Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

air|worthy /eə ^r wɜː ^r ði/ ADJ If an aircraft is airworthy , it is safe to fly. □  The mechanics work hard to keep the helicopters airworthy. ●  air|worthiness N‑UNCOUNT □  All our aircraft have certificates of airworthiness.

airy /eə ri/ (airier , airiest )

1 ADJ If a building or room is airy , it has a lot of fresh air inside, usually because it is large. □  The bathroom has a light and airy feel.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] You can use airy to describe someone's behaviour when they are light-hearted and casual about things which some people take seriously. □  Giving them an airy wave of his hand, the Commander sailed past.

ai ry-fai ry ADJ If you describe someone's ideas as airy-fairy , you are critical of them because you think the ideas are vague, impractical, and unrealistic. [BRIT , DISAPPROVAL ] □  …their airy-fairy principles.

aisle /a I l/ (aisles )

1 N‑COUNT An aisle is a long narrow gap that people can walk along between rows of seats in a public building such as a church or between rows of shelves in a supermarket. □  …the frozen food aisle.

2 N‑SING The aisle is used in expressions such as walking down the aisle to refer to the activity of getting married. □  He was in no hurry to walk down the aisle.

ajar /ədʒɑː ^r / ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If a door is ajar , it is slightly open. □  He left the door ajar in case I needed him.

aka /e I ke I e I / also a.k.a. aka is an abbreviation for 'also known as'. aka is used especially when referring to someone's nickname or stage name. □  …the writer Barbara Vine, aka Ruth Rendell.

akim|bo /ək I mboʊ/ PHRASE If you stand arms akimbo or with arms akimbo , you stand with your hands on your hips and your elbows pointing outwards. [OLD-FASHIONED ]

akin /ək I n/ ADJ If one thing is akin to another, it is similar to it in some way. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.

SUFFIX -al

forms adjectives that indicate what something is connected with. For example, environmental problems are problems connected with the environment.

à la /ɑː lɑː/ PHRASE If you do something à la a particular person, you do it in the same style or in the same way that they would do it. □  …embracing the discoveries of science à la Galileo.

ala|bas|ter /æ ləbɑːstə ^r , -bæs-/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu N n] Alabaster is a white stone that is used for making statues, vases, and ornaments.

à la carte /ɑː lɑː kɑː ^r t/ ADJ [ADJ n] An à la carte menu in a restaurant offers you a choice of individually priced dishes for each course. □  You could choose as much or as little as you wanted from an à la carte menu. ● ADV [ADV after v] à la carte is also an adverb. □  A set meal is £26, or you can eat à la carte.

alac|rity /əlæ kr I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT [usu with N ] If you do something with alacrity , you do it quickly and eagerly. [FORMAL ]

alarm ◆◇◇ /əlɑː ^r m/ (alarms , alarming , alarmed )

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft with/in N ] Alarm is a feeling of fear or anxiety that something unpleasant or dangerous might happen. □  The news was greeted with alarm by MPs. [Also + over/about ]

2 VERB If something alarms you, it makes you afraid or anxious that something unpleasant or dangerous might happen. □ [V n] We could not see what had alarmed him.

3 N‑COUNT An alarm is an automatic device that warns you of danger, for example by ringing a bell. □  He heard the alarm go off.

4 N‑COUNT An alarm is the same as an alarm clock .

5 → see also alarmed , alarming , burglar alarm , car alarm , false alarm , fire alarm , smoke alarm

6 PHRASE If you say that something sets alarm bells ringing, you mean that it makes people feel worried or concerned about something.