ab

Noun

ab noun

1. Abdominal muscle.

ab noun

1. An abscess caused by injecting an illegal drug, usually heroin.

ab noun

1. The expulsion from the womb of a foetus or embryo before it is fully developed, with loss of the foetus; either naturally as a spontaneous abortion (now usually called a miscarriage), or deliberately as an induced abortion.
2. An aborted foetus; an abortus.
3. A misshapen person or thing; a monstrosity.
4. Failure or abandonment of a project, promise, goal etc.

ab noun

1. The early stages of; the beginning process; the start.

Verb

ab verb

1. To abseil.

ab verb

1. (now rare outside medicine) To miscarry; to bring forth (non-living) offspring prematurely.
2. To cause a premature termination of (a fetus); to end a pregnancy before term.
3. To end prematurely; to stop in the preliminary stages; to turn back.
4. To stop or fail at something in the preliminary stages.

Adverb

ab adverb

1. On all sides; around.“I looked about at the scenery that surrounded me.”
2. Here and there; around; in one place and another; up and down.“Bits of old machinery were lying about.”
3. From one place or position to another in succession; indicating repeated movement or activity.“walking about;  rushing about;  jumping about;  thrashing about”
4. Indicating unproductive or unstructured activity.“messing about;  fooling about;  loafing about”

Preposition

ab preposition

1. In a circle around; all round; on every side of; on the outside of.“The snake was coiled about his ankle.”
2. Over or upon different parts of; through or over in various directions; here and there in; to and fro in; throughout.“He was well known about town.”
3. Indicates that something will happen very soon; indicates a plan or intention to do something.
4. Concerning; with regard to; on account of; on the subject of; to affect.“He talked a lot about his childhood.”