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A·mish, the /'æmɪʃ/ a Christian religious group who follow a type of Christianity that has many strict rules about behaviour. For example they must wear traditional clothes and must not use modern inventions such as telephones, cars, or televisions. They have their own land in Pennsylvania and Ohio, where they live separately from other people.
a·miss /ə'mɪs/ adj, adv [F no comp.] fml 1 wrong(ly) or imperfect(ly): Is there something amiss? | A few words of introduction may not come amiss. (=would be very suitable) 2 take something amiss to be angry about something, especially because of a misunderstanding
am·i·ty /'æmɪti/ n [U] fml friendship: They lived in amity with their neighbours.
Am·man /ə'mɑ:n/ the capital city of Jordan
am·me·ter /'æmɪtər, 'æmˌmi:tər/ n an instrument for measuring the strength of an electric current, in AMPS
am·mo·ni·a /ə'məʊniə/ n [U] a strong gas with a sharp smell, used in explosives, in chemicals (FERTILIZERS) to help plants grow etc
am·mu·ni·tion /ˌæmjʊ'nɪʃən/ also am·mo /'æməʊ/ infml — n [U] bullets, bombs, explosives etc, especially things fired from a weapon: They were desperately short of ammunition. | (fig.) The recent tax increases have provided the government's opponents with plenty of ammunition.
am·ne·si·a /æm'ni:ziə||-ʒə/ n [U] loss of memory, either in part or completely: She suffered amnesia after the car crash. | alcoholic amnesia —siac /ziæk/ adj, n
am·nes·ty /'æmnəsti/ n [C;U] (a) general act of forgiveness, especially as allowed by a government to political criminals: to declare an amnesty
Amnesty International an organization that supports HUMAN RIGHTS, especially people's right to express their beliefs without being punished. Its members are known for writing to governments to persuade them to set free people who are in prison because of their political or religious beliefs.
am·ni·o·cen·te·sis /ˌæmniəʊsen'ti:sɪs/ n [U] med a method of testing an unborn baby to find out if it has a condition such as DOWN'S SYNDROME by removing liquid from the mother's WOMB. The test is often given to PREGNANT women aged 35 or over.
Am·o·co /'æməkəʊ/ trademark a large US company that produced oil and natural gas and operates petrol stations both in the US and in many other countries. In 1998, Amoco joined with the British company BP to form BP Amoco, one of the largest companies in the world.
a·moe·ba also ameba AmE /ə'mi:bə/ n pl. -bas or -bae /bi:/ a very small living creature consisting of only one cell
a·moe·bic also amebic AmE /ə'mi:bɪk/ adj of or caused by amoebas: amoebic dysentery
a·mok /ə'mɒk||ə'mɑ:k/ also amuck adv run amok to go or run out of control, especially with a desire to kill people: a mad axeman running amok | (fig.) If public spending runs amok our money will lose its value.
a·mong /ə'mʌŋ/ also a·mongst /ə'mʌŋst/ prep 1 in the middle of; surrounded by: Their house is hidden among trees. | She was soon lost among the crowd. 2 between or through the group of: discontent among the unemployed | They talked about it among themselves. (=together) 3 in the group of; being one of: This mountain is among the highest in the world. | Among those who escaped was a man convicted for murder. | She's very keen on sport: among other things she plays tennis twice a week. 4 (when things are shared by more than two people) to each of: Divide the money among the five of them. (compare divide the money between the two of them.) ➔ see BETWEEN (USAGE)
a·mor·al /eɪ'mɒrəl, æ-||eɪ'mɔ:r-, -'mɑ:-/ adj 1 having no understanding of right and wrong: Young children and animals are amoral. ➔ compare IMMORAL, MORAL 2 not caring whether behaviour is right or wrong: The killer was an amoral man who felt no remorse. —ity /ˌeɪmə'rælɪti, ˌæ-||ˌeɪmə-/ n [U]
am·o·rous /'æmərəs/ adj feeling or expressing love, especially sexual love: amorous glances | She refused his amorous advances. (=attempts to start a sexual relationship) —ly adv —ness n [U]
a·mor·phous /ə'mɔ:fəs||-ɔ:r-/ adj having no fixed form or shape: an amorphous mass of metal | I can't understand his amorphous plans. —ly adv —ness n [U]
a·mor·ti·za·tion also -tis- BrE /əˌmɔ:ta'zeɪʃən||ˌæmər-/ n [C;U] 1 the amortizing of a debt 2 the reduction in value from year to year of the equipment and property (ASSETS) of a business, which is calculated for the purpose of deciding the business's worth
a·mor·tize also -tise BrE /ə'mɔ:taz||'æmər-/ v [T] tech to pay off (a debt), especially by regular small amounts —tizable adj
A·mos, To·ri /'eɪməs||-məs, 'tɔ:ri/ (1963-) an American singer and SONGWRITER who plays music that is a mixture of rock and other styles. Her songs include Cornflake Girl (1994) and Professional Widow (1996).
a·mount¹ /ə'maʊnt/ n 1 [(of)] a collection or mass considered as a unit in terms of its size, number etc: Large amounts of money were spent on the bridge. | Her case has attracted an enormous amount of public sympathy. | He could only pay half the amount he owed. | These figures should be treated with a certain amount of (=some) caution/scepticism. 2 any amount of a large quantity of; plenty of: You'll have any amount of time after your examination.
Amount is usually used with uncountable nouns: a large amount of money. With most plural countable nouns it is better to use number: a large number of mistakes. People often use amount with plural countable nouns when what they are talking about is thought of as a group, but some teachers would consider this incorrect: There was a large amount of oranges in the storeroom.
amount² v
amount to sthg. phr v [T not in progressive forms] to be equal to, for example in quantity or in meaning: Her reply amounts to a refusal. | She hasn't actually refused, but it amounts to the same thing. | Our debts amount to over $1000. | [+v-ing] Not punishing these hooligans amounts to condoning their behaviour.
a·mour /ə'mʊər/ n becoming rare a sexual relationship, especially one that is secret
amp /æmp/ n 1 also ampere /'æmpeər||'æmpɪr/ fml — tech the standard measure of the flow of electrical current past a point; the current that flows when one VOLT meets a RESISTANCE of one OHM 2 infml for AMPLIFIER
am·per·age /'æmpərɪdʒ/ n [S;U] the strength of an electrical current measured in amps
am·per·sand /'æmpəsænd||-ər-/ n the sign (&) for the word 'and'
am·phet·a·mine /æm'fetəmi:n, -mɪn/ n [C;U] a drug used especially formerly in medicine and, especially illegally, by people wanting excitement
am·phib·i·an /æm'fɪbiən/ n an animal, such as a FROG, that is able to live both on land and in water
am·phib·i·ous /æm'fɪbiəs/ adj able to live or move both on land and in water: Frogs are amphibious. | an amphibious vehicle | an amphibious aircraft (=one that can land and take off on water)
am·phi·thea·tre BrE || -ter AmE /'æmfɪˌθɪətər/ n a large roofless building with rows of seats on a slope all round a central area, used for competitions and plays, especially in ancient Rome and Greece
am·ple /'æmpəl/ adj 1 enough or more than enough: We have ample money for the journey. | He was given ample opportunity to express his views. ➔ compare ADEQUATE 2 with plenty of space; large; SPACIOUS: a house with an ample garden —ply adv: Whoever finds the necklace will be amply rewarded. (=given a lot of money)