af -abbr

  1. affix

AF -abbr

  1. air force
  2. audio frequency

afar [ə-'fär] -adv

  1. from, to, or at a great distance
    • roamed afar
  2. a great distance
    • saw him from afar

AFB -abbr

  1. air force base

AFC -abbr

  1. American Football Conference
  2. automatic frequency control

AFDC -abbr

  1. Aid to Families with Dependent Children

afeard [ə-'fird] -adj

  1. afraid

afe·brile [(,)ā-'fe-,brī(-ə)l also -'fē-] -adj

  1. not marked by or having a fever

aff -abbr

  1. affirmative

af·fa·ble ['a-fə-bəl] -adj, n, adv

  1. being pleasant and at ease in talking to others
    • an affable host
  2. characterized by ease and friendliness
    • an affable manner

af·fair [ə-'fer] -n

  1. commercial, professional, public, or personal business
  2. matter, concern
  3. a procedure, action, or occasion only vaguely specified
  4. an object or collection of objects only vaguely specified
    • their house was a 2-story affair
  5. a romantic or passionate attachment typically of limited duration : liaison
  6. a matter occasioning public anxiety, controversy, or scandal : case

af·fect ['a-,fekt] -n

  1. feeling, affection
  2. the conscious subjective aspect of an emotion considered apart from bodily changes
  3. a set of observable manifestations of a subjectively experienced emotion
    • patients...showed perfectly normal reactions and affect s -- Oliver Sacks
  4. to aim at
  5. to have affection for
  6. to be given to : fancy
    • affect flashy clothes
  7. to make a display of liking or using : cultivate
    • affect a worldly manner
  8. to put on a pretense of : feign
    • affect indifference, though deeply hurt
  9. to tend toward
    • drops of water affect roundness
  10. frequent
  11. incline

affect [-,fek-tə-'bi-lə-tē] -vt, n, adj

  1. : to produce an effect upon: as
  2. to produce a material influence upon or alteration in
    • paralysis affect ed his limbs
  3. to act upon (as a person or a person's mind or feelings) so as to effect a response : influence

af·fec·ta·tion [,a-,fek-'tā-shən] -n

  1. the act of taking on or displaying an attitude or mode of behavior not natural to oneself or not genuinely felt
  2. speech or conduct not natural to oneself : artificiality
  3. a striving after

af·fect·ed [ə-'fek-təd, a-] -adj, adv, n

  1. inclined, disposed
    • was well affected toward her
  2. given to or marked by affectation
    • spoke in an affected manner
  3. assumed artificially or falsely : pretended
    • an affected interest in art

af·fect·ing [ə-'fek-tiŋ, a-] -adj, adv

  1. evoking a strong emotional response

af·fec·tion [ə-'fek-shən] -n, adj

  1. a moderate feeling or emotion
  2. tender attachment : fondness
    • she had a deep affection for her parents
  3. a bodily condition
  4. disease, malady
  5. attribute
    • shape and weight are affection s of bodies
  6. partiality, prejudice
  7. the feeling aspect (as in pleasure) of consciousness
  8. propensity, disposition
  9. affectation
  10. the action of affecting : the state of being affected

af·fec·tion·al [ə-'fek-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl] -adj, adv

  1. of or relating to the affections

af·fec·tion·ate [ə-'fek-sh(ə-)nət] -adj, adv

  1. inclined, disposed
  2. having affection or warm regard : loving
    • affectionate friends
  3. motivated by affection : tender
    • affectionate care

af·fec·tioned [-shənd] -adj

  1. having a tendency, disposition, or inclination : disposed

af·fec·tive [a-'fek-tiv] -adj, adv, n

  1. relating to, arising from, or influencing feelings or emotions : emotional
    • cognitive and affective symptoms
  2. expressing emotion
    • affective language

affective disorder -n

  1. mood disorder

af·fect·less ['a-,fekt-ləs, a-'fekt-] -adj, n

  1. showing or expressing no emotion
  2. unfeeling
    • a ruthless affectless society

