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abundance
absolute² n something that is considered to be true or right
in all situations: She believed in the importance of moral
absolutes.
ab·so·lute·ly /'æbsəlu:tli, æbsə'lu:tli/ adv 1 completely: I
trust her discretion absolutely. | It's difficult to cross the desert
by car, but not absolutely impossible. I'm absolutely starving.
(=very hungry) 2 infml certainly: 'Do you think so?' 'Abso-
lutely!'
1 Absolutely is used to give more strength to
adjectives or verbs which already have a strong meaning.
Compare, for example: I'm very hungry and I'm
absolutely starving. | I quite like cake and I absolutely
love chocolate. 2 The adverbs absolutely and altogether
are pronounced /' ... ./ when they come before the word
they describe: I 'absolutely refuse. | 'altogether different.
They are pronounced / ... ./ when they come after the
word or when they stand alone: different 'alto'gether |
'Abso'lutely!
Absolutely 'Fabulous a humorous British television pro-
gramme about two women, Edina Monsoon, a rich woman
who has her own business, and PATSY Stone, who live in
London and are always trying to prove that they are very
fashionable. Although they are MIDDLE-AGED, they do not
behave like responsible adults. Instead, they drink too much,
take drugs, and spend a lot of money.
absolute 'monarchy n a state ruled by a king or queen
whose power is not limited by any system of laws ➔
compare CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
absolute 'zero n [U] the lowest temperature that is thought
to be possible
ab·so·lu·tion /ˌæbsə'lu:ʃən/ n [U] (especially in the Chris-
tian religion) forgiveness for a SIN. A priest declares that a
person is forgiven, and the person is then freed from guilt for
the sin: to grant someone absolution ➔ see also ABSOLVE
ab·so·lut·ism /'æbsəlu:tɪzəm/ n [U] a political system or
principle in which unlimited power is held by one ruler
ab·solve /əb'zɒlv||-ɑ:lv/ v [T] 1 [of, from] to free (someone)
from fulfilling a promise or from having to suffer for
wrongdoing 2 (especially of a priest) to forgive (a person)
for doing wrong
ab·sorb /əb'sɔ:b, əb'zɔ:b||-ɔ:rb/ v [T] 1 to take or suck
(especially liquids) in, especially gradually: Salt absorbs
moisture from the air. | The walls of the house absorb heat
during the day. | (fig.) So many new ideas! It's all rather too
much for me to absorb all at once. | (fig.) Defence spending
absorbs almost 20% of the country's money. ➔ see also
SHOCK ABSORBER 2 [in] usually pass.] to completely fill the
attention of; ENGROSS: I was absorbed in a book and didn't
hear you call. ➔ see also ABSORBING 3 [(into)] (of a country
or organization) to make (a smaller country or organization)
into a part of itself; gain control over: The company has
gradually absorbed its smaller rivals. —sorp·tion
/-ɔ:pʃən||-ɔ:r-/ n [U[in, into, by]] his complete absorption in his
work | the absorption of a small company into a larger one
ab·sor·bent /əb'sɔ:bənt, -'zɔ:-||-ɔ:r-/ n, adj (something) that
is able to absorb: to put an absorbent dressing on a cut
ab·sorb·ing /əb'sɔ:bɪŋ, -'zɔ:-||-ɔ:r-/ adj taking all one's
attention; very interesting: an absorbing task
ab·stain /əb'steɪn/ v [(from)] 1 to intentionally not use one's
vote: Five members voted for the proposal, twelve voted
against, and three abstained. 2 to keep oneself from doing
something that one enjoys: to abstain from smoking ➔ see
also ABSTENTION —er n
ab·ste·mi·ous /əb'sti:miəs/ adj allowing (oneself) only a
little food, drink, or pleasure: an abstemious meal | You're
being very abstemious today! —ly adv —ness n [U]
ab·sten·tion /əb'stenʃən/ n [C;U(from)] the act or an example
of abstaining, especially from voting: 50 votes for, 35 against,
and 7 abstentions
