SHORT FORMS
Words printed in great letters are to be turned to in the Dictionary, but in the expansions
of the short forms, such print is only used to make clear that a word or word-group
is to be turned to as the key to the rest; words in sloping print, if not made clear
here, may be seen in the list of words from other languages.
A.1, first-rate.
A.A., Automobile Association.
A.B., ABLE-BODIED seaman.
acc., a/c., account.
A.D., ANNO DOMINI.
A.D.C., aide-de-camp.
ad(vt)., advertisement.
aet(at)., aetatis (aet. 7 = 7 years old).
a.m., ANTE MERIDIEM.
anon., anonymous.
A.R.P., Air Raid Precautions (organization
against air attack on towns etc.).
Ass(n)., Association.
Asst., Assistant (helping the chief).
A.T.S., [Mil.] Auxiliary Territorial Service
(Women's force).
A.V., Authorized Version (the BIBLE as
put into English in 1611).
b., birth.
B.A., BACHELOR of Arts (university
DEGREE).
Bart., Bt., Baronet.
B.B.C., British Broadcasting Corporation.
B.C., before Christ (in numbering years).
B.E.F., British Expeditionary Force (army
sent overseas).
B.M.A., British Medical Association.
B.Mus., Bachelor of Music (university
DEGREE).
Bros., Brothers (in names of companies).
B.Sc., BACHELOR of Science (university
DEGREE).
C.3, not healthy enough for army, etc.
c., cent(s); chapter.
C., centigrade.
Cantab., of Cambridge.
cap., caput (CHAPTER).
Capt., Captain.
C.B., confinement to barracks (military
punishment).
cf., see for comparison.
ch(ap)., chapter.
C.I.D., Criminal Investigation Department
(of London Police).
c.i.f., cost, insurance, and freight (used
in trade).
C.I.G.S., [Mil.] Chief of Imperial General
Staff.
C.-in-C., [Mil.] Commander-in-Chief.
circ., CIRCA.
Co., Company; COUNTY (of Ireland).
C.O., Colonial Office; [Mil.] commanding
officer; CONSCIENTIOUS objector.
c/o, care of (put on outside of letters
etc.).
C.O.D., CASH on delivery.
Col., Colonel.
Co-op., CO-OPERATIVE society.
cp., see for comparison.
Cpl., Corporal.
cr., creditor (in bookkeeping).
cwt., hundredweight(s).
d., death; penny, pennies.
D.G.M., [Mil.] Distinguished-Conduct
Medal.
D.D., Doctor of Divinity (university
DEGREE).
dept., department.
D.F.C., D.F.M., [Mil.] Distinguished
Flying Cross, Medal.
D.Lit., Doctor of Literature (university
DEGREE).
do., ditto.
D.O.R.A., Defence of the Realm Act (limiting
hours of trade, etc.).
doz., dozen(s).
dr., debtor.
Dr., doctor.
D.Sc., Doctor of Science (university
DEGREE).
D.S.C., D.S.M., D.S.O., [Mil.] Distinguished
Service Cross, Medal, Order.
D.V., Deo volente.
dwt., pennyweight(s).
E., east.
e.g., exempli gratia (for example).
E.P.D., Excess Profits Duty (tax on war
profits).
Esq., Esquire.
etc., ET CETERA.
et seq., et sequentia (and what comes after).
exam., examination.
F(ahr)., Fahrenheit.
f., ff., [Mus.] forte, fortissimo (loud, very
loud).
fig., FIGURE (= map, design, etc.).
fl(or)., floruit (was living, in existence).
f.o.b., free on board (used in trade).
F.P., fire plug (= HYDRANT).
Fr., Father (used before name of PRIEST).
F.R.C.P., F.R.C.S., Fellow of the Royal
College of Physicians, Surgeons.
F.R.S., Fellow of the Royal Society.
ft., foot, feet (measure).
gal., gallon(s).
G.B., Great Britain.
G.C.M., [Math.] greatest common measure.
Gen., [Mil.] General.
G.H.Q., [Mil.] General Headquarters.
G.M.T., Greenwich mean time (as measured
at Greenwich, used in England).
G.O.C., [Mil.] General Officer Commanding.
G.P.O., General Post Office.
gr., grain(s) (weight).
H.B.M., His or Her Britannic MAJESTY.
H.C.F., [Math.] highest common factor.
H.E., H.H., H.I.H., H.M., His or Her
EXCELLENCY, HIGHNESS, Imperial Highness,
MAJESTY.
H.M.I., His Majesty's Inspector.
H.M.S., His Majesty's ship.
Hon., honorary; honourable.
h.p.t horse-power.
hr(s)., hour(s).
H.R.H., His or Her Royal HIGHNESS.
ib(id)., ibidem (in the same place).
id., idem (the same).
i.e., id est (that is).
I.F.S., Irish Free State.
I.H.S., Jesus.
I.L.P., Independent Labour Party (British
political group).
inc., incorporated.
incog., incognito.
I.N.R.I., Jesus of Nazareth King of the
Jews.
inst., instant (in the present month).
I.R.A., Irish Republican Army.
I.W.W., Industrial Workers of the World.
J.P., JUSTICE of the Peace.
jun., jr., junior.
