about sledge (aboutslej)

[ above (a-buv'), adv. and prep. [ E. dial. and Sc. aboon, abune, q. v.), Your praise the birds shall chant in every grove, And winds shall waft it to the powers above . (b) Upstairs. Pope , Summer, 1. 80. IMG:content-0076.png:[blocks in formation] 2. On the upper side (opposed to beneath ); toward the top (opposed to below ): as, leaves green above, glaucous beneath; stems smooth above, hairy below. -3. Higher in rank or power: as, the courts above.-4. Before in rank or order, especially in a book or writing: as, from what has been said above.-5. Be sides: in the expre ion over and above. And stand indebted, over and above, In love and service to you evermore. Heaven: as, "Every good gift is from above," Jas. 1. 17. (2) Preceding statement, remarks, or the like: as, from the above you will learn my object. It has the force of an adjective in such phrases as the above particulars, in which cited or mentioned is understood. II. prep. 1. In or to a higher place than. And fowl that may fly above the earth. Gen. i. 20. 2. Superior to in any respect: often in the sense of too high for, as too high in dignity or fancied importance; too elevated in character: as, this man is above his busine , above mean actions. Doubtle , in man there is a nature found, Beside the senses, and above them far. Sir J. Davies , Immortal. of Soul, ii. Seneca wrote largely on natural philosophy because it tended to raise the mind above low cares. solely Macaulay, Lord Byron. IMG:content-0077.png:[blocks in formation] weight is above a ton. He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once. 1 Cor. xv. 6. 4. More in degree than; in a greater degree than; beyond; in exce of. Thou [the serpent] art cursed above all cattle. IMG:content-0078.png:[blocks in formation] Above the bounds of reason. 1 Cor. x. 13. Shak ., T. G. of V., ii. 7. I heard a knocking for above an hour. Swift , Gull, Trav., i. 1. Above all, above or before everything else; before every other consideration; in preference to all other things.Above the rest, especially; particularly: as, one night above the rest.-Above the world. (a) Above considering what people say. (b) Holding a secure position in life; having one's fortune made. With such an income as that he should be above the world , as the saying is. A. Trollope. = Syn, Over , Above. See over. aboveboard (a-buv'bord), prep . phr . as adv . or a . [ above + board . "A figurative expre ion, borrowed from gamesters, who, when they put their hands under the table, are changing their cards." Johnson.] In open sight; without tricks or disguise: as, an honest man deals above board ; his actions are open and aboveboard . Lovers in this age have too much honour to do anything underhand; they do all aboveboard . Vanbrugh , Relapse, ii. 1. above-deck (a-buv'dek), prep. phr. as adv. or a. 1. Upon deck: as, the above - deck cargo.2. Figuratively, without artifice; aboveboard: as, his dealings are all above - deck. [Colloq.] above-ground (a-buv'ground), prep. phr. as adv. or a. Alive; not buried. I'll have 'em, an they be above - ground . Beau, and Fl . , The Chances. ab ovo (ab ō'vō). [L., from the egg: ab, from; ovo, abl. of ovum, egg, ovum: see ovum.] Literally, from the egg; hence, from the very beginning, generally with allusion to the Roman custom of beginning a meal with eggs. In this case it is the first part of the phrase ab ovo usque ad mala, from the egg to the apples, that is, from beginning to end; but sometimes the allusion is to the poet who began the history of the Trojan war with the story of the egg from which Helen was fabled to have been born. By way of tracing the whole theme [the Homeric controversy] ab ovo, suppose we begin by stating the chronological bearings of the principal objects with the Iliad. connected De Quincey , Homer, i. Bark with Yards Abox. abox (a-boks'), prep . phr . as adv . or a . [ a3 , prep ., + box2 .] Naut . , in or into the position of the yards of a ve el when the head-sails are laid aback: applied to the head-yards only, the other sails being kept full. [Shakspere has more above in the same sense. This, in obedience, hath my daughter showed me; And more above , hath his solicitings. All given to mine ear. Hence-2. Any word-charm or empty jingle of words. abracalam (a-brak'a-lam), n. [Cf. abraca dabra.] A cabalistic word used as a charm among the Jews.