from A to B

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

A diagram of a vector from A to B

Possibly from the common practice of labelling points using letters of the alphabet, and then referring to motion from one point to another as “from A to B”, and so on.[1]

Pronunciation[edit]

Prepositional phrase[edit]

from A to B

  1. From one point to the next; from the beginning of a trip to the end.
    • 1997, Daniela Bertol, David Foell, “A Few Hypotheses for Reconstructed Architecture”, in Designing Digital Space: An Architect’s Guide to Virtual Reality, New York, N.Y., Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 303:
      While in our actual world we identify architecture with elements related by permanent relations, in virtual worlds space is a constant function of time. For example, if I have to ascend a stair to get from A to B, I will not necessarily have to descend to get back from B to A. Virtual spaces can hold many surprises.
    • 1999, Sara Clifford, Anna Herrmann, “Unit Three: Devising the Show”, in Making a Leap – Theatre of Empowerment: A Practical Handbook of Drama and Theatre Work with Young People, London, Philadelphia, Pa.: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, →ISBN, page 133:
      At Leap we have found that, when working with a large group, it is not appropriate to create a traditional play with a story that follows one central character from A to B. Instead, we create a piece of theatre that can employ a large cast, follow several characters' stories in parallel and draw on several styles, especially popular forms.
    • 1999, M. James C. Crabbe, “Preface”, in M. James C. Crabbe, editor, From Soul to Self, London, New York, N.Y.: Routledge, →ISBN, page x:
      It is a journey travelled both by individuals and by societies made up of those individuals. It is not, however, a simple journey, a progression from A to B, starting with the soul and ending at the self.
    • [2017 February 23, Katie Rife, “The Girl With All The Gifts tries to put a fresh spin on overripe zombie clichés”, in The A.V. Club[1], archived from the original on 10 September 2017:
      The zombie scenes are reminiscent of what you might see on a show like The Walking Dead, short bursts of extreme violence and gore punctuating expository dialogue scenes where the survivors try to figure out how they’re going to get from point A to point B.]

Related terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ See, for example, R. H. (1681 December 10) “The Substance of a Mathematical Discourse, Containing the Description of the Best Form of Horizontal Sayls for a Mill, and the Ground of the Inclined Sayls of Ships, Made before the Royal Society, by R. H.”, in Philosophical Collections, number 3, London: Printed for Richard Chiswell, printer to the Royal Society, at the Rose and Crown in St Paul's Church-yard, →OCLC, page 63:Let A B ſignifie the ſtream or current of the Air or Wind, moving from A to B, and let C repreſent the Centre of the Axis or Spindle, [].

Further reading[edit]