am|bi|gu|ity /æ mb I gjuː I ti/ (ambiguities ) N‑VAR If you say that there is ambiguity in something, you mean that it is unclear or confusing, or it can be understood in more than one way. □ [+ about ] There is considerable ambiguity about what this part of the agreement actually means.
am|bigu|ous /æmb I gjuəs/
1 ADJ If you describe something as ambiguous , you mean that it is unclear or confusing because it can be understood in more than one way. □ This agreement is very ambiguous and open to various interpretations. □ They may not be fully aware of what they are voting for because of ambiguous language on the ballot paper. ● am|bigu|ous|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Zaire's national conference on democracy ended ambiguously.
2 ADJ If you describe something as ambiguous , you mean that it contains several different ideas or attitudes that do not fit well together. □ Students have ambiguous feelings about their role in the world.
am|bit /æ mb I t/ N‑SING [usu with poss] The ambit of something is its range or extent. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Her case falls within the ambit of moral law.
am|bi|tion ◆◇◇ /æmb I ʃ ə n/ (ambitions )
1 N‑COUNT [oft N to-inf] If you have an ambition to do or achieve something, you want very much to do it or achieve it. □ His ambition is to sail round the world. □ He harboured ambitions of becoming a Tory MP.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Ambition is the desire to be successful, rich, or powerful. □ Even when I was young I never had any ambition. SYNONYMS ambition NOUN 1
goaclass="underline" The goal is to raise as much money as possible.
aim: …a research programme that has largely failed to achieve its principal aims.
target: He's won back his place too late to achieve his target of 20 goals this season.
objective: His objective was to play golf and win.
am|bi|tious /æmb I ʃəs/
1 ADJ Someone who is ambitious has a strong desire to be successful, rich, or powerful. □ Chris is so ambitious, so determined to do it all.
2 ADJ An ambitious idea or plan is on a large scale and needs a lot of work to be carried out successfully. □ The ambitious project was completed in only nine months.
am|biva|lent /æmb I vələnt/ ADJ If you say that someone is ambivalent about something, they seem to be uncertain whether they really want it, or whether they really approve of it. □ [+ about ] She remained ambivalent about her marriage. □ He maintained an ambivalent attitude to the Church throughout his long life. ● am|biva|lence /æmb I vələns/ (ambivalences ) N‑VAR □ [+ about/towards ] I've never lied about my feelings, including my ambivalence about getting married again.
am|ble /æ mb ə l/ (ambles , ambling , ambled ) VERB When you amble , you walk slowly and in a relaxed manner. □ [V adv/prep] Slowly they ambled back to the car. □ [V adv/prep] We ambled along in front of the houses.
am|bro|sia /æmbroʊ ziə, [AM ] -ʒiə/ N‑UNCOUNT In Greek mythology, ambrosia is the food of the gods.
am|bu|lance /æ mbjʊləns/ (ambulances ) N‑COUNT [oft by N ] An ambulance is a vehicle for taking people to and from hospital.
am|bu|lance|man /æ mbjʊlənsmæn/ (ambulancemen ) N‑COUNT An ambulanceman is a man who drives an ambulance or takes care of people in an ambulance on the way to hospital. [BRIT ] in AM, use ambulance driver
am|bush /æ mbʊʃ/ (ambushes , ambushing , ambushed )
1 VERB If a group of people ambush their enemies, they attack them after hiding and waiting for them. □ [V n] The Guatemalan army says rebels ambushed and killed 10 patrolmen.
2 N‑VAR An ambush is an attack on someone by people who have been hiding and waiting for them. □ A policeman has been shot dead in an ambush.
3 PHRASE If someone is lying in ambush , they are hiding and waiting for someone, usually to attack them. □ The gunmen, lying in ambush, opened fire, killing the driver.
ame|lio|rate /əmiː liəre I t/ (ameliorates , ameliorating , ameliorated ) VERB If someone or something ameliorates a situation, they make it better or easier in some way. [FORMAL ]
amen /ɑː me n, e I -/ CONVENTION Amen is said by Christians at the end of a prayer.
ame|nable /əmiː nəb ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are amenable to something, you are willing to do it or accept it. □ [+ to ] Mazarin had been amenable to the idea.
amend /əme nd/ (amends , amending , amended )
1 VERB If you amend something that has been written such as a law, or something that is said, you change it in order to improve it or make it more accurate. □ [V n] The president agreed to amend the constitution and allow multi-party elections. □ [V -ed] …the amended version of the Act.
2 PHRASE If you make amends when you have harmed someone, you show that you are sorry by doing something to please them. □ He wanted to make amends for causing their marriage to fail.
amend|ment ◆◇◇ /əme ndmənt/ (amendments )
1 N‑VAR An amendment is a section that is added to a law or rule in order to change it. □ …an amendment to the defense bill.
2 N‑COUNT An amendment is a change that is made to a piece of writing. SYNONYMS amendment NOUN 1
adjustment: Compensation could be made by adjustments to taxation.