af·fen·pin·scher ['a-fən-,pin-chər] -n

  1. any of a breed of toy dogs with a wiry black, red, tan, or gray coat, erect ears, large round eyes, and bushy eyebrows, chin tuft, and mustache

af·fer·ent ['a-fə-rənt, -,fer-ənt, -,fe-rənt] -adj, adv

  1. bearing or conducting inward
  2. conveying impulses toward the central nervous system

afferent -n

  1. an afferent anatomical part (as a nerve)

af·fi·ance [ə-'fī-ən(t)s] -n

  1. trust, confidence

affiance -vt

  1. to solemnly promise (oneself or another) in marriage : betroth

af·fi·ant [ə-'fī-ənt] -n

  1. one who swears to an affidavit
  2. deponent

afficionado [-'nä-(,)dō] -n

(variant of aficionado)

  1. a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usu. fervently pursued interest or activity : devotee
    • aficionado s of the bullfight
    • movie aficionado s

af·fi·da·vit [,a-fə-'dā-vət] -n

  1. a sworn statement in writing made esp. under oath or on affirmation before an authorized magistrate or officer

af·fil·i·ate [ə-'fi-lē-,āt] -vb, n

  1. to bring or receive into close connection as a member or branch
  2. to associate as a member
    • affiliate s herself with the local club
  3. to trace the origin of
  4. to connect or associate oneself : combine
  5. an affiliated person or organization

af·fil·i·at·ed [-lē-,ā-təd] -adj

  1. closely associated with another typically in a dependent or subordinate position
    • the university and its affiliated medical school

af·fine [a-'fīn, ə-] -n

  1. a relative by marriage : in-law

affine -adj, adv

  1. of, relating to, or being a transformation (as a translation, a rotation, or a uniform stretching) that carries straight lines into straight lines and parallel lines into parallel lines but may alter distance between points and angles between lines
    • affine geometry

af·fined [a-'fīnd, ə-] -adj

  1. joined in a close relationship : connected
  2. bound by obligation

af·fin·i·ty [ə-'fi-nə-tē] -n

  1. relationship by marriage
  2. sympathy marked by community of interest : kinship
  3. an attraction to or liking for something
    • people with an affinity to darkness -- Mark Twain
    • pork and fennel have a natural affinity for each other -- Abby Mandel
  4. an attractive force between substances or particles that causes them to enter into and remain in chemical combination
  5. a person esp. of the opposite sex having a particular attraction for one
  6. likeness based on relationship or causal connection
    • found an affinity between the teller of a tale and the craftsman -- Mary McCarthy
    • this investigation, with affinities to a case history, a psychoanalysis, a detective story -- Oliver Sacks
  7. a relation between biological groups involving resemblance in structural plan and indicating a common origin

affinity card -n

  1. a credit card which is issued in affiliation with a participating organization (as a charity or an airline) and the use of which earns a benefit for the organization or the cardholder

affinity chromatography -n

  1. chromatography in which a macromolecule (as a protein) is isolated and purified by passing it in solution through a column treated with a substance having a ligand for which the macromolecule has an affinity that causes it to be retained on the column

affinity group -n

  1. a group of people having a common interest or goal or acting together for a specific purpose (as for a chartered tour)

af·firm [ə-'fərm] -vb, adj, n

  1. validate, confirm
  2. to state positively
    • he affirm ed his innocence
  3. to assert (as a judgment or decree) as valid or confirmed
  4. to express dedication to
    • affirm life
  5. to testify or declare by affirmation as distinguished from swearing an oath
  6. to uphold a judgment or decree of a lower court

af·fir·ma·tion [,a-fər-'mā-shən] -n

  1. the act of affirming
  2. something affirmed : a positive assertion
  3. a solemn declaration made under the penalties of perjury by a person who conscientiously declines taking an oath

af·fir·ma·tive [ə-'fər-mə-tiv] -adj, adv

  1. asserting a predicate of a subject
  2. asserting that the fact is so
  3. positive
    • affirmative approach
  4. favoring or supporting a proposition or motion

