refined
- open to the free circulation of air
- having openings or spaces
- affected, proud
airyfairy [-'fer-ē] -adj
- delicate, fairylike
- lacking substance or purpose
- in...an airyfairy, unserious, insufficiently careful fashion -- Times Lit. Supp.
aisle ['ī(-ə)l] -n
- the side of a church nave separated by piers from the nave proper
- a passage (as in a theater or railroad passenger car) separating sections of seats
- such a passage regarded as separating opposing parties in a legislature
- supported by members on both sides of the aisle
- a passage (as in a store or warehouse) for inside traffic
aisle·way [-,wā] -n
- aisle
ait ['āt] -n
- a little island
aitch ['āch] -n
- the letter h
aitch·bone ['āch-,bōn] -n
- the hipbone esp. of cattle
- the cut of beef containing the aitchbone