Adjacent Words

Above definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ABOVE', prep.
1. Literally, higher in place.
The fowls that fly above the earth. Gen
1:20.
2. Figuratively, superior in any respect.
I saw a light above the brightness of the Sun, Acts 26.
The price of a virtuous woman is above rubies, Proverbs 31.
3. More in number or quantity.
He was seen by above five hundred brethren at once, 1 Corinthians 25.
The weight is above a tun.
4. More in degree; in a greater degree.
Hannaniah feared God above many. Neh
7:2.
The serpent is cursed above all cattle. Genesis 3.
5. Beyond; in excess.
In stripes above measure. 2 Corinthians 11.
God will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, 1 Cor
10:13.
6. Beyond; in a state to be unattainable; as things above comprehension.
7. Too proud for.
This man is above his business.
8. Too elevated in mind or rank; having too much dignity for; as
This man is above mean actions.
9. It is often used elliptically, for heaven, or the celestial regions.
Let not God regard it from above, Job 3.
The powers above.
10. In a book or writing, it denotes before or in a former place, as what has been said above; supra. This mode of speaking originated in the ancient manner of writing, on a strip of parchment, beginning at one end and proceeding to the other. The beginning was the upper end.
ABOVE', adv.
1. Overhead; in a higher place.
2. Before.
3. Chief in rank or power. Deutoronomy 28.
Above all is elliptical; above all considerations; chiefly; in preference to other things.
Above board; above the board or table; in open sight; without trick, concealment or deception. This expression is said by Johnson to be borrowed from gamesters, who, when they change their cards, put their hands under the table.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: appearing earlier in the same text; "flaws in the above interpretation" n
1: an earlier section of a written text; "for instructions refer to the above" adv
1: at an earlier place; "see above" [syn: above, supra] [ant: below]
2: in or to a place that is higher [syn: above, higher up, in a higher place, to a higher place] [ant: at a lower place, below, beneath, to a lower place]

Merriam Webster's

I. adverb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English abufan, from a- + bufan above, from be- + ufan above; akin to Old English ofer over Date: before 12th century 1. a. in the sky ; overhead <the clouds above> b. in or to heaven 2. a. in or to a higher place b. higher on the same page or on a preceding page c. upstairs d. above zero <10 degrees above> 3. in or to a higher rank or number <30 and above> 4. archaic in addition ; besides 5. upstage II. preposition Date: before 12th century 1. a. in or to a higher place than ; over b. upriver of 2. a. superior to (as in rank, quality, or degree) b. out of reach of <above suspicion> c. in preference to d. too proud or honorable to stoop to <not above taking undue credit> 3. exceeding in number, quantity, or size ; more than <men above 50 years old> 4. as distinct from and in addition to <heard the whistle above the roar of the crowd> III. noun (plural above) Date: 13th century 1. a. something that is above b. a person whose name is written above 2. a. a higher authority b. heaven Usage: Although still objected to by some, the use of above as a noun in sense 1a <none of the above> <the above is Theseus's opinion — William Blake> and as an adjective <without the above reserve — O. W. Holmes †1935> <I was brought up on the above words — Viscount Montgomery> has been long established as standard. IV. adjective Date: 1604 written or discussed higher on the same page or on a preceding page Usage: see above III

Oxford Reference Dictionary

prep., adv., adj., & n. --prep. 1 over; on the top of; higher (vertically, up a slope or stream etc.) than; over the surface of (head above water; above the din). 2 more than (above twenty people; above average). 3 higher in rank, position, importance, etc., than (above all). 4 a too great or good for (above one's station; is not above cheating at cards). b beyond the reach of; not affected by (above my understanding; above suspicion). 5 archaic to an earlier time than (not traced above the third century). --adv. 1 at or to a higher point; overhead (the floor above; the clouds above). 2 a upstairs (lives above). b upstream. 3 (of a text reference) further back on a page or in a book (as noted above). 4 on the upper side (looks similar above and below). 5 in addition (over and above). 6 rhet. in heaven (Lord above!). --adj. mentioned earlier; preceding (the above argument). --n. (prec. by the) what is mentioned above (the above shows). Phrases and idioms: above-board adj. & adv. without concealment; fair or fairly; open or openly. above ground alive. above one's head see HEAD. above oneself conceited, arrogant. Etymology: A(2) + OE bufan f. be = BY + ufan above

