Arroba. Span. and Port. A weight equal to about 25 lbs. English. Arab, ar ruba‘, a quarter.
Arroyo. Span. A brook, stream.
Artesano. Span. Artisan, workman.
Ashor. Hebr. Jewish feast of the tenth (day), ‘āsor. It is really the Arabic ‘ashūrā.
Atajo. Span. A short cut, material or moral; an expedient of any kind. Lit. a tying; atar, to tie.
Atalaya. Span. A watch-tower. Port. atalaia. A word of Arabic origin; aṭ-ṭalí‘ah, a view.
Attar. Arab. Essence. More correctly, ‘aṭar. Frequently in combination. The Eng. otto.
Auslandra. Milan. The meaning of this word is given by Borrow himself as “to roam about in a dissipated manner.” It is obviously the Germ. Ausland, “a foreign country,” made into an Italian verb. On the authority of the native of Como, whom Borrow met at Cerrig y Drudion, it was considered a vulgar word, even in the gergo of the Milanese, and that it is so may be proved by a reference to Cherubini, Vocabolario Milanese-Italiano, s.v. Slándra, Slandrà.
Auto da fé. Port. Span. auto de fé. Execution of persons condemned by the Inquisition.
Avellana. Span. A filbert.