A, THE character of the first letter of the alphabet in Latin, English, French, and most of the present languages of Europe. The first character in the Hebrew alphabet is called aleph, in the Greek alpha, in the Arabic aleph, and in the Syriac aleph.
A has deservedly the first place in the alphabet on account of its simplicity, very little more being necessary to its pronunciation than opening the mouth.
A, an article. See ARTICLE.
A, among the ancients, was a numeral letter, and signified 500; and when a dash was added on the top, A, 5000.
A, in the Julian calendar, is the first of the seven dominical letters*. It had been in use among the Romans long before the establishment of Christianity, as the first of the eight nundinales† litteræ; in imitation whereof it was that the dominical letters were first introduced.
A is also an abbreviature, used with different intentions. Hence,
A, among logicians, is used to denote an universal affirmative proposition; according to the verse,
Afferit A, negat E, verum generaliter amb.
Thus, in the first figure, a syllogism consisting of three universal affirmative propositions, is said to be in Bār-bā-rā; the A thrice repeated, denoting so many of the propositions to be universal, &c. See BARBARA.
A, among the Romans, was used in the giving of votes or suffrages.—When a new law was proposed, each voter had two wooden ballots put in his hand; the one marked with a capital A, signifying antiqua, q. d. antiquam volo; and the other with V. R. for ut rogas. Such as were against the law, cast the first into the urn: as who should say, I refuse it, I antiquate it; or, I like the ancient law, and desire no innovation.
A, in the trials of criminal causes, also denoted absolution: whence Cicero, pro Milone, calls A, littera salutaris, a saving letter.—Three ballots were distributed to each judge, marked with the letters, A for absolvo, I acquit; C for condemno, I condemn; and N. L. for non liquet, It is not clear. From the number of each cast into the urn, the prætor pronounced the prisoner's fate. If they were equal in number, he was absolved.
A, in the ancient inscriptions of marbles, &c. occasionally stands for Augustus, ager, aiunt, &c. When double, it denotes Augusti; and when triple, aurum, argentum, &c.; and sometimes its meaning can only be
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known by the rest of the inscription. Ifidore adds, that when it occurs after the word miles (soldier), it denotes him young. On the reverse of ancient medals, it denotes them struck by the city of Argos, sometimes by that of Athens; but on coins of modern date, it is the mark of Paris.
A, as an abbreviation, is also often found in modern writers: as, A. D. for anno domini; A. M. artium magister, master of arts, &c.
A, the letter a, with a line above it thus, ā, is used in medical prescriptions for ana, of each; sometimes it is written thus, āā: e. g. B. Mel. Sacchar. & Mann. ā, vel āā, āj. i. e. Take of honey, sugar, and manna, of each one ounce.
A. A. A. The chemical abbreviation for Amalgama, or Amalgamation.
AA, the name of several rivers in Germany and Switzerland.