a-prefix¹

Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel; see e.g. arise v.

Forms: early Old English aa-, Old English– a-, late Old English æ-, early Middle English ha-.

Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: or- prefix.

Etymology: Originally a variant of or- prefix, showing an unstressed form of the prefix used in verbal compounds (see discussion at or- prefix).An earlier form ar- (preserving the final consonant) is attested in Old English aræfnan to endure, to perform (the base is æfnan , efnan : see eem v.¹), but the formation (by back-formation) of a verb ræfnan in the same sense suggests that this form of the prefix was apparently no longer recognized as such in Old English (see A. Campbell Old Eng. Gram. (1959) §73 note 2, R. M. Hogg Gram. Old Eng. (1992) I. §2.88 note 4). For the correspondence in Old English with the stressed prefix ǣ- in nouns and adjectives see discussion at e- prefix¹. In cases with doubling of the following consonant such as accurse v., affright adj., allay v.¹ apparently identified with a- prefix⁵ and hence altered on the pattern of words ultimately of Latin origin showing ad- prefix (compare the discussion at the individual entries and at ad- prefix). Many words with prefixed a- (i.e. showing either this prefix, or a- prefix³, a- prefix⁴, or a- prefix⁵) have aphetic forms, e.g. down adv. beside adown adv., mid prep.² beside amid adv., live adj.¹ beside alive adj., mend v. beside amend v., bate v.² beside abate v.¹ On the other hand, many derivatives with prefixed a- are broadly synonymous with their base, as in arise v. beside rise v., awake v. beside wake v., aggrieve v. beside grieve v. Hence, a- came to be regarded as vaguely intensive, rhetorical, euphonic, or archaic, and was prefixed by Spenser and other archaists to words both of Old English and Romance origin for stylistic purposes. a- also represents a reduced form of a number of other prefixed elements in late Old English and early Middle English: at- prefix¹ (e.g. in ado n. and partly in adoors adv.), and- prefix (e.g. in along adj.²), and en- prefix¹ (in e.g. accumber v., addebted adj.). A- also represents es- prefix (in e.g. abash v., amay v.) and Latin a- , shortened form of ad- (see ad- prefix), reduced in post-classical Latin to a- before sc- , sp- , st- (in e.g. ascend v., aspiration n., astringent adj.). Owing to the variety of different correspondences between the fuller forms of prefixed elements and their reduced form a-, the latter is sometimes replaced (by analogy) with a fuller prefix different from the one which it etymologically represented.

With verbs, implying motion onward or away from a position; hence (originally with verbs of motion) adding intensity.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2021).

a-prefix²

Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel, e.g. a-muddled Brit.

/əˈmʌdld/, U.S.

/əˈmədəld/.

Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: y- prefix.

Etymology: Variant of y- prefix, showing a reduced form of the unstressed vowel (see discussion at y- prefix and compare i- prefix).In some instances difficult to distinguish < a- prefix¹, especially in early use in sense 2 when a synonymous verb with a- prefix¹ is attested. Thus, a past participle form with a- could show either the past participle of an unprefixed verb, or the past participle of a verb with prefixed a- prefix¹. Examples of sense 1 include afford v., alike adj., along adj.¹, aware adj.

1. (No longer productive.) Expressing completeness; = y- prefix 2, 3.

2. Attached to the past participle and occasionally to other parts of the verb; = y- prefix 4. Now English regional (south-western) and U.S. regional (southern).

ΚΠ

c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) l. 1604 Þu me hauest sore igramed, Þat min heorte is wel neh alamed [a1300 Jesus Oxf. a lemed], þat ich mai unneaþe speke.

a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) l. 4863 Þis lady was a-angryd & a-greuyd fulle sore Þat he myȝt not of hurre hernde no sannere spede.

?1480 in H. E. Malden Cely Papers (1900) 30 I am a bysyd for to schepe [i.e. ship] thys forsayd xxix sarplerys.

a1500 (c1400) Vision of Tundale (Adv.) (1843) l. 700 Then seyd Tundale ablessyd be thou.

1684 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 2nd Pt. ii. 70 The Highways have a been un-occupied heretofore.

1746 G. G. Beekman Let. 10 Sept. in Beekman Mercantile Papers (1956) I. 7 If I had a Taken New England Currency for it.

1759 in Essex Inst. Hist. Coll. (1882) XIX. 65 I..found that we was abelated out at 4 pence per Day.

