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[ask for one’s hand]{v. phr.} To ask permission to marry someone. •/"Sir," John said timidly to Mary’s father, "I came to ask for your daughter’s hand."/

[ask for the moon] or [cry for the moon] {v. phr.} To want something that you cannot reach or have; try for the impossible. •/John asked his mother for a hundred dollars today. He’s always asking for the moon./ Compare: PROMISE THE MOON.

[asleep at the switch]{adj. phr.} 1. Asleep when it is one’s duty to move a railroad switch for cars to go on the right track. •/The new man was asleep at the switch and the two trains crashed./ 2. {informal} Failing to act promptly as expected, not alert to an opportunity. •/When the ducks flew over, the boy was asleep at the switch and missed his shot./

[as likely as not]{adv. phr.} Probably. •/As likely as not, he will disappear forever./

[as long as] or [so long as] {conj.} 1. Since; because; considering that. •/As long as you are going to town anyway, you can do something for me./ 2. Provided that; if. •/You may use the room as you like, so long as you clean it up afterward./

[as luck would have it]{adv. clause} As it happened; by chance; luckily or unluckily. •/As luck would have it, no one was in the building when the explosion occurred./ •/As luck would have it, there was rain on the day of the picnic./

[as much]{n.} The same; exactly that. •/Don’t thank me, I would do as much for anyone./ •/Did you lose your way? I thought as much when you were late in coming./

[as much as]{adv. phr.} 1. or [much as] Even though; although. •/As much as I hate to do it, I must stay home and study tonight./ 2. or [so much as] Just the same as; almost; practically; really. •/By running away he as much as admitted that he had taken the money./ •/You as much as promised you would help us./ •/The clerk as much as told me that I was a fool./ Compare: AS GOOD AS. 3. See: FOR AS MUCH AS.

[as of] prep. At or until (a certain time). •/I know that as of last week he was still unmarried./ •/As of now we don’t know much about Mars./

[as one goes] See: PAY AS ONE GOES.

[as one man]{adv. phr.} Unanimously; together; involving all. •/The audience arose as one man to applaud the great pianist./

[as regards]{prep.} Regarding; concerning; about. •/You needn’t worry as regards the cost of the operation./ •/He was always secretive as regards his family./

[as soon as]{conj.} Just after; when; immediately after. •/As soon as the temperature falls to 70, the furnace is turned on./ •/As soon as you finish your job let me know./ •/He will see you as soon as he can./

[as the crow flies]{adv. clause} By the most direct way; along a straight line between two places. •/It is seven miles to the next town as the crow flies, but it is ten miles by the road, which goes around the mountain./

[as the story goes]{adv. phr.} As the story is told; as one has heard through rumor. •/As the story goes, Jonathan disappeared when he heard the police were after him./