Meaning of above in English:

above

Pronunciation /əˈbʌv/

Translate above into Spanish

preposition

1In extended space over and not touching.
‘a display of fireworks above the town’
- ‘a cable runs above the duct’
- ‘The event will snake through the city centre culminating with a fireworks display above Leeds Town Hall at midnight.’
- ‘Michael Alstad's videos reveal urban spaces that are above or below the passenger's sightlines.’
- ‘The only significant addition to security since then has been in clearing and monitoring the air space above Utah during the Games.’
- ‘In February 1968 the air above this space was crowded with comings and goings.’
- ‘A false ceiling had been inserted and the space above it left unused.’
- ‘He was able to wander freely in the roof space above the check-in area and other areas barred to the public.’
- ‘Then Briony became silent, staring angrily at the space above his left shoulder.’
- ‘In ascending from the first floor, you are aware of space above and below you.’
- ‘The space above the outstretched hand began to glow, shimmering in the darkness.’
- ‘Then he vanishes above the monkey bars, where there is a good six feet of free space above his head and begins stepping over them, graceful as a cat.’
- ‘Nervously, I then checked the space above the rear passenger doors.’
- ‘So up a wooden ladder into the crawl space above the church sanctuary, Billy Gaines went.’
- ‘Travel millions of miles to space above the remarkable contours of Venus and Mars.’
- ‘The Patriot's radar sends out electronic pulses that scan the air space above it.’
- ‘He saw it, with a shock, much closer than expected, in the air space above the valley floor.’
- ‘Some fireworks went off dramatically above me, and I wandered back to John's.’
- ‘A spectacular firework display is being staged above Lancaster Castle on November 8.’
- ‘Fireworks lit the sky above them, Jonathan leaned back and Ava lay with her head on his stomach.’
- ‘Rocks tumbled from an old castle above island's main town, Linaria, and smashed onto parked cars.’
- ‘More than 100 fireworks a minute were fired off, with bursts more than 1,000 ft above the town.’
1. 1.1Extending upwards over.
  ‘she held her arms above her head’
  ‘She demonstrates a move, flowing gracefully into position with arms extended above her head.’
  ‘Keep in mind that abdominal muscle force increases as the arms are extended further above the head.’
  ‘Grab the bar with a shoulder-width grip and extend your arms straight above your face.’
  ‘Today he cannot raise his arms above his head because his shoulders were dislocated so many times.’
  ‘They wasted no time in getting the crowd into action, pumping their fists, waving their arms, clapping above their heads.’
  ‘Inhale, lift your arms above you, and turn your left knee outward to open your hip.’
  ‘Jimmy Saville, in trademark shell suit, made his entrance through the audience like a boxer, arms above his head.’
  ‘Holding your left arm steady, raise your right arm above your head.’
  ‘Scott McNiven centred from the right to the back post where Brass lifted his arm above his head to push the ball into his own net.’
  ‘I waved my arms in the air above my head and nearly lost my voice while trying to sing along.’
  ‘Sitting with my arm stretched up above my head is, and always has been, comfortable.’
  ‘He stretched his arms above his head and glanced at the clock on his bedside, it was eight o'clock.’
  ‘My torso and legs were neatly tucked underneath a white bed sheet, while my arms were resting above it.’
  ‘He stretched his arms high above his head and began to walk to his bedroom.’
  ‘Faon leaned back on the couch, yawning and stretching his arms above his head.’
  ‘Vaughn sat back in his chair and stretched his arms above his head.’
  ‘Akane was sitting on her knees, her arms outstretched above her head in a wake-up stretch.’
  ‘It helps to repeat the inspection with your arms stretched above your head and again with your hand pressed firmly on your hip.’
  ‘Additional padding has been fitted each side of and above the driver's legs to minimize the risk of leg injury.’
  ‘Remembering to keep your body straight, head erect, arms straight and to the sides or above the head, is really quite difficult.’
  over, higher than, higher up than, overlooking
  View synonyms
2. 1.2Higher than and to one side of; overlooking.
  ‘in the hills above the capital’
  ‘on the wall above the altar’
  ‘Looters hit a police station in Petionville, an upscale suburb in the hills above the capital.’
  ‘The western wall, either side of and above the main entrance, is waiting.’
  ‘Follow the path as it snakes its way along the shoulder of the hill high above the Gannel Burn, on the right side of the glen opposite Law Hill.’
  ‘Up the other side, above masses of jungle, rose a rocky, desolate mountain.’