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Above A*bove", adv. 1. In a higher place; overhead; into or from heaven; as, the clouds above. 2. Earlier in order; higher in the same page; hence, in a foregoing page. ``That was said above.'' --Dryden. 3. Higher in rank or power; as, he appealed to the court above. 4. More than; as, above five hundred were present. Note: Above is often used elliptically as an adjective by omitting the word mentioned, quoted, or the like; as, the above observations, the above reference, the above articles. -- Above is also used substantively. ``The waters that come down from above.'' --Josh. iii. 13. It is also used as the first part of a compound in the sense of before, previously; as, above-cited, above-described, above-mentioned, above-named, abovesaid, abovespecified, above-written, above-given.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Above A*bove", prep. [OE. above, aboven, abuffe, AS. abufon; an (or on) on + be by + ufan upward; cf. Goth. uf under. [root]199. See Over.] 1. In or to a higher place; higher than; on or over the upper surface; over; -- opposed to below or beneath. Fowl that may fly above the earth. --Gen. i. 20. 2. Figuratively, higher than; superior to in any respect; surpassing; beyond; higher in measure or degree than; as, things above comprehension; above mean actions; conduct above reproach. ``Thy worth . . . is actions above my gifts.'' --Marlowe. I saw in the way a light from heaven above the brightness of the sun. --Acts xxxvi. 13. 3. Surpassing in number or quantity; more than; as, above a hundred. (Passing into the adverbial sense. See Above, adv., 4.) above all, before every other consideration; chiefly; in preference to other things. Over and above, prep. or adv., besides; in addition to.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If one thing is above another one, it is directly over it or higher than it. He lifted his hands above his head... Apartment 46 was a quiet apartment, unlike the one above it... He was staring into the mirror above him. ? below PREP • Above is also an adverb. A long scream sounded from somewhere above. ...a picture of the new plane as seen from above... ? below ADV: ADV after v, from ADV 2. In writing, you use above to refer to something that has already been mentioned or discussed. Several conclusions could be drawn from the results described above... ? below ADV: ADV after v, n ADV • Above is also a noun. For additional information, contact any of the above. N-SING-COLL: the N • Above is also an adjective. For a copy of their brochure, write to the above address. ADJ: ADJ n 3. If an amount or measurement is above a particular level, it is greater than that level. The temperature crept up to just above 40 degrees... Victoria Falls has had above average levels of rainfall this year... Government spending is planned to rise 3 per cent above inflation. ? below PREP • Above is also an adverb. Banks have been charging 25 percent and above for unsecured loans. ADV: amount and ADV 4. If you hear one sound above another, it is louder or clearer than the second one. Then there was a woman's voice, rising shrilly above the barking. = over PREP 5. If someone is above you, they are in a higher social position than you or in a position of authority over you. I married above myself–rich county people... ? below PREP • Above is also an adverb. The policemen admitted beating the student, but said they were acting on orders from above. ADV: from ADV 6. If you say that someone thinks they are above something, you mean that they act as if they are too good or important for it. I'm not above doing my own cleaning. PREP [disapproval] 7. If someone is above criticism or suspicion, they cannot be criticized or suspected because of their good qualities or their position. He was a respected academic and above suspicion. = beyond PREP: v-link PREP n 8. If you value one person or thing above any other, you value them more or consider that they are more important. ...his tendency to put the team above everything... PREP 9. over and above: see over above the law: see law above board: see board

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. prep. 1. Higher than, on top of, atop of. 2. Over, exceeding, more than, greater than. 3. Beyond, superior to. 4. Too high for, too proud for, of rectitude too great for, too magnanimous for. II. ad. 1. Overhead, aloft, on high, in a high place, in heaven, in the heavenly heights, in excelsis. 2. Before, in a former part, previously. 3. Of a higher rank or order.

Moby Thesaurus

a cut above, above all, above and beyond, abovestairs, additionally, again, ahead, airward, all included, aloft, aloof, also, altogether, among other things, and all, and also, and so, ante, as well, ascendant, at bottom, atop, au reste, before, before everything, beside, besides, better, beyond, capping, chiefly, chosen, distinguished, eclipsing, else, eminent, en plus, essentially, exceeding, excellent, excelling, extra, farther, finer, first of all, for lagniappe, further, furthermore, greater, hereinabove, hereinbefore, high, high up, higher, highest, in addition, in ascendancy, in excess of, in the air, in the ascendant, in the clouds, inter alia, into the bargain, item, likewise, mainly, major, marked, more, moreover, of choice, on, on high, on stilts, on the peak, on the side, on tiptoe, on top of, one up on, outstanding, over, over and above, overhead, past, plus, primarily, rare, rivaling, similarly, skyward, straight up, super, superior, supra, surpassing, then, therewith, tiptoe, to boot, to the zenith, too, too deep for, topping, transcendent, transcendental, transcending, up, upmost, upon, upper, uppermost, upstairs, upward, upwards, yet