building      0 The figures are astro­nomical.         ► astronomic-ally /-kli/

adv.; Interest rates are astronomically high. astronomical 'unit noun (abbr. AU) (astronomy A) a unit of measurement equal to 149.6 million kilometres, which is the distance from the centre of the earth to the sun     .1.496

zm>

as-tron-omy /a'strnnami; NAmE a'strain-/ noun [u] the scientific study of the sun, moon, stars, planets, etc.

astro phys ics /.aestrau'fiziks; NAmE .aestrou-/ noun [U] the scientific study of the physical and chemical struc­ture of the stars, planets, etc.      ► astrophysi­

cist /-'fizisist/ noun

Astro-Turf™/'aestrautaif; NAmE 'aestrout3:rf/ noun [U] an artificial surface that looks like grass, for playing sports on

'A student noun (especially NAmE) a student who gets or is likely to get the highest marks/grades in his/her work or exams A #;

astute /a'stjurt; NAmE a'sturt/ ad], very clever and quick at seeing what to do in a particular situation, especially how to get an advantage )(f BJ] 69 ; $$ lit (ft PTim shrewd : an astute businessman/politician/

observer BJ] &/} ® A;    ^; Wt U ft M & % 0

It was an astute move to sell the shares then.

► as tute ly adv. as tute ness noun [U] asun der /0'SAnd0(r)/ adv. (old-fashioned or literary) into pieces; apart ; lit: families rent/tom asunder by the revolution

asy lum /a'sailam/ noun 1 (also formal political a'sylum) [U] protection that a government gives to people who have left their own country, usually because they were in danger for political reasons ( Aft '/q )     : to seek/apply for/be granted asylum

W- #/ ^ if / $ #£' Wi ?n $= 0 There was a nationwide debate on whether the asylum laws should be changed.

2 [C] (old use) a hospital where people who were mentally ill could be cared for, often for a long time

a'sylum .seeker noun a person who has been forced to leave their own country because they are in danger and who arrives in another country asking to be allowed to stay there

asym-met-ric /.eisi'metrrk/ (also asym-met-ric-al /.eisi- ’metrrkl/) adj. 1 having two sides or parts that are not the same in size or shape       : Most people’s faces

are asymmetric.    EH3symmet­

rical 2 (technical /tilt) not equal, for example in the way each side or part behaves  : Linguists are

studying the asymmetric use of Creole by parents and children (= parents use one language and children reply in another).

m 0 l o ► asym-met-ric-al-ly /-ikli/ adv. asym-met-ry /.ei'simatri/ noun [C, U] asym,metric 'bars (BrE) (NAmE un.even 'bars) noun [pi ] two bars on posts of different heights that are used by women for doing gymnastic exercises on jt!j 1ft ft ()

asymp tom at ic /.eisimpta’maetik/ adj. (medical E) (of a person or illness Aii&E^O having no symptoms

asyn chron ous /ei'sirjkranas/ adj. (formal) (of two or more objects or events W A^ A tyj # y ) not existing or happening at the same time ( sk

; iMWM ► asyn-chron-ous-ly adv. at &yr /at; strong form aet/ prep.

1 used to say where sth/sb is or where sth happens & (    ) :     at the corner of the street    0 We

changed at Crewe. ?£ f| ] fE % # (ft A 0 o They arrived late at the airport, life # J M 7ft if), 0 At the round­about take the third exit.       -1Aft} P 0 0 I’ll

be at home all morning. — A A        0 She’s at

Tom’s (= at Tom’s house).   M Ao 01 met her at

the hospital,         o How many people