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[ask] See: FOR THE ASKING.

[ask for]{v.}, {informal} To make (something bad) likely to happen to you; bring (something bad) upon yourself. •/Charles drives fast on worn-out tires; he is asking for trouble./ •/The workman lost his job, but he asked for it by coming to work drunk several times./ Compare: HAVE IT COMING, SERVE RIGHT, SIGN ONE’S OWN DEATH WARRANT.

[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./

[as though] See: AS IF.

[as to]{prep.} 1. In connection with; about; regarding. •/There is no doubt as to his honesty./ •/As to your final grade, that depends on your final examination./ Syn.: WITH RESPECT TO. 2. According to; following; going by. •/They sorted the eggs as to size and color./

[as usual]{adv. phr.} In the usual way; as you usually do or as it usually does. •/As usual, Tommy forgot to make his bed before he went out to play./ •/Only a week after the fire in the store, it was doing business as usual./

[as well]{adv. phr.} 1. In addition; also, too; besides. •/The book tells about Mark Twain’s writings and about his life as well./ •/Tom is captain of the football team and is on the baseball team as well./ 2. Without loss and possibly with gain. •/After the dog ran away, Father thought he might as well sell the dog house./ •/Since he can’t win the race, he may as well quit./ •/It’s just as well you didn’t come yesterday, because we were away./

[as well as]{conj.} In addition to; and also; besides. •/Hiking is good exercise as well as fun./ •/He was my friend as well as my doctor./ •/The book tells about the author’s life as well as about his writings./

[as yet]{adv. phr.} Up to the present time; so far; yet. •/We know little as yet about the moon’s surface./ •/She has not come as yet./

[as you please] 1. As you like, whatever you like or prefer; as you choose. •/You may do as you please./ 2. {informal} Very.?—?Used after an adjective or adverb often preceded by "as". •/There was Tinker, sitting there, cheerful as you please./ •/She was dressed for the dance and she looked as pretty as you please./

[at a blow] or [at a stroke] or [at one stroke] {adv. phr.} Immediately; suddenly; with one quick or forceful action. •/The pirates captured the ship and captured a ton of gold at a blow./ •/A thousand men lost their jobs at a stroke when the factory closed./ •/All the prisoners escaped at one stroke./ Compare: AT ONCE, AT ONE TIME.

[at all]{adv. phr.} At any time or place, for any reason, or in any degree or manner.?—?Used for emphasis with certain kinds of words or sentences. 1. Negative •/It’s not at all likely he will come./ 2. Limited •/I can hardly hear you at all./ 3. Interrogative •/Can it be done at all?/ 4. Conditional •/She will walk with a limp, if she walks at all./ Syn.: IN THE LEAST.

[at all costs]{adv. phr.} At any expense of time, effort, or money. Regardless of the results. •/Mr. Jackson intended to save his son’s eyesight at all costs./ •/Carl is determined to succeed in his new job at all costs./

[at all events] See: IN ANY CASE.

[at all hazards]{adv. phr.} With no regard for danger; at any risk; regardless of the chances you must take. •/The racer meant to win the 500-mile race at all hazards./

[at all hours]{adv. phr.} Any time; all the time; at almost any time. •/The baby cried so much that we were up at all hours trying to calm her down./

[at a loss]{adj. phr.} In a state of uncertainty; without any idea; puzzled. •/A good salesman is never at a loss for words./ •/When Don missed the last bus, he was at a loss to know what to do./

[at anchor]{adj. phr.} Held by an anchor from floating away; anchored. •/The ship rode at anchor in the harbor./

[at any rate]{adv. phr.} In any case; anyhow. •/It isn’t much of a car, but at any rate it was not expensive./ Compare: AT LEAST(2), IN ANY CASE.

[at a premium]{adv. phr.} At a high price due to special circumstances. •/When his father died, Fred flew to Europe at a premium because he had no chance to buy a less expensive ticket./