a-
prefixprefixprefixprefixprefixprefixprefixprefixprefixprefixcommon in dialogue
- Canada//eɪ//
- Australia//æɪ//
- //ə//
- //a//
Forming verbs with the sense away, up, on, out.
prefix
- 1
Forming verbs with the sense away, up, on, out.
arise, await
- 2
Forming verbs with the sense of intensified action.
abide, amaze
Etymology
From Middle English a- (“up, out, away”), from Old English ā-, originally *ar-, *or-, from Proto-West Germanic *uʀ-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out-”), from Proto-Indo-European *uds- (“up, out”). Cognate with Old Saxon a-, German er-.
prefix
- 1
rareIn, on, at; used to show a state, condition, or manner. Also passing into sense 2.
aglow, apace, afire, aboil, a-bling, abluster
- 2
In, into. Also passing into sense 5.
asunder
- 3
In the direction of, or toward.
astern, abeam
- 4
archaicAt such a time.
Come a-morning we are going hunting.
- 5
archaicIn the act or process of. Used in some dialects before a present participle.
hits a-poppin
doins a-transpirin
[object Object]
The twelfth day of Christmas, My true love sent to me Twelve lords a-leaping, … Eight maids a-milking, Seven swans a-swimming, Six geese a-laying,
Etymology
From Middle English a- (“on”), derived from unstressed Middle English an (“on”), from Old English an (“on”). See a (preposition, on, to, in, etc.)
prefix
- 1
Used to form the past participle of a verb.
I have a-gone.
I have a-seen a bird.
- 2
Variant of y-archaicAlternative form of y-. In dialect, it is sometimes conflated with sense 5 of the previous definition, and is used as a general indicator of a participle.
aware, alike
Etymology
From Middle English a-, a variant form of y-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-West Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm (“with”).
prefix
- 1
Forming words with the sense of wholly, or utterly out.
abash
Etymology
From Anglo-Norman a-, from Old French e-, from Latin ex-.
prefix
- 1
Not, without, opposite of.
amoral, asymmetry, atheism, asexual, acyclic, atypical
When invited to believe in the Chimaera, the horse-centaurs, or the winged horse Pegasus, all of them straightforward Pelasgian cult-symbols, a philosopher felt bound to reject them as a-zoölogical improbabilities ….
If aroused outside the proper outlet of marriage, [female lust] could range out of control, turning its possessor into an a-feminine monster: that is what happened to fallen women.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-), preconsonantal form of ἀν- (an-). Distant doublet of un-.
prefix
- 1
Towards; Used to indicate direction, reduction to, increase to, change into, or motion.
ascend, aspire, amass, abandon, avenue
Etymology
Assimilated form of ad- before b, sc, sp, st, and sometimes m. From Middle English a-, from Middle French a-, from Latin ad (“towards”).
prefix
- 1
Away from.
avert, aperient, abridge, assoil, assoilzie
Etymology
From Latin ab (“of, off, from, away”).
prefix
- 1
Of, from.
anew, afresh, athirst
Etymology
From Middle English a-, o- (“of”). See a (preposition, of).
prefix
- 1
Variant of -aAlternative form of -a (“empty syllable added to songs, poetry, verse and other speech”).
A-tisket a-tasket, A green and yellow basket
prefix
- 1
Used as a prefix to verbs in the sense of remaining in the same condition. Actively doing something.
a-be, a-going
Let that choilt a-be, wilt ta.
a- · Forming verbs with the sense away, up, on, out.
A. · absolute temperaturea.m. · In the 12-hour period from midnight to noon (the first half…aa · A form of lava flow associated with Hawaiian-type volcanoes,…