ABC

ABC

1. (international standards, aviation) IATA airport code for Albacete Airport, which serves Albacete, Castilla–La Mancha, Spain.

From Middle English abece, ABC, from the first three letters of the Latin alphabet, standing for the whole alphabet.

• (noun): absey (in certain senses only)

• IPA^(key): /eɪ biː ˈsiː/

• Audio (US, California)

  (file)

ABC (countable and uncountable, plural ABCs or ABC's)

1. (uncountable, countable, usually plural in Canada, US) The English alphabet. [First attested from around (1150 to 1350).][1]

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

   Synonyms: (obsolete) absey, alphabet

2. (obsolete, poetry) A type of poem in which the lines start with the letters of the alphabet in order. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid-17th century.][1]
3. (obsolete) A primer for teaching the Latin alphabet and first elements of reading. [Attested from around (1350 to 1470) until the mid-17th century.][1]
4. The fundamentals of any subject. [First attested in the mid-16th century.][1]

   the ABC of finance

   Synonyms: basics, fundamentals

   • 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:

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

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

     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.

5. (poker) A straightforward, uniform playing style, often focusing on betting for value, folding weak hands, and avoiding bluffing.
6. (UK, rail transport) A British alphabetized guidebook listing trains and their stations.
   • 1934, Evelyn Waugh, A Handful of Dust, Chapman & Hall:

     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.

• ABC book
• ABC guide
• easy as ABC

Naming an alphabet after the initial letters is common; compare:

• alphabet
• bopomofo
• futhark
• futhorc

Initialisms.

ABC (countable and uncountable, plural ABCs)

1. (mnemonic, emergency medicine) Initialism of airway, breathing and circulation: the essential steps in the immediate assessment and treatment of critically ill or injured patients.
   • 2015, Marcia Wells, Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery in Mayan Mexico, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, →ISBN, page 180:

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

2. (US) Initialism of alcoholic beverage control.
   • 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:

     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.

3. (dated, sometimes derogatory) Initialism of American-born Chinese.
   • 1993, Susan Kulkin, Speaking Out: Teenagers Take on Race, Sex, and Identity, New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, →ISBN, page 59:

     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.

4. Initialism of Australian-born Chinese.
   • 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:

     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.

5. (business management) Initialism of activity-based costing.
   • 2008, Gary Dessler, Jean Phillips, “Planning and Controlling Now: Controlling”, in Managing Now, Houghton Mifflin Company, →ISBN, page 222:

     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.

6. (climbing) Initialism of advance base camp.
   • 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:

     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.

7. (biochemistry) Initialism of ATP-binding cassette.
   • 2008, Gerd Schmitz, “Sterol Transporters”, in Stefan Offermanns, Walter Rosenthal, editors, Encyclopedia of Molecular Pharmacology, 2nd edition, volume 1, Springer, →ISBN, page 1157:

     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.

8. (immunology, medicine) Initialism of antigen-binding capacity.
9. (pathology) Initialism of aneurysmal bone cyst.
   • 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:

     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.

10. (pathology) Initialism of adenoid basal cell carcinoma.
11. (pharmacology) Abbreviation of abacavir.
12. (pharmacology) Initialism of accelerated blood clearance.
13. (computing) Initialism of Atanasoff-Berry computer.
14. (computing) Initialism of artificial bee colony.
15. (law, finance) Initialism of assignment for the benefit of creditors.
    • 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:

      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.

16. (electrical engineering) Initialism of absorbing boundary condition.
    • 2008, Nikolaos V. Kantartzis, Theodoros D. Tsiboukis, Modern EMC Analysis Techniques I: Time-Domain Computational Schemes, Morgan & Claypool, →ISBN, page 180:

      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.

17. (object-oriented programming) Initialism of abstract base class.
    • 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:

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

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

      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.

18. (psychology) Initialism of adventure-based counseling.
    • 2012, Shannon Hodges, “Emerging Fields and Profession in Counseling”, in 101 Careers in Counseling, New York: Springer Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 229:

      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.

19. (psychology) Initialism of affect, behavior, and cognition.

    Synonym: CAB

20. (cryptozoology) Initialism of alien big cat.
21. (automotive) Initialism of active body control.
22. (Christianity, informal) Initialism of Archbishop of Canterbury.

• (ATP-binding cassette): ABC transporter, ABC exporter

• (airway, breathing and circulation): ABCD, CAB
• (American-born Chinese): CBC

ABC

1. (television) Initialism of American Broadcasting Company: an American commercial broadcast television network founded in 1943.
2. (radio, television) Initialism of Australian Broadcasting Corporation. [From 1983.]
3. (historical, radio) Initialism of Australian Broadcasting Company. [Founded in 1924.]
4. (historical, radio, television) Initialism of Australian Broadcasting Commission. [Founded in 1932.]
5. (radio, television) Initialism of Asahi Broadcasting Corporation.
6. (finance) Initialism of Agricultural Bank of China.
7. (publishing) Initialism of Audit Bureau of Circulations.
8. (UK, historical) Initialism of Aerated Bread Company.

   Alternative form: A.B.C.

