aboard
If you are aboard a ship, train, aircraft or spacecraft you are
on
it or in it. It is used with verbs:
e.g.
Various experiments were carried
out aboard the US space
shuttle.
I always feel nervous when I am aboard an aircraft.
It can also be used with nouns:
e.g.
There is a need to improve safety regulations aboard aircraft.
It can also be used as an adverb:
e.g.
The 747 crashed in the mountains, killing all 550 passengers aboard.
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about
1) If you write, talk, think, or have feelings about a particular
thing, your words, thoughts, or feelings concern that thing.
It is used with verbs:
e.g.
Let's talk about this tomorrow.
I always worry about the future.
It is used with nouns:
e.g.
This is an HTML document about English prepositions.
I need to have more information about this problem.
It is used with adjectives:
e.g.
He was pleased about the result of the elections.
Many people are upset about the recent financial scandals.
Other uses:
1) If you do something about a bad situation, you try to improve it.
e.g.
I wish the government would do something about the housing shortage.
2) If you say there is a vague quality
about someone or something, you mean they have it.
e.g.
He has a sickly look about him.
There is an eerie feeling about that old house.
3) If you move about a place, you
go to different parts of it.
e.g.
I wandered about the gallery, looking at the paintings.
It isn't safe to let children run about the streets.
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above
If one thing is above
another, it is higher than the other thing or over the top of
it.
It is used with verbs:
e.g.
Himeji Castle towers above the rest of the town.
It is used with nouns:
e.g.
The room above mine was empty until last week.
It is used as an adverb:
e.g.
There is often a lot of noise from the floor above.
Other uses:
1) If something is above a particular amount or level, it is greater or higher than that amount or
level.
e.g.
The temperature did not rise much above zero
in February.
He spoke softly, just above a whisper.
2) If someone is above you, they
are in a higher social position or in a position of authority
over you.
e.g.
I can't make a decision on this matter. It'll have to go above
me, to my boss or his boss.
3) If someone thinks they are above a
particular activity, they think they are too important to do it.
e.g.
He never helps with the housework, he thinks he's above
all that.
4) If someone is above criticism or suspicion,
they cannot be criticised or suspected because of their qualities
or social position. Used after 'be':
e.g.
His loyalty and morals are above reproach.
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according
to
1) If someone says that something is true according to a person,
book or other source, they are indicating where the information
came from. Often used to introduce a topic:
e.g.
According to the International Herald Tribune, panic over
'Mad Cow Disease' is sweeping the world.
2) If something is done according to
a set of principles, it is done using these principles as a base.
e.g. with a verb:
You should always have
your car serviced according to the
manufacturer's instructions.
3) If something varies according to a changing
or variable factor, it varies in a way determined by this factor.
e.g. with a verb:
Timber yields vary according
to the type of tree and the location
and soil quality.
4) If something goes according to plan
or according to schedule, it happens in exactly the way it was
intended.
e.g. usually used with 'go':
If everything goes according
to plan we'll be finished long before
the deadline.
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across
1) If someone or something goes
across a place, they go from one side to the other.
Used with verbs:
e.g.
We went across the street to our favourite restaurant.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
He enjoyed the train journey across Siberia very much.
2) Things are sometimes situated
across something else, meaning that they are situated
from one side of it to the other.
e.g.
There was a banner stretched across the street.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
It's the main bridge across the river.
3) Something that is across something
(a street, river, town etc) is on the other side of it.
e.g.
My car's just across the
street.
He likes to drink in a little bar across town.
4) You can use across to say an
expression is shown briefly on someone's face.
e.g.
He stopped and a quick smile went across his face.
5) If something happens across
a place or organisation, it happens everywhere within it.
e.g.
The habit of male face-shaving is widespread across the globe.
At party meetings across the
country they were choosing delegates.
6) If something happens across a political,
religious, social or cultural barrier, it involves people in different
groups.
Used with a verb:
e.g.
The political issues tended to cut across party lines.
Used with a noun:
e.g.
There is often dispute across cultures.
7) If you come, run, or stumble across
something, you find it unexpectedly.
e.g.
The other day I came across my old school diplomas.
In many fields of research great discoveries are often stumbled
across quite unexpectedly.
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across
from
If one person or thing is situated across from another,
they are opposite each other.
e.g
The Hotel Hirschen is right across
from the church.