affirmative -n

  1. an expression (as the word yes) of affirmation or assent
  2. an affirmative proposition
  3. the side that upholds the proposition stated in a debate

affirmative action -n

  1. an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women
  2. a similar effort to promote the rights or progress of other disadvantaged persons

af·fix [ə-'fiks, a-] -vt, adj, n

  1. to attach physically
    • affix a stamp to a letter
  2. to attach in any way : add, append
    • affix a signature to a document
  3. impress
    • affix ed my seal
  4. one or more sounds or letters occurring as a bound form attached to the beginning or end of a word, base, or phrase or inserted within a word or base and serving to produce a derivative word or an inflectional form
  5. appendage

af·fla·tus [ə-'flā-təs, a-] -n

  1. a divine imparting of knowledge or power : inspiration

af·flict [ə-'flikt] -vt

  1. humble
  2. overthrow
  3. to distress so severely as to cause persistent suffering or anguish
    • afflict ed with arthritis
  4. trouble, injure

af·flic·tion [ə-'flik-shən] -n

  1. the state of being afflicted
  2. the cause of persistent pain or distress
  3. great suffering

af·flic·tive [ə-'flik-tiv] -adj, adv

  1. causing affliction : distressing, troublesome
    • afflictive emotions

af·flu·ence ['a-(,)flü-ən(t)s also a-'flü- or ə-] -n

  1. an abundant flow or supply : profusion
  2. abundance of property : wealth
  3. a flowing to or toward a point : influx

af·flu·en·cy [-ən(t)-sē] -n

  1. affluence

af·flu·ent [-ənt] -adj, adv

  1. flowing in abundance
    • affluent streams
    • affluent creativity
  2. having a generously sufficient and typically increasing supply of material possessions
    • our affluent society

affluent -n

  1. a tributary stream
  2. an affluent person

af·ford [ə-'fȯrd] -vt, n, adj, adv

  1. to manage to bear without serious detriment
    • you can't afford to neglect your health
  2. to be able to bear the cost of
    • can't afford to be out of work long
  3. to make available, give forth, or provide naturally or inevitably
    • the sun afford s warmth to the earth

af·for·es·ta·tion [(,)a-,fȯr-ə-'stā-shən, ə-, -,fär-] -n, vt

  1. the act or process of establishing a forest esp. on land not previously forested

af·fray [ə-'frā] -n

  1. fray, brawl
  2. a fight between two or more people in a public place that disturbs the peace

affray -vt

  1. startle, frighten

af·fri·cate ['a-fri-kət] -n, n or adj

  1. a stop and its immediately following release into a fricative that are considered to constitute a single phoneme (as the t and sh of ch in choose)

af·fright [ə-'frīt] -vt

  1. frighten, alarm

affright -n

  1. sudden and great fear : terror

af·front [ə-'frənt] -vt

  1. to insult esp. to the face by behavior or language
  2. to cause offense to
    • a system of law about both family and marriage that affront ed lay society -- J. H. Mundy
  3. to face in defiance : confront
    • affront death
  4. to encounter face-to-face
  5. to appear directly before

affront -n

  1. a hostile encounter
  2. a deliberate offense : insult
    • an affront to his dignity

afft -abbr

  1. affidavit

af·fu·sion [a-'fyü-zhən] -n

  1. an act of pouring a liquid on (as in baptism)

Af·ghan ['af-,gan also -gən] -n, adj

  1. pashtun
  2. pashto
  3. a native or inhabitant of Afghanistan
  4. a blanket or shawl of colored wool knitted or crocheted in strips or squares
  5. a Turkoman carpet of large size and long pile woven in geometric designs
  6. afghan hound

