Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 PHRASE If you look askance at someone or something, you have a doubtful or suspicious attitude towards them. □  They have always looked askance at the western notion of democracy.

2 PHRASE If you look askance at someone, you look at them in a doubtful or suspicious way.

askew /əskjuː / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Something that is askew is not straight or not level with what it should be level with. □  There were no shutters at the windows, and some of the doors hung askew.

a sk|ing price (asking prices ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] The asking price of something is the price which the person selling it says that they want for it, although they may accept less. □  Offers 15% below the asking price are unlikely to be accepted.

asleep /əsliː p/

1 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] Someone who is asleep is sleeping. □  My four-year-old daughter was asleep on the sofa.

2 PHRASE When you fall asleep , you start sleeping. □  Sam snuggled down in his pillow and fell asleep.

3 PHRASE Someone who is fast asleep or sound asleep is sleeping deeply. USAGE asleep

Don’t use asleep in front of a noun. Don’t, for example, talk about an ‘ asleep child ’. Instead, you can say a ‘sleeping child ’. You also don't say that someone is ‘ very asleep ’. You can say that they are sound asleep or fast asleep . □  Chris is still sound asleep in the other bed.

as|para|gus /əspæ rəgəs/ N‑UNCOUNT Asparagus is a vegetable that is long and green and has small shoots at one end. It is cooked and served whole.

as|pect ◆◆◇ /æ spekt/ (aspects )

1 N‑COUNT An aspect of something is one of the parts of its character or nature. □ [+ of ] Climate and weather affect every aspect of our lives. □ [+ of ] He was interested in all aspects of the work here.

2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The aspect of a building or window is the direction in which it faces. [FORMAL ] □  The house had a south-west aspect.

3 N‑UNCOUNT In grammar, aspect is the way that a verb group shows whether an activity is continuing, is repeated, or is completed. For example, in 'They were laughing', the verb is in the progressive aspect and shows that the action was continuing. Compare tense . SYNONYMS aspect NOUN 1

feature:The spacious gardens are a special feature of this property.

point:The most interesting point about the village was its religion.

side:Anxiety has a mental and a physical side.

factor:Physical activity is an important factor in maintaining fitness.

facet:The caste system shapes nearly every facet of Indian life.

as|pen /æ spən/ (aspens ) N‑VAR An aspen is a tall tree with leaves that move a lot in the wind.

as|per|ity /æspe r I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft with N ] If you say something with asperity , you say it impatiently and severely. [FORMAL ] □  'I told you Preskel had no idea,' remarked Kemp with some asperity.

as|per|sions /əspɜː ^r ʃ ^ə nz, [AM ] -ʒ ^ə nz/ PHRASE If you cast aspersions on someone or something, you suggest that they are not very good in some way. [FORMAL ]

as|phalt /æ sfælt, -fɔːlt/ N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Asphalt is a black substance used to make the surfaces of things such as roads and playgrounds.

as|phyxia /æsf I ksiə/ N‑UNCOUNT Asphyxia is death or loss of consciousness caused by being unable to breathe properly. [MEDICAL ] □  Death was due to asphyxia through smoke inhalation.