[age] See: ACT ONE’S AGE or BE ONE’S AGE, DOG’S AGE or COON’S AGE, LEGALAGE or LAWFUL AGE, OF AGE, OVER AGE, UNDER AGE.

[agent] See: FREE AGENT.

[Agent Orange]{n.} A herbicide used as a defoliant during the VietnamWar, considered by some to cause birth defects and cancer, hence, by extension,an instance of "technological progress pollution". •/If things continue asthey have, we’ll all be eating some Agent Orange with our meals./

[ago] See: WHILE AGO.

[agree with]{v.} To have a good effect on, suit. •/The meat loaf didnot agree with him./ •/The warm, sunny climate agreed with him, and he soongrew strong and healthy./

[ahead] See: DEAD AHEAD, GET AHEAD.

[ahead of]{prep.} 1. In a position of advantage or power over. •/Hestudies all the time, because he wants to stay ahead of his classmates./ 2.In front of; before. •/The troop leader walked a few feet ahead of theboys./ 3. Earlier than; previous to, before. •/Betty finished her testahead of the others./

[ahead of the game]{adv. or adj. phr.}, {informal} 1. In aposition of advantage; winning (as in a game or contest); ahead (as by makingmoney or profit); making it easier to win or succeed. •/The time you spendstudying when you are in school will put you ahead of the game in college./•/After Tom sold his papers, he was $5 ahead of the game./ 2. Early; toosoon; beforehand. •/When Ralph came to school an hour early, the janitorsaid, "You’re ahead of the game."/ •/John studies his lessons only one dayearly; if he gets too far ahead of the game, he forgets what he read./

[ahead of time]{adv. phr.} Before the expected time; early. •/Thebus came ahead of time, and Mary was not ready./ •/The new building wasfinished ahead of time./ Contrast: BEHIND TIME.

[a hell of] a [or one hell of a] {adj. or adv. phr.},{informal} Extraordinary; very. •/He made a hell of a shot during thebasketball game./ •/Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have towait for a simple visa./ •/The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise onhis knee./

[aim] See: TAKE AIM.

[air] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR, CLEAR THE AIR, GIVE ONESELF AIRS, GETTHE AIR at GET THE BOUNCE(1), GIVE THE AIR at GIVE THE BOUNCE(1), IN THE AIR,INTO THIN AIR, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR, OUT OFTHIN AIR, UP IN THE AIR, WALK ON AIR.

[airbus] n. A trade name, also used informally for a wide-bodied airplaneused chiefly as a domestic passenger carrier. •/Airbuses don’t fly overseas,but mainly from coast to coast./

[air one’s dirty linen in public] or [wash one’s dirty linen in public]{v. phr.} To talk about your private quarrels or disgraces where others canhear; make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret.•/Everyone in the school knew that the superintendent and the principal wereangry with each other because they aired their dirty linen in public./ •/Noone knew that the boys' mother was a drug addict, because the family did notwash its dirty linen in public./

[airquake]{n.} An explosive noise of undetermined origin usually heardin coastal communities and appearing to come from some higher point inelevation. •/What was that awful noise just now? — I guess it must have beenan airquake./

[air shuttle]{n.}, {informal} Air service for regular commutersoperating between major cities at not too far a distance, e.g., between Bostonand New York City; such flights operate without reservation on a frequentschedule. •/My dad takes the air shuttle from Boston to New York once aweek./

[a la]{prep.} In the same way as; like. •/Billy played ball like achampion today, a la the professional ball players./ •/Joe wanted to shootan apple off my head a la William Tell./ (From French "a la", in the mannerof.)

[albatross around one’s neck]{n. phr.}, {literary} Guilt, thehaunting past, an unforgettable problem. •/Even though it was an accident,John’s father’s death has been an albatross around John’s neck./ Compare:MONKEY ON ONE’S BACK.

[alert] See: ON THE ALERT.

[a little]{n.} or {adj.} A small amount (of); some. — Usually "alittle" is different in meaning from "little", which emphasizes the negative;"a little" means "some"; but "little" means "not much". We say •/"We thoughtthat the paper was all gone, but a little was left."/ But we say, •/"Wethought we still had a bag of flour, but little was left."/ Also, we say,•/"Bob was sick yesterday, but he is a little better today."/ But we say,•/"Bob was sick yesterday, and he is little better today."/ Sometimes "alittle" is used with "only", and then it is negative. •/We thought we had awhole bag of flour, but only a little was left./ •/We have used most of thesugar; but a little is left./ •/We did not eat all the cake; we saved alittle of it for you./ •/I’m tired; I need a little time to rest./•/Where is the paper? I need a little more./ — Often used like an adverb.•/Usually the teacher just watched the dancing class, but sometimes shedanced a little to show them how./ •/The children wanted to play a littlelonger./ — Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. •/The sick girl couldnot eat anything, but she could drink a very little tea./ Syn.: A BIT.Compare: A FEW. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A LITTLE.

[a little bird told me] To have learned something from a mysterious,unknown, or secret source. •/"Who told you that Dean Smith was resigning?"Peter asked. "A little bird told me," Jim answered./

[a little knowledge is a dangerous thing]{literary} A person who knowsa little about something may think he knows it all and make bad mistakes. — Aproverb. •/John has read a book on driving a car and now he thinks he candrive. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing./

[alive] See: COME ALIVE, KNOW --- IS ALIVE, LOOK ALIVE, SKIN ALIVE.

[alive and kicking]{adj. phr.} Very active; vigorous; full of energy.•/Grandpa was taken to the hospital with pneumonia, but he was dischargedyesterday and is alive and kicking./

[alive with]{prep.}, {informal} Crowded with; filled with. •/Thelake was alive with fish./ •/The stores were alive with people the Saturdaybefore Christmas./

[all] See: AFTER ALL, AND ALL, AT ALL, BEAT ALL or BEAT THE DUTCH, FOR ALL,FOR ALL ONE IS WORTH, FOR ALL ONE KNOWS, FOR ALL THE WORLD, FOR GOOD also FORGOOD AND ALL, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART or WITH ALL ONE’S HEART, HAVE ALLONE’S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE’S MARBLES, IN ALL, JUMP ON or JUMP ALL OVER orLAND ALL OVER, KNOW-IT-ALL, ON ALL FOURS, ONCE AND FOR ALL, PUT ALL ONE’S EGGSIN ONE BASKET, STRIKE ALL OF A HEAP, WALK OVER or WALK ALL OVER or STEP ALLOVER.

[all along] or ({informal}) [right along] {adv. phr.} All thetime; during the whole time. •/I knew all along that we would win./ •/Iknew right along that Jane would come./

[all at once]{adv. phr.} 1. At the same time; together. •/Theteacher told the children to talk one at a time; if they all talked at onetime, she could not understand them./ •/Bill can play the piano, sing, andlead his orchestra all at once./ 2. or [all of a sudden] Without warning;abruptly; suddenly; unexpectedly. •/All at once we heard a shot and thesoldier fell to the ground./ •/All of a sudden the ship struck a rock./Compare: AT ONCE.