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AN

AN

1 7.0
A two-year college degree for people training to be nurses
  • noun
  • /eɪ ɛn/
  • Jargon
: AN
  • She earned her AN after completing a two-year nursing program.

Examples

  • Many community colleges offer AN programs for aspiring nurses.

  • To become a registered nurse, you need an AN or higher degree.

  • Would you say that there is an amount of risk?

Synonyms

associate
vsAN
  • US
12 3.7

A two-year college degree given by community colleges

is specific to nursing education and leads to professional nurse eligibility
10 3.2

A qualification that a college gives after about two years of study, shorter than a bachelor's degree

is specific to the nursing field and grants professional nurse qualification
1 4.3

A two-year college degree that prepares someone to be a nurse

is the shortened written form used instead of the full nursing qualification title

Idioms

139 3.5

To show that something is very surprising or impressive

blink of an eye
  • Informal
34 2.8

A very short moment that passes almost instantly

such an asshole
  • Offensive
29 9.9

A very rude person who treats others badly

24 3.3

Very quickly, in almost no time

To be good at noticing small details and good qualities in things

20 5.1

Punishment that gives the same harm back to the person who did the wrong

To show surprise or doubt by lifting one eyebrow

14 6.3

In a situation where people cannot agree and nothing moves forward

an arm and a leg
  • Informal
12 5.8

A very high cost that needs a lot of money

11 5.3

Very noisy and upset because people are angry or worried

on an island
  • Informal
8 8.4

Feeling alone and unsupported in a group or situation

In a very strict and harsh way to control people

7 4.4

Separately for each person or case

To plan or act while thinking about a future goal

to be such an arse
  • Offensive
6 9.9

To act rudely and annoy other people

To marry a woman, often after a romantic or sexual relationship, to make the relationship legal and respected

not an ounce of
  • Informal
6 4.9

There is not even a tiny bit of something

A strong ability to notice small things and work very carefully

In a steady, calm state and working smoothly

4 7.9

Change plans quickly at the last minute when something goes wrong

to lend an ear
  • Informal
3 3.2

To listen to someone and show you care

3 7.7

Angrily tell someone they did something wrong

A secret advantage someone keeps to use when needed

to be an arsehole
  • Offensive
2 9.9

Behave rudely and selfishly, ignoring other people's feelings

2 6.6

Without showing surprise or worry

2 3.8

A very short time when things change suddenly

2 4.2

Offer to make peace after an argument

2 7.0

To be out of place among the people around you

To punish someone in the same way they hurt another person

to be an ogre
  • Offensive
2 9.3

Act in a mean, selfish way that scares others

wink of an eye
  • Informal
2 3.8

In a very short time

1 4.3

Satisfy a strong wish you cannot ignore

to budge an inch
  • Informal
1 7.8

Refuse to change an opinion or position at all

1 8.7

To move with bent arms and a stiff posture like the dance from the song

1 6.0

Watch carefully for something you expect to see

To do something that makes both people look foolish

Something or someone that is very mysterious and hard to understand

1 7.7

Not show any surprise when something unexpected happens

1 3.5

Very quickly, in an instant

Allowing a small favor makes someone try to take much more than you wanted

half an ear
  • Informal
1 7.1

To listen without giving full attention

half an eye
  • Informal
1 8.8

To notice or understand what is happening with little attention

1 7.5

No feeling of being sorry for something you did

1 4.9

A very small feeling of being unsure about something

1 8.8

Almost happening or being done but not yet

1 8.4

Very nearly achieving something

1 7.9

To be alone even when other people are near

in an eyeblink
  • Informal
1 6.8

Happen very quickly in the short time it takes to blink an eye

by an eyelash
  • Informal
1 7.6

Very close and almost not enough to win or pass

1 7.9

To feel very tired and weak like an older person

To remember many things easily and correctly

To ignore an obvious problem and pretend it is not there

Compounds

A time that lasts 90 minutes

26 3.5

A right for someone accused of a crime to have a lawyer, including a free one if they cannot pay

17 4.3

An important time that finishes and many people remember

The main idea that connects the points someone makes

flower-of-an-hour
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A small plant with yellow flowers that open in the morning and fade by midday

A plant with yellow flowers that open in the morning and fade by midday

1 9.5

The angle that shows how tilted an orbit is to Earth's path around the Sun

Facts or reasons you use to support a point

9.5

A desert in northern Saudi Arabia with red sand and strong winds

9.9

A very unpleasant office where people dislike working

7.5

A very bad idea

Surface Forms

AN singular

Morphology

AN = A + N

This is an initialism: the letters 'A' and 'N' do not carry independent lexical meaning, so the form does not transparently reveal 'associate degree in nursing' without knowing the expansion.

Etymology

AN comes from the words 'Associate' and 'Nursing', so the A stands for 'Associate' and the N stands for 'Nursing'. So an AN is the two-year nursing degree many students earn to start a career as a nurse.