Translingual

Symbol

A

1. A (ampere)

Symbol

a

1. a (are, unit of area)
2. a (atto-)

==

Noun

A

Pronunciation

Named /eɪ/, /eI/ in the English, and most commonly /ɑː/, /A:/ or /a/ in other languages. The current pronunciation is a comparatively modern sound, and has taken the place of what, till about the early part of the 17th century, was similar to that in other languages.

1. The first letter of the alphabet. (See appendix:English alphabet)

   Apple starts with A.

2. The highest rank on any of various scales which assign letters.

   We assign each item inspected a rating from A through G depending on various factors.

3. (education) The highest letter grade assigned (disregarding plusses and minuses).

   I was so happy to get an A on that test.

4. (music) A tone three-fifths above C in the cycle of fifths; the sixth tone of the C major scale.

   Orchestras traditionally tune to a concert A .

5. A blood type that has a specific antigen that aggravates the immune response in people with type B antigen in their blood. They may receive blood from type A or type O, but cannot receive blood from AB or B.

   My blood type is A negative.

6. (computing) The number 10 in the hexadecimal system. (Generally capitalized.)

   The value is hexadecimal A0, or decimal 160.

Related Terms

Letter of the Alphabet

• A frame
• ABC, A.B.C.
• A to Z

Rank or Size

• AA
• double A
• AAA
• triple A
• A cup
• A game
• A levels
• A list
• A team
• grade A

Letter Grade

• straight A's
• A minus
• A plus

Music

• A-flat
• A major
• A minor
• A-sharp
• concert A

Blood Type

• A positive
• A negative

Other

• A-bomb

Indefinite article

a

1. Variant of an.

Usage Note

The forms a and an alternate depending on the word following. See an for a full list of examples.

Preposition

a

Etymology

Abbreviated form of an (Anglo-Saxon on). See On.

1. (Obsolete): In; on; at; by.

   A God's name.

   Torn a pieces.

   Stand a tiptoe.

   A Sundays — Shakespeare, Hamlet, IV-v.

   Wit that men have now a days. — Chaucer .

2. (Obsolete) In the process of; in the act of; into; to. Used with verbal substantives in -ing which begin with a consonant. This is a shortened form of the preposition an (which was used before a vowel sound). May or may not be hyphenated.

   Jacob, when he was a dying — KJB, Hebrews 11-21.

   It was a doing. — Shakespeare.

Etymology

From Anglo-Saxon "of", "off", "from". See of.

1. (Obsolete): Of.

   The name of John a Gaunt.

   What time a day is it? — Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV, I-ii.

   It's six a clock. — B. Jonson .

Verb

a

1. (obsolete) Contraction of "have". Survives in colloquial woulda, shoulda, etc.

   So would I a done.

Pronoun

a

1. (obsolete) Contraction of "he", and sometimes of "it" and of "they".

   a' brushes his hat o' mornings. — Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, III-ii

Expletive

a

1. A meaningless syllable used to fill up the meter in verse.

   A merry heart goes all the day / Your sad tires in a mile-a — Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale, IV-iii

   I love to sing-a / About the moon-a and the June-a and the Spring-a. — Avery, I Love to Singa

Abbreviation

A

1. ampere in the International System of Units.
2. Vehicle-distinguishing sign for Austria.
3. Webster 1913 abbreviation for Adjective.

a

1. year in the International System of Units

Prefix

See a- for these usages.

See also

• alphabet
• nowadays
• coulda
• shoulda
• woulda

• Wikipedia article on a

Translations

Aragonese

Etymology

From Latin illa.

Definite article

a f/sg

1. the

   A luenga aragonesa = "The Aragonese language"

Czech

Conjunction

a

1. and

French

Noun

A

1. A (first letter of the alphabet)

Derived phrases

• bombe A
• prouver par A plus B , prouver par A + B

Verb form

a

1. (third-person singular indicative present of avoir) has

See also

• à

Hungarian

Definite article

a

1. the

Related terms

• az

Irish

Pronunciation

Particle

1. Vocative (triggers lenition )

   A Dhia! = "O God!"

   A dhuine uasail = "Sir"

   Tar isteach, a Sheáin = "Come in, Seán"

   A amadáin! = "You fool!"

2. Numeral (attaches h to a vowel)

   A haon, a dó, a trí... = "One, two, three..."

