Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

6 PREP If you say that someone thinks they are above something, you mean that they act as if they are too good or important for it. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  I'm not above doing my own cleaning.

7 PREP If someone is above criticism or suspicion, they cannot be criticized or suspected because of their good qualities or their position. □  He was a respected academic and above suspicion.

8 PREP If you value one person or thing above any other, you value them more or consider that they are more important. □  …his tendency to put the team above everything.

9over and above → see over ➋

10above the law → see law

11above board → see board USAGE above

Don’t use ‘above’ in front of a number when you are talking about a quantity or number of things or people. For example, don’t say ' She had above thirty pairs of shoes '. Say ‘She had over thirty pairs of shoes’ or ‘She had more than thirty pairs of shoes’. □  It cost over 3 million pounds. □  He saw more than 800 children there.

abo ve-the-li ne pro|mo |tion (above-the-line promotions ) N‑VAR Above-the-line promotion is the use of promotional methods that cannot be directly controlled by the company selling the goods or service, such as television or press advertising. Compare below-the-line promotion . [BUSINESS ] □  For maternity clothing retailers, most above-the-line promotion is conducted through focused sources such as mother and baby magazines.

ab|ra|ca|dab|ra /æ brəkədæ brə/ EXCLAM Abracadabra is a word that someone says when they are performing a magic trick in order to make the magic happen.

abrade /əbre I d/ (abrades , abrading , abraded ) VERB To abrade something means to scrape or wear down its surface by rubbing it. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed] My skin was abraded and very tender.

abra|sion /əbre I ʒ ^ə n/ (abrasions ) N‑COUNT An abrasion is an area on a person's body where the skin has been scraped. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] He had severe abrasions to his right cheek.

abra|sive /əbre I s I v/

1 ADJ Someone who has an abrasive manner is unkind and rude. □  His abrasive manner has won him an unenviable notoriety.

2 ADJ An abrasive substance is rough and can be used to clean hard surfaces. □  …a new all-purpose, non-abrasive cleaner.

abreast /əbre st/

1 ADV [ADV after v] If people or things walk or move abreast , they are next to each other, side by side, and facing in the same direction. □  The steep pavement was too narrow for them to walk abreast.

2 PHRASE If you are abreast of someone or something, you are level with them or in line with them. □  As he drew abreast of the man he pretended to stumble.

3 PHRASE If you keep abreast of a subject, you know all the most recent facts about it. □  He will be keeping abreast of the news.

abridged /əbr I dʒd/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] An abridged book or play has been made shorter by removing some parts of it. □  This is an abridged version of her new novel.

abroad ◆◇◇ /əbrɔː d/ ADV [ADV after v, n ADV , be ADV , from ADV ] If you go abroad , you go to a foreign country, usually one which is separated from the country where you live by an ocean or a sea. □  I would love to go abroad this year, perhaps to the South of France. □  …public opposition here and abroad. □  About 65 per cent of its sales come from abroad. SYNONYMS abroad ADV

overseas:Her only relatives live overseas.

away:Sophia was away on a business trip.

ab|ro|gate /æ brəge I t/ (abrogates , abrogating , abrogated ) VERB If someone in a position of authority abrogates something such as a law, agreement, or practice, they put an end to it. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] The next prime minister could abrogate the treaty.

ab|rupt /əbrʌ pt/