a cappella
- s sung without instrumental accompaniment
- r without musical accompaniment
a la carte
- n a menu having individual dishes listed with separate prices
- a (of a restaurant meal) having unlimited choices with a separate price for each item
- r by ordering items listed individually on a menu
a la mode
- s in the current fashion or style
- r with ice cream on top or on the side
a posteriori
- a involving reasoning from facts or particulars to general principles or from effects to causes
- s requiring evidence for validation or support
- r derived from observed facts
a priori
- a involving deductive reasoning from a general principle to a necessary effect; not supported by fact
- s based on hypothesis or theory rather than experiment
- r derived by logic, without observed facts
abactinal
- a (of radiate animals) located on the surface or end opposite to that on which the mouth is situated
abandoned
- v forsake, leave behind
We abandoned the old car in the empty parking lot - v give up with the intent of never claiming again
- v leave behind empty; move out of
- v stop maintaining or insisting on; of ideas or claims
He abandoned the thought of asking for her hand in marriage - v leave someone who needs or counts on you; leave in the lurch
- s forsaken by owner or inhabitants
weed-grown yard of an abandoned farmhouse - s free from constraint
an abandoned sadness born of grief"- Liam O'Flaherty
abashed
- v cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious
- s feeling or caused to feel uneasy and self-conscious
felt abashed at the extravagant praise
abaxial
- a facing away from the axis of an organ or organism
the abaxial surface of a leaf is the underside or side facing away from the stem
abbatial
- a of or having to do with or belonging to an abbey or abbot, or abbess
abbreviated
- v reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
- v shorten
- s (of clothing) very short
an abbreviated swimsuit - s cut short in duration
the abbreviated speech
abdicable
- s capable of being discarded or renounced or relinquished
abdicable responsibilites
abdominal
- n the muscles of the abdomen
- a of or relating to or near the abdomen
abdominal muscles