9. (aviation) Initialism of Advance Booking Charter.
10. (historical, basketball) Initialism of Asian Basketball Confederation.
    • 2013 August 10, Gilas Pilipinas, “Looking back: When PH ruled Asian basketball”, in Rappler:

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

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

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

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

    • 2018 April 5, Gerry Ramos, Sports Interactive Network Philippines:

      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).

11. (historical, bowling) Initialism of American Bowling Congress.
12. (often attributively) Initialism of Argentina, Brazil and Chile: the three most powerful and wealthiest countries in South America.

    ABC countries

13. Initialism 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. (US, rail transport) Initialism of Atlanta, Birmingham and Coast Railroad.
15. Initialism of American Book Center: an English-language bookstore in Amsterdam founded in 1972.
    • 2009 June 8, Derbhile Dromey, “10 best bookshops in the world”, in Irish Independent:

      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.

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

      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.

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

      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.

16. (computer languages) An imperative general-purpose programming language, intended for teaching or prototyping.
17. (Christianity) Initialism of Anglican Book Centre: the publishing house and bookshop of the Anglican Church of Canada until 2013.

• ABC Islands
• (American Broadcasting Company): NBC, CBS, PBS, NPR
• (Audit Bureau of Circulations): IFABC

ABC (not comparable)

1. (weaponry) Initialism of atomic, biological and chemical: the three main categories of weapon of mass destruction.

   Synonym: NBC

2. (slang, of a piece of chewing gum) Initialism of already been chewed.
   • 2010, Leverda Watkins, Pinnacle of Faith, Xlibris, →ISBN, page 165:

     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).

3. (medicine, of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma) Initialism of activated B-cell-like.

• (atomic, biological and chemical): CBRN
• (activated B-cell-like): GCB

ABC

1. (wine) Initialism of anything but Chardonnay: a backlash against Chardonnay wine, seen as ubiquitous.
   • 1997 March, Ron Loutherback, “Beyond the Label: The ABCs of white wine”, in Orange Coast, volume 23, number 3, page 168:

     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.”

2. (medicine) Initialism of abstinence, be faithful, use a condom: a sex education policy developed in response to the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
   • 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:

     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.

3. (electronics, electric vehicles, automotive) Initialism of always be charging; a recommendation to remember to charge or be left without use by a low battery at an inopportune time.
4. (Canadian politics) Initialism of anything but Conservative.

ABC keyboard on a parking ticket dispenser.

Like QWERTY, the name is based on the first letter keys.[2]

• ABCD, ABCDE

ABC (uncountable)

1. (computing, typography) A keyboard layout in which all keys are arranged in alphabetical order in English.

• -bac-, B. C. A., B.C.A., BAC, BCA, CAB, CBA, Cab, bac, cab

ABC f

1. Associació Bíblica de Catalunya, a Catalonian bible club

• abc

• IPA^(key): /abeseː/, [æb̥eˈseːˀ]

ABC c (singular definite ABC'en, plural indefinite ABC'er)

1. ABC (a primer for teaching the Latin alphabet and first elements of reading; the rudiments of any subject)

• ABC on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^da
• ABC (bog) on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^da

From Middle High German a. b. c., abecē; equivalent to A +‎ B +‎ C, the first three letters of the Latin and German alphabet.

• IPA^(key): /ˌa(ː)beˈtseː/

• Audio

  (file)

ABC n (strong, genitive ABC or ABCs, no plural)

1. ABC, alphabet

   Synonym: Alphabet

   • 1868, Friedrich Schmitt, Neues System zur Erlernung der deutschen Aussprache nebst neuer Eintheilung des ABC, München, book title:

     Neues System zur Erlernung der deutschen Aussprache nebst neuer Eintheilung des ABC

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

• Abc, Abece

• ABC-Krieg, slowenischer ABC-Krieg (in the 1830s)
• ABC-Schütze

ABC (indeclinable)

1. (weaponry) Initialism of atomar, biologisch und chemisch: NBC
   • 2009, Christian Bernhardt, “Noch einmal ganz von vorne anfangen”, in Leah Wizelman, editor, Wenn der Krieg nicht endet. Schicksale von traumatisierten Soldaten und ihren Angehörigen, →ISBN, page 142:

     Es gab dann immer einen Sirenenalarm im Camp und wir mussten unter ABC-Vollschutz (ABC: atomar, biologisch, chemisch) versuchen, in irgendeinen Bunker zu laufen.

     Then there was always a siren alarm in camp and we had to run into a bunker wearing NBC protection (NBC: nuclear, biological, chemical).

   • 2013, Grundlagen des ABC-Einsatzes (Fachwissen Feuerwehr), 3rd edition, →ISBN, page 11:

     In Abhängigkeit von der Art, den Eigenschaften und der Menge des freigewordenen ABC-Gefahrstoffes sind unterschiedliche taktische Einheiten zur Gefahrenabwehr erforderlich.

     Various tactical units are required for security depending on the type, characteristics and quantity of the hazardous NBC substance that has been released.