Afghan hound -n

  1. any of a breed of tall slim swift hunting dogs originating in Afghanistan with a coat of silky thick hair and a long silky topknot

afi·cio·na·da [ə-,fi-sh(ē-)ə-'nä-də, -fē-, -sē-ə-, -,dä] -n

  1. a woman who is an aficionado

afi·cio·na·do [-'nä-(,)dō] -n

  1. a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usu. fervently pursued interest or activity : devotee
    • aficionado s of the bullfight
    • movie aficionado s

afield [ə-'fēld] -adv or adj

  1. to, in, or on the field
    • was weak at bat but strong afield
  2. away from home : abroad
  3. out of the way : astray
    • irrelevant remarks that carried us far afield

afire [ə-'fī(-ə)r] -adj or adv

  1. being on fire : blazing
  2. being in a state of great excitement or energy
    • her music set the audience afire

AFL -abbr

  1. American Football League

aflame [ə-'flām] -adj or adv

  1. afire

af·la·tox·in [,a-flə-'täk-sən] -n

  1. any of several carcinogenic mycotoxins that are produced esp. in stored agricultural crops (as peanuts) by molds (as Aspergillus flavus)

AFLCIO -abbr

  1. American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations

afloat [ə-'flōt] -adj or adv

  1. borne on or as if on the water
  2. being at sea
  3. free of difficulties : self-sufficient
    • the inheritance kept them afloat for years
  4. circulating about
    • nasty stories were afloat
  5. adrift

aflut·ter [ə-'flə-tər] -adj

  1. being in a flutter : fluttering
  2. nervously excited
    • all aflutter at the news
  3. filled with or marked by the presence of fluttering things
    • roofs aflutter with flags

AFM -abbr

  1. atomic force microscope

afoot [ə-'fu̇t] -adv or adj

  1. on foot
  2. in the process of development : under way
    • something out of the ordinary was afoot -- Hamilton Basso

afore [ə-'fȯr] -adv or conj or prep

  1. before

afore·men·tioned [-'men(t)-shənd] -adj

  1. mentioned previously

afore·said [-,sed] -adj

  1. said or named before or above

afore·thought [-,thȯt] -adj

  1. previously in mind : premeditated, deliberate
    • with malice aforethought

afoul of [ə-'fau̇-ləv] -prep

  1. in or into conflict with
    • ran afoul of the law
  2. in or into collision or entanglement with

AFP -abbr

  1. alpha-fetoprotein

Afr -abbr

  1. Africa; African

Afr- -comb form

  1. African
    • Afro- American
    : African and
    • Afro- Asiatic

afraid [ə-'frād, Southern also ə-'fred] -adj

  1. filled with fear or apprehension
    • afraid of machines
    • afraid for his job
  2. filled with concern or regret over an unwanted situation
    • I'm afraid I won't be able to go
  3. having a dislike for something
    • afraid of hard work

Aframe ['ā-,frām] -n

  1. a support structure shaped like the letter A
  2. a building typically having triangular front and rear walls and a roof reaching to or nearly to the ground

afreet ['a-,frēt, ə-'frēt] -n

  1. a powerful evil jinni, demon, or monstrous giant in Arabic mythology

afresh [ə-'fresh] -adv

  1. from a fresh beginning : anew, again

Af·ri·can ['a-fri-kən also 'ä-] -n

  1. a native or inhabitant of Africa
  2. a person and esp. a black person of African ancestry

African [-kə(n)-nəs] -adj, n

  1. of, relating to, or characteristic of the continent of Africa or its people

Af·ri·ca·na [,a-fri-'ka-nə, -'kä-, -'kā- also ,ä-] -n pl

  1. materials (as books, documents, or artifacts) relating to African history and culture

Af·ri·canAmer·i·can [,a-fri-kə-nə-'mer-ə-kən, -'me-rə- also ,ä-] -n, adj

  1. an American of African and esp. of black African descent

African buffalo -n

  1. cape buffalo

African daisy -n

  1. any of a genus ( Arctotis) of widely cultivated composite herbs native to southern Africa

Af·ri·can·der [,a-fri-'kan-dər] -n

  1. any of a breed of tall red large-horned humped southern African cattle used chiefly for meat or draft

