Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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About this entry:
First published 1934 (SND Vol. I).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

A, pref.¹

Used before nouns and adverbs to form adverbs. O.E. an — e.g. aback, agley, agrufe, athort, atween, q.v. A, pref.² O.E. of = off — e.g. adoon. A, pref.³ O.N. at — e.g. ado, adae, adee, n. and v., and agae, v. A, pref.⁴ O.E. ā, implying motion away from, onward; hence it comes to be an intensive in verbs of motion (N.E.D.). O.H.G. ar, ir, ur; Goth. us; Mod. Ger. er — e.g. abide, arise. A, pref.⁵ O.E. and = against, opposite; Ger. ent-; Gr., Sans. anti-; e.g. alang. A, pref.⁶ O.E. ān = one — e.g. awhile, awhiles. A, pref.⁷ = ah! — e.g. aweel, alake. A, pref.⁸ Classical origin, direct or indirect.

(1) Fr. a-, Lat. ad — e.g. avise.

(2) Fr. a-, Lat. ab — e.g. assoilzie.