  ‘The six Roman heroes stand high up in the side arches, above the entablature that crowns the actual windows in the wall.’
  ‘In addition, above the altar in the side chapel, the church has placed a large painting by Mr Willson.’
  ‘It is still part of their capital and it too stands on a hill above the floodwaters.’
  ‘The two swayed from side to side above me, taller than ever.’
  ‘Lighting installed above or at both sides of the front door are good options.’
  ‘The reception hall is very bright thanks to glass panels above and to the side of the front door.’
  ‘Crews have also been patrolling the hills above the Trans-Canada Highway, said McHale.’
  ‘It will see a scientific centre of excellence created at the museum, which stands on the former airfield on the hills above Wroughton.’
  ‘On the hill above Adamstown, Steve Christian could be heard last week blasting breadfruit out of the tall trees with his shotgun.’
  ‘When Tiger was a boy, he snipped out an article in the Los Angeles Times on Nicklaus' achievements and pasted it on the wall above his bed.’
  ‘She comes from a groovy village in the hills above Todmorden.’
  ‘I got in the car and we drove back to the house on the hill above the store.’
  ‘I had been in a bad mood; then I saw this from the hills above Delphi.’
  ‘We arrived at the hill above Camp One and spotted our three yellow tents below.’
  ‘Giant wind turbines could be sited on hills above Todmorden if plans by Coronation Power Ltd get the go-ahead.’
  ‘Family mementos and photographs were carefully spaced along the mantelpiece above a gas fireplace.’
  over, higher than, higher up than, overlooking
  View synonyms
2At a higher level or layer than.
‘from his flat above the corner shop’
- ‘bruises above both eyes’
- ‘There's a nest in the woodrose vine outside the drawing room window, just above my eye level.’
- ‘The Jewish lady in the flat above ours has her window open; she's listening to opera and so is everyone else.’
- ‘The office was above the street level, all of the windows miraculously kept intact.’
- ‘Many of the restaurants provide accommodation as well as a delicious menu, be it a cosy space above a local pub or large, opulent guest rooms.’
- ‘For those who know, or have known, Dave Early, I was impressed to see his credit is on its own line, with space above and below.’
- ‘More than a decade ago, I wrote a cover story that ran in the space right above here.’
- ‘The paper gives most of the space above the fold to a five-column colour photo of a Lions Club wine tasting.’
- ‘In the grounds, there is also a stone studio or billiard room as well as stables with office space above.’
- ‘Those already computed will be listed in the space just above the calculator.’
- ‘The firm designed for a mix of street-level stores with five floors of living space above.’
- ‘Even the water for the condos above the commercial space is warmed with residual heat.’
- ‘The space above the domed entrance is open, with four sides of offices, making up four floors.’
- ‘If the plant has not been pruned for a couple of years and still looks too big after this, the flowering stems can be trimmed back to just above a side shoot.’
- ‘After all, the Pittodrie club finished last season in second bottom spot, with the Ayrshire side one place above them.’
- ‘Both feet are covered in blood and there's a sizeable puddle smeared on my left side just above the hip.’
- ‘The Limerick side have a game in hand over Bective Rangers, one of three sides above them.’
- ‘If the shrub is still too tall, cut back the stems to just above a strong side shoot.’
- ‘It was a tight dress that reached my ankles, it had slits up the side that reached just above my knee and the top of it was cut in a v neck.’
- ‘The temporal lobes of the brain lie at the sides of the head above the ears.’
- ‘At the rear of the building, there is a very significant fracture about 10 mm above the side door of the garage.’
1. 2.1Higher in grade or rank than.
  ‘at a level above the common people’
  ‘His rank and station have not been released by police, but it is understood he is of, or above, senior sergeant rank.’
  ‘Kelvin Hall saw an eight per cent rise in the number of children who gained five GCSEs above grade C.’
  ‘We have no bowlers capable of beating any of the teams ranked above us.’
  ‘Ireland is ranked one place above South Africa in the IRB world rankings, in fifth place.’
  ‘That score ranks the school above every other in Greater Manchester and as the 14th highest in the country.’
  ‘The demands placed on our rank by those above us are significant, to attend their meetings, to do their bidding.’
  ‘Garda sources last night said only ranks above that of inspector would be issued with phones.’
  ‘His research shows that two-thirds of policewomen above the rank of constable do not have children.’
