Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 ADV [ADV before v] You use already to show that something has happened, or that something had happened before the moment you are referring to. Speakers of British English use already with a verb in a perfect tense, putting it after 'have', 'has', or 'had', or at the end of a clause. Some speakers of American English use already with the simple past tense of the verb instead of a perfect tense. □  They had already voted for him at the first ballot. □  I already told you not to come over. □  They've spent nearly a billion dollars on it already.

2 ADV [ADV before v] You use already to show that a situation exists at this present moment or that it exists at an earlier time than expected. You use already after the verb 'be' or an auxiliary verb, or before a verb if there is no auxiliary. When you want add emphasis, you can put already at the beginning of a sentence. □  The authorities believe those security measures are already paying off. □  He was already rich. □  Get 10% off our already low prices! □  Already, he has a luxurious villa in Formello. USAGE already

Don’t confuse already with still or yet . Use still when something that existed in the past continued and exists now. Use yet when something has not happened, although it probably will happen in the future. □  Donald is 89 and he is still teaching. □  They haven’t finished yet .

al|right /ɔː lra I t/ → see all right

Al|sa|tian /ælse I ʃ ^ə n/ (Alsatians ) N‑COUNT An Alsatian is a large, usually fierce dog that is often used to guard buildings or by the police to help them find criminals. [BRIT ] in AM, use German shepherd

also ◆◆◆ /ɔː lsoʊ/

1 ADV [ADV before v] You can use also to give more information about a person or thing, or to add another relevant fact. □  It is the work of Ivor Roberts-Jones, who also produced the statue of Churchill in Parliament Square. □  He is an asthmatic who was also anaemic. □  She has a reputation for brilliance. Also, she is gorgeous.

2 ADV [ADV before v] You can use also to indicate that something you have just said about one person or thing is true of another person or thing. □  His father, also a top-ranking officer, had perished during the war. □  We have been working very hard, and our families have also worked hard. □  Not only cancer, but also heart and lung disease are influenced by smoking.

a lso-ran (also-rans ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as an also-ran , you mean that they have been or are likely to be unsuccessful in a contest.

al|tar /ɔː ltə ^r / (altars ) N‑COUNT An altar is a holy table in a church or temple.

a l|tar boy (altar boys ) N‑COUNT In the Roman Catholic church, an altar boy is a boy who helps the priest during Mass.

altar|piece /ɔː ltə ^r piːs/ (altarpieces ) N‑COUNT An altarpiece is a work of art behind the altar in a church.

al|ter ◆◇◇ /ɔː ltə ^r / (alters , altering , altered ) VERB If something alters or if you alter it, it changes. □ [V ] Little had altered in the village. □ [V n] They have never altered their programmes by a single day. SYNONYMS alter VERB

modify:The club members did agree to modify their recruitment policy.

change:They should change the law to make it illegal to own replica weapons.

adjust:To attract investors, Panama has adjusted its tax and labour laws.

amend:The president agreed to amend the constitution and allow multi-party elections.

tweak:The system will get even better as the engineers tweak its performance.

al|tera|tion /ɔː ltəre I ʃ ^ə n/ (alterations )