ABC

plural ABCs · plural ABC's · alternative absey

1. UScountablepluraluncountableusuallyThe English alphabet.First known use First attested from around (1150 to 1350).

   Do you know your ABC? (US: Do you know your ABCs?)

   Synonyms: absey, alphabet

2. countableobsoleteuncountablecommunicationsA type of poem in which the lines start with the letters of the alphabet in order.First known use Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid-17th century.
3. countableobsoleteuncountableA primer for teaching the Latin alphabet and first elements of reading.First known use Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid-17th century.
4. countableuncountableThe fundamentals of any subject.First known use First attested in the mid-16th century.

   the ABC of finance

   3 more examples

   This was the Alma Mater of the Brigade, where it learned its A B C of military tactics.

   1866, D. P. Conyngham, The Irish Brigade and Its Campaigns: With Some Account of the Corcoran Legion, and Sketches of the Principal Officers, Glasgow: Cameron & Ferguson, page 28

   At the same time I was endeavoring to learn the a-b-c of farming. It is not the kind of thing that is easily learned from books.

   1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954

   With her expert guidance, even a novice like me can have a taste of the focused, structured world of a Cunningham dance. The solo is possibly his plainest, almost an ABC of his meticulous approach to subdividing the body in motion — twist, bend, reach, step.

   2020 April 21, Marina Harss, “Twist, Bend, Reach, Step: A Merce Cunningham Solo Anyone Can Try”, in The New York Times

   Synonyms: basics, fundamentals, alphabet

5. countableuncountablecard gamesA straightforward, uniform playing style, often focusing on betting for value, folding weak hands, and avoiding bluffing.
6. UKcountableuncountablerail transportA British alphabetized guidebook listing trains and their stations.

   "That will do. How are the trains for Netherhempsfield?" Greatorex put down the notebook and took up an "ABC."

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   1 more example

   For this reason his heart sank when, emerging from his study into the great hall at quarter to eleven, he met Beaver already dressed and prepared to be entertained; it was only a momentary vexation, however, for while he wished him good morning he noticed that his guest had an A.B.C. in his hands and was clearly looking out a train.

   1934, Evelyn Waugh, A Handful of Dust, Chapman & Hall

7. USabbreviationcountableellipsisregionaluncountableEllipsis of ABC store.

plural ABCs

1. abbreviationcountableinitialismmnemonicuncountableemergency medicineInitialism of airway, breathing and circulation, the essential steps in the immediate assessment and treatment of critically ill or injured patients.

   I run my hands over his chest, assessing his ABCs: airway, breathing, circulation.

   2015, Marcia Wells, Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery in Mayan Mexico, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, →ISBN, page 180

2. USabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of alcoholic beverage control.

   Pennsylvania is one of 18 alcoholic beverage control states, commonly known as “ABC states.” In an ABC state, the state government controls the sale and distribution of various alcoholic beverages, depending on state law.

   2011, Richard A. McGowan, “State-Controlled Liquor Stores I: Pennsylvania”, in Privatize This? Assessing the Opportunities and Costs of Privatization, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, →ISBN, page 89

3. abbreviationcountablederogatoryinitialismsometimesuncountableInitialism of American-born Chinese.

   Everyone was Chinese. Some of the students were ABCs. That means "American-born Chinese." Others were FOBs. FOB means "fresh off the boat" and it is a bad insult. I didn't feel prejudiced about the FOBs because I was one of them.

   1993, Susan Kulkin, Speaking Out: Teenagers Take on Race, Sex, and Identity, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN, page 59

4. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of Australian-born Chinese.

   1 more example

   Many argue, with justice, that the differences between the various groups of Chinese-Australians are such that it is impossible to speak in terms of a "cultural identity" common to them all (Ang 2001). On the other hand, the mainstream culture is rarely capable of making such distinctions: in the eyes of most Australians, there is little difference between an ABC (Australian-born Chinese), an ethnic Chinese from Vietnam, or a mainlander.

   2004, Wenche Ommundsen, “Cultural Citizenship in Diaspora: A Study of Chinese Australia”, in Robbie B.H. Goh, Shawn Wong, editors, Asian Diasporas: Cultures, Indentity, Representations, Hong Kong University Press, →ISBN, page 79

5. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of activity-based costing.