  ‘Of course, Scotland is not a sovereign country in the same way as Estonia - which ranks just above us.’
  ‘There is just one female lieutenant - colonel in the army and no women in any of the four ranks above that post.’
  ‘I swiftly came to the conclusion that anything above a fail grade would be a triumph.’
  ‘We work together on a couple of projects and I rank above her, but I am not her boss.’
  ‘He is now a senior whip and is ranked seven places above the finance spokesperson.’
  ‘Many members just above the lowest grades are still on low pay and they have been offered nothing extra.’
  ‘And the narrow victory lifted Wibsey above the east Leeds side into the second promotion position.’
  ‘We have beaten better sides, sides above us in the table, but no victory has been more crucial than the one over the Broncos.’
  ‘We can compete with sides above us, we've just got to make sure we get our game right.’
  ‘But if the injuries clear, I expect Aberdeen to put pressure on the sides above them.’
  ‘As they are two leagues above the local side it was, as it turned out, a fair and very entertaining game.’
  ‘We are once again taking on a side from the division above us so we have a point to prove.’
  ‘It seems that every layer of government above the level of municipal officialdom made no preparations for this at all.’
  superior to, senior to, over, higher than, higher up than, more powerful than, more responsible than, ahead of
  View synonyms
2. 2.2Considered of higher status or worth than; too good for.
  ‘I always like to say that I married above myself’
  ‘Why should a Garda have a certain status above the layperson?’
  ‘Pilots had some control over their fate, which gave them a status above the powerless foot soldiers in the trenches below.’
  ‘Both companies have had their bond ratings reduced to one step above junk status.’
  ‘This was an unmitigated good, and one that is politically above the reproach of critical interrogation.’
  ‘She wants her actions, inactions, and mistakes to be above any legal reproach.’
  ‘The First Minister took the opportunity to declare his new status: he is now above politics.’
  ‘To inherit dominant status a subordinate must outlive all those above her in the queue.’
  ‘Demonstrations of greatness ultimately rank above close finishes or spectacular upsets.’
  ‘The company's directors drove expensive cars that were leagues above the fleet vehicles that staff had.’
  ‘Not only that, but the power is above all other principality, power, dominion, or might.’
  ‘Allah, the omni-powerful is above all power and shall repel the schemes of the unjust.’
3. 2.3In preference to.
  ‘the firm cynically chose profit above car safety’
  ‘The companies must ensure that they do not put production and profit above the safety of human lives.’
  ‘His work at Balco testifies to a character that placed profit above honesty and too easily chose wealth over morality.’
  ‘In doing so he demonstrates a clear preference of respectability above passion.’
  ‘We oppose any move which would put a profit motive above the educational mission in the public funding of higher education in Scotland.’
  ‘Bradford Cycling Action Group objected to the new version for putting the needs of car drivers above those of cyclists.’
  ‘Will they put human health and the environment above chemical industry profits?’
  ‘I don't know of any loyal fan who would put making a profit above watching their team in such a huge match.’
  ‘At the same time, if they are conciliatory in China, they are seen back at home as putting profit above principle.’
  ‘All of these are political decisions to put the profits of big business above the lives of millions of ordinary people.’
  ‘We want the government to set the price of goods and guarantee a minimum wage so as not to put profits above the needs of the people.’
  ‘This inability of a provincial court judge to put public safety above the comforts of the criminal is unacceptable.’
  ‘What will happen if we feminise men so as to place safety above adventure, exploration and protection of the tribe?’
  ‘This is why the public sector needs to be above preferment and dealism.’
  ‘In Cunningham every candidate preferenced the Green above the Labor candidate.’
  ‘To place commercial considerations above people's safety makes no sense.’
  ‘Some choose not to play but a growing number of our youth choose alcohol above athletic endeavour.’
  ‘Each speech was funnier than the next and it seemed almost unfair to have to choose one above the others.’
  ‘As the man says, the French appear to value their right to drive and park however they want above public safety.’
  ‘Agreement with an elder, boss, or anyone of higher status is valued above directness.’
  ‘He was accused of protecting his draft status and of putting his welfare above the team's.’
