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.
Back

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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END of Chapter One