anytime
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but safe. 4 anything like at all like; at all: It isn't anything like as cold as it was yesterday. 5 as easy/fast/strong etc as anything infml very easy/fast/strong etc: It's as dark as anything outside. 6 or anything (used when there are other possibilities): If you want to call me or anything, I'll be here all day. 7 anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence against you a phrase which is similar to the one used by the British police when charging someone with a crime. Although these are not the exact words used by the police, they are the words that most people believe are used by the police, and they are often used humourously. → see also LIKE²; see SOME (USAGE), SOMETHING (USAGE)
an·y·time /'enɪtaɪm/ adv at any time: Call me anytime. I'm always home. | They should arrive anytime between noon and 3 p.m.
an·y·WAY /'eniweɪ/ adv infml 1 in spite of everything; in any case; anyhow: It doesn't make much difference because we're going to be late anyway. 2 (used when going on with a story, changing a subject in conversation etc): 'Well anyway, I rang the bell...'
**USAGE** In informal spoken English **anyway** (or **anyhow**) can be used to show that the speaker wants to return to the main topic: *That's an interesting comment. But anyway, as I was saying ...* It can also be used to finish one topic and continue with another: **Anyway**, let's go on to discuss Chapter 4.
an·y·where /'eniweə/ also **anyplace** AmE — adv 1 in, at, or to any place at all: *Sit anywhere you like.* | *I looked all over for that book but I couldn't find it anywhere.* | *the best curry anywhere in London* 2 [usually in questions or negatives] {in, at, or to} any place; some place: *Did you go anywhere yesterday?* | *It must be in the bathroom - it can't be anywhere else.* (=in any other place) | *Do you need anywhere to stay?* | *Are you going anywhere nice for your holidays?* | (*fig.*) *This argument isn't getting us anywhere.* (=isn't doing any good) 3 any number or amount: *anywhere from 40 to 60 students* | *anywhere between 40 and 60 students* 4 **anywhere near** infml at all near or nearly: *She isn't anywhere near as clever as her sister.* | *Are we anywhere near finishing?* 5 or **anywhere** or in/at/to any other place: *Would you like to go to the beach or anywhere?* → see SOME (USAGE), SOMETHING (USAGE)
An·zac /'ænzæk/ n a soldier from Australia or New Zealand, especially in World War I
'Anzac ,Day (in Australia and New Zealand) April 25th each year, remembered as the date of the landing at Gallipoli in 1915
A-1 /ˌeɪ 'wʌn/ adj old·fash very good or completely healthy: *Everything about the resort was A-1.*
A1, the /ˌeɪ 'wn/ a main British road that goes from London to Edinburgh
AOB /ˌeɪ əʊ 'bi:/ abbrev. for 'any other business'; things that have not yet been discussed in the main part of a meeting
A-OK /ˌeɪ əʊ 'keɪ/ adj AmE infml completely healthy or in perfect condition: *I went to the doctors and he said everything's A-OK.*
AOL /ˌeɪ əʊ 'el/ trademark abbrev. for America Online; a type of service connecting customers to the Internet. It provides them with ONLINE services such as email and business information. The service is owned by AOL Time Warner.
AONB /ˌeɪ əʊ en 'bi:/ n BrE abbrev. for Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; a very beautiful area which is officially protected so that no one is allowed to build on it or change it
a·or·ta /eɪ'ɔ:təl-'ɔ:r-/ n the largest ARTERY (=tube for carrying blood) in the body, taking blood from the heart
A·o·te·a·ro·a /ˌaɪəʊtiə'rəʊə/ the Maori name for New Zealand
AP /ˌeɪ 'pi:/ n abbrev. for Associated Press; a company that gathers news stories, mostly in the US, and sells them to newspapers, television stations etc
a·pace /ə'peɪs/ adv lit or old use quickly
A·pa·che¹ /ə'pætʃi/ n 1 the Apache [P] a Native American tribe of the western US 2 [C] a member of this tribe → see Cultural Note at NATIVE AMERICAN —**Apache** adj
Apache² trademark an American military HELICOPTER GUNSHIP built by Boeing and used by the US Army
a·part /ə'pɑ:t||-ɑ:rt/ adv 1 separated by a distance: *The boxers stood apart, waiting for the signal to start fighting.* | *We planted the trees wide apart.* | *He and his wife are living apart.* | [after n] *The two villages are three miles apart.* | (*fig.*) *The two sides in the dispute are still a long way apart and it is unlikely that any agreement will be reached.* 2 in or into two or more separate parts: *He took the clock apart to repair it.* | *It just came apart in my hands.* 3 [after n] without considering; ASIDE: *Joking apart (=speaking seriously) we really must do something about that hole.* 4 **apart from** a) without considering; except for: *a good piece of work, apart from a few slight faults* b) as well as: *Apart from being too large, it just doesn't suit me.* 5 **tell/know apart** to be able to see the difference between: *I can't tell the twins apart.* → see also poles apart (POLE³), worlds apart (WORLD)
a·part·heid /ə'pɑ:theit,ˌ-tɛt, -taɪt, -taɪd||-a:r-/ n [U] 1 (in South Africa) the former system established by the government of keeping different races separate, especially so as to give advantage to white people. In the early 1990s, the South African government began to remove the apartheid laws and by 1994, when Nelson Mandela became president, the system no longer existed. Now in South Africa, people of all races have equal rights by law. → compare SEGREGATION 2 any system of separating groups of people, especially to give advantage to one group: *cultural apartheid*
a·part·ment /ə'pɑ:tmənt||-a:r-/ n 1 AmE || also flat BrE — a set of rooms in a building, especially on one floor, including a kitchen and a bathroom → see HOUSE (USAGE) 2 [often pl.] a room, especially a large or splendid one: *the Royal Apartments*
a'partment ,block n AmE a large group of buildings containing many apartments
a'partment ,building also a'partment ,house n AmE a large building containing many apartments
ap·a·thet·ic /ˌæpə'θetɪk/ adj lacking interest, strong feelings, or a desire to take action: *A few of the students got involved in the campaign but most of them were fairly apathetic.* —-ally /-kli/ adv
ap·a·thy /'æpəθi/ n [U] lack of interest or strong feelings about something or everything; unwillingness or inability to act or take an active interest: *He was sunk in apathy after his failure.* | *We lost the election because of the apathy of our supporters.*
APB /ˌeɪ pi: 'bi:/ n AmE abbrev. for all-points bulletin; a special message broadcast to the police which tells them about a criminal they need to find and catch: *An APB has been issued for Ralph Gomez, the inmate who escaped last Monday night.*
apes
ape¹ /eɪp/ n a large monkey without a tail or with a very short tail, such as a GORILLA or CHIMPANZEE
ape² v [T] derog to copy (a person or a person's behaviour, manners, speech etc), in a stupid or unsuccessful way; IMITATE
ape³ adj [F] AmE slang uncontrollably angry: *The boss went ape when he saw the sales report.*