African elephant -n

  1. elephant

African gray -n

  1. a parrot ( Psittacus erithacus) native to equatorial Africa that has gray plumage, a red tail, and a whitish face and is commonly domesticated esp. for its ability in learning to talk

Af·ri·can·ism ['a-fri-kə-,ni-zəm also 'ä-] -n, adj

  1. a characteristic feature of African culture
  2. a characteristic feature of an African language occurring in a non-African language
  3. allegiance to the traditions, interests, or ideals of Africa

Africanist -n

  1. a specialist in African languages or cultures

Af·ri·can·ize [-,nīz] -vt, n

  1. to cause to acquire a distinctively African trait
  2. to bring under the influence, control, or cultural or civil supremacy of Africans and esp. black Africans

Africanized bee -n

  1. a honeybee that originated in Brazil as an accidental hybrid between an aggressive African subspecies ( Apis mellifera scutellata) and previously established European honeybees and has spread to Mexico and the southernmost U.S. by breeding with local bees producing populations retaining most of the African bee's traits called also Africanized honeybee killer bee

African mahogany -n

  1. mahogany

African swine fever -n

  1. swine fever

African violet -n

  1. any of several tropical African gesneriads (esp. Saintpaulia ionantha) widely grown as houseplants for their velvety fleshy leaves and showy purple, pink, or white flowers

African wild dog -n

  1. a powerful canid ( Lycaon pictus) having a mottled coat of black, white, and reddish yellow that was formerly common in sub-Saharan Africa where it hunted in large packs but is now restricted to small populations in southern and eastern Africa called also African hunting dog

Af·ri·kaans [,a-fri-'kän(t)s, ,ä-, -'känz, 'a-fri-,, 'ä-] -n

  1. a language developed from 17th century Dutch that is one of the official languages of the Republic of So. Africa

Afrikaans -adj

  1. of or relating to Afrikaners or Afrikaans

Af·ri·ka·ner [,a-fri-'kä-nər] -n

  1. a South African of European descent whose native language is Afrikaans

Af·ro ['a-(,)frō] -n, adj

  1. a hairstyle of tight curls in a full evenly rounded shape

Af·roAmer·i·can [,a-frō-ə-'mer-ə-kən, -'me-rə-] -n, adj

  1. African-American

Af·roAsi·at·ic [,a-frō-,ā-zhē-'a-tik, -zē- also -shē-] -adj

  1. of, relating to, or being a family of languages widely distributed over southwestern Asia and Africa including the Semitic, Egyptian, Berber, Cushitic, and Chadic subfamilies

Af·ro·cen·tric [,a-frō-'sen-trik] -adj, n, n or adj

  1. centered on or derived from Africa or the Africans
  2. emphasizing or promoting emphasis on African culture and the contributions of Africans to the development of Western civilization

aft ['aft] -adv

  1. near, toward, or in the stern of a ship or the tail of an aircraft
    • called all hands aft
  2. rearward, after
    • the aft decks

aft ['ȯft] -adv

(variant of oft)

  1. often

AFT -abbr

  1. American Federation of Teachers
  2. automatic fine-tuning

af·ter ['af-tər] -adv

  1. following in time or place : afterward, behind, later
    • we arrived shortly after
    • returned 20 years after

after -prep

  1. behind in place
    • people lined up one after another
  2. subsequent to in time or order
    • 20 minutes after 6
  3. subsequent to and in view of
    • after all our advice
  4. used as a function word to indicate the object of a stated or implied action
    • go after gold
    • was asking after you
  5. : so as to resemble: as
  6. in accordance with
  7. with the name of or a name derived from that of
    • named after his father
  8. in the characteristic manner of : in imitation of
    • writing after the manner of Hemingway
  9. subsequently to the time when
    • we will come after we make plans
  10. later in time
    • in after years
  11. located toward the rear and esp. toward the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft

af·ter ['äf-tər] -verbal auxiliary

  1. used with a present participle to indicate action completed and esp. just completed
    • the poor old man is after dying on me -- J. M. Synge

