[a hell of] a [or one hell of a] {adj. or adv. phr.}, {informal} Extraordinary; very. •/He made a hell of a shot during the basketball game./ •/Max said seven months was a hell of a time to have to wait for a simple visa./ •/The fall Max took left one hell of a bruise on his knee./
[aim] See: TAKE AIM.
[air] See: BUILD CASTLES IN THE AIR, CLEAR THE AIR, GIVE ONESELF AIRS, GET THE AIR at GET THE BOUNCE(1), GIVE THE AIR at GIVE THE BOUNCE(1), IN THE AIR, INTO THIN AIR, LEAVE HANGING or LEAVE HANGING IN THE AIR, ON THE AIR, OUT OF THIN AIR, UP IN THE AIR, WALK ON AIR.
[airbus] n. A trade name, also used informally for a wide-bodied airplane used chiefly as a domestic passenger carrier. •/Airbuses don’t fly overseas, but mainly from coast to coast./
[air one’s dirty linen in public] or [wash one’s dirty linen in public] {v. phr.} To talk about your private quarrels or disgraces where others can hear; make public something embarrassing that should be kept secret. •/Everyone in the school knew that the superintendent and the principal were angry with each other because they aired their dirty linen in public./ •/No one knew that the boys' mother was a drug addict, because the family did not wash its dirty linen in public./
[airquake]{n.} An explosive noise of undetermined origin usually heard in coastal communities and appearing to come from some higher point in elevation. •/What was that awful noise just now? — I guess it must have been an airquake./
[air shuttle]{n.}, {informal} Air service for regular commuters operating between major cities at not too far a distance, e.g., between Boston and New York City; such flights operate without reservation on a frequent schedule. •/My dad takes the air shuttle from Boston to New York once a week./
[a la]{prep.} In the same way as; like. •/Billy played ball like a champion today, a la the professional ball players./ •/Joe wanted to shoot an apple off my head a la William Tell./ (From French "a la", in the manner of.)
[albatross around one’s neck]{n. phr.}, {literary} Guilt, the haunting past, an unforgettable problem. •/Even though it was an accident, John’s father’s death has been an albatross around John’s neck./ Compare: MONKEY ON ONE’S BACK.
[alert] See: ON THE ALERT.
[a little]{n.} or {adj.} A small amount (of); some. — Usually "a little" is different in meaning from "little", which emphasizes the negative; "a little" means "some"; but "little" means "not much". We say •/"We thought that the paper was all gone, but a little was left."/ But we say, •/"We thought we still had a bag of flour, but little was left."/ Also, we say, •/"Bob was sick yesterday, but he is a little better today."/ But we say, •/"Bob was sick yesterday, and he is little better today."/ Sometimes "a little" is used with "only", and then it is negative. •/We thought we had a whole bag of flour, but only a little was left./ •/We have used most of the sugar; but a little is left./ •/We did not eat all the cake; we saved a little of it for you./ •/I’m tired; I need a little time to rest./ •/Where is the paper? I need a little more./ — Often used like an adverb. •/Usually the teacher just watched the dancing class, but sometimes she danced a little to show them how./ •/The children wanted to play a little longer./ — Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. •/The sick girl could not eat anything, but she could drink a very little tea./ Syn.: A BIT. Compare: A FEW. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A LITTLE.
[a little bird told me] To have learned something from a mysterious, unknown, or secret source. •/"Who told you that Dean Smith was resigning?" Peter asked. "A little bird told me," Jim answered./
[a little knowledge is a dangerous thing]{literary} A person who knows a little about something may think he knows it all and make bad mistakes. — A proverb. •/John has read a book on driving a car and now he thinks he can drive. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing./
[alive] See: COME ALIVE, KNOW --- IS ALIVE, LOOK ALIVE, SKIN ALIVE.
[alive and kicking]{adj. phr.} Very active; vigorous; full of energy. •/Grandpa was taken to the hospital with pneumonia, but he was discharged yesterday and is alive and kicking./
[alive with]{prep.}, {informal} Crowded with; filled with. •/The lake was alive with fish./ •/The stores were alive with people the Saturday before Christmas./
[all] See: AFTER ALL, AND ALL, AT ALL, BEAT ALL or BEAT THE DUTCH, FOR ALL, FOR ALL ONE IS WORTH, FOR ALL ONE KNOWS, FOR ALL THE WORLD, FOR GOOD also FOR GOOD AND ALL, FROM THE BOTTOM OF ONE’S HEART or WITH ALL ONE’S HEART, HAVE ALL ONE’S BUTTONS or HAVE ALL ONE’S MARBLES, IN ALL, JUMP ON or JUMP ALL OVER or LAND ALL OVER, KNOW-IT-ALL, ON ALL FOURS, ONCE AND FOR ALL, PUT ALL ONE’S EGGS IN ONE BASKET, STRIKE ALL OF A HEAP, WALK OVER or WALK ALL OVER or STEP ALL OVER.
[all along] or ({informal}) [right along] {adv. phr.} All the time; during the whole time. •/I knew all along that we would win./ •/I knew right along that Jane would come./
[all at once]{adv. phr.} 1. At the same time; together. •/The teacher told the children to talk one at a time; if they all talked at one time, she could not understand them./ •/Bill can play the piano, sing, and lead his orchestra all at once./ 2. or [all of a sudden] Without warning; abruptly; suddenly; unexpectedly. •/All at once we heard a shot and the soldier fell to the ground./ •/All of a sudden the ship struck a rock./ Compare: AT ONCE.
[all better]{adj. phr.} Fully recovered; all well again; no longer painful. — Usually used to or by children. •/"All better now," he kept repeating to the little girl./
[all but]{adv. phr.} Very nearly; almost. •/Crows all but destroyed a farmer’s field of corn./ •/The hikers were exhausted and all but frozen when they were found./
[all ears]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Very eager to hear; very attentive. — Used in the predicate. •/Go ahead with your story; we are all ears./ •/When John told about the circus, the boys were all ears./
[alley] See: BLIND ALLEY, DOWN ONE’S ALLEY or UP ONE’S ALLEY.
[alley cat]{n.}, {slang} 1. A stray cat. 2. A person (usually a female) of rather easy-going, or actually loose sexual morals; a promiscuous person. •/You’ll have no problem dating her; she’s a regular alley cat./