[as best one can]{adv. phr.} As well as you can; by whatever means are available; in the best way you can. •/The car broke down in the middle of the night, and he had to get home as best he could./ •/George’s foot hurt, but he played the game as best he could./ •/The girl’s mother was sick, so the girl got dinner as best she could./
[as catch can] See: CATCH AS CATCH CAN.
[as far as] or [so far as] {adv. phr.} 1. To the degree or amount that; according to what, how much, or how far. •/John did a good job as far as he went, but he did not finish it./ •/So far as the weather is concerned, I do not think it matters./ •/As far as he was concerned, things were going well./ 2. To the extent that; within the limit that. •/He has no brothers so far as I know./ Compare: FOR ALL(2).
[as far as that goes] or [as far as that is concerned] or [so far as that is concerned] also [so far as that goes] {adv. phr.} While we are talking about it; also; actually. •/You don’t have to worry about the girls. Mary can take care of herself, and as far as that goes, Susan is pretty independent, too./ •/I didn’t enjoy the movie, and so far as that is concerned, I never like horror movies./ Syn.: FOR THAT MATTER, IN FACT. Compare: COME TO THINK OF IT.
[as follows] A list of things that come next; what is listed next. — Followed by a colon. •/My grocery list is as follows: bread, butter, meat, eggs, sugar./ •/The names of the members are as follows: John Smith, Mary Webb, Linda Long, Ralph Harper./ •/The route is as follows: From City Hall go south on Main Street to Elm Street, east on Elm to 5th Street, and south on 5th two blocks to the school./
[as for]{prep.} 1. In regard to; speaking of; concerning. •/We have plenty of bread, and as for butter, we have more than enough./ 2. Speaking for. •/Most people like the summer but as for me, I like winter much better./ Compare: FOR ONE’S PART.
[as good as]{adv. phr.} Nearly the same as; almost. •/She claimed that he as good as promised to marry her./ •/He as good as called me a liar./ •/We’ll get to school on time, we’re as good as there now./ •/The man who had been shot was as good as dead./ — Often used without the first "as" before adjectives. •/When the car was repaired, it looked good as new./
[as good as a mile] See: MISS IS AS GOOD AS A MILE.
[as good as one gets] See: GIVE AS GOOD AS ONE GETS.
[as good as one’s promise] See: AS GOOD AS ONE’S WORD.
[as good as one’s word] or [good as one’s word] {adj. phr.} Trustworthy; sure to keep your promise. •/The coach said he would give the players a day off if they won, and he was as good as his word./ •/We knew she was always good as her word, so we trusted her./
[as hard as nails]{adj. phr.} Very unfeeling; cruel, and unsympathetic. •/Uncle Joe is as hard as nails; although he is a millionaire, he doesn’t help his less fortunate relatives./
[aside] See: JOKING ASIDE, SET ASIDE.
[aside from] See: APART FROM.
[aside of]{prep.}, {dialect} Beside; by the side of. •/Mary sits aside of her sister on the bus./
[as if] or [as though] {conj.} 1. As (he, she, it) would if; in the same way one would if seeing to show. •/The baby laughed as if he understood what Mother said./ •/The book looked as though it had been out in the rain./ •/The waves dashed on the rocks as if in anger./ 2. That. •/It seems as if you are the first one here./
[as if one has come out of a bandbox] See: LOOK AS IF ONE HAS COME OUT OF A BANDBOX.
[as is]{adv.} Without changes or improvements; with no guarantee or promise of good condition. — Used after the word it modifies. •/They agree to buy the house as is./ •/He bought an old car as is./ Compare: AT THAT(1).
[as it were]{adv. phr.} As it might be said to be; as if it really were; seemingly. — Used with a statement that might seem silly or unreasonable, to show that it is just a way of saying it. •/In many ways children live, as it were, in a different world from adults./ •/The sunlight on the icy branches made, as it were, delicate lacy cobwebs from tree to tree./ Compare: SO TO SPEAK.
[ask] See: FOR THE ASKING.
[ask for]{v.}, {informal} To make (something bad) likely to happen to you; bring (something bad) upon yourself. •/Charles drives fast on worn-out tires; he is asking for trouble./ •/The workman lost his job, but he asked for it by coming to work drunk several times./ Compare: HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT.
[ask for one’s hand]{v. phr.} To ask permission to marry someone. •/"Sir," John said timidly to Mary’s father, "I came to ask for your daughter’s hand."/
[ask for the moon] or [cry for the moon] {v. phr.} To want something that you cannot reach or have; try for the impossible. •/John asked his mother for a hundred dollars today. He’s always asking for the moon./ Compare: PROMISE THE MOON.
[asleep at the switch]{adj. phr.} 1. Asleep when it is one’s duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. •/The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed./ 2. {informal} Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. •/When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot./
[as likely as not]{adv. phr.} Probably. •/As likely as not, he will disappear forever./
[as long as] or [so long as] {conj.} 1. Since; because; considering that. •/As long as you are going to town anyway, you can do something for me./ 2. Provided that; if. •/You may use the room as you like, so long as you clean it up afterward./