1788 G. Washington Diaries III. 295 The house [was] a good deal adangered.

1790 F. Grose Provinc. Gloss. (ed. 2) A-slat, cracked like an earthen vessel.

1844 W. Barnes Poems Rural Life in Dorset Dial. 52 Thy new frock's tàil A-tore by hetchèn in a nàil.

1859 W. Barnes Hwomely Rhymes 61 An' we have all a-left the spot, To teäke, a-scatter'd, each his lot.

1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (at cited word) There's a good many chores I 'ant a put down at all. The gutter's a-stapped again.

1926 H. Kephart Our Southern Highlanders (new ed.) 299 Pringle's a-been horse-throwed.

1933 C. Miller Lamb in his Bosom 5 ‘Gittin' tired?’ ‘No, I ain't a-tired.’

1965–70 in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (1985) I. 2/1 Kind of a-muddled.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022).

a-prefix³

Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel, e.g. asmirk Brit.

/əˈsməːk/, U.S.

/əˈsmərk/.

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Partly formed within English, by conversion. Etymons: on- prefix; a prep.¹

Etymology: Originally partly a variant of on- prefix (showing a reduced form in unstressed position), and partly < a prep.¹ Compare an- prefix¹.Originally in compound verbs and adverbs which in Old English had prefixed on- (e.g. acknow v., awaken v.; afore adv., among prep.). Also, and predominantly, in compound adverbs derived, in Old English and early Middle English, from prepositional phrases made up of on prep. or a prep.¹ + a noun (e.g. abed adv., afield adv.). On the model of these, many compound adverbs of place, time, and manner (and derived adjectives and prepositions) have been formed from nouns, as atop adv., astream adv. and adj., abeam adv., adoze adj. In some of the early formations, e.g. afloat adv., alive adj., asleep adv. and adj., the word governed by a was a verbal noun of state or act (compare a prep.¹ 5), which was subsequently taken as a verb and used as a model for forming similar compounds from any verb, as aflaunt adv., abask adj., ablow adj.¹, achatter adj., a-crow adj.

1. (No longer productive.) Forming verbs, adverbs, and prepositions, originally with the senses ‘on’, ‘on to’.

2. With nouns and verb stems, forming adverbs (and derived adjectives and prepositions) expressing activity, position, condition, etc. Now chiefly poetic.A selection of rarely occurring formations is given below.

ΚΠ

1673 J. Arrowsmith Reformation Prol. Who with Religions Twang and Mouth a-splay Should Conventicle now instead of play.

1834 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 35 446 Sends them all a-bristle and a-scamper.

1872 R. Browning Fifine lxxxv. 24 The other man, a-grime With guilt.

1887 Mag. of Art Apr. 212 Evening air a-scent with clover.

1910 W. De Morgan Affair of Dishonour xxiv. 391 Soiled and spoiled and all ashrink from her fellow-women.

1920 Sat. Westm. Gaz. 20 Nov. 20/1 For whom..we must be still a-search.

1937 G. Frankau More of Us xvi. 166 Constantly afuss Lest some incautious phrase..reveal That one thing one of us must aye conceal.

1968 E. S. Russenholt Heart of Continent i. i. 2 Parklands and plains a-move with pasturing buffalo.

1989 T. Tryon Night of Moonbow iv. iv. 261 Harpo took up a position outside the window, tongue still hanging a-pant, earnestly cocking his head.

1999 Esquire Mar. 33/3 Cynics often wonder, aloud, and asmirk.

This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021).

a-prefix⁴

Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel; see e.g. afresh adv.

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Partly formed within English, by conversion. Etymons: of- prefix; a prep.²

Etymology: Originally partly a variant of of- prefix (showing a reduced form in unstressed position), and partly < a prep.² Compare off- prefix.Originally in compound verbs and (participial) adjectives which in Old English had of- prefix (e.g. ahungered adj., arue v., athink v., athirst adj.). Also, in compound adverbs derived, in Old English, Middle English, and early modern English, from prepositional phrases made up of of prep. (or a prep.²) + a noun (e.g. a-clock (see β. forms at o'clock adv.), adoors adv., adown adv., akin adj., anew adv.).

(No longer productive.) Forming compounds with nouns, verbs, and adjectives, originally with the senses ‘away’, ‘off’, ‘from’, ‘of’.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2020).

a-prefix⁵

Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel; see e.g. a-go-go adj.

Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French a-.

Etymology: < Old French a-, prefix, partly < a (preposition) to, and partly < its etymon classical Latin ad- (see ad- prefix).Words compounded in Old French with a , preposition include abandon v., abase v., abate v.¹, abut v., achieve v., adroit adj., amass v., amerce v., amount v., amuse v., avenge v.; those with classical Latin ad- include agree v., aver v., avouch v., avow v.¹ In many instances words of either type were remodelled after words in ad- prefix: see discussion at that entry.

(Not productive in English.) Forming verbs and adjectives (and their derivatives), expressing addition or increase, or bringing into a state.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2020).

a-prefix⁶

Primary stress is usually retained by a subsequent element. In some formations the vowel may be feasibly reduced accordingly; see e.g. acatalectic adj. and n.

Origin: A borrowing from Greek. Etymon: Greek ἀ-.

Etymology: < ancient Greek ἀ-, variant of ἀν- an- prefix² occurring before a consonant.The prefix occurs in words borrowed into English through Latin and French as amethyst n., apathy n., atom n.; or through Latin as Amazon n., asylum n., asyndeton n.; or from Greek directly (or through a modern language) as ametry n., aorist n. Formations within English are found from the beginning of the 17th cent., as e.g. atheologian n., adiabolist n. As such, a- has become a productive negative prefix in English, similar in function to un- prefix¹ and non- prefix, and it is combined not only with elements ultimately of Greek origin (as in acategorical adj., amethodist n., atheologian n., atheological adj.), but also with elements ultimately of Latin origin (as acaulous adj., asexual adj.). Compare French a- (formations in which are attested from at least the 16th cent.).

Forming nouns and adjectives, with the sense ‘without’; ‘not’; ‘-less’.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2020).