  more than, over, before, rather than, in preference to, in favour of, instead of, sooner than
  View synonyms
4. 2.4At a higher volume or pitch than.
  ‘he seldom spoke above a whisper’
  ‘the doorbell went unheard above the din’
  ‘They were polite and spoke barely above a whisper and never used faults in an animal to force a deal.’
  ‘Aedelin spoke softly, barely above a whisper, and this time it was he who closed his eyes.’
  ‘However, forecasters have still to make themselves heard above this huge volume of statistical noise.’
  ‘The chant built in volume and emotion above the engine's roar as we began to taxi.’
  ‘Mary looked up at her for a moment and spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.’
  ‘At the sound of it, Kaleroth gasped and spoke in a voice barely above a whisper.’
  ‘I lay down on the bed, a thin mattress covered by state white sheets, and whispered above the din.’
  ‘But, like its predecessors, it has an ability to make itself heard above the din of the crowded media marketplace.’
  ‘Her hearing is almost gone, her sight impaired, her voice barely above a whisper.’
  ‘Imagine my surprise and chagrin when I realised that I could not hear any music above the din of the rattly old Northern Line train.’
  ‘The guy on the other end of the line wouldn't raise his voice above a whisper, which I couldn't make out at all.’
  ‘In some eating establishments it appears to be a serious crime for your offspring to talk above a whisper or wriggle slightly in their seats.’
  ‘When he tried to thank everyone for coming, he could barely talk above a whisper.’
  ‘But the talking, perhaps because it has to be done in a way that registers above the din of the train, is excruciating.’
  ‘A well loved member of the card playing circuit for many years his hearty laugh could always be heard above any din.’
  ‘Sadly for her, the Almighty wasn't listening - or He simply couldn't hear her above the din.’
  ‘They were still working on a new tier of seating during our visit, and our guide had to shout above the din of the drilling and welding.’
  ‘Am I only having this rant in order to make my voice heard above the din?’
  ‘But meanwhile the Captain had made his commands heard above the din and confusion.’
  ‘A car driver with a mobile glued to his ear does his best to be heard above the din of blaring horns.’
3Higher than (a specified amount, rate, or norm)
‘the food was well above average’
- ‘above sea level’
- ‘Teenage pregnancy rates there have soared above the national average since the project's start.’
- ‘There was also an above average suicide rate compared to other ethnic minorities and high levels of alcohol abuse.’
- ‘However, the region has been growing at rates well above the provincial average.’
- ‘Health campaigners blame the power lines for the above average cancer rate that afflicts the area.’
- ‘With a bit of overclocking on the memory you should, by rights, be able to gain an average frame rate above thirty frames per second.’
- ‘It has unemployment levels at three times the national average and truancy rates run five times above average measures.’
- ‘Will farmers face loss of EU payments or penalties if they have a stocking rate above 0.8 of a cow per acre?’
- ‘You can get a loan that's only slightly above the rate at which the U.S. government borrows.’
- ‘Mr McDonnell said a pay increase at least above the rate of inflation will be the union's minimum demand.’
- ‘For example, Abbey's postal Isa guarantees to pay at least 0.5 points above the base rate until April.’
- ‘New Zealand kept the South African scoring rate at just above two runs an over until they took two wickets in the first two overs with the new ball.’
- ‘People who come from overseas for the match without a ticket are always prepared to fork out well above the going rate.’
- ‘It was the third poll in the last ten days to find Bush's approval rating at or above 40%.’
- ‘I want Killarney Town Council to go above the minimum standards - we should be leaders in the field.’
- ‘He said he hopes the company will produce a full quota of sugar and the benefits to both sides will be way above the costs of the dispute.’
- ‘Pupils at the school achieved GCSE and A-level grades above the national average last year.’
- ‘This is only just above the minimum wage, and isn't worth my while.’
- ‘Sitting in a new car can subject riders to toxic emissions several times above the safety limits.’
- ‘The group should outline a full year pre-tax profit above £1b for the first time.’
- ‘Apparently the younger kids come in groups while those above 15 prefer to watch porn by themselves.’
- ‘Only heating well above their preferred temperature, or antiseptic chemicals, can kill bacteria.’
greater than, more than, higher than, exceeding, in excess of, over, over and above, beyond, surpassing, upwards of
View synonyms

