Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

1 PHRASE If you are led astray by someone or something, you behave badly or foolishly because of them. □  The judge thought he'd been led astray by older children.

2 PHRASE If someone or something leads you astray , they make you believe something which is not true, causing you to make a wrong decision. □  We drove east to Rostock, where my map led me astray.

3 PHRASE If something goes astray , it gets lost while it is being taken or sent somewhere. □  Many items of mail being sent to her have gone astray.

astride /əstra I d/ ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] If you sit or stand astride something, you sit or stand with one leg on each side of it. □  …three youths who stood astride their bicycles and stared.

as|trin|gent /əstr I ndʒ ^ə nt/ (astringents ) N‑COUNT An astringent is a liquid that you put on your skin to make it less oily or to make cuts stop bleeding. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Astringent is also an adjective. □  …an astringent lotion.

PREFIX astro-

is used to form words which refer to things relating to the stars or to outer space. For example, astronomy is the scientific study of the stars, the planets and other objects in space.

as|trolo|ger /əstrɒ lədʒə ^r / (astrologers ) N‑COUNT An astrologer is a person who uses astrology to try to tell you things about your character and your future.

as|trol|ogy /əstrɒ lədʒi/ N‑UNCOUNT Astrology is the study of the movements of the planets, sun, moon, and stars in the belief that these movements can have an influence on people's lives. ●  as|tro|logi|cal /æ strəlɒ dʒ I k ^ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] □  He has had a keen and lifelong interest in astrological research.

as|tro|naut /æ strənɔːt/ (astronauts ) N‑COUNT An astronaut is a person who is trained for travelling in a spacecraft.

as|trono|mer /əstrɒ nəmə ^r / (astronomers ) N‑COUNT An astronomer is a scientist who studies the stars, planets, and other natural objects in space.

as|tro|nomi|cal /æ strənɒ m I k ^ə l/

1 ADJ If you describe an amount, especially the cost of something as astronomical , you are emphasizing that it is very large indeed. [EMPHASIS ] □  Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices. ●  as|tro|nomi|cal|ly /æ strənɒ m I kli/ ADV [ADV adj, ADV after v] □  He was astronomically wealthy. □  House prices had risen astronomically.

2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Astronomical means relating to astronomy. □  …the British Astronomical Association.

as|trono|my /əstrɒ nəmi/ N‑UNCOUNT Astronomy is the scientific study of the stars, planets, and other natural objects in space.

as|tro|physi|cist /æ stroʊf I z I s I st/ (astrophysicists ) N‑COUNT An astrophysicist is someone who studies astrophysics.

as|tro|phys|ics /æ stroʊf I z I ks/ N‑UNCOUNT Astrophysics is the study of the physical and chemical structure of the stars, planets, and other natural objects in space.

as|tute /əstjuː t, [AM ] əstuː t/ ADJ If you describe someone as astute , you think they show an understanding of behaviour and situations, and are skilful at using this knowledge to their own advantage. □  She was politically astute. □  He made a series of astute business decisions. ●  as|tute|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  It soon became clear that they had chosen astutely.

asun|der /əsʌ ndə ^r / ADV [ADV after v] If something tears or is torn asunder , it is violently separated into two or more parts or pieces. [LITERARY ]

asy|lum /əsa I ləm/ (asylums )

1 N‑UNCOUNT If a government gives a person from another country asylum , they allow them to stay, usually because they are unable to return home safely for political reasons. □  He applied for asylum in 1987 after fleeing the police back home.

2 N‑COUNT An asylum is a psychiatric hospital. [OLD-FASHIONED ]