   Séamas a Dó = "James the Second"

   Bus a seacht = "The number seven bus"

3. Direct relative (triggers lenition )

   An fear a chuireann síol = "The man who sows seed"

   An síol a chuireann an fear = "The seed that the man sows"

   Nuair a éirím = "When I rise"

4. Indirect relative (triggers eclipsis )

   An bord a bhfuil leabhar air = "The table on which there is a book"

   An fear a bhfuil a mac ag imeacht = "The man whose son is going away"

5. how, used with an abstract noun (triggers lenition )

   A ghéire a labhair sí = "How sharply she spoke"

   A fheabhas atá sé = "How good it is"

Preposition

1. to, used with a verbal noun (triggers lenition )

Síol a chur = "To sow seed"

Uisce a ól = "To drink water"

An rud atá sé a scríobh = "What he is writing"

D'éirigh sé a chaint = "He rose to speak"

Téigh a chodladh = "Go to sleep"

Pronoun

1. his, its (triggers lenition )

   A athair agus a mháthair = "His father and mother"

   Chaill an t-éan a chleití = "The bird lost its feathers"

2. her, its (attaches h to a vowel)

   A hathair agus a máthair = "Her father and mother"

   Thréig an chaora a eiteog = "The sheep left its flock"

3. their (triggers eclipsis )

   a dtithe = "their houses"

   a n-ainmneacha = "their names"

4. all that, whatever

   Sin a bhfuil ann = "That's all that is there"

   An bhfuair tú a raibh uait? = "Did you get all that you wanted?"

   Íocfaidh mé as a gceannóidh tú = "I will pay for whatever you buy"

Italian

Preposition

a

1. in
2. at
3. to
4. Indicates the direct object, mainly to avoid confusion when it, the subject, or both are displaced.

   A me non importa. = "It doesn't matter to me." (literally, "To me it doesn't matter.")

Combined forms

When followed by a definite article, a is combined with the article to give the following combined forms:

Latin

Preposition

a (also ab)

1. of, from

   "Thomas a Becket"

Usage note

Takes object in ablative case.

Abbreviation

1. a (annus, year)
2. a (ante, before)
3. Aulus (a name)
4. absolvo , "I free," "I acquit"
5. antiquo , "I leave in its former state," "I reject"

==

Etymology

From Latin illa

Definite article

a f/sg

1. the

   Lá vem a chuva. = "Here comes the rain."

Etymology

From Latin ad

Preposition

a

1. to

   Vamos a Paris! = "Let's go to Paris!"

2. at

   Onde vai ele a esta hora da noite = "Where is he going at this time of night?"

3. Indicates the direct object, mainly to avoid confusion when it, the subject, or both are displaced.

   A mim ele não engana. = "He doesn't deceive me." (literally, "To me he doesn't deceive.")

Combined forms

When followed by a definite article, a is combined with the article to give the following combined forms:

Personal pronoun, 3rd person f/sg

From Latin illa.

1. Her, it (as a direct object; as an indirect object, see lhe ; after prepositions, see ela).

   Encontrei-a na rua. = "I met her/it on the street."

Usage notes

• Becomes -la after verb forms ending in -r, -s, or -z, the pronouns nos and vos, and the adverb eis; the final letter causing the change disappears.

  After ver: Posso vê-la? = "May I see her/it?"

  After pôs: Quero pô-la ali. = "I want to put her/it there."

  After fiz: Fi-la ficar contente. = "I made her/it happy."

  After nos: Deu-no-la relutantemente. = "He gave her/it to us reluctantly."

  After eis: Ei-la! = "Behold her/it!"

• Becomes -na after a nasal diphthong: -ão, -am [ɐ̃w̃], -õe [õj], -em, -êm [ẽj].

  Detêm-na como prisioneira. = "They detain her/it as a prisoner."

• In Brasil it is being abandoned in favor of the nominative form ela.

  Eu a vi. → Eu vi ela. = "I saw her/it."

See also

• em
• para

==

Conjunction

a

1. and

==

Pronunciation

• SAMPA: /a/
• IPA: /a/

Preposition

a

1. to
2. by
3. at
4. Used before words referring to people, pets, or personified objects or places that function as direct objects. This word is not translated in English; for example: "Lo busca a Usted" = "He is looking for you."

Vietnamese

• Letter of the Vietnamese alphabet: A

• • Next letter: Ă

Interjection

A!

1. hah!

Quenya

Voactive particle

a

1. O

Conjunction

a

1. and

Imperative particle

a and á