(metrology)Symbol forattosecond, an SI unit of time equal to 10−18 seconds.
(metrology) arcsecond
Etymology 1
From Middle Englishas, als(a), alswa, from Old Englisheallswā(“just so; as”), thus representing a reduced form of also. Compare German Low Germanas, Germanals, Dutchals.
Pronunciation
(stressed) IPA(key): /æz/
Rhymes: -æz
(unstressed) IPA(key): /əz/
Adverb
as (not comparable)
To such an extent or degree; to the same extent or degree.
“My Continental prominence is improving,” I commented dryly. ¶ Von Lindowe cut at a furze bush with his silver-mounted rattan. ¶ “Quite so,” he said as dryly, his hand at his mustache. “I may say if your intentions were known your life would not be worth a curse.”
Considered to be, in relation to something else; in the relation (specified).
1865, The Act of Suicide as Distinct from the Crime of Self-Murder: A Sermon
1937, Tobias Matthay, On Colouring as Distinct from Tone-inflection: A Lecture (London: Oxford University Press)
(dated) For example; for instance. (Compare such as.)
1913, "Aboriginal", in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary:
First; original; indigenous; primitive; native; as, the aboriginal tribes of America.
Derived terms
as I live and breathe
Translations
Conjunction
as
In the (same) way or manner that; to the (same) degree that.
2001, Jason Manning, Mountain Honor, Signet Book (→ISBN):
"But he's good as dead, and I ain't about to waste a bullet."
Used after so or as to introduce a comparison.
Used to introduce a result: with the result that it is.
1868, Proceedings and Debates of the [New York] Constitutional Convention Held in 1867 and 1868 in the City of Albany, page 2853:
[...] that the Board of Regents had fallen into disrepute; that intelligent men inquired what the board was; he said that it was a quiet body, and kept out of the newspapers — and so quiet as to lead many to suppose tho board had ceased to exist.
2006, Eric Manasse, The Twenty-First Man, iUniverse (→ISBN), page 7:
It was a talent he had developed; he could actually be so quiet as to be practically invisible. In class, he was rarely called upon to answer any questions. In the crowded hallways, he could slip in and out without offending any of the local bullies ...
2011, Herwig C. H. Hofmann, Gerard C. Rowe, Alexander H. Türk, Administrative Law and Policy of the European Union, Oxford University Press (→ISBN), page 507:
Under most circumstances, it will be possible to draw a distinction sufficiently clear as to allow an unambiguous allocation to one or other category.
Expressing concession: though.
1843 (first published), Thomas Babington Macaulay, Essays
We wish, however, to avail ourselves of the interest, transient as it may be, which this work has excited.
2009, Matthew Friedman, Laurie B. Slone, J Friedman, After the War Zone (→ISBN):
If this happens, be patient and, difficult as it may be, try not to take these reactions personally.
At the time that; during the time when:
At the same instant or moment that: when.
At the same time that, during the same time when: while.
Varying through time in the same proportion that.
Being that, considering that, because, since.
(dated)Introducing a comparison with a hypothetical state (+ subjunctive, or with the verb elided): as though, as if. [to 19th century]
I start as from some dreadful dream.
1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts 2:
And sodenly there cam a sounde from heven as it had bene the commynge off a myghty wynde […]
c. 1616, William Shakespeare, King Henry VI part 2, First Folio 1623, I.1:
Oft haue I seene the haughty Cardinall, / More like a Souldier then a man o'th' Church, / As stout and proud as he were Lord of all […]
Functioning as a relative conjunction, and sometimes like a relative pronoun: that, which, who. (See usage notes.)[from 14th c.]
c.1595, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet:
Now will he sit under a medlar tree,
And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit,
As maids call medlars, when they laugh alone.
1854 Charles Dickens, Hard Times, Book I, Chapter II:
‘Sissy is not a name,’ said Mr. Gradgrind. ‘Don’t call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia.’ ‘It’s father as calls me Sissy, sir,’ returned the young girl in a trembling voice, and with another curtsey.
2016, Alan Moore, Jerusalem, Liveright 2016, page 99:
“If I had, if I could hold me head up with the better folk, perhaps I'd think again, but I don't reckon as that's very likely now.”
(rare, now England, Midland US and Southern US, possibly obsolete) Than.
