2 ADJ Agnostic means relating to agnostics or to their beliefs. □ You grew up in an agnostic household and have never been able to bring yourself to believe in God.
ag|nos|ti|cism /ægnɒ st I s I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT Agnosticism is the belief that it is not possible to say definitely whether or not there is a God. Compare atheism .
ago ◆◆◆ /əgoʊ / ADV [ADV with v, n ADV ] You use ago when you are referring to past time. For example, if something happened one year ago , it is one year since it happened. If it happened a long time ago , it is a long time since it happened. □ He was killed a few days ago in a skiing accident. □ The meeting is the first since the war began 14 years ago. □ Harry's daughter is dead. She died long ago. USAGE ago
Don’t use ago
and since
together. Don’t say, for example, ‘
agog /əgɒ g/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are agog , you are excited about something, and eager to know more about it.
ago|nize /æ gəna I z/ (agonizes , agonizing , agonized ) in BRIT, also use agonise VERB If you agonize over something, you feel very anxious about it and spend a long time thinking about it. □ [V + over/about ] Perhaps he was agonizing over the moral issues involved. [Also V ]
ago|nized /æ gəna I zd/ in BRIT, also use agonised ADJ [usu ADJ n] Agonized describes something that you say or do when you are in great physical or mental pain. □ …the agonised look on his face.
ago|niz|ing /æ gəna I z I ŋ/ in BRIT, also use agonising 1 ADJ Something that is agonizing causes you to feel great physical or mental pain. □ He did not wish to die the agonizing death of his mother and brother. ● ago|niz|ing|ly ADV □ Progress was agonizingly slow.
2 ADJ Agonizing decisions and choices are very difficult to make. □ He now faced an agonizing decision about his immediate future.
ago|ny /æ gəni/ N‑UNCOUNT Agony is great physical or mental pain. □ She called out in agony.
a go|ny aunt (agony aunts ) N‑COUNT An agony aunt is a person who writes a column in a newspaper or magazine in which they reply to readers who have written to them for advice on their personal problems. [BRIT ] in AM, use advice columnist
a go|ny col|umn (agony columns ) N‑COUNT In a British newspaper or magazine, the agony column contains letters from readers about their personal problems, and advice on what to do about them. [BRIT ] in AM, use advice column
ago|ra|pho|bia /æ gərəfoʊ biə/ N‑UNCOUNT Agoraphobia is the fear of open or public places.
ago|ra|pho|bic /æ gərəfoʊ b I k/ (agoraphobics ) ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] Someone who is agoraphobic suffers from agoraphobia. ● N‑COUNT An agoraphobic is someone who suffers from agoraphobia.
agrar|ian /əgreə riən/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Agrarian means relating to the ownership and use of land, especially farmland, or relating to the part of a society or economy that is concerned with agriculture.
agree ◆◆◆ /əgriː / (agrees , agreeing , agreed )
1 VERB If people agree with each other about something, they have the same opinion about it or say that they have the same opinion. □ [V ] If we agreed all the time it would be a bit boring, wouldn't it? □ [V + on ] Both have agreed on the need for the money. □ [V ] So we both agree there's a problem? □ [V + with ] I see your point but I'm not sure I agree with you. □ [V + with ] I agree with you that the open system is by far the best. □ [V ] 'It's appalling.'—'It is. I agree.' □ [V that] I agree that the demise of London zoo would be terrible. □ [V + with ] I agree with every word you've just said. □ [V with quote] 'Frankly I found it rather frightening.' 'A little startling,' Mark agreed.
2 VERB If you agree to do something, you say that you will do it. If you agree to a proposal, you accept it. □ [V to-inf] He agreed to pay me for the drawings. □ [V + to ] Donna agreed to both requests. [Also V ]
3 VERB If people agree on something, or in British English if they agree something, they all decide to accept or do something. □ [V + on/upon ] The warring sides have agreed on an unconditional ceasefire. □ [V n] We never agreed a date. □ [V n + with ] The court had given the unions until September to agree terms with a buyer.
4 PHRASE If two people who are arguing about something agree to disagree or agree to differ , they decide to stop arguing because neither of them is going to change their opinion. □ You and I are going to have to agree to disagree then.
5 VERB If you agree with an action or suggestion, you approve of it. □ [V + with ] I don't agree with what they're doing.
6 VERB If one account of an event or one set of figures agrees with another, the two accounts or sets of figures are the same or are consistent with each other. □ [V + with ] His second statement agrees with facts as stated by the other witnesses. [Also V ]
7 VERB [with neg] If some food that you eat does not agree with you, it makes you feel ill. □ [V + with ] I don't think the food here agrees with me.
8 VERB In grammar, if a word agrees with a noun or pronoun, it has a form that is appropriate to the number or gender of the noun or pronoun. For example, in 'He hates it', the singular verb agrees with the singular pronoun 'he'.