prefix¹

prefix²c1275

prefix³1673

prefix⁴

prefix⁵

prefix⁶

单词	a-
释义	a-prefix¹ Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel; see e.g. arise v. Forms: early Old English aa-, Old English– a-, late Old English æ-, early Middle English ha-. Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: or- prefix. Etymology: Originally a variant of or- prefix, showing an unstressed form of the prefix used in verbal compounds (see discussion at or- prefix).An earlier form ar- (preserving the final consonant) is attested in Old English aræfnan to endure, to perform (the base is æfnan , efnan : see eem v.¹), but the formation (by back-formation) of a verb ræfnan in the same sense suggests that this form of the prefix was apparently no longer recognized as such in Old English (see A. Campbell Old Eng. Gram. (1959) §73 note 2, R. M. Hogg Gram. Old Eng. (1992) I. §2.88 note 4). For the correspondence in Old English with the stressed prefix ǣ- in nouns and adjectives see discussion at e- prefix¹. In cases with doubling of the following consonant such as accurse v., affright adj., allay v.¹ apparently identified with a- prefix⁵ and hence altered on the pattern of words ultimately of Latin origin showing ad- prefix (compare the discussion at the individual entries and at ad- prefix). Many words with prefixed a- (i.e. showing either this prefix, or a- prefix³, a- prefix⁴, or a- prefix⁵) have aphetic forms, e.g. down adv. beside adown adv., mid prep.² beside amid adv., live adj.¹ beside alive adj., mend v. beside amend v., bate v.² beside abate v.¹ On the other hand, many derivatives with prefixed a- are broadly synonymous with their base, as in arise v. beside rise v., awake v. beside wake v., aggrieve v. beside grieve v. Hence, a- came to be regarded as vaguely intensive, rhetorical, euphonic, or archaic, and was prefixed by Spenser and other archaists to words both of Old English and Romance origin for stylistic purposes. a- also represents a reduced form of a number of other prefixed elements in late Old English and early Middle English: at- prefix¹ (e.g. in ado n. and partly in adoors adv.), and- prefix (e.g. in along adj.²), and en- prefix¹ (in e.g. accumber v., addebted adj.). A- also represents es- prefix (in e.g. abash v., amay v.) and Latin a- , shortened form of ad- (see ad- prefix), reduced in post-classical Latin to a- before sc- , sp- , st- (in e.g. ascend v., aspiration n., astringent adj.). Owing to the variety of different correspondences between the fuller forms of prefixed elements and their reduced form a-, the latter is sometimes replaced (by analogy) with a fuller prefix different from the one which it etymologically represented. With verbs, implying motion onward or away from a position; hence (originally with verbs of motion) adding intensity. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2021). a-prefix² Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel, e.g. a-muddled Brit. /əˈmʌdld/, U.S. /əˈmədəld/. Origin: A variant or alteration of another lexical item. Etymon: y- prefix. Etymology: Variant of y- prefix, showing a reduced form of the unstressed vowel (see discussion at y- prefix and compare i- prefix).In some instances difficult to distinguish < a- prefix¹, especially in early use in sense 2 when a synonymous verb with a- prefix¹ is attested. Thus, a past participle form with a- could show either the past participle of an unprefixed verb, or the past participle of a verb with prefixed a- prefix¹. Examples of sense 1 include afford v., alike adj., along adj.¹, aware adj. 1. (No longer productive.) Expressing completeness; = y- prefix 2, 3. 2. Attached to the past participle and occasionally to other parts of the verb; = y- prefix 4. Now English regional (south-western) and U.S. regional (southern). ΚΠ c1275 (?c1250) Owl & Nightingale (Calig.) (1935) l. 1604 Þu me hauest sore igramed, Þat min heorte is wel neh alamed [a1300 Jesus Oxf. a lemed], þat ich mai unneaþe speke. a1450 St. Edith (Faust.) (1883) l. 4863 Þis lady was a-angryd & a-greuyd fulle sore Þat he myȝt not of hurre hernde no sannere spede. ?1480 in H. E. Malden Cely Papers (1900) 30 I am a bysyd for to schepe [i.e. ship] thys forsayd xxix sarplerys. a1500 (c1400) Vision of Tundale (Adv.) (1843) l. 700 Then seyd Tundale ablessyd be thou. 1684 J. Bunyan Pilgrim's Progress 2nd Pt. ii. 70 The Highways have a been un-occupied heretofore. View more context for this quotation 1746 G. G. Beekman Let. 10 Sept. in Beekman Mercantile Papers (1956) I. 7 If I had a Taken New England Currency for it. 1759 in Essex Inst. Hist. Coll. (1882) XIX. 65 I..found that we was abelated out at 4 pence per Day. 1788 G. Washington Diaries III. 295 The house [was] a good deal adangered. 1790 F. Grose Provinc. Gloss. (ed. 2) A-slat, cracked like an earthen vessel. 1844 W. Barnes Poems Rural Life in Dorset Dial. 52 Thy new frock's tàil A-tore by hetchèn in a nàil. 1859 W. Barnes Hwomely Rhymes 61 An' we have all a-left the spot, To teäke, a-scatter'd, each his lot. 1888 F. T. Elworthy W. Somerset Word-bk. (at cited word) There's a good many chores I 'ant a put down at all. The gutter's a-stapped again. 1926 H. Kephart Our Southern Highlanders (new ed.) 299 Pringle's a-been horse-throwed. 1933 C. Miller Lamb in his Bosom 5 ‘Gittin' tired?’ ‘No, I ain't a-tired.’ 1965–70 in Dict. Amer. Regional Eng. (1985) I. 2/1 Kind of a-muddled. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2022). a-prefix³ Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel, e.g. asmirk Brit. /əˈsməːk/, U.S. /əˈsmərk/. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Partly formed within English, by conversion. Etymons: on- prefix; a prep.