1655, Thomas Fuller, The Church History of Britain
The king was not more forward to bestow favours on them as they free to deal affronts to others their superiors.
Usage notes
Use of as as a relative conjunction meaning "that" dates to late Middle English and was formerly common in standard English, but is now only standard in constructions like "the same issue as she had" or "the identical issue as the appellant raised before"; otherwise, it is informal, found in the dialects of the Midland, Southern, Midwestern and Western US; and of Lancashire, Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Huntingdonshire, East Anglia, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Bedfordshire, Essex, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Surrey, and Cornwall; sometimes in Durham, Westmorland, Yorkshire and Somerset; only rarely in Northumberland and Scotland; and only in certain set phrases in Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire and Devon.
Synonyms
(expressing concession):albeit, although; see also Thesaurus:even though
(at the same time that):while, whilst; see also Thesaurus:while
(being that):given that, seeing that; see also Thesaurus:because
Alternative forms
-'s(contracted form)
Translations
Preposition
as
Introducing a basis of comparison, with an object in the objective case.
A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire.
In the role of.
2000, Tom Pendergast, Sara Pendergast, St. James encyclopedia of popular culture, volume 2, page 223:
Directed by Howard Hawks, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes starred Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei and Jane Russell as Dorothy.
by way of
I bought you a new toy as a special treat.
Usage notes
The object in older English may appear, and it may be prescribed as appearing, in the nominative case, similar to than, eg. You are not as tall as I. In modern everyday English, this may seem pedantic.
Derived terms
as-built
Translations
References
as at OneLook Dictionary Search
as in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911.
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Latinas. Doublet of ace.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈæs/
Homophone: ass
Noun
as (pluralasesorasses)
(unit of weight) A libra.
Any of several coins of Rome, coined in bronze or later copper; or the equivalent value.
Translations
Further reading
As (Roman coin) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Etymology 3
a + -s.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈeɪz/
Noun
as
plural of a (compare with aes)
Usage notes
There is some difference of opinion regarding the use of apostrophes in the pluralization of references to letters as symbols. New Fowler's Modern English Usage, after noting that the usage has changed, states on page 602 that "after letters an apostrophe is obligatory." The 15th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style states in paragraph 7.16, "To avoid confusion, lowercase letters ... form the plural with an apostrophe and an s". The Oxford Style Manual on page 116 advocates the use of common sense.
See also
A's
a's
Etymology 4
Shortening of as hell or as fuck.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ˈæz/(never unstressed)
Contraction
as
(slang) As hell or as fuck; very much; extremely.
You killed him? That's metal as, girl.
References
as at OneLook Dictionary Search
Anagrams
S&A, S. A., S.A., SA, Sa, s.a.
Achumawi
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /(ʔ)ʌs/
Noun
as
water
References
Bruce E. Nevin, Aspects of Pit River phonology (1998) (Ph.D. dissertation, University of Pennsylvania, Department of Linguistics)
Afrikaans
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /as/
Etymology 1
From Dutchas, from Proto-Germanic*askǭ.
Noun
as (pluralasse, diminutiveassie)
ash
ashes
Etymology 2
From Dutchas, from Proto-Germanic*ahsō.
Noun
as (pluralasse, diminutiveassie)
axle
axis
Etymology 3
From Dutchals
Conjunction
as
if
when
Preposition
as
like
Aragonese
Etymology
From Latinillās.
Article
aspl
the
Usage notes
The form las, either pronounced as las or as ras, can be found after words ending with -a.
Catalan
Pronunciation
(Balearic, Central, Valencian) IPA(key): /ˈas/
Rhymes: -as
Etymology 1
From Latinas(“basic Roman unit of money”).
Noun
asm (pluralasos)
(games) An ace. (the side of a die with a single pip)
(card games) An ace. (a card with a single pip, usually of highest rank in a suit)
(figuratively, sports) An ace. (an expert)
(historical, metrology) An as or a libra. (Roman unit of weight)
(historical, numismatics) An as (Roman unit of money).
Derived terms
as de guia(“bowline knot”)
sempre un sis o un as(“a handicap or a problem”)
Etymology 2
From Old Norseáss, singular of æsir(“the Norse gods”).
Noun
asm (pluralasos)
(mythology) One of the Æsir.