ab·sti·nence /'æbstɪnəns/ n [U(from)] the act of keeping
away from pleasant things, especially from alcoholic drink:
enforced abstinence —nent adj
ab·stract¹ /'æbstrækt/ adj 1 existing as a quality or CONCEPT
rather than as something real or solid: Beauty is abstract but
a house is not. ➔ compare CONCRETE¹ 2 general as opposed
to particular: an abstract discussion of the crime problem,
abstract
an abstract painting
without reference to actual cases 3 (in art, said of paintings,
drawings etc) not trying to show things as they would be
seen by a camera ➔ compare REPRESENTATIONAL
abstract² n 1 an abstract painting, drawing, or other work
of art 2 [often] a shortened form of a statement, speech
etc 3 in the abstract in general; not related to particular
examples or practical experience
ab·stract³ /əb'strækt, æb-/ v [T(from)] 1 to make a shortened
form of (a statement, speech etc) by separating out what is
important 2 euph to steal
ab·stract·ed /əb'stræktɪd, æb-/ adj not noticing what is
happening; deep in thought —ly adv
Abstract Ex'pressionism a style of painting that devel-
oped in New York in the late 1940s. It shows shapes and
patterns which do not look like real things or people, but are
intended to express emotions. It was practised by artists such
as Jackson POLLOCK and Willem DE KOONING.
ab·strac·tion /əb'strækʃən, æb-/ n 1 [U] the state of not
noticing what is happening; being ABSENT-MINDED: a look of
abstraction 2 [C] an idea of a quality considered separately
from any particular object or case: A good judge must
consider the actual facts of a case as well as the abstraction
'justice'.
abstract 'noun n a word that names a quality, state, or
action: 'Hunger' and 'beauty' are examples of abstract nouns.
ab·struse /əb'stru:s, æb-/ adj fml difficult to understand: an
abstruse theory —ness n [U]
ab·surd /əb'sɜ:d, -'zɜ:d||-ɜ:rd/ adj against reason or common
sense; clearly false or foolish; RIDICULOUS: It's (patently)
absurd not to wear a coat in such cold weather. | He looks
absurd in that hat! —ly adv: an absurdly overpriced hotel
—ity /əb'sɜ:dɪti, -'zɜ:-||-ɜ:r-/ n [C,U] We had to laugh at the
absurdity of the situation.
Absurd, the also the Theatre of the Absurd n a style
of play for the theatre that was developed in the 1950s by
writers such as BECKETT and IONESCO, whose work expresses
the belief that there is no God, and that human existence has
no meaning or purpose. These plays are very different from
traditional theatre. The characters do not communicate effec-
tively with each other, and often their words do not make
sense. Beckett's play Waiting for Godot is the best-known
example of this type of theatre. —Absurdist adj
ABTA /'æbtə/ abbrev. for the Association of British Travel
Agents; an organization of travel agencies (TRAVEL AGENCY)
and holiday companies in the UK. Members of ABTA promise
to treat their customers fairly and to give them their money
back if their holiday is cancelled (CANCEL) or if they have
problems with their hotels, plane journeys etc.
Ab·u Dha·bi /ˌæbu: 'dɑ:bɪlɑ:-/ 1 the largest EMIRATE of the
United Arab Emirates 2 the capital city of the United Arab
Emirates
Abu Ghraib pri·son /ˌæbu: ˌgreɪb 'prɪzn||ˌɑ:-/ also Abu
Ghu·rayb /-gu'reɪb/ a prison in the Iraqi city of Abu
Ghraib. When Saddam Hussein was the leader of Iraq, many
prisoners were TORTURED and killed there. After the INVASION
of Iraq in 2003, the prison was used by the US army. In
2004, the US television programme, 60 Minutes II, produced
photographs showing American soldiers physically abusing
(ABUSE) Iraqi prisoners held at Abu Ghraib prison. The US
government admitted that this had happened and US Secre-
tary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld, APOLOGIZED and some
soldiers were punished.
a·bun·dance /ə'bʌndəns/ n [(of);U] a great quantity;