1 ADV [ADV after v] When you say something, read, or laugh aloud , you speak or laugh so that other people can hear you. □ When we were children, our father read aloud to us. □ 'You fool,' he said aloud.
2 PHRASE If you think aloud , you express your thoughts as they occur to you, rather than thinking first and then speaking.
al|paca /ælpæ kə/ (alpacas )
1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft N n] Alpaca is a type of soft wool. □ …a light-grey alpaca suit.
2 N‑COUNT Alpacas are South American animals similar to llamas. Their hair is the source of alpaca wool.
al|pha|bet /æ lfəbet/ (alphabets ) N‑COUNT An alphabet is a set of letters usually presented in a fixed order which is used for writing the words of a particular language or group of languages. □ The modern Russian alphabet has 31 letters. □ By two and a half he knew the alphabet.
al|pha|beti|cal /æ lfəbe t I k ə l/ ADJ [ADJ n] Alphabetical means arranged according to the normal order of the letters in the alphabet. □ Their herbs and spices are arranged in alphabetical order. ● al|pha|beti|cal|ly /æ lfəbe t I kli/ ADV □ The catalog is organized alphabetically by label name.
al|pine /æ lpa I n/ (alpines )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Alpine means existing in or relating to mountains, especially the ones in Switzerland. □ …grassy, alpine meadows.
2 N‑COUNT Alpines are small flowering plants that grow high up on mountains and are sometimes grown in gardens. There are many different types of alpines.
al|ready ◆◆◆ /ɔː lre di/
1 ADV [ADV before v] You use already to show that something has happened, or that something had happened before the moment you are referring to. Speakers of British English use already with a verb in a perfect tense, putting it after 'have', 'has', or 'had', or at the end of a clause. Some speakers of American English use already with the simple past tense of the verb instead of a perfect tense. □ They had already voted for him at the first ballot. □ I already told you not to come over. □ They've spent nearly a billion dollars on it already.
2 ADV [ADV before v] You use already to show that a situation exists at this present moment or that it exists at an earlier time than expected. You use already after the verb 'be' or an auxiliary verb, or before a verb if there is no auxiliary. When you want add emphasis, you can put already at the beginning of a sentence. □ The authorities believe those security measures are already paying off. □ He was already rich. □ Get 10% off our already low prices! □ Already, he has a luxurious villa in Formello. USAGE already
Don’t confuse already with still or yet . Use still when something that existed in the past continued and exists now. Use yet when something has not happened, although it probably will happen in the future. □ Donald is 89 and he is still teaching. □ They haven’t finished yet .
al|right /ɔː lra I t/ → see all right
Al|sa|tian /ælse I ʃ ə n/ (Alsatians ) N‑COUNT An Alsatian is a large, usually fierce dog that is often used to guard buildings or by the police to help them find criminals. [BRIT ] in AM, use German shepherd
also ◆◆◆ /ɔː lsoʊ/
1 ADV [ADV before v] You can use also to give more information about a person or thing, or to add another relevant fact. □ It is the work of Ivor Roberts-Jones, who also produced the statue of Churchill in Parliament Square. □ He is an asthmatic who was also anaemic. □ She has a reputation for brilliance. Also, she is gorgeous.
2 ADV [ADV before v] You can use also to indicate that something you have just said about one person or thing is true of another person or thing. □ His father, also a top-ranking officer, had perished during the war. □ We have been working very hard, and our families have also worked hard. □ Not only cancer, but also heart and lung disease are influenced by smoking.
a lso-ran (also-rans ) N‑COUNT If you describe someone as an also-ran , you mean that they have been or are likely to be unsuccessful in a contest.
al|tar /ɔː ltə r / (altars ) N‑COUNT An altar is a holy table in a church or temple.
a l|tar boy (altar boys ) N‑COUNT In the Roman Catholic church, an altar boy is a boy who helps the priest during Mass.
altar|piece /ɔː ltə r piːs/ (altarpieces ) N‑COUNT An altarpiece is a work of art behind the altar in a church.
al|ter ◆◇◇ /ɔː ltə r / (alters , altering , altered ) VERB If something alters or if you alter it, it changes. □ [V ] Little had altered in the village. □ [V n] They have never altered their programmes by a single day. SYNONYMS alter VERB
modify: The club members did agree to modify their recruitment policy.
change: They should change the law to make it illegal to own replica weapons.
adjust: To attract investors, Panama has adjusted its tax and labour laws.
amend: The president agreed to amend the constitution and allow multi-party elections.
tweak: The system will get even better as the engineers tweak its performance.
al|tera|tion /ɔː ltəre I ʃ ə n/ (alterations )
1 N‑COUNT An alteration is a change in or to something. □ [+ to/in ] Making some simple alterations to your diet will make you feel fitter. [Also + of ]
2 N‑UNCOUNT The alteration of something is the process of changing it. □ Her jacket was at the boutique waiting for alteration.