Etymology 3
Contraction
as
(dialectal) Contraction of the preposition a with the salty article es.
Synonyms
al(“contraction of a and el”)
Etymology 4
Noun
as
plural of a
Cimbrian
Etymology
Confer Germanals, Englishas.
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Conjunction
as
(Sette Comuni) if
References
“as” in Martalar, Umberto Martello; Bellotto, Alfonso (1974) Dizionario della lingua Cimbra dei Sette Communi vicentini, 1st edition, Roana, Italy: Instituto di Cultura Cimbra A. Dal Pozzo
Capitalized for the great octave or any octave below that, or in names of major keys; not capitalized for the small octave or any octave above that, or in names of minor keys.
Declension
Compounds
as-aiolinen
as-doorinen
As-duuri
as-fryyginen
As-jooninen
as-lokrinen
As-lyydinen
As-miksolyydinen
as-molli
Anagrams
sa
French
Etymology 1
From Latinas.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ɑs/
Rhymes: -as
Noun
asm (pluralas)
ace (card of value 1)
ace (expert or pilot)
as(Roman coin)
Descendants
→ German: As, Ass
→ Hungarian: ász
→ Vietnamese: át
See also
Etymology 2
From the verb avoir.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /a/
Verb
as
second-person singular present indicative of avoir
Anagrams
sa
Further reading
“as” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Friulian
Etymology
From Latinaxis.
Noun
asm
axis
board
Galician
Etymology 1
From Old Portugueseas, from Latinillās, accusative feminine plural of ille(“that”).
The definite article o (in all its forms) regularly forms contractions when it follows the prepositions a(“to”), con(“with”), de(“of, from”), and en(“in”). For example, con as ("with the") contracts to coas, and en as ("in the") contracts to nas.
Derived terms
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the main entry.
Pronoun
as
accusative of elas
Icelandic
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /aːs/
Rhymes: -aːs
Noun
asn
(music) A flat
Indonesian
Pronunciation
IPA(key): [ˈas]
Hyphenation: as
Etymology 1
From Dutchas(“axis, axle”), from Middle Dutchasse, from Old Dutch*assa, from Proto-Germanic*ahsō.
Noun
as (plural, first-person possessiveasku, second-person possessiveasmu, third-person possessiveasnya)
axis, axle
Synonym:sumbu
Etymology 2
From Dutchaas(“ace”), earlier ase, from Middle Dutchaes, from Old Frenchas, from Latinas. * Semantic loan from Englishace for meaning other than card with a single spot.
Noun
as (plural, first-person possessiveasku, second-person possessiveasmu, third-person possessiveasnya)
ace,
card with a single spot.
(tennis) point scored without the opponent hitting the ball.
(golf) a hole in one.
Further reading
“as” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) Daring, Jakarta: Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa, Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Republik Indonesia, 2016.
Irish
Etymology 1
From Old Irishass, a(“out of”) (compare Scottish Gaelicà), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European*h₁eǵʰs (compare Latinex).
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /asˠ/
(Munster) IPA(key): /ɑsˠ/
(Aran) IPA(key): /æsˠ/(as if spelled eas)
Preposition
as (plus dative, triggers no mutation)
out of
from (a place)
off
Inflection
Derived terms
Etymology 2
From Old Irishass.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /asˠ/
(Munster) IPA(key): /ɑsˠ/
(Aran) IPA(key): /æsˠ/(as if spelled eas)
Pronoun
as (emphaticas-san)
third-person masculine singular of as(from, off, out of)
Derived terms
as féin(“alone”)
Adverb
as
off (in or into a state of non-operation or non-existence: of a machine, light, etc.)
out (in or into a state of non-operation or non-existence: of a fire, etc.)
Derived terms
Etymology 3
Old Irishas(“shoe, slipper”)
Noun
asm (genitive singularasa, nominative pluralasa)
(literary) shoe
Declension
Etymology 4
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)
Noun
asm (genitive singularasa)
(literary) milk
Declension
Mutation
Further reading
"as" in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, An Gúm, 1977, by Niall Ó Dónaill.
Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “7 a (‘out of’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “as (‘milk’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “as (‘shoe’)”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Finck, F. N. (1899), Die araner mundart, Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, vol. I, p. 195.
