[as good as a mile] See: MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE.
[as good as one gets] See: GIVE AS GOOD AS ONE GETS.
[as good as one’s promise] See: AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD.
[as good as one’s word] or [good as one’s word] {adj. phr.} Trustworthy; sure to keep your promise. •/The coach said he would give the players a day off if they won, and he was as good as his word./ •/We knew she was always good as her word, so we trusted her./
[as hard as nails]{adj. phr.} Very unfeeling; cruel, and unsympathetic. •/Uncle Joe is as hard as nails; although he is a millionaire, he doesn’t help his less fortunate relatives./
[aside] See: JOKING ASIDE, SET ASIDE.
[aside from] See: APART FROM.
[aside of]{prep.}, {dialect} Beside; by the side of. •/Mary sits aside of her sister on the bus./
[as if] or [as though] {conj.} 1. As (he, she, it) would if; in the same way one would if seeing to show. •/The baby laughed as if he understood what Mother said./ •/The book looked as though it had been out in the rain./ •/The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger./ 2. That. •/It seems as if you are the first one here./
[as if one has come out of a bandbox] See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.
[as is]{adv.} Without changes or improvements; with no guarantee or promise of good condition. — Used after the word it modifies. •/They agree to buy the house as is./ •/He bought an old car as is./ Compare: AT THAT(1).
[as it were]{adv. phr.} As it might be said to be; as if it really were; seemingly. — Used with a statement that might seem silly or unreasonable, to show that it is just a way of saying it. •/In many ways children live, as it were, in a different world from adults./ •/The sunlight on the icy branches made, as it were, delicate lacy cobwebs from tree to tree./ Compare: SO TO SPEAK.
[ask] See: FOR THE ASKING.
[ask for]{v.}, {informal} To make (something bad) likely to happen to you; bring (something bad) upon yourself. •/Charles drives fast on worn-out tires; he is asking for trouble./ •/The workman lost his job, but he asked for it by coming to work drunk several times./ Compare: HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT.
[ask for one’s hand]{v. phr.} To ask permission to marry someone. •/"Sir," John said timidly to Mary’s father, "I came to ask for your daughter’s hand."/
[ask for the moon] or [cry for the moon] {v. phr.} To want something that you cannot reach or have; try for the impossible. •/John asked his mother for a hundred dollars today. He’s always asking for the moon./ Compare: PROMISE THE MOON.
[asleep at the switch]{adj. phr.} 1. Asleep when it is one’s duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. •/The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed./ 2. {informal} Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. •/When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot./
[as likely as not]{adv. phr.} Probably. •/As likely as not, he will disappear forever./
[as long as] or [so long as] {conj.} 1. Since; because; considering that. •/As long as you are going to town anyway, you can do something for me./ 2. Provided that; if. •/You may use the room as you like, so long as you clean it up afterward./
[as luck would have it]{adv. clause} As it happened; by chance; luckily or unluckily. •/As luck would have it, no one was in the building when the explosion occurred./ •/As luck would have it, there was rain on the day of the picnic./
[as much]{n.} The same; exactly that. •/Don’t thank me, I would do as much for anyone./ •/Did you lose your way? I thought as much when you were late in coming./
[as much as]{adv. phr.} 1. or [much as] Even though; although. •/As much as I hate to do it, I must stay home and study tonight./ 2. or [so much as] Just the same as; almost; practically; really. •/By running away he as much as admitted that he had taken the money./ •/You as much as promised you would help us./ •/The clerk as much as told me that I was a fool./ Compare: AS GOOD AS. 3. See: FOR AS MUCH AS.
[as of] prep. At or until (a certain time). •/I know that as of last week he was still unmarried./ •/As of now we don’t know much about Mars./
[as one goes] See: PAY AS ONE GOES.
[as one man]{adv. phr.} Unanimously; together; involving all. •/The audience arose as one man to applaud the great pianist./
[as regards]{prep.} Regarding; concerning; about. •/You needn’t worry as regards the cost of the operation./ •/He was always secretive as regards his family./
[as soon as]{conj.} Just after; when; immediately after. •/As soon as the temperature falls to 70, the furnace is turned on./ •/As soon as you finish your job let me know./ •/He will see you as soon as he can./
[as the crow flies]{adv. clause} By the most direct way; along a straight line between two places. •/It is seven miles to the next town as the crow flies, but it is ten miles by the road, which goes around the mountain./
[as the story goes]{adv. phr.} As the story is told; as one has heard through rumor. •/As the story goes, Jonathan disappeared when he heard the police were after him./
[as though] See: AS IF.
