Dictionary
a•bove
Pronunciation: (u-buv'), [key]—
adv.
1. in, at, or to a higher place.
2. overhead, upstairs, or in the sky:
My brother lives in the apartment above. A flock of birds circled above.
3. higher in rank, authority, or power:
She was told to speak to the person above.
4. higher in quantity or number:
books with 100 pages and above.
5. before or earlier, esp. in a book or other piece of writing; foregoing:
the remark quoted above. Cf.
below (def. 6).
6. in or to heaven:
gone to her eternal rest above.
7. Zool.on the upper or dorsal side.
8. Theat.upstage. Cf.
below (def. 9).
9. higher than zero on the temperature scale:
The temperature dropped to ten above this morning.
—
prep.
1. in or to a higher place than; over:
to fly above the clouds; the floor above ours.
2. more in quantity or number than; in excess of:
all girls above 12 years of age; The weight is above a ton.
3. superior in rank, authority, or standing to:
A captain is above a lieutenant.
4. not subject or liable to; not capable of (some undesirable action, thought, etc.):
above suspicion; to be above bad behavior.
5. of too fine a character for:
He is above such trickery.
6. rather than; in preference to:
to favor one child above the other.
7. beyond, esp. north of:
six miles above Baltimore.
8. Theat.upstage of.
9. above all, most important of all; principally:
charity above all.
—
adj.
said, mentioned, or written above; foregoing:
the above explanation.
—
n.
1. something that was said, mentioned, or written above:
to refer to the above.
2. the person or persons previously indicated:
The above will all stand trial.
3. heaven:
truly a gift from above.
4. a higher authority:
an order from above. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
