| alcohol |
a clear liquid that burns easily and can be made from certain grains and fruits. Alcohol is present in such drinks as beer, wine, and whiskey. It is also used in making medicines and chemicals. [2 definitions] |
| alcoholic |
containing alcohol. [2 definitions] |
| alcoholism |
a disease caused by the habit of drinking too much alcohol. Alcoholism is characterized by a strong desire to drink alcohol, difficulties in behaving properly, and troubling effects when alcohol use is stopped. |
| alcove |
a partly enclosed area of a room. |
| alder |
a tree or shrub of the birch family that grows in mostly cool, damp areas and drops its leaves every year. |
| ale |
an alcoholic drink that is like beer but more bitter. |
| alert |
watching carefully; quick to notice and act. [3 definitions] |
| Aleut |
a member of a native people of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. |
| Alexandria |
a city in Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea at the tip of the Nile delta. Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great. |
| alfalfa |
a plant with purple flowers that is grown as food for cattle and horses. Alfalfa is a member of the legume family of plants. |
| alga |
singular form of "algae." |
| algae |
organisms that live mainly in the water and make their food through photosynthesis. Algae are different from plants in that they have no true leaves, roots, or stems. Seaweeds are one form of algae, but there are many others, including a large number that cannot be seen without a microscope. "Algae" is the plural form of the word "alga." |
| algebra |
a form of mathematics used to solve problems in which some of the numbers are not known. In an algebra problem, letters stand for the unknown numbers. |
| Algeria |
a country in northern Africa. Algiers is the capital of Algeria. |
| alias |
a false name used to hide one's real name. [2 definitions] |
| alibi |
a way of defending oneself against criminal charges by showing that one was not at the scene of the crime when it happened. [2 definitions] |
| alien |
someone who lives in a country who is not a citizen of that country. [5 definitions] |
| alight1 |
to step down or get off. [2 definitions] |
| alight2 |
lighted up, or appearing to be lighted up. [2 definitions] |
| align |
to place or arrange in a straight line. |
| alike |
in the same way; similarly or equally. [2 definitions] |