K.B., KING'S Bench.
K.C., King's COUNSEL.
l., L., pound(s) (money).
lat., latitude.
lb(s)., pound(s) (weight).
l.b.w., leg before wicket (CRICKET).
L.C.C., London County Council.
L.C.M., [Math.] lowest common multiple.
Lieut., Lieutenant.
Lit. Hum., literae humaniores (the
HUMANITIES).
Litt.D., Doctor of Letters (university
DEGREE).
l(l)., line(s).
LL.B., Bachelor of Laws (university
DEGREE).
LL.D., Doctor of Laws (university DEGREE).
loc. cit., loco citato (in the book, part,
named).
log., logarithm.
long., longitude.
loq., loquitur, loquentur (says, say).
Ltd., Limited (in name of company).
m., mile(s).
M.A., Master of Arts (university DEGREE).
Maj., [Mil.] Major.
M.B., Bachelor of Medicine (university
DEGREE).
M.C., [Mil.] Military Cross; Master of
Ceremonies.
M.C.C., Marylebone Cricket Club.
M.D., Doctor of Medicine (university
DEGREE).
M.F.H., Master of Foxhounds (manager
of HUNT with FOXHOUNDS).
min., minute(s).
M.M.. [Mil.] Military Medal.
M.O.H., Medical Officer of Health.
M.P., Member of Parliament.
m.p.g., miles per gallon.
m.p.h., miles per hour.
MS(S)., MANUSCRIPT(s).
Mt., Mount(ain).
Mus. B(ach)., Bachelor of Music (university
DEGREE).
Mus. D(oc)., Doctor of Music (university
DEGREE).
N., north.
N.B., nota bene (take note).
N.C.O., NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER.
nem. con., nem. dis., nemine contradicente,
newine dissentiente (if no one is, no one
being, against).
no(s)., number(s).
nr., near.
N.R.A., National Recovery Administration
(U.S.).
N.T., New TESTAMENT.
ob., death.
O.G.P.U., Ogpu, the Russian secret police.
O.H.M.S., On His Majesty's Service (used
on outside of letters).
O.K., all right.
O.M., Order of Merit.
on appro., ON APPROVAL.
op., opus (work).
op. cit., opus citatum (the work named).
O.T., Old TESTAMENT.
O.T.G., Officers' Training Corps.
Oxon., Oxfordshire; of Oxford.
oz., ounce(s).
P(P)., page(s).
p., pp., [Mus.] piano, pianissimo (soft, very
soft).
par(s)., paragraph(s).
P.C., PRIVY Council(lor); police constable;
post-card.
p.c., PER cent.
pd., PAID.
Ph.D., Doctor of Philosophy (university
DEGREE).
p.m., POST MERIDIEM; post-mortem.
P.O., Post Office; POSTAL order.
p.p., per pro (used in signing letter for
another, "by, acting for").
prox., proximo.
P.S., postscript.
Pte., Private (in the army).
p.t.o., please get page turned over.
q.e.d., quod erat demonstrandum (which
was the point to be made clear).
Q.M.G., [Mil.] Quartermaster-General.
qt(s)., quart(s).
q.v., quod vide (which see).
R.A., Royal Academy (of Art); [Mil.]
Royal Artillery.
R.A.C., Royal Automobile Club.
R.A.F., [Mil.] Royal Air Force.
R.A.M.C., [Mil.] Royal Army Medical
Corps.
R.A.S.C., [Mil.] Roval Army Service Corps.
R.C., ROMAN Catholic.
Rd., Road.
R.E., [Mil.] Royal Engineers.
Rev(d)., Reverend (put before names of
Christian PRIESTS).
R.I.P., requiesca(n)t in pace (put on headstones
etc.: "have rest in peace").
R.N., Royal Navy (British sea force).
R.N.R., Royal Naval Reserve.
R.N.V.R., Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.
r(s)., rupee(s).
R.S.V.P., Répondex s'il vous plaît (Please
send an answer).
Rt. Hon., Right HONOURABLE.
S., south.
sec., second (of time).
Sec., Secretary.
sen(r)., senior.
Sergt., [Mil.] Sergeant.
S.S., Steamship.
St., Saint; Street.
St., stone (weight).
Supt., Superintendent.
T.N.T., trinitrotoluol (a very violent
EXPLOSIVE).
T.U.C., Trade Union Congress.
U.K., United Kingdom.
ult., ultimo.
U.S.A., United States of America.
U.S.S.R., Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics.
v., vide.
V.A.D., [Mil.] (Woman in) Voluntary
Aid Detachment.
V.C., [Mil.] Victoria Cross.
verb. sap., verbum satis sapienti.
viz., videlicet.
v(s)., versus.
W., west.
W.C., water-closet.
W.E.A., Workers' Educational Assn.
W.A.A.F., [Mil.] Women's Auxiliary Air
Force.
Wren, woman in W.R.N.S.
W.R.N.S., [Mil.] Women's Royal Naval
Service.
wt., weight.
Xt. Christ.
Xtian., Christian.
yd(s)., yard(s) (measure).
Y.M.C.A., Young Men's Christian Assn.
Y.W.C.A., Young Women's Christian
Assn.