Definitions

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • A, as a prefix to English words, is derived from various sources. (1) It frequently signifies on or in (from an, a forms of AS. on), denoting a state, as in afoot, on foot, abed, amiss, asleep, aground, aloft, away (AS. onweg), and analogically, ablaze, atremble, etc. (2) AS. of off, from, as in adown (AS. ofdūne off the dun or hill). (3) AS. ā- (Goth. us-, ur-, Ger. er-), usually giving an intensive force, and sometimes the sense of away, on, back, as in arise, abide, ago. (4) Old English y- or i- (corrupted from the AS. inseparable particle ge-, cognate with OHG. ga-, gi-, Goth. ga-), which, as a prefix, made no essential addition to the meaning, as in aware. (5) French à (L. ad to), as in abase, achieve. (6) L. a, ab, abs, from, as in avert. (7) Greek insep. prefix α without, or privative, not, as in abyss, atheist; akin to E. un-.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • prefix no longer productive forming verbs with the sense away, up, on, out
  • prefix no longer productive forming verbs with the sense of intensified action.
  • prefix Not, without, opposite of.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin ab ("from, away")

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English variant form of y-, from Old English ġe-, from Proto-Germanic *ga-.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Anglo-Norman a-, from Old French e-, from Latin ex-.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English a- ("up, out, away"), from Old English ā-, originally *ar-, *or-, from Proto-Germanic *uz- (“out-”), from Proto-Indo-European *uds- (“up, out”). Cognate with Old Saxon ā-, German er-.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English, from Middle French a-, from Latin ad ("to").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) (ἀν- (an-) immediately preceding a vowel).

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Examples

  • At a hearing on the budget this week, led by by the scandal-plagued Chairman of the City Council, Kwame Brown, best known for demanding a "fully loaded" $1900- a- month leased SUV from city officials, activists challenged his opposition to raising taxes, the deadlocked council's complacency, and the council leadership that has ignored public opinion favoring preserving social programs.

    Art Levine: GOP-Style Democrats Slash DC Budget: Homeless Moms Already Given Bus Tokens, Not Shelter Art Levine 2011

  • At a hearing on the budget this week, led by by the scandal-plagued Chairman of the City Council, Kwame Brown, best known for demanding a "fully loaded" $1900- a- month leased SUV from city officials, activists challenged his opposition to raising taxes, the deadlocked council's complacency, and the council leadership that has ignored public opinion favoring preserving social programs.

    Art Levine: GOP-Style Democrats Slash DC Budget: Homeless Moms Already Given Bus Tokens, Not Shelter Art Levine 2011

  • So get your sweet a-, um, self over here so the rest of us can chow down.

    Risk No Secrets Cindy Gerard 2010

  • Traders sold around 5,000 puts at the Jan. 2013 $17.5 strike at an average premium of $1.42 each, purchased around the same number of calls up at the Jan. 2013 $25 strike for an average premium of $3.67 per contract, and sold some 5,000 calls at the Jan. 2013 $30 strike at an average premium of $1.97 a-pop.

    Forbes.com: News Caitlin Duffy 2011

  • I'd rather have Oh bomb a- nation for four more years.

    ABC News: Top Stories 2011

  • Another 1,500 in-the-money calls were purchased up at the Jan. 2012 $13 strike at an average premium of $1.32 a-pop.

    Forbes.com: News Caitlin Duffy 2011

  • A.M. Best Co. has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of "a-" of Sagicor Life Inc.

    unknown title 2011

  • A.M. Best Co. has placed under review with negative implications the financial strength rating of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit rating of "a-" of General Fidelity Life Insurance Company (GFLIC) (Columbia, SC).

    unknown title 2011

  • A.M. Best also has revised the outlook to stable from negative and affirmed the FSRs of A- Excellent and ICR of "a-" of Sagicor General Insurance Inc.

    unknown title 2011

  • Never write a check with your mouth you can't cash with your a-$$!

    Yahoo! News: Business - Opinion 2011

Comments

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  • to i.e. in the direction of

    October 15, 2010