M. L. Sjoestedt-Jonval (1938), Description d’un parler irlandais de Kerry, Paris: Librairie Ancienne Honoré Champion, p. 95.
Entries containing “as” in New English-Irish Dictionary by Foras na Gaeilge.
Latgalian
Etymology
From Proto-Baltic*ež, from Proto-Indo-European*eǵ (from *éǵh₂). Akin to Latvianes.
Pronoun
as
I
Declension
Latin
Alternative forms
𐆚(symbol)
Etymology
From Old Latin*ass, probably from Etruscan. Libra and nummus were also loanwords.
Pronunciation
(Classical) IPA(key): /as/, [as̠]
(Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /as/
Noun
asm (genitiveassis); third declension
An as; a Roman coin originally made of bronze and weighing a pound, but later made of copper and weighing half an ounce.
Usage notes
It is especially significant as being the coin of least value in the Classical age; as such it was often used in poetry as representative of the idea of worthlessness - one example being in Vivamus atque amemus, where Catullus mentions "valuing opinions of old men at a single as". 2 and a half asses equalled a single sesterce.
Declension
The genitive plural is normally assium, but assum is found in Varro.
Third-declension noun (i-stem).
Derived terms
decussis
sēmis
Descendants
Catalan: as
Old French: as
Middle French: as
French: as (see there for further descendants)
→ Middle Dutch: aes
Dutch: aas
Afrikaans: aas
→ Middle English: as
English: ace (see there for further descendants)
Scots: ace
Portuguese: ás, asse
Spanish: as
→ English: as
→ Polish: as
References
as in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
as in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
as in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
as in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
as in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
as in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
Manx
Etymology
From Old Irishocus(“and", originally "proximity”), from Proto-Celtic*onkus-tus, from *onkus(“near”).
Conjunction
as
and
References
Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “2 ocus”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Middle English
Etymology 1
Reduction of alswo, alswa, also, from Old Englisheallswā. The reduced form is more common in this sense from c. 1200.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /as/
Conjunction
as
as
Alternative forms
ase, os
Descendants
English: as
Scots: as
References
“as, conj.” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
Etymology 2
From Old Frenchas(“ace”), from Latinas, assis(“as (Roman coin)”).
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /aːs/
Noun
as
(dice games) ace (single spot on a die)
(dice games) The lowest possible throw in dice.
(figuratively, by extension) bad luck
Descendants
English: ace (see there for further descendants)
Scots: ace
References
“ās, n.” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
second-person singular present indicative of avoir
Old Irish
Alternative forms
ass(Etymologies 2 and 3)
es(Etymology 2)
Etymology 1
Verb
as (triggers lenition in a direct relative clause and eclipsis in an indirect relative clause)
third-person singular present indicative relative of is
Etymology 2
Pronoun
as
third-person singular masculine of a(“out of”)
Etymology 3
Noun
asn (genitiveais)
milk
c.775, Táin Bó Fraích from the Book of Leinster, published in Táin bó Fraích (1974, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies), edited by Wolfgang Meid, line 164
Inflection
Mutation
Further reading
Gregory Toner, Maire Ní Mhaonaigh, Sharon Arbuthnot, Dagmar Wodtko, Maire-Luise Theuerkauf, editors (2019) , “1 as”, in eDIL: Electronic Dictionary of the Irish Language
Old Prussian
Pronoun
as (pluralmes)
I, the first-person singular pronoun
Old Saxon
Etymology
From Proto-Germanic*ansuz(“god, deity”).
Noun
āsm (declension unknown)
god
the runic character ᚨ (/a/ or /aː/)
Pennsylvania German
Etymology
Compare Germanals, Dutchals, Englishas.
Conjunction
as
as
As ich des Poscht schreib...
As I write this post...
than
but
Pronoun
as
(relative) which
(relative) who
Leit as nix zu duh hen
People who have nothing to do
Polish
Etymology
From Frenchas, from Latinas, from Old Latin*ass, probably from Etruscan.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /as/
Noun
asm anim
(card games) ace
Declension
Noun
asm pers
ace (skilled pilot)
Declension
Further reading
as in Polish dictionaries at PWN
Portuguese
Etymology
From Old Portugueseas, from Latinillās (with an initial l having disappeared; compare Spanishlas).