adverb

1At a higher level or layer.
‘place a quantity of mud in a jar with water above’
- ‘The walls of the glen loomed dark and heavy above and overhead the stars seemed to spin around him.’
- ‘I, then, noticed a bright light in the sky above and not too far beyond the mountaintops.’
- ‘The cavern ceiling above shimmered as light was caught on its crystalline surface.’
- ‘They are brown above and slightly darker on the wings than on the back and rump.’
- ‘We would redevelop it with a restaurant style pub on the ground floor, flats above and possibly housing in the car park.’
- ‘Maybe they like feeling small and insignificant when compared to the infinite space above and the ominous desert around them.’
- ‘In the hot and humid summer months, air circulates below and throughout the living space above.’
- ‘The echo here was very impressive and hinted of a very large space above.’
- ‘Guests ate, drank and partied whilst being entertained by an array of fireworks in the skies above.’
- ‘The light is falling on the sitter almost from the side and slightly above.’
- ‘Light enters through a large hole in the starboard side of the hull above.’
- ‘From time to time water in drips and flurries empties into the pool from a mechanism on the ceiling and we are able to observe the effect played out on the wall above.’
- ‘Isolate the plants from the soil with a layer of peat moss above and below.’
- ‘A safety diver hovered above and two guys were up top ready to haul me out if anything went awry.’
overhead, at the top, on the top, at a higher place, on a higher place, high up, on high, up above, in the sky, up in the sky, high above one's head, aloft, in the heavens, up in the heavens
View synonyms
1. 1.1Higher in grade or rank.
  ‘an officer of the rank of superintendent or above’
  ‘And last year 82 per cent of its pupils gained five or more grade C and above GCSEs.’
  ‘It is largely left to the officer who is generally of inspector rank or above to actually tailor what is required to the person individually.’
  ‘Its best performance two years ago saw 25 per cent of children gain five GCSEs or more at grade C or above.’
  ‘Players must be grade 3 standard or above and applications must be received by April 26.’
  ‘I was concerned that all of my experience had been with children from the fourth grade or above.’
  ‘Side airbags for the front cabin are standard on T3 cars and above.’
  ‘Outside the city, the Jazz performs like a car from the class above, making it very relaxing to drive.’
2. 1.2Higher than a specified amount, rate, or norm.
  ‘boats of 31 ft or above’
  ‘Low to mid-20s would be a good average for most people with anything above seen as a bonus.’
  ‘Close links between parents and the school were welcomed, while standards in all subjects were rated average or above.’
  ‘Besides, one gram of gold is being offered on every purchase worth Rs.10,000 or above.’
3. 1.3(in printed text) mentioned earlier or further up on the same page.
  ‘the two cases described above’
  ‘see above left’
  ‘at the above address’
  ‘since writing the above, I have reconsidered’
  ‘According to Vassilev, the new strategy will consider all the above and then be submitted to the Cabinet.’
  ‘The Central Remedial Clinic is giving four lucky Waterford people the chance to do all of the above and more!’
  ‘All of the above come with roasted potatoes, rice or fries, and fresh market vegetables.’
  ‘If you don't already know her work, you might like to check out the video mentioned above and also the samples at Amazon.’
  ‘I went to the fabric store and found the materials described above and now own them.’
  ‘One pound of seed spaced at the above recommendation should take up one-tenth of an acre.’
  ‘As you can see above, the space is a bit tight where the clip connects to the socket.’
  ‘All of these medicines are similar, so many of the above side effects may occur with any of the medicines.’
  ‘Of course, he had his own version to the more common sentiment expressed above.’
  ‘It could be a pub quiz question: what do the above athletes have in common?’
  ‘One reason for this can be determined simply by looking at what all those films above have in common.’
  ‘I have already outlined the common general knowledge above, but it is now necessary to consider the subject in more detail.’
  ‘As noted above, at common law the trespasser received the least protection of any entrant on the occupier's premises.’
  ‘The common factor in the above group of cases is that the result was unexpected by both principal and accomplice.’
  ‘Those principles seem to me to accord entirely with the approach of the common law set out above.’
  ‘The common theme in the above example is that Wenger has often replaced two players with one experienced player and a youngster.’
  ‘The said proposal was wholly contrary to the agreement or common understanding pleaded above.’
  ‘We saw above that at common law, the wife could not enforce her right directly against her husband.’
  ‘Of course, some of what I described above was perfectly common in 19th Century America.’
  ‘What the above have in common, though, is the presence of a recognised, established quality striker.’
  earlier, previously, before, formerly, further back
  preceding, precedent, previous, earlier, former, foregoing, prior, antecedent, above-stated
  View synonyms

