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aura
a lot of audience participation → see ATTEND (USAGE) 2 [C] a formal meeting between someone powerful and someone less important: to have/seek/be granted an audience with the Pope 3 [U] law freedom to be heard and to express one's views in a law court
au·di·o /'ɔːdiəʊ/ adj [A] tech connected with or used in the broadcasting or receiving of sound radio signals → compare VIDEO
au·di·o·tape /'ɔːdiəˌteɪp/ n [C,U] (a) TAPE used for recording sound on
'au·di·o·ty·pist n a typist who can type letters etc which have been recorded onto TAPE¹ →audiotyping n [U]
ˌau·di·o·'vi·su·al adj of, using, or being educational materials that provide information which can be seen and heard: The school's audio-visual equipment includes videos and cassettes. | the use of audio-visual aids in teaching
au·dit /'ɔːdɪt/ v [T] to make an official examination of (the accounts of a business). Every British company must by law keep proper financial records and have them audited regularly by an independent auditor who is a fully trained accountant. —audit n: The yearly audit takes place each December.
au·di·tion¹ /ɔː'dɪʃən/ n a performance given by a singer, actor etc as a test of their ability or suitability for a particular job: They're holding auditions for the part next week.
audition² v [I,T] to give or cause (someone) to give an audition: He (was) auditioned for the role of Julius Caesar.
au·di·tor /'ɔːdɪtər/ n 1 a person who audits the accounts of businesses 2 rare a person who listens; hearer
au·di·to·ri·um /ˌɔdɪ'tɔːriəm/ n the space in a theatre, hall etc where people sit when listening to or watching a performance
au·di·to·ry /'ɔːdɪtəri||-tɔːri/ adj tech of, by, or for hearing: auditory difficulties for which an ear operation was necessary
Au·du·bon, John James /'ɔːdubɒn||-bɑːn/ (1785–1851) a US NATURALIST (=someone who studies animals and plants) and painter of North American birds
Audubon So'ciety, the an organization in the US that works to protect wild birds. There is a similar organization in the UK called the RSPB.
Au·el, Jean M. /'aʊəl, dʒiːn/ (1936–) an American writer whose books are about people in PREHISTORIC Europe. Her best-known book is The Clan of the Cave Bear.
Au·er·bach, Red /'aʊəbak||'auər-/ (1917–) a successful American basketball COACH (=someone who trains a sports team) who is known for always having a CIGAR. He was coach of the Boston Celtics from 1950 to 1966.
au fait /ˌɔː 'feɪ/ adj [F (with)] fully informed; familiar: I'm new to the job and not quite au fait with all the procedures yet.
Auf Wie·der·seh·en /aʊf 'viːdəzeɪən||-dɑːr-/ the German for 'goodbye'
Auf 'Wiedersehen, Pet a very popular British television series, first made in 1983, about seven British workmen who go to Germany to find jobs.
Aug. written abbrev. for AUGUST
Au·ge·an Sta·bles, the /ˌɔːdʒiːən 'steɪbəlz/ according to ancient Greek stories, the very dirty buildings where a king named Augeas kept thousands of cattle. HERCULES was ordered to clean them, and he did this by changing the direction of a river to make the water flow through the stables. The expression 'to clean the Augean stables' is sometimes used in literature to describe a very difficult unpleasant job.
au·ger /'ɔːgər/ n a tool for making large holes in wood or in the ground
aught /ɔːt||ɔːt, aːt/ pron 1 old use anything 2 for aught I know/care lit for all I know/care; but I do not know/care: He may be dead for aught I know.
aug·ment /ɔːg'ment/ v [I,T] fml to (cause to) become bigger, more valuable, better etc: He augments his income by teaching in the evenings. —ation /ˌɔːgmən'teɪʃən||-mən-, -men-/ n [C,U]
au gra·tin /aʊ 'grætæn||-'grɑːtn/ adj [after n] Fr cooked or
A
baked with a covering of cheese or small pieces of bread mixed with butter: potatoes au gratin
au·gur /'ɔːgər/ v 1 [T] lit to be a sign of (something) in the future 2 [I] augur well/ill (for) to be a sign of good/bad things in the future: This rain augurs well for this year's harvest.
