ambition ambitions NOUN
If you have an ambition to do something, you want to do it very much.
ambulance ambulances NOUN
An ambulance is a vehicle that is used to take people to hospital.
among
PREPOSITION 1 If something is among a number of things, it is surrounded by them. He sat among piles of books.
PREPOSITION 2 If something is divided among several people, they all have a share.
amount amounts NOUN
An amount of something is how much there is of it.
amphibian amphibians NOUN
An amphibian is an animal that is able to live on land and in water.
amphibious ADJECTIVE
See Amphibians on page 264
amuse amuses, amusing, amused VERB
If you amuse somebody, you make them smile or stop them feeling bored.
an ADJECTIVE
An is a form of “a” used when the next sound is a vowel.
See a
analogue ADJECTIVE
An analogue watch or clock shows the time with hands that move round a dial.
See digital
anchor anchors NOUN
An anchor is a heavy metal hook on a long chain. It is dropped over the side of a boat to stop it moving.
ancient ADJECTIVE
If something is ancient, it is very old.
and CONJUNCTION
You use and to join two or more words or phrases together. I like chocolate, and my brother does too.
angel angels NOUN
Angels are beings some people believe act as messengers for God.
anger NOUN
Anger is the strong feeling you have about something that is unfair.
angle angles NOUN
An angle is the shape that is made when two lines or surfaces join. The size of an angle is measured in degrees.
angry angrier, angriest ADJECTIVE
If you feel angry, you are very cross.
angrily ADVERB
animal animals NOUN
Animals are living things which are not plants. Humans, dogs, birds, fish, reptiles and insects are all animals.
ankle ankles NOUN
Your ankle is the joint between your foot and your leg.
anniversary anniversaries NOUN
An anniversary is a day when you remember something special which happened on that date in an earlier year.
announce announces, announcing, announced VERB
If you announce something important, you tell people about it publicly. My sister’s engagement was announced last week.
annoy annoys, annoying, annoyed VERB
If you do something which annoys someone, you make them cross.
annual annuals
ADJECTIVE 1 Something that is annual happens once a year, like a birthday.
NOUN 2 An annual is a book that comes out once a year.
another ADJECTIVE
Another means one more. Amy finished her chocolate and took another one immediately.
answer answers, answering, answered
VERB 1 When you answer, you say or write something to someone who has asked you a question.
NOUN 2 Your answer is what you say or write to a question.
ant ants NOUN
Ants are small insects which live in large groups called colonies.
See Insects on page 264
antelope antelopes NOUN
Antelopes are animals that look like deer, but their horns are not branch-shaped. They live in Africa and Asia.
anticlockwise ADVERB
If something goes anticlockwise, it moves in the opposite direction to the hands of a clock.
antique antiques NOUN
An antique is an old object which is valuable because it is beautiful or rare.
antiseptic antiseptics NOUN
An antiseptic is a substance that prevents infection by killing germs.
antonym antonyms NOUN
An antonym is a word that means the opposite of another word.
See Antonyms on page 273
anxious ADJECTIVE
Someone who is anxious is nervous or worried about something.
any
ADJECTIVE 1 Any means one, some, or several. Do you have any milk?
ADJECTIVE 2 Any can also mean even the smallest amount. I mustn’t eat any nuts.
anybody PRONOUN
Anybody is any person.
anyone PRONOUN
Anyone is any person.
anything PRONOUN
Anything means any object, event, situation or action.
anywhere ADVERB
Anywhere means in, at or to any place. Just put it down anywhere.
apart ADJECTIVE
If something is apart from something else, there is a space between them. He stood with his feet apart.
ape apes NOUN
Apes are like monkeys but are larger and have no tails. Chimpanzees and gorillas are apes.
apologize apologizes, apologizing, apologized; also spelt apologise VERB
When you apologize, you say you are sorry for something you have done.
apology apologies NOUN
An apology is something you say or write to tell someone you are sorry.
apostrophe apostrophes NOUN
An apostrophe is a punctuation mark (‘) used in contractions and to show belonging.
See Punctuation on page 270
apparatus NOUN
The apparatus for a particular task is the equipment you use for it.
appear appears, appearing, appeared
VERB