Phrases

above oneself

Conceited; arrogant.
‘he's getting a bit above himself’
- ‘These were, after all, the descendants of people who had learned bitter lessons about the dangers of ‘getting above yourself.’’
- ‘Unfortunately, these places have got above themselves and imagine that they can get away with charging a fiver, not including the extremely tiny cup of tea or coffee, that costs £1.10.’
- ‘But equally, he is careful to ensure that nobody gets above themselves and that ‘everyone works for the team.’’
- ‘But my Mum, probably because of her mother's treatment of her, was very, very frightened of our getting above ourselves.’
- ‘Well, I think we've gotten above ourselves in recent years, and it's about time someone brought us down a peg.’
- ‘I got stick from the kids in my street because I was getting above myself and my stepmother used to fan the flames of that. ‘Get your nose out of that book and do something useful,’ was a common phrase where I lived.’’
- ‘In my case, they thought I was getting above myself.’
- ‘‘I'm not at all up on fashion,’ he says quickly, as if he doesn't want people to think he has got above himself.’
- ‘It was as if he was always wary of getting above himself, of giving himself airs and graces, a peculiarly Scottish trait.’
- ‘She's strikingly genuine and not above herself at all - even though she spends most of her days interviewing celebrities, and has just starred in a Hollywood movie that's set to be a box office hit.’

not be above

Be capable of stooping to (an unworthy act)
‘he was not above practical jokes’
- ‘I just hoped Luke, along with his designer moodiness, wasn't above actually driving there.’
- ‘He has a sense of humor too, and isn't above mugging for the camera.’
- ‘Anyway, she isn't above such comments herself.’
- ‘Of course, Mr. King isn't above a bit of snobbery himself.’
- ‘It's a controversial portrayal of the great man which isn't above hinting he had a dark side.’
- ‘Politicians aren't above a well-timed leak to maximize political damage against their opponents.’
- ‘The farmers aren't above exaggeration - this, after all, is the tradition when officials come from the city.’
- ‘It is not the policy of this newspaper to select candidates for the election, but I'm not above pointing out some things I've noticed in the past week.’
- ‘And even more shameful is that I'm not above reverting to the old ways.’
- ‘Still, I'm not above pocketing a bottle of Coke on my way out, so long as I'm not being sneaky about it.’

from above

1From overhead.
‘branches rained from above’
- ‘Yes, I water from the top, but they can live outdoors down here and rain falls from above.’
- ‘His hands glowed a bloody red, and the rain from above strengthened and poured down.’
- ‘He succeeds in getting it out, only to have many small boxes rain on him from above.’
- ‘Craters appeared in her wake from the hail of bullets raining down on her from above.’
- ‘As fire raged beneath, chunks of debris rained down from above.’
- ‘She waited for the sky to open again, for the prey to rain from above.’
- ‘The Cityboys formed a rough circle, ignoring the rain of lead that fell on them from above.’
- ‘A rustling came from the leaves and branches of the tree, and a girl dropped from above.’
- ‘Dust and rain came into the house from above as easily as bullets and tanks shells could penetrate the walls.’
- ‘Fate however it seemed was on her side as a rumble of thunder growled down at everyone from above and large drops of rain began to fall.’
1. 1.1From a position of higher rank or authority.
  ‘mass culture is imposed from above’
  ‘What France needed was authority from above, confidence from below.’
  ‘These schemes of working closer together are imposed from above, and are not what many grass-roots people want.’
  ‘Nobody is seriously concerned about a conservative roll-back imposed from above.’
  ‘The problem is that the modernisation was a Westernisation imposed from above.’
  ‘It can't be imposed from above or from outside or from behind our backs.’
  ‘In the first place, democracy cannot be imposed by military force from above.’
  ‘We don't need any more ideologies imposed on us from above by intellectual thugs who think they are doing it for our own good.’
  ‘Often the coup is undertaken to pre-empt revolutionary change from below and impose a measure of reform from above.’
  ‘You could impose a lot of rules from above, which people would resent and look for ways to break.’
  ‘The evidence points to him being under intense pressure from above to do something about the popular priest.’