[as to]{prep.} 1. In connection with; about; regarding. •/There is no doubt as to his honesty./ •/As to your final grade, that depends on your final examination./ Syn.: WITH RESPECT TO. 2. According to; following; going by. •/They sorted the eggs as to size and color./
[as usual]{adv. phr.} In the usual way; as you usually do or as it usually does. •/As usual, Tommy forgot to make his bed before he went out to play./ •/Only a week after the fire in the store, it was doing business as usual./
[as well]{adv. phr.} 1. In addition; also, too; besides. •/The book tells about Mark Twain’s writings and about his life as well./ •/Tom is captain of the football team and is on the baseball team as well./ 2. Without loss and possibly with gain. •/After the dog ran away, Father thought he might as well sell the dog house./ •/Since he can’t win the race, he may as well quit./ •/It’s just as well you didn’t come yesterday, because we were away./
[as well as]{conj.} In addition to; and also; besides. •/Hiking is good exercise as well as fun./ •/He was my friend as well as my doctor./ •/The book tells about the author’s life as well as about his writings./
[as yet]{adv. phr.} Up to the present time; so far; yet. •/We know little as yet about the moon’s surface./ •/She has not come as yet./
[as you please] 1. As you like, whatever you like or prefer; as you choose. •/You may do as you please./ 2. {informal} Very. — Used after an adjective or adverb often preceded by "as". •/There was Tinker, sitting there, cheerful as you please./ •/She was dressed for the dance and she looked as pretty as you please./
[at a blow] or [at a stroke] or [at one stroke] {adv. phr.} Immediately; suddenly; with one quick or forceful action. •/The pirates captured the ship and captured a ton of gold at a blow./ •/A thousand men lost their jobs at a stroke when the factory closed./ •/All the prisoners escaped at one stroke./ Compare: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME.
[at all]{adv. phr.} At any time or place, for any reason, or in any degree or manner. — Used for emphasis with certain kinds of words or sentences. 1. Negative •/It’s not at all likely he will come./ 2. Limited •/I can hardly hear you at all./ 3. Interrogative •/Can it be done at all?/ 4. Conditional •/She will walk with a limp, if she walks at all./ Syn.: IN THE LEAST.
[at all costs]{adv. phr.} At any expense of time, effort, or money. Regardless of the results. •/Mr. Jackson intended to save his son’s eyesight at all costs./ •/Carl is determined to succeed in his new job at all costs./
[at all events] See: IN ANY CASE.
[at all hazards]{adv. phr.} With no regard for danger; at any risk; regardless of the chances you must take. •/The racer meant to win the 500-mile race at all hazards./
[at all hours]{adv. phr.} Any time; all the time; at almost any time. •/The baby cried so much that we were up at all hours trying to calm her down./
[at a loss]{adj. phr.} In a state of uncertainty; without any idea; puzzled. •/A good salesman is never at a loss for words./ •/When Don missed the last bus, he was at a loss to know what to do./
[at anchor]{adj. phr.} Held by an anchor from floating away; anchored. •/The ship rode at anchor in the harbor./
[at any rate]{adv. phr.} In any case; anyhow. •/It isn’t much of a car, but at any rate it was not expensive./ Compare: AT LEAST(2), IN ANY CASE.
[at a premium]{adv. phr.} At a high price due to special circumstances. •/When his father died, Fred flew to Europe at a premium because he had no chance to buy a less expensive ticket./
[at arm’s length] See: KEEP AT A DISTANCE or KEEP AT ARM’S LENGTH.
[at a set time]{prep. phr.} At a particular, pre-specified time. •/Do we have to eat in this hotel at a set time, or may we come down whenever we want?/
[at a snail’s pace] See: SNAIL’S PACE.
[at a straw] See: GRASP AT STRAWS.
[at a stroke] See: AT A BLOW or AT A STROKE.
[at a time]{adv. phr.} At once; at one time; in one group or unit; together. •/He checked them off one at a time as they came in./ •/He ran up the steps two at a time./ See: EVERY OTHER. •/They showed up for class three and four at a time./
[at bay]{adv.} or {adj. phr.} In a place where you can no longer run away; unable to go back farther; forced to stand and fight, or face an enemy; cornered. •/The dog ran the rat into a corner, and there the rat turned at bay./ •/The police chased the thief to a roof, where they held him at bay until more policemen came to help./ Compare: BRING TO BAY.
[at best] or [at the best] {adv. phr.} 1. Under the best conditions; as the best possibility. •/A coal miner’s job is dirty and dangerous at best./ •/We can’t get to New York before ten o’clock at best./ Compare: AT MOST. Contrast: AT WORST. 2. In the most favorable way of looking at something; even saying the best about the thing. * The /treasurer had at best been careless with the club’s money, but most people thought he had been dishonest./
[at both ends] See: BURN THE CANDLE AT BOTH ENDS.
[at call]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} 1. Ready or nearby for use, help, or service; on request. •/Thousands of auto insurance agents all over the country are at the insured person’s call, wherever he may travel./ 2. At the word of command; at an order or signal. •/The dog was trained to come at call./
[at close range]{adv. phr.} Close by; in proximity. •/The police officer fired at the fleeing murder suspect at close range./
[at cross purposes]{adv. phr.} With opposing meanings or aims; with opposing effect or result; with aims which hinder or get in each other’s way. •/Tom’s parents acted at cross purposes in advising him; his father wanted him to become a doctor; but his mother wanted him to become a minister./
[at death’s door]{adj.} or {adv. phr.} Very near death; dying. •/He seemed to be at death’s door from his illness./
[at each other’s throats]{prep. phr.} Always arguing and quarreling. •/Joan and Harry have been at each other’s throats so long that they have forgotten how much they used to love one another./
