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# ab

noun (an ab, abs — informal); abbreviation (ab, AB)

«ab» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (informal) An ab is one of the stomach muscles; people usually say «abs», short for «abdominal muscles». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#m1)
2. AB is a blood group (type AB). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#m2)
3. (abbreviation) Ab can stand for other things, such as Alberta in Canadian addresses (AB) or «able seaman» (AB) on ships. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#m3)
4. (Latin) «ab» means «from», as in «ab initio» (from the beginning). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#m4)

### In the lessons

Used in PE and health lessons («ab exercises», «work your abs»), in science about blood groups, and in addresses.

### Examples

- Sit-ups make your abs stronger. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#x1)
- The PE teacher showed us an ab stretch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#x2)
- The superhero had big muscles and six-pack abs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#x3)
- My blood group is AB. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#x4)
- People with type AB blood can receive blood from any group. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#x5)
- The parcel was sent to Calgary, AB. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/#x6)

### Note

Mostly a clipped form of «abdominal»; usually plural «abs». «Six-pack» is slang for clearly visible stomach muscles. As a blood group it is written in capitals: AB. Not a full English word on its own in normal writing.

## In Jewish tradition

In the Sefer Yetzirah, Ab is the name of a Hebrew month, the fifth in the Jewish calendar (also written Av). In the book of Daniel the same letters begin the name Abed-nego, one of the three friends thrown into the furnace, so there it is part of a person's name and not the month.

**Interpretation.** Tradition links Ab with the letter Teth, the sign Leo and the left kidney. It is the month when the Temple was destroyed, and the ninth of Ab is a day of mourning.

### Examples

- A Version by Saadiah, ab. ben David, and three others, Mantua, 1562, 4to. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/#x1)
- The twelve months of the year are: Nisan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamus, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Marcheshvan, Kislev, Teves, Schevat and Adar. (Sefer Yetzirah, Kalisch 1877) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/#x2)
- He produced Teth, predominant in Hearing, crowned, combined, and formed Leo in the world, Ab in the year, and the left kidney in man. (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/#x3)
- Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon. (Writings DAN.3.30, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/#x4)
- Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. (Writings DAN.3.13, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/#x5)
- And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. (Writings DAN.3.23, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/#x6)

### Note

Mostly a clipped form of «abdominal»; usually plural «abs». «Six-pack» is slang for clearly visible stomach muscles. As a blood group it is written in capitals: AB. Not a full English word on its own in normal writing.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «ab» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/ab/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ab» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/ab.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «ab» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/A/ab/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«ab» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/ab.html) on Mova free.