to the same degree, amount, or extent; similarly; equally: I don't think it's as hot and humid today as it was yesterday.
2.
for example; for instance: Some flowers, as the rose, require special care.
3.
thought to be or considered to be: the square as distinct from the rectangle; the church as separate from the state.
4.
in the manner (directed, agreed, promised, etc.): She sang as promised. He left as agreed.
conjunction
5.
(used correlatively after an adjective or adverb preceded by an adverbial phrase, the adverbial as, or another adverb) to such a degree or extent that: It came out the same way as it did before. You are as good as you think you are.
6.
(without antecedent) in the degree, manner, etc., of or that: She's good as gold. Do as we do.
7.
at the same time that; while; when: as you look away.
8.
since; because: As you are leaving last, please turn out the lights.
9.
though: Questionable as it may be, we will proceed.
(used relatively) that; who; which (usually preceded by such or the same): I have the same trouble as you had.
14.
a fact that: She did her job well, as can be proved by the records.
15.
New England, Midland, and Southern U.S.who; whom; which; that: Them as has gets.
preposition
16.
in the role, function, or status of: to act as leader.
Idioms
17.
as … as, (used to express similarity or equality in a specified characteristic, condition, etc., as between one person or thing and another): as rich as Croesus.
18.
as far as, to the degree or extent that: It is an excellent piece of work, as far as I can tell.
19.
as for/to, with respect to; in reference to: As for staying away, I wouldn't think of it.
20.
as good as,
a.
equivalent to; in effect; practically: as good as new.
as if/though, as it would be if: It was as if the world had come to an end.
23.
as is, in whatever condition something happens to be, especially referring to something offered for sale in a flawed, damaged, or used condition: We bought the table as is.
24.
as it were, in a way; so to speak: He became, as it were, a man without a country.
Origin: before 1000; Middle English as, als, alse, also,Old English alswā, ealswā all so (see also), quite so, quite as, as; cognate with Middle Dutch alse (Dutch als), Old High German alsō (Middle High German álsō, álse, als,German also so, als as, as if, because)
Usage note As a conjunction, one sense of as is “because”: As she was bored, Sue left the room. As also has an equally common use in the sense “while, when”: As the parade passed by, the crowd cheered and applauded. These two senses sometimes result in ambiguity: As the gates were closed, he walked away. (When? Because?)EXPAND As … as is standard in both positive and negative constructions: The fleet was as widely scattered then as it had been at the start of the conflict. Foreign service is not as attractive as it once was. So … as is sometimes used in negative constructions (… not so attractive as it once was) and in questions (“What is so rare as a day in June?”). The phrase as far as generally introduces a clause: As far as money is concerned, the council has exhausted all its resources. In some informal speech and writing, as far as is treated as a preposition and followed only by an object: As far as money, the council has exhausted all its resources. As to as a compound preposition has long been standard though occasionally criticized as a vague substitute for about, of, on, or concerning: We were undecided as to our destination.As to sometimes occurs at the beginning of a sentence, where it introduces an element that would otherwise have less emphasis: As to his salary, that too will be reviewed. As to what and as to whether are sometimes considered redundant but have long been standard: an argument as to what department was responsible. See also all, because, farther, like, so1.
(used in introducing a subordinate clause, which is often marked by ellipsis) notwithstanding that; in spite of the fact that; although: Though he tried very hard, he failed the course.
2.
even if; granting that (often preceded by even).
adverb
3.
for all that; however.
Idiom
4.
as though, as if: It seems as though the place is deserted.
Origin: 1150–1200; Middle English thoh < Old Norse thō (earlier *thauh); replacing Old English thēah; cognate with German doch,Gothic thauh
Usage note Among some conservatives there is a traditional objection to the use of though in place of although as a conjunction. However, the latter (earlier all though) was originally an emphatic form of the former, and there is nothing in contemporary English usage to justify such a distinction.
c.1200, from O.E. þeah, and in part from O.N. þo "though," both from P.Gmc. *thaukh (cf. Goth. þauh, O.Fris. thach, M.Du., Du. doch, O.H.G. doh, Ger. doch), from PIE demonstrative pronoun *to- (see that). The evolution of the terminal sound did not follow
laugh, tough, etc., though a tendency to end the word in "f" existed c.1300-1750 and persists in dialects.
as
late 12c., worn-down form of O.E. alswa "quite so" (see also). Equivalent to so; any distinction in use is purely idiomatic. Related to Ger. als "as, than." Phrase as well "just as much" is recorded from late 15c.; the phrase also can imply "as well as not," "as well as anything
else." Interjection of incredulity as if! is attested from 1995.