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[addition] See: IN ADDITION.

[address] See: PUBLIC-ADDRESS SYSTEM.

[add the finishing touches]{v. phr.} To complete; finish. •/Mary’s first novel promised to be excellent; however, her editor suggested that she should add some finishing touches before accepting it./

[add up]{v.} 1. To come to the correct amount. •/The numbers wouldn’t add up./ 2. {informal} To make sense; be understandable. •/His story didn’t add up./

[add up to]{v.} 1. To make a total of; amount to. •/The bill added up to $12.95./ 2. {informal} To mean; result in. •/The rain, the mosquitoes, and the heat added up to a spoiled vacation./

[ad lib]{v. phr.} To improvise; interpolate during speech. •/When the actress forgot her lines during the second act, she had to ad lib in order to keep the show going./

[advance] See: IN ADVANCE or IN ADVANCE OF.

[advantage] See: TAKE ADVANTAGE OF, TO ADVANTAGE.

[a few]{n.} or {adj.} A small number (of people or things); some. •/The dry weather killed most of Mother’s flowers, but a few are left./ •/In the store, Mary saw many pretty rings and bracelets, and she wanted to buy a few of them./ •/After the party, we thought that no one would help clean up, but a few couples did./ •/Alice wanted to read a few pages more before she stopped./ — Usually "a few" is different in meaning from "few", which emphasizes the negative; "a few" means "some", but "few" means "not many". •/We thought no one would come to lunch, but a few came./ •/We thought many people would come to lunch, but few came./ But sometimes "a few" is used with "only", and then it is negative. •/We thought many people would come to lunch, but only a few came./ — Sometimes used like an adverb. •/Three students have no seats; we need a few more chairs./ •/If we can set up chairs faster than people come and sit in them, we will soon be a few ahead./ — Sometimes used with "very" for emphasis. •/Uncle Ralph gave away almost all of his sea shells, but he still had a very few left./ Compare: A LITTLE. Contrast: A LOT, QUITE A FEW.

[affair] See: LOVE AFFAIR.

[afoul of]{prep.} 1. In collision with. •/The boat ran afoul of a buoy./ 2. In or into trouble with. •/The thief ran afoul of the night watchman./ •/Speeders can expect to fall afoul of the law sometimes./

[afraid of one’s shadow]{adj. phr.}, {informal} Scared of small or imaginary things; very easily frightened; jumpy; nervous. •/Mrs. Smith won’t stay alone in her house at night; she is afraid of her own shadow./ •/Johnny cries whenever he must say hello to an adult; he is afraid of his own shadow./

[a friend in need is a friend indeed] A genuine friend on whom one can always depend. — A proverb; often shortened to "a friend in need…" •/When John’s house burned down, his neighbor Jim helped him and his family with shelter, food and clothing. John said, "Jim, a friend in need is a friend indeed — this describes you."/