¹ Etymology: Originally partly a variant of on- prefix (showing a reduced form in unstressed position), and partly < a prep.¹ Compare an- prefix¹.Originally in compound verbs and adverbs which in Old English had prefixed on- (e.g. acknow v., awaken v.; afore adv., among prep.). Also, and predominantly, in compound adverbs derived, in Old English and early Middle English, from prepositional phrases made up of on prep. or a prep.¹ + a noun (e.g. abed adv., afield adv.). On the model of these, many compound adverbs of place, time, and manner (and derived adjectives and prepositions) have been formed from nouns, as atop adv., astream adv. and adj., abeam adv., adoze adj. In some of the early formations, e.g. afloat adv., alive adj., asleep adv. and adj., the word governed by a was a verbal noun of state or act (compare a prep.¹ 5), which was subsequently taken as a verb and used as a model for forming similar compounds from any verb, as aflaunt adv., abask adj., ablow adj.¹, achatter adj., a-crow adj. 1. (No longer productive.) Forming verbs, adverbs, and prepositions, originally with the senses ‘on’, ‘on to’. 2. With nouns and verb stems, forming adverbs (and derived adjectives and prepositions) expressing activity, position, condition, etc. Now chiefly poetic.A selection of rarely occurring formations is given below. ΚΠ 1673 J. Arrowsmith Reformation Prol. Who with Religions Twang and Mouth a-splay Should Conventicle now instead of play. 1834 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 35 446 Sends them all a-bristle and a-scamper. 1872 R. Browning Fifine lxxxv. 24 The other man, a-grime With guilt. 1887 Mag. of Art Apr. 212 Evening air a-scent with clover. 1910 W. De Morgan Affair of Dishonour xxiv. 391 Soiled and spoiled and all ashrink from her fellow-women. 1920 Sat. Westm. Gaz. 20 Nov. 20/1 For whom..we must be still a-search. 1937 G. Frankau More of Us xvi. 166 Constantly afuss Lest some incautious phrase..reveal That one thing one of us must aye conceal. 1968 E. S. Russenholt Heart of Continent i. i. 2 Parklands and plains a-move with pasturing buffalo. 1989 T. Tryon Night of Moonbow iv. iv. 261 Harpo took up a position outside the window, tongue still hanging a-pant, earnestly cocking his head. 1999 Esquire Mar. 33/3 Cynics often wonder, aloud, and asmirk. This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2021). a-prefix⁴ Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel; see e.g. afresh adv. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a variant or alteration of another lexical item. Partly formed within English, by conversion. Etymons: of- prefix; a prep.² Etymology: Originally partly a variant of of- prefix (showing a reduced form in unstressed position), and partly < a prep.² Compare off- prefix.Originally in compound verbs and (participial) adjectives which in Old English had of- prefix (e.g. ahungered adj., arue v., athink v., athirst adj.). Also, in compound adverbs derived, in Old English, Middle English, and early modern English, from prepositional phrases made up of of prep. (or a prep.²) + a noun (e.g. a-clock (see β. forms at o'clock adv.), adoors adv., adown adv., akin adj., anew adv.). (No longer productive.) Forming compounds with nouns, verbs, and adjectives, originally with the senses ‘away’, ‘off’, ‘from’, ‘of’. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online June 2020). a-prefix⁵ Primary stress is retained by a subsequent element and this prefix is commonly pronounced as a reduced vowel; see e.g. a-go-go adj. Origin: A borrowing from French. Etymon: French a-. Etymology: < Old French a-, prefix, partly < a (preposition) to, and partly < its etymon classical Latin ad- (see ad- prefix).Words compounded in Old French with a , preposition include abandon v., abase v., abate v.¹, abut v., achieve v., adroit adj., amass v., amerce v., amount v., amuse v., avenge v.; those with classical Latin ad- include agree v., aver v., avouch v., avow v.¹ In many instances words of either type were remodelled after words in ad- prefix: see discussion at that entry. (Not productive in English.) Forming verbs and adjectives (and their derivatives), expressing addition or increase, or bringing into a state. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2020). a-prefix⁶ Primary stress is usually retained by a subsequent element. In some formations the vowel may be feasibly reduced accordingly; see e.g. acatalectic adj. and n. Origin: A borrowing from Greek. Etymon: Greek ἀ-. Etymology: < ancient Greek ἀ-, variant of ἀν- an- prefix² occurring before a consonant.The prefix occurs in words borrowed into English through Latin and French as amethyst n., apathy n., atom n.; or through Latin as Amazon n., asylum n., asyndeton n.; or from Greek directly (or through a modern language) as ametry n., aorist n. Formations within English are found from the beginning of the 17th cent., as e.g. atheologian n., adiabolist n. As such, a- has become a productive negative prefix in English, similar in function to un- prefix¹ and non- prefix, and it is combined not only with elements ultimately of Greek origin (as in acategorical adj., amethodist n., atheologian n., atheological adj.), but also with elements ultimately of Latin origin (as acaulous adj., asexual adj.). Compare French a- (formations in which are attested from at least the 16th cent.). Forming nouns and adjectives, with the sense ‘without’; ‘not’; ‘-less’. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online December 2020). < prefix¹prefix²c1275prefix³1673prefix⁴prefix⁵prefix⁶
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a-prefix1

a-prefix2

a-prefix3

a-prefix4