Pronunciation
(Portugal) IPA(key): /ɐʃ/
(Brazil) IPA(key): /as/
Homophones: ás, às, hás, az
Hyphenation: as
Article
as
feminine plural of o
Quotations
For quotations using this term, see Citations:o.
See also
Pronoun
asf pl
(third person personal) them (as a direct object; the corresponding indirect object is lhes; the form used after prepositions is elas).
Synonyms:las, nas
Usage notes
As becomes -las after verb forms ending in -r, -s, or -z, the pronouns nos and vos, and the adverb eis; the ending letter causing the change disappears.
After ver:
After pôr:
After fiz:
After nos:
After eis:
Becomes -nas after a nasal diphthong: -ão, -am [ɐ̃w̃], -õe [õj̃], -em, -êm [ẽj̃].
In Brazil it is being abandoned in favor of the nominative form elas.
Eu as vi. → Eu vi elas. = "I saw them.
Quotations
For quotations using this term, see Citations:as.
See also
Noun
asm
plural of a
Saterland Frisian
Etymology
From Old Frisianas, ase, asa, als, alse, alsa, equivalent to al + so. More at as.
Adverb
as
as
Conjunction
as
as
Scottish Gaelic
Particle
as
Creates the superlative when preceding the comparative form of an adjective or an adverb.
glic(“wise”) → as glice(“wisest”)
mòr(“big”) → as motha(“biggest”)
Usage notes
Only used in the present and future tenses. In the past tense and the conditional mood, a bu and a b' are used.
Lenites initial f if followed by a vowel:
fuar → as fhuaire
Related terms
nas
Serbo-Croatian
Etymology
Borrowed from GermanAs, from Latinas(“as, copper coin”).
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /âs/
Noun
ȁsm (Cyrillic spellingа̏с)
(card games, sports) ace
Declension
See also
Slovene
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /áːs/
Noun
ȃsm anim
(card games) An ace; in a game of cards.
An ace; somebody very proficient at an activity.
Inflection
See also
Spanish
Etymology
From Latinas.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /as/
Homophones: has, haz(non-Castilian)
Noun
asm (pluralases)
(card games) an ace (in a game of cards)
an ace, a hotshot (somebody very proficient at an activity)
an as(a Roman coin).
Derived terms
Further reading
“as” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.
Swedish
Etymology 1
From Middle Low Germanâs.
Noun
asn
Carrion, carcass (of an animal killed by a predator).
(slang, derogatory) An inconsiderate or otherwise contemptible person.
Declension
Derived terms
asätare
Etymology 2
From Old Norseáss.
Noun
asc
One of the Æsir, a Norse God.
Declension
Synonyms
asagud
Anagrams
sa
Tok Pisin
Etymology
From Englisharse.
Noun
as
buttocks, backside
bottom, base
reason, meaning, motivation
beginning, source
Derived terms
Turkish
Etymology 1
From Ottoman Turkishآص (as), from Proto-Turkic*argun, *āŕ.
Noun
as (definite accusativeası, pluralaslar)
ermine
Synonyms:kakım, ermin
(dialectal) weasel
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Frenchas. Note that in Ottoman Turkish until its end – though it be that playing cards had been introduced in Turkey by Europeans and French in particular – the card was called بك (bey). Apparently this usage switch is a function of the Law on the Abolishment of Nicknames and Titles from the 26th of November 1934 (Lâkap ve Unvanların Kaldırılması Hakkındaki Kanun).
Noun
as (definite accusativeası, pluralaslar)
(card games) ace
Coordinate terms
Etymology 3
Verb
as
second-person singular imperative of asmak
Volapük
Preposition
as(ays, äs)
as
Wagi
Noun
as
woman
Further reading
J. Spencer, S. van Cott, B. MacKenzie, G. Muñoz, A Sociolinguistic Survey of the Wagi [fad] Language
West Frisian
Etymology 1
From Old Frisianas, ase, asa, als, alse, alsa, equivalent to al + so. More at as.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ɔs/, /as/
Conjunction
as
if, provided that
as, like (used to form an equating phrase)
than
Further reading
“as (II)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011
Etymology 2
From Old Frisian*ax, from Proto-Germanic*ahsō.
Pronunciation
IPA(key): /ɔs/
Noun
asc (pluralassen, diminutiveaske)
axis
axle (of a car)
Further reading
“as (I)”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011