above */*/*/

UK [əˈbʌv] / US adjective, adverb, preposition

Summary:

Above can be used in the following ways: - as a preposition (followed by a noun): The birds were flying high above the trees. - as an adverb (without a following noun): She stared up at the stars above. - as an adjective: Please reply to the above address.
Collocations:
Both above and over can be used to mean "at a higher level than something": the light above/over the door. Use above when something is not directly over something else: on the hillside above the river. Use over when something moves or stretches across the space above something: flying over London ♦ the bridge over the river. Use over when something covers something else: She put a scarf over her hair. Do not confuse see above (=look at something mentioned earlier) with see over (=look at the next page).

1) used for saying where someone/something is

a) at a higher level than something or directly over it

We lived in the room above the shop.

Curran's leg was broken above the right knee.

the snow-covered hills above the village

b) in an earlier part of a piece of writing or higher up a page

Many of the documents mentioned above are now available on the Internet.

David and Brenda Mitchell, pictured above, celebrated their golden wedding anniversary last weekend.

Interviews will be held at the above address on 2 December.

2) higher in amount or standard

a) more than a particular number, amount, or level

The company's profits were 23% above the previous year's.

Temperatures climbed to 31 degrees Celsius – 10 degrees above normal.

b) better than a particular standard

In most subjects the students scored well above average.

3) more than anything else used for saying that something is considered more valuable or more important than other things

In their society, honesty was prized above all other virtues.

We value our independence above anything that you can offer us.

4) with a higher rank used for saying that someone's rank is higher or their job is more important than someone else's

As a major, Stuart was a rank above me, but we remained good friends.

5) louder or higher than another sound if you can hear one sound above other sounds, it is louder or higher than the other sounds

Carl shouted, but it was impossible to make himself heard above all the noise.

6) too good to do something if you are above a particular type of behaviour, you are such a morally good person that you would not behave in that way

Jack was cheating? I thought he was above that sort of thing.

•

love/hate/fear something above anything — to love/hate/fear something more than anything else

Don't let them take the children away – I fear that above anything.

- above and beyond

- above all

- get above yourself

- not be above doing something