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after
1) If something happens after a time, event or period, it happens during the
time that follows that time, event or period.
Used with verbs:
e.g.
He didn't come in till after midnight last night.
She returned after a few minutes.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
I hate the time after sunset before you come home.
Used as an adverb:
e.g.
One train leaves just before noon and the other leaves not long
after.
2) You can use after to indicate
a previous event or experience which affects the present situation.
e.g.
The room light seemed greenish after the
bright sunlight outside.
3) If you do something after someone else,
you do it when they have already done it.
e.g.
I stood up after him and said I agreed with everything he said.
4) If you go after
a person or thing, you follow that person or thing, usually to
try and catch up with them.
e.g.
Two men went after the thief who had stolen the woman's purse.
5) If you are after
something, you want to get it for yourself.
e.g.
It soon became obvious that the newspapers were only after
scandal, not information.
6) If you call or shout
after someone, you do it as they move away from you.
e.g.
She called after him, but he just kept on walking.
7) If you do something after
someone, you do it for them after they have left.
e.g.
Parents always have to tidy
up after their children.
8) If you are named after
someone, you are given the same name as them.
e.g.
His name was Edward, after his great-grandfather.
9) If you take after
a relative, you have some of the same characteristics as they
have.
e.g.
He takes after his grandfather where gardening is concerned.
10) If you ask after
someone, you ask for news about them.
e.g.
When I went back to England I asked after some old school friends who had left the area.
11) After is also used between identical nouns to emphasize
a long series of things.
e.g.
He worked at the same job day after day, week after week, month after month.
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against
1) If something is leaning
or pressing against something else, it is touching it. Used with
verbs:
e.g.
My umbrella is over there, leaning against the wall.
2) If you compete, fight
or take action against someone, you try to defeat or harm them. Used
with verbs:
e.g.
Japan played against Korea in the Olympic qualifying final.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
Many countries joined the boycott against British beef.
3) If you take action against
something, you try to end it or prevent it. Used with verbs:
e.g.
Large numbers of people have been demonstrating against
the US military presence in Okinawa.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
The people of Okinawa mounted a campaign against the US military presence.
4) If you are against
something, you think it is a bad thing.
Used with verbs:
e.g.
Most people in Japan are against nuclear weapons.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
There are sometimes large demonstrations against the US Navy in Yokosuka.
Used with adjectives:
e.g.
In Britain, the feeling is that the well-educated are prejudiced
against industry.
Used as an adverb:
e.g
In the vote the men were in favour, the women against.
5) If there is evidence against
a theory or person, there are facts which suggest that the theory
is wrong or the person has done something wrong.
e.g.
There is a lot of evidence against the Aum Shinrikyo cult in the Tokyo subway gassing
incident.
6) If you do something against
someone's wishes, advice or orders, you do not do what they want
you to do.
e.g.
He continued to play
rugby, against his doctor's
advice.
7) If something is against the law
(or the rules) there is a law (or a rule) which says you must
not do it.
e.g.
Drinking and driving is strictly against the law.
8) If you are moving against
a current or wind, you are moving in the opposite direction to
it.
e.g.
It is very difficult to cycle against a strong wind.
9) If something is measured against
something else, it is seen in comparison or in contrast to it.
e.g.
The obvious benefits from this plan have to be measured against
the high financial cost.
10) The odds against
something happening are the chances that it will not happen.
e.g.
The odds against contracting CJD (Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease) from
eating beef are very high.
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ahead
of
1) If something is ahead of
you, it is directly in front of you. Used with verbs:
e.g.
In Japan, men traditionally walk ahead
of women but this is not so common
nowadays.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
The road ahead
of him was dark and dangerous.
2) If an event or period of time lies
ahead of you, it is going to take place in the future.
e.g.
We've got a long
journey ahead of us, so
let's relax and take it easy before we start.
3) If you do something ahead of someone
else, you do it before that person does it.
e.g.
He finished the
marathon a whole minute ahead of his
nearest rival.
4) If something happens ahead of
an event or time, it happens before that event or time.
e.g.
People stocked up on sugar, gasoline and other goods ahead of
expected price rises.
5) If something happens ahead of
schedule, it happens earlier than was planned.
e.g.
Our project is now two months ahead
of schedule--well done!
6) If someone is ahead of someone
else, they have made more progress.
e.g.
We are now well ahead
of our competitors, let's keep it
that way!
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