al|co|hol|ic /æ lkəhɒ l I k, [AM ] -hɔː l-/ (alcoholics )
1 N‑COUNT An alcoholic is someone who cannot stop drinking large amounts of alcohol, even when this is making them ill. □ He showed great courage by admitting that he is an alcoholic.
2 ADJ Alcoholic drinks are drinks that contain alcohol. □ …the serving of alcoholic drinks.
al|co|hol|ism /æ lkəhɒl I zəm/ N‑UNCOUNT People who suffer from alcoholism cannot stop drinking large quantities of alcohol. □ …the problems of alcoholism.
al|cove /æ lkoʊv/ (alcoves ) N‑COUNT An alcove is a small area of a room which is formed by one part of a wall being built further back than the rest of the wall. □ In the alcoves on either side of the fire were bookshelves.
al den|te /æl de nte I / ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you cook pasta or a vegetable until it is al dente , you cook it just long enough so that it is neither hard nor soft but is firm and slightly chewy.
al|der /ɔː ldə r / (alders ) N‑VAR An alder is a species of tree or shrub that grows especially in cool, damp places and loses its leaves in winter. ● N‑UNCOUNT Alder is the wood from this tree.
al|der|man /ɔː ldə r mən/ (aldermen )
1 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE In some parts of the United States and Canada, an alderman is a member of the governing body of a city.
2 N‑COUNT ; N‑TITLE Until 1974 in England and Wales, an alderman was a senior member of a local council who was elected by other councillors.
ale /e I l/ (ales )
1 N‑VAR Ale is a kind of strong beer. □ …our selection of ales and spirits.
2 → see also ginger ale , real ale
alec /æ l I k/ (alecs ) → see smart alec
aleck /æ l I k/ (alecks ) → see smart alec
alert ◆◇◇ /əlɜː r t/ (alerts , alerting , alerted )
1 ADJ If you are alert , you are paying full attention to things around you and are able to deal with anything that might happen. □ We all have to stay alert. □ He had been spotted by an alert neighbour. ● alert|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ The drug improved mental alertness.
2 ADJ If you are alert to something, you are fully aware of it. □ [+ to ] The bank is alert to the danger.
3 N‑COUNT An alert is a situation in which people prepare themselves for something dangerous that might happen soon. □ Due to a security alert, this train will not be stopping at Oxford Circus.
4 VERB If you alert someone to a situation, especially a dangerous or unpleasant situation, you tell them about it. □ [V n + to ] He wanted to alert people to the activities of the group. □ [V n] I was hoping he'd alert the police.
5 → see also red alert
6 PHRASE If soldiers or police are on alert , they are ready to deal with anything that may happen. □ Soldiers and police have been put on alert.
7 PHRASE If you are on the alert for something, you are ready to deal with it if it happens. □ They want to be on the alert for similar buying opportunities.
A lev|el /e I lev ə l/ (A levels ) N‑VAR A levels are British educational qualifications which school children take when they are seventeen or eighteen years old. People usually need A levels if they want to go to university in Britain. □ He left school with four A levels.
al|fal|fa /ælfæ lfə/ N‑UNCOUNT Alfalfa is a plant that is used for feeding farm animals. The shoots that develop from its seeds are sometimes eaten as a vegetable.
al|fres|co /ælfre skoʊ/ also al fresco ADJ [ADJ n] An alfresco activity, especially a meal, is one that takes place in the open air. □ … an al fresco breakfast of fresh fruit. ● ADV [ADV after v] Alfresco is also an adverb. □ He came across the man shaving alfresco.
al|gae /æ ldʒi, æ lga I / N‑UNCOUNT [with sing or pl verb] Algae is a type of plant with no stems or leaves that grows in water or on damp surfaces.
al|gal /æ lgəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Algal means relating to algae. □ Sewage nutrients do increase algal growth in the harbour.
al|ge|bra /æ ldʒ I brə/ N‑UNCOUNT Algebra is a type of mathematics in which letters are used to represent possible quantities. WORD HISTORY algebra
The term al-jabr is taken from the title of a ninth-century Arabic book on mathematics. In Arabic, al-jabr means 'reunion' or 'integration'. When the book was later translated into Latin, al-jabr became algebra .
al|ge|bra|ic /æ ldʒ I bre I I k/ ADJ [ADJ n] Algebraic equations, expressions, and principles are based on or use algebra.
Al|ge|rian /æ ldʒ I ə riən/ (Algerians )
1 ADJ Algerian means belonging or relating to Algeria, or its people or culture. □ …the Algerian desert. □ …a young Algerian actor.
2 N‑COUNT An Algerian is an Algerian citizen or a person of Algerian origin.
al|go|rithm /æ lgər I ðəm/ (algorithms ) N‑COUNT An algorithm is a series of mathematical steps, especially in a computer program, which will give you the answer to a particular kind of problem or question.
alia /e I liə/ → see inter alia
ali|as /e I liəs/ (aliases )
1 N‑COUNT An alias is a false name, especially one used by a criminal. □ Using an alias, he had rented a house in Fleet, Hampshire.
2 PREP You use alias when you are mentioning another name that someone, especially a criminal or an actor, is known by. □ …the defendant Pericles Pericleous, alias Peter Smith.