above and beyond

1In excess of the expectations or demands of.
‘she was always there to help us out in difficult times, above and beyond the call of duty’
- ‘And just ahead are our weekly tribute to a member of our Armed services who served above and beyond the call of duty.’
- ‘She has been my campaign manager for three elections, and has served above and beyond the call of duty.’
- ‘She said she appreciated their passion and their concern even above and beyond the official job.’
- ‘No words can do justice to their efficiency, thoroughness, and all-around human compassion above and beyond the call of duty.’
- ‘With strong customer support, we plan to nurture the relationship of developer and gamer to levels above and beyond today's standards.’
- ‘Walters displayed skill and ingenuity above and beyond expectation.’
- ‘PFC Story distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action.’
- ‘But officers who repeatedly exceed detection targets or perform above and beyond the call of duty could be in line for bonuses.’
- ‘And a fourth grade teacher goes above and beyond the call of duty to teach a student an unforgettable life lesson.’
- ‘Additional awards followed, but only infrequently and then only to individuals for heroic acts on actual forest fires, acts above and beyond the call of duty.’
1. 1.1In addition to.
  ‘you might consider giving employees an extra day or two off each quarter, above and beyond sick days’
  ‘But recently, new forms of genomic variation have been appreciated above and beyond single nucleotide polymorphisms.’
  ‘But graduating to better and better publications is hard without some work above and beyond turning in stories.’
  ‘The airline did only what the FAA required even though going above and beyond would have been prudent.’
  ‘But the use of spyware raises several legal issues, above and beyond the obvious violations of privacy such software encourages.’
  ‘But above and beyond all is the evidence given of a desire to make good and live straight.’
  ‘But above and beyond everything, he had real class.’
  ‘If someone has to raise kids above and beyond that they need all the help they can get.’
  ‘If you want anything above and beyond this, you pay for it with your own money.’
  ‘One such disorder is a phobia, which involves fear and avoidance of a certain type of stimulus or event above and beyond what is rational.’
  ‘But above and beyond these common threats, instant messaging and other chat programs carry their own unique set of risks.’

up above

Above one's head; overhead.
‘we heard a sudden rumbling from up above’
- ‘Mounted to the ceiling above were all sorts of surgical implements attached directly to the power source up above on long, retractable arms.’
- ‘Our attention was soon called to the wide expanse of blue sky by the loud screeching of the hawks up above us.’
- ‘Comrade Evans pulling me out by the feet whilst a snow storm raged up above.’
- ‘The winds are now out of the west at about 15 mph up above.’
- ‘I hold my coat up above her head to keep her dry.’
- ‘Muons are particles created high up above the Earth's surface by cosmic rays hitting the atmosphere.’
- ‘Stretching his arms up above his head he took a look around.’
- ‘Up above them in the ether the jets trails of the morning flights could be seen lingering.’
- ‘The Xavante believe that the stars are the eyes of heavenly people who are watching us from up above.’
- ‘I can see them now, high up above me in the hangar ceiling of the real snow slopes at the indoor Xscape extreme sports centre.’

above the law

In a position where one can avoid being bound by the laws that govern ordinary people.
‘the army was above the law and enjoyed complete impunity’
- ‘He thought he might declare himself above the law.’
- ‘All seemingly performed by an executive which thinks itself above the law.’
- ‘Future Supreme Court nominee Gonzales says the President is now above the law.’
- ‘She now wants immigration officers to be above the law.’
- ‘In many respects they feel they are above the law.’
- ‘The problem is a small hardcore who believe they are above the law.’
- ‘Their generals, who too will probably have not seen the book, are safely above the law.’
- ‘I agree with you, Dick, the president is not above the law.’
- ‘I know stars sometimes think they are above the law.’
- ‘I don't think politicians should be above the law.’

above all

More so than anything else.
‘he was concerned above all to speak the truth’
- ‘Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else.’
- ‘This was a night that testified to United powers and, above all, to the glory of football in its ideal state.’
- ‘Such a principle, above all else, is what we must seek as we try to understand the world around us.’
- ‘Those seven Maori members say that, above all else, they speak for Maori.’
- ‘We took solace in the fact that, above all else, music was his passion and that we could take his mind off his disease while we played.’
- ‘The Union is about that above all else and we Scots shouldn't forget it - because the English are beginning to remember.’
- ‘So, keep reading, keep writing, but above all else, just have a great time!’
- ‘But, above all else, this was a celebration of Manchester's ability to party.’
- ‘But above all else, I must thank my producers at the Big Blog Company. without whom there would be no site.’
- ‘But for me, above all else, it was his Schubert which was truly miraculous.’