au·gu·ry /'ɔːgjəri/ n 1 [C] a sign of coming events 2 [U] the art of telling the future as practised by the ancient Romans
au·gust /ɔː'gʌst/ adj lit noble and grand: an august gathering
—ly adv
Au·gust /'ɔːgəst/ written abbrev. Aug. n [C,U] the eighth month of the year, between July and September: in August The new offices open in August 1998. | this/last/next August I moved here last August. | on August 6th etc The new store opened on August 6th. | on (the) 6th August BrE We get married on 6th August. | August 6 AmE Today's date is August 6.
CULTURAL NOTE In the UK and the US, when people think of August, they typically think of summer holidays, no school for children, hot weather, and long days.
August Bank 'Holiday also Late Summer Holiday n (in Britain) an official public holiday on the last Monday in August. Many people travel by car to the coast, causing traffic problems in many places.
Au·gus·tine, St¹ /ɔː'gʌstɪn||'ɔ:gəsti:n/ also St Au·gus·tine of Hippo //ɪ... . 'ɪ...// (354-430 AD) a North African Christian leader, PHILOSOPHER, and writer whose books, such as Confessions and The City of God, strongly influenced the development of Christianity
Augustine, St² also St Augustine of 'Canterbury //ɪ... . 'ɪ...// (?-605 AD) an Italian priest who was sent to England by Pope Gregory I to teach the people about CHRISTIANITY. He became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.
auk /ɔːk/ n a northern SEABIRD with short wings
au lait /aʊ 'leɪ/ adj Fr with milk: café au lait
Auld Lang Syne /ˌɔːld læŋ 'zaɪn, əʊld-, -'saɪn/ an old Scottish song that is traditionally sung in the UK and the US at MIDNIGHT on New Year's Eve (=December 31st) to celebrate the start of the new year. The first line of the song is: Should auld (=old) acquaintance be forgot → see cultural note at NEW YEAR
au nat·u·rel /ˌɔː ˌnætʃʊ'rel||-ˌnætʃə'rel/ adv not wearing any clothes, or not wearing MAKE-UP, hair products etc that change the way you would naturally look
Aung San Suu Kyi /ˌaʊŋ ˌsæn ˌsuː 'tʃiː||-ˌsɑːn-/ (1945–) the leader of the National League for Democracy in Myanmar (Burma), who has spent most of the time since 1988 under HOUSE ARREST (=not allowed to leave her home). Her party won the elections in 1990, but the country's military leaders remained in power. She won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
aunt /ɑːnt||ænt/ also aunt·ie, aunt·y /'ɑːnti||'ænti/ infml — n (often cap.) 1 the sister of one's father or mother, or the wife of one's uncle: Take me swimming, Auntie (Jane). | My sister had a baby last week, so I'm now an aunt. 2 BrE a woman who is a friend or neighbour of a small child or its parents → see FATHER (USAGE), UNCLE (USAGE)
Aunt·ie /'ɑːnti||'æn-/ a name for the BBC, used humorously to suggest that it is not very exciting or that it treats people who receive its programmes as children to be educated and protected
Aunt Je·mi·ma /ˌɑːnt dʒɪ'mamə||ˌænt-/ trademark a popular type of PANCAKES, SYRUP and other products sold in the US
Aunt 'Sally n BrE a person, organization, custom etc that many people criticize or blame, especially something that is very easy to criticize (from an old game called Aunt Sally in which people throw sticks or balls at a wooden head of a woman)
au pair /ˌɔː 'peər/ also au 'pair girl n a young foreign woman who lives with a family, usually in order to learn their language, in return for doing light work in the house or looking after children
au·ra /'ɔːrə/ n an effect or feeling that seems to surround and come from a person or place: an aura of decay/mystery in the empty village