after -n

  1. afternoon

after all -adv

  1. in spite of considerations or expectations to the contrary : nevertheless
    • decided to take the train after all
    • didn't rain after all
  2. in view of all circumstances
    • literature which is after all only a special department of reading -- W. W. Watt

af·ter·birth ['af-tər-,bərth] -n

  1. the placenta and fetal membranes that are expelled after delivery

af·ter·burn·er [-,bər-nər] -n

  1. a device incorporated into the tailpipe of a turbojet engine for injecting fuel into the hot exhaust gases and burning it to provide extra thrust
  2. a device for burning or catalytically destroying unburned or partially burned carbon compounds in exhaust (as from an automobile)

af·ter·care [-,ker] -n

  1. the care, treatment, help, or supervision given to persons discharged from an institution (as a hospital)

af·ter·clap [-,klap] -n

  1. an unexpected damaging or unsettling event following a supposedly closed affair

af·ter·deck [-,dek] -n

  1. the part of a deck abaft amidships

af·ter·ef·fect ['af-tər-ə-,fekt] -n

  1. an effect that follows its cause after an interval

af·ter·glow ['af-tər-,glō] -n

  1. a glow remaining where a light has disappeared
  2. a pleasant effect or feeling that lingers after something is done, experienced, or achieved
    • basking in the afterglow of success

af·ter·guard [-,gärd] -n

  1. the sailors stationed on the poop or after part of a ship
  2. the decision-making members of a sailboat racing team usu. including a helmsman, tactician, and navigator

af·terhours [,af-tər-'au̇(-ə)rz] -adj

  1. engaged in or operating after a legal or conventional closing time
    • afterhours drinking
    • an afterhours club

af·ter·im·age ['af-tər-,i-mij] -n

  1. a usu. visual sensation occurring after stimulation by its external cause has ceased

af·ter·life ['af-tər-,līf] -n

  1. an existence after death
  2. a later period in one's life
  3. a period of continued or renewed use, existence, or popularity beyond what is normal, primary, or expected
    • a TV show with a long afterlife in syndication

af·ter·mar·ket [-,mär-kət] -n

  1. the market for parts and accessories used in the repair or enhancement of a product (as an automobile)
  2. a secondary market available after sales in the original market are finished
    • a movie in the videocassette aftermarket

af·ter·math [-,math] -n

  1. a second-growth crop called also rowen
  2. consequence, result
    • stricken with guilt as an aftermath of the accident
  3. the period immediately following a usu. ruinous event
    • in the aftermath of the war

af·ter·most [-,mōst] -adj

  1. farthest aft

af·ter·noon [,af-tər-'nün] -n, adj

  1. the part of day between noon and sunset
  2. a relatively late period (as of time or life)
    • in the afternoon of the 19th century

af·ter·noons [-'nünz] -adv

  1. in the afternoon repeatedly : on any afternoon

af·ter·piece ['af-tər-,pēs] -n

  1. a short usu. comic entertainment performed after a play

af·ters ['af-tərz] -n pl

  1. dessert

af·ter·shave ['af-tər-,shāv] -n

  1. a usu. scented lotion for use on the face after shaving

af·ter·shock [-,shäk] -n

  1. a minor shock following the main shock of an earthquake
  2. an aftereffect of a distressing or traumatic event

af·ter·taste [-,tāst] -n

  1. persistence of a sensation (as of flavor or an emotion) after the stimulating agent or experience has gone

af·tertax [-'taks] -adj

  1. remaining after payment of taxes and esp. of income tax
    • an aftertax profit

af·ter·thought [-,thȯt] -n

  1. an idea occurring later
  2. something (as a part or feature) not thought of originally : something secondary

af·ter·time [-,tīm] -n

  1. future

af·ter·ward ['af-tə(r)-wərd] -adv

  1. at a later or succeeding time : subsequently, thereafter

af·ter·word [-,wərd] -n

  1. epilogue

af·ter·world [-,wərld] -n

  1. a future world : a world after death

AFTRA -abbr

  1. American Federation of Television and Radio Artists