   Activity-based costing is a powerful control tool. With ABC, the manager can access all departments and monitor the costs associated with any activity he or she wants to control.

   2008, Gary Dessler, Jean Phillips, “Planning and Controlling Now: Controlling”, in Managing Now, Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 222

6. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableclimbingInitialism of advance base camp.

   1 more example

   Boga and Subhash with Sherpa Nim Dorje and Kedar Singh left early to open a route to advance base camp. […] They proceeded south along the left bank of the glacier. They could avoid the moraines by climbing the slopes near the bank. It was a long march and they established ABC at 4877 m on a small open rocky ground.

   1999, Harish Kapadia, “Accident and Rescue in the Nanda Devi Sanctuary”, in Across Peaks & Passes in Kumaun Himalaya, New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 69

7. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiochemistryInitialism of ATP-binding cassette.

   ABC transporter

   1 more example

   ABC-transporters are multispan membrane proteins that mediate the active uptake or efflux of specific substrates across various biological membrane systems. A functional ABC-transporter protein usually consists of two transmembrane domains and two ABCs.

   2008, Gerd Schmitz, “Sterol Transporters”, in Stefan Offermanns, Walter Rosenthal, editors, Encyclopedia of Molecular Pharmacology, 2nd edition, volume 1, Springer, →ISBN, page 1157

8. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableimmunologyInitialism of antigen-binding capacity.
9. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableimmunologyInitialism of age-associated B cell.

   Together, these findings indicate that CD21/35⁻CD23⁻ B cells do not correspond to any previously defined B-cell subset, but share some characteristics with exhausted B cells. Because they emerge and may eventually predominate with age, we have termed them age-associated B cells (ABCs).

   2011 August 4, Yi Hao, Patrick O'Neill, Martin S. Naradikian, Jean L. Scholz, Michael P. Cancro, “A B-cell subset uniquely responsive to innate stimuli accumulates in aged mice”, in Blood, volume 118, number 5, →DOI, page 1296

10. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of aneurysmal bone cyst.

    1 more example

    In the long bones, spine, and flat bones, the majority of aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) are eccentrically located whereas in the short tubular bones they are usually central in location. […] About 15% of all giant cell tumors have cystic areas that resemble ABC, and in about one third of all ABCs a pre-existing lesion can be identified.

    2013, Georges Y. El-Khoury, “Tumors/Miscellaneous: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC)”, in D. Lee Bennett, Georges Y. El-Khoury, editors, Pearls and Pitfalls in Musculoskeletal Imaging: Variants and Other Difficult Diagnoses, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 219

11. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of adenoid basal cell carcinoma.
12. abbreviationcountableuncountablemedicineAbbreviation of abacavir.
13. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablemedicineInitialism of accelerated blood clearance.
14. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablecomputingInitialism of Atanasoff-Berry computer.
15. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablecomputingInitialism of artificial bee colony.
16. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of assignment for the benefit of creditors.

    Like foreclosure, an assignment for the benefit of creditors (ABC) is a creature of state law. ABCs have long been popular in a few states, most notably California and Illinois, but they are beginning to gain traction in other states as a less expensive alternative to bankruptcy.

    2010, Pepper Hamilton, “Alternatives to bankruptcy”, in John Wm. Butler, Jr, editor, Navigating Today's Environment: The Directors' and Officers' Guide to Restructuring, Globe White Page Ltd, →ISBN, page 205

17. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebusinessInitialism of absorbing boundary condition.

    As a matter of fact, when numerically handling a model originally established on an unbounded domain, it is compulsory to impose the pertinent ABC to terminate the endless mesh while retaining a well-posed and stable simulation.

    2008, Nikolaos V. Kantartzis, Theodoros D. Tsiboukis, Modern EMC Analysis Techniques I: Time-Domain Computational Schemes, Morgan & Claypool, →ISBN, page 180

18. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableobject-oriented programmingInitialism of abstract base class.

    Abstract base classes (ABCs) represent an interesting paradox. […] It is instructive to think of ABCs as tools rather than as part of the product.

    2010, James Coplien, Gertrud Bjørnvig, “What the System Is, Part 2: Coding It Up”, in Lean Architecture for Agile Software Development, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 133

    1 more example

    Most ABCs in the collections.abc module exist to formalize interfaces that are implemented by built-in objects and are implicitly supported by the interpreter—both of which predate the ABCs themselves.