   • 2022, Rainer Uhlmann, Ukraine-Krieg. Tagebuch eines Fragenden, →ISBN, page 203:

     Das kann bis zu einem ABC-Krieg reichen.

     That can extend as far as an NBC war.

• ABC-Krieg, ABC-Waffen

English ABC

• (Tokyo) エービーシ​ー [èébííshíꜜì] (Nakadaka – [5])
• IPA^(key): [e̞ːbʲiːɕiː]

ABC(エービーシー) • (ēbīshī) 

1. ABC(s) (alphabet)
2. the ABCs (rudiments)

   チェスのA(エー)B(ビー)C(シー)

   chesu no ēbīshī

   the ABCs of chess

   男(おとこ)と女(おんな)のA(エー)B(ビー)C(シー)

   otoko to onna no ēbīshī

   the ABCs of men and women

ABC n or m (plural ABCen)

1. ABC, alphabet

• eppes gëtt net a mäin ABC
• ABC-Klöppel

ABC in the Lëtzebuerger Online Dictionnaire

• IPA^(key): /e bi si/
• Rhymes: -i

ABC (informal 1st possessive ABCku, 2nd possessive ABCmu, 3rd possessive ABCnya)

1. The Latin alphabet.
2. Abbreviation of air batu campur.

• “ABC” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

ABC

1. Alternative form of abece

• abc

The first three letters of the Norwegian alphabet, A, B and C.

• IPA^(key): /ɑːbɛˈseː/

• Audio

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eː
• Hyphenation: A‧B‧C
• Homophone: abc

ABC f or m (definite singular ABC-a or ABC-en, indefinite plural ABC-er, definite plural ABC-ene)

1. an ABC (a primer for teaching the Latin alphabet and first elements of reading and spelling)
   • 1909, Alexander L. Kielland, Breve til hans datter, page 144:

     paa bogstavet E stod i gamle tyske ABC’er 2 dyr: Esel og Elephant

     on the letter E stood in old German ABCs 2 animals: Donkey and Elephant

   • 1989, Ebba Haslund, Med vingehest i manesjen, page 50:

     Foreldreaksjonen mot samnorsk … oppfordret til retting av samnorskformene i skolebarnas ABC’er

     The parental reaction against Samnorsk… called for the correction of Samnorsk forms in school children's ABCs

   • 2004, Fredrik Skagen, En by som ingen ainnen:

     jeg kunne [lese] før jeg begynte i første klasse, og det var kjedelig å høre på når andre elever stotret seg gjennom avsnitt i ABC-en

     I could [read] before I started first grade, and it was boring to listen to other students stumble through sections of the ABC

   • 2008, Karsten Alnæs, Bakenfor alle farger:

     vi hadde lært bokstavene og tallene, lest vår ABC og fylt ut atskillige skrivebøker

     we had learned the letters and numbers, read our ABCs and filled out several exercise books

   Synonyms: ABC-bok, stavebok

2. (figuratively) basic knowledge of a subject
   • 1911, Fredrik Viller, Gamle Friks diamant, page 66:

     det hører jo til en politimands ABC, at han bør mistænke alle, saalænge den skyldige ikke er opdaget

     it belongs to a policeman's ABC that he should suspect everyone, as long as the culprit is not discovered

   • 2006, Kjell Ola Dahl, Lindeman & Sachs, page 465:

     det er jo børsens ABC: Man selger i hausse og kjøper i baisse

     it is the stock exchange's ABC: You sell hausse and buy in baisse

   • 2008 July 18, askerfotball.no:

     «scoringen kom etter et angrep som var tatt rett ut av fotballens ABC» er en typisk setning i avisene

     "The score came after an attack that was taken straight out of football's ABC" is a typical phrase in the newspapers

   vitenskapens og politikkens ABC

   the ABC's of science and politics

   kunne sin ABC ― know your ABCs

   kunne mer enn sin ABC ― know more than your ABCs (to understand many things)

3. a textbook that contains elementary knowledge within a topic or subject

   ABC for førerprøven ― ABC for the driving test

   ABC for matlaging ― ABC for cooking

   Synonyms: grunnbok, lærebok

4. (rare) alphabet (the set of letters used when writing in a language)

The first letter of each term; atom, biologisk and kjemisk, borrowed from English atomic, biological and chemical.

ABC

1. (weaponry) Initialism of atom-, biologisk and kjemisk: ("atomic, biological and chemical") the three main categories of weapons of mass destruction.

The first letter of each respective country; Argentina (“Argentina”), Brasil (“Brazil”) and Chile (“Chile”).

ABC

1. (geopolitics) Initialism of Argentina, Brasil and Chile: the three richest countries in South America

   Synonym: ABC-statene

• ABC-øyene (“ABC islands”)

• “ABC” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “abc” in Det Norske Akademis ordbok (NAOB).

• abc

ABC f (definite singular ABC-a, indefinite plural ABC-er, definite plural ABC-ene)

1. ABC (often in book form), alphabet

ABC m (plural ABCs)

1. Alternative form of á-bê-cê

ABC

1. Alternative form of aw-bay-say

ABC m (plural ABCs)

1. Alternative form of abecé

• “abc”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014