|
a·bove [ ə búv ] CORE MEANING: a grammatical word indicating a position directly overhead, on top of, or higher than something
 (prep) The bird flew up above the trees.
 (adv) gazing at the sky above |
| Definition: |
| |
1. preposition over: over, higher than, or on top of
 hanging over the fireplace
|
2. preposition more than: greater than an amount or level
 100 pounds above the ideal body weight
|
3. preposition superior to: higher in status or power
 A general is above a colonel.
|
4. preposition too good for: too good or important to be affected by or involved in something
 They felt they were above small town gossip.
|
5. preposition beyond: not subject to something negative such as criticism or reproach
|
6. preposition in more respected position than: in a position that is valued more or considered more important than other people or things
 We put your needs above everything else.
|
7. preposition too difficult for: outside or beyond somebody's understanding
 The lecture was completely above me.
|
8. preposition louder than: louder than or over another sound
 She couldn't hear him above the roar of the band.
|
9. preposition north of: lying north of a place
 a small town just above Seattle
|
10. preposition upstream from: lying upstream from a place
|
11. adverb in previous place in writing: appearing previously in a piece of writing
(
often used in hyphenated compounds
)
 using the information from the table above
|
12. adverb religion in heaven: to or in heaven
(
literary
)
|
13. adverb on top: overhead, in a higher position, or on top
|
| [ Old English abufan< an (see on) + bufan "above" < Indo-European] |
|
above all used to indicate the most important thing or the main point of a statement
|