    2022, Luciano Ramalho, Fluent Python, 2nd edition, O'Reilly, →ISBN

19. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablehuman sciencesInitialism of adventure-based counseling.

    1 more example

    Creatively integrating counseling theory, research, and best practices has afforder me the opportunity to constructively engage clients in adventure-based counseling (ABC) activities that foster social, mental, and emotional development. Utilizing ABC as an innovative counseling approach for individuals, families, and groups has increased my enthusiasm as a counselor.

    2012, Shannon Hodges, “Emerging Fields and Profession in Counseling”, in 101 Careers in Counseling, New York: Springer Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 229

20. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablehuman sciencesInitialism of affect, behavior, and cognition.

    Synonyms: CAB

21. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiologyInitialism of alien big cat.
22. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableautomotiveInitialism of active body control.
23. abbreviationcountableinformalinitialismuncountableChristianityInitialism of Archbishop of Canterbury.

1. abbreviationinitialismbroadcastingInitialism of American Broadcasting Company, an American commercial broadcast television network founded in 1943.

   “The cost of appearing with this bloviating ignoramus is obvious, it seems to me,” he said on “This Week,” the ABC News program.

   2012 May 31, Clyde Haberman, quoting George F. Will, “Trying to Solve the Great Trump Mystery”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 25 Jun 2024

2. abbreviationinitialismbroadcastingInitialism of Australian Broadcasting Corporation.First known use 1983.

   One of the terrorists who carried out the shooting attack at a Bondi Beach Hanukkah party was likely a Muslim man of Pakistani origin, a senior law enforcement official told ABC News. The man's name is Naveed Akram, from Bonnyrigg, and his house had been raided.

   2025 December 14, “Police raid home of Pakistani Muslim man suspected of Bondi Beach terror attack - report”, in The Jerusalem Post

3. abbreviationhistoricalinitialismbroadcastingInitialism of Australian Broadcasting Company.First known use Founded in 1924.
4. abbreviationhistoricalinitialismbroadcastingInitialism of Australian Broadcasting Commission.First known use Founded in 1932.
5. abbreviationinitialismbroadcastingInitialism of Asahi Broadcasting Corporation.
6. abbreviationinitialismbusinessInitialism of Agricultural Bank of China.
7. abbreviationinitialismmediaInitialism of Audit Bureau of Circulations.
8. UKabbreviationhistoricalinitialismInitialism of Aerated Bread Company, which ran a network of shops and cafeterias.

   He turned into an A.B.C. shop and ordered eggs and bacon and coffee.

   1922, Agatha Christie, “Chapter 17”, in The Secret Adversary

   2 more examples

   It was not worth while to go back to Barnes for the interval between the closing of the Museum and his meal in an ABC shop, and the time hung heavily on his hands.

   1915, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 37, in Of Human Bondage

   “No more matinées…no more exhibitions…no more A.B.C. teas…no more insane times…no more anything.”

   1915, Dorothy Richardson, Pointed Roofs, Broadview, published 2014, page 58

9. abbreviationinitialismaeronauticsInitialism of Advance Booking Charter.
10. abbreviationhistoricalinitialismball gamesInitialism of Asian Basketball Confederation.

    The first was the Asian Games, held every 4 years, and the Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC), held every 2 years.

    2013 August 10, Gilas Pilipinas, “Looking back: When PH ruled Asian basketball”, in Rappler

    3 more examples

    The most memorable championship of his life, the 1967 ABC (now Fiba Asia), was also the most dramatic for the Philippines in the entire 1960s.

    2017 January 15, Ray Roquero, “Hero of '67 ABC”, in Business Mirror

    The now FIBA Asia Cup was previously called as the FIBA Asia Championships and the older Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championships.

    2017 August 16, “Australia, NZ slug it out for FIBA Asia Cup crown”, in Asia Pacific Report

    Former PBA players pay final respects to Danny Florencio in his final journey home But Florencio would cement his place in local basketball history as the hero in the Philippines’ dramatic 83-80 win over South Korea for the 1967 Asian Basketball Confederation (ABC) Championship (now known as the FIBA-Asia).

    2018 April 5, Gerry Ramos, Sports Interactive Network Philippines

11. abbreviationhistoricalinitialismbowlingInitialism of American Bowling Congress.
12. abbreviationattributiveinitialismoftenInitialism of Argentina, Brazil and Chile, the three most powerful and wealthiest countries in South America.

    ABC countries

13. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo and São Caetano do Sul, satellite cities around the city of São Paulo that form the most important industrial area in Brazil.
14. USabbreviationinitialismrail transportInitialism of Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast Railroad.
15. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of American Book Center, an English-language bookstore in Amsterdam founded in 1972.

    The American Book Center – a part of Amsterdam's book scene for 41 years – has embraced the latest in book technology. Lynn Kaplanian Buller has been involved with the ABC almost since its launch in 1972, adding a second store in The Hague in 1976.

    2014 January 26, Ana McGinley, “From tea to e-readers: English bookshops in the Netherlands”, in Dutch News

    2 more examples

    The American Book Center in Amsterdam is home to one of the largest collections of English literature in continental Europe. Its rickety shelves, spread over four floors, are crammed with American masterpieces from the likes of Hemmingway and Flannery O’Connor. If non-fiction is more your buzz, there are dozens of lavishly illustrated books on subjects such as art and design. ABC also runs The Treehouse, a series of events designed to nourish literary souls from the roots upwards.

    2009 June 8, Derbhile Dromey, “10 best bookshops in the world”, in Irish Independent

    In addition to sharing American-style storytelling with audiences throughout Finland and France, including a featured presentation at the ELSA conference in Paris this month, Marblehead storyteller Judith Black will be helping to organize and host a story slam at ABC Treehouse, an institution that promotes and supports intercultural exploration in Amsterdam.

    2011 March 7, Caitlin Rung, “Marblehead storyteller Judith Black goes international”, in Boston Globe

16. computer languagesAn imperative general-purpose programming language, intended for teaching or prototyping.
17. abbreviationinitialismChristianityInitialism of Anglican Book Centre, the publishing house and bookshop of the Anglican Church of Canada until 2013.

1. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableengineeringInitialism of atomic, biological and chemical, the three main categories of weapon of mass destruction.

   Synonyms: NBC

2. abbreviationinitialismnot comparableslangInitialism of already been chewed.

   She'd chew the gum until she was finished with it for the day and store it in a tiny box in the refrigerator until she wanted another chew. If I accidentally threw out her gum, she was able to find someone else's ABC gum (already been chewed).

   2010, Leverda Watkins, Pinnacle of Faith, Xlibris, →ISBN, page 165

3. abbreviationinitialismnot comparablemedicineInitialism of activated B-cell-like.

1. abbreviationinitialismbeveragesInitialism of anything but Chardonnay, a backlash against Chardonnay wine, seen as ubiquitous.

   1 more example

   He thought he was up-to-date on all the latest wine lingo until a longtime wine writer returned his sample request card with a bold, hand-written note on it that stated, “Send me all samples—ABC!” “ABC” threw my friend for a loop. When he called me, I translated the cryptic phrase—ABC is winespeak for “Anything But Chardonnay.”

   1997 March, Ron Loutherback, “Beyond the Label: The ABCs of white wine”, in Orange Coast, volume 23, number 3, page 168

2. abbreviationinitialismmedicineInitialism of abstinence, be faithful, use a condom, a sex education policy developed in response to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

   1 more example

   A final example of the iatrogenic effects of international public interventions is the impact on condom use that resulted from the “ABC” (Abstinence, Be Faithful, Use Condoms) approach to AIDS prevention, which has dominated programmatic efforts in Nigeria since about 2000. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), created under US President George W. Bush's administration, promoted a conservative approach to AIDS prevention through its ABC messages, which were (1) abstinence is the only true prevention; (2) if one is in a sexual relationship, stay faithful to one partner; and (3) if one can't do either, use condoms.

   2014, Daniel Jordan Smith, “Introduction”, in AIDS Doesn't Show Its Face: Inequality, Morality, and Social Change in Nigeria, Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, →ISBN, page 15

3. abbreviationinitialismelectric vehiclesautomotiveInitialism of always be charging, a recommendation to remember to charge or be left without use by a low battery at an inopportune time.
4. CanadianabbreviationinitialismgovernmentInitialism of anything but Conservative.

alternative ABCD · alternative ABCDE

1. uncountablecomputingA keyboard layout in which all keys are arranged in alphabetical order in English.