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A Free A.A. Big Book Dictionary* we call:
“OurBasicText ™
Line-by-Line Glossary”
(A Dictionary for the book Alcoholics Anonymous) ®
(Version 2006.2)
The following is a small part of the glossary. The short sample below defines some of the Big Book ® words and phrases found on the first three pages of "How It Works," Chapter Five, of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. ® The entire glossary can be downloaded, at no charge, as a PDF (portable document format) file.
The full glossary has about 3100 words and phrases found on 194 pages of the Big Book. ® They're a lot like the ones you see below.
Please take a look at the DISCLAIMER below and the Frequently Asked Questions.
CHAPTER 5 - HOW IT WORKS
PAGE 58
[the number in brackets gives the line on page 58 where the word or phrase is found]
[2] our path - what we have done; our course of action
[4] program - the Twelve Steps (see page 59, lines 7-8)
[5] constitutionally - from the basic nature of something
[5,8] incapable - not able; lacking ability or power
[6-7] unfortunates - victims of bad luck; people marked by misfortune; unlucky people
[8-9] grasping - understanding; the word can also mean: taking hold of
[9] manner - way
[9] demands - requires; has as a necessary condition
[10] rigorous - strict; tough; demanding (see page 145, line 9 for “demands rigorous honesty”)
[10] chances are less than average - note that the phrase doesn’t say: zero, none at all, or nonexistent
[11] grave - serious; dangerous
[12] disorders - illnesses; sicknesses; diseases
[13] capacity - ability
[14] disclose - tell about; show; reveal
[14] in a general way - in a way that is concerned with main events rather than all the details (This is in important principle when we tell our stories in meetings. These personal stories are not a public Fifth Step. We don’t tell things that would hurt other people; see page 74, lines 16-23 or unnecessary hurt ourselves; see page 79, lines 14-17)
[17] go to any length - do whatever is necessary and right (see page 76, line 26 and page 79, lines 7-8 for “go to any lengths”; page 90, line 21 and page 142, line 31 for “go to any extreme; but see page 59, lines 25-26 for “except when to do so would injure them or others” page 74, lines 18-20 for “We have no right to save our own skin at another person's expense” and page 79, lines 15-17 for “sacrifice others to save himself from the alcoholic pit”)
[18] certain steps - the Twelve Steps of the program of recovery
[19] balked - stopped short and would not go on
[21] earnestness - being serious and sincere
[21] at our command - that we have; that we’ve got; available to us
[21] beg of you to - sincerely ask you to; in a serious and heartfelt way request that you
[24] nil - nothing; zero, without success
[25] deal with - are talking about; are referring to; the phrase can also mean: are involved with; struggle with; contend with
[25] cunning - crafty; deceptive; tricky
[25-page 59, line 1] baffling - confusing; puzzling; frustrating; bewildering
PAGE 59 Chapter 5 - How It Works
[the number in brackets gives the line on page 59 where the word or phrase is found]
[3] May - used to express a wish, a desire, or a prayer for something to happen
[4] Half measures - an incomplete or limited job; doing the Twelve Steps halfway or halfheartedly
[4] availed us nothing - were no use; were no good at all
[5] turning point - the time when an important change happens
[5-6] with complete abandon - completely, totally, and without holding back
[8] program of recovery - though the word “program” is sometimes used in meetings to mean the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous, here and elsewhere, the program refers to the Twelve Steps (see also page 96, lines 17-18 for “Twelve Steps of the program of recovery”)
[9] powerless - without defense; without the needed strength or power
[12] restore us to - return us to; give us back our; renew our; bring us back to
[12] sanity - the ability to think clearly about alcohol and its effects on the alcoholic; not suffering from the obsession, delusion, or illusion that an alcoholic can drink safely
[14,30-31] as we understood Him - (See page 47, lines 1-9 for “your own conception of God”)
[15] searching - thorough; detailed; penetrating; probing
[15,27] moral inventory, personal inventory - the two phrases seem to be used interchangeably because “personal inventory” is used in the discussion of both Step Four and Step Ten (See page 64, line 8 and page 84, line 17)
[18] wrongs - faults, weaknesses, failings, defects, shortcomings
[20] defects - things that are wrong; shortcomings; faults; imperfections
[21] Humbly - in a way that is not arrogant or defiant; modestly and with respect
[21] shortcomings - faults; weaknesses; failings; defects, wrongs (wrongs, defects, and shortcomings are used somewhat interchangeably)
[23,24] make amends, made direct amends - make things right when we hurt someone
[28] promptly - quickly; right now; immediately
[29] Sought - tried; made an attempt; made an effort; endeavored
[30] conscious - being aware; knowing what is going on; the word can also mean: being truly awake, alert, mindful
PAGE 60 Chapter 5 - How It Works
[the number in brackets gives the line on page 60 where the word or phrase is found]
[1] spiritual awakening - (See Appendix II; especially page 567 lines 1-5 for “personality change” and page 568 lines 3-4 for “awareness”)
[2] tried - Step Twelve is the only one to use this word. Careful reading shows that it is the verb for both phrases: tried to “carry this message to alcoholics” and tried to “practice these principles in all our affairs.” This is consistent with the next paragraph.
[3] practice - apply, use; follow; put into effect
[3,8,10] principles - Twelve Steps
[4] affairs - behavior; actions; activities; conduct
[5] exclaimed - said with strong emotion
[5] What an order - this is asking too much; this is going to be very difficult or impossible
[7-8] perfect adherence - doing them exactly right all the time
[8] not saints - (See page 18, line 29 for “no attitude of Holier Than Thou” and page 95, line 10 for “Never talk down to an alcoholic”)
[9] grow - (See page 66, lines 14-15 for “growth of a spiritual experience” and page 84, lines 21-22 for “grow in understanding and effectiveness”; but see page 14, line 33 through page 15, line 5 and page 35, line 25-27 for “failed to...enlarge his spiritual life”)
[11] rather than - instead of; and not
[14] agnostic - a person who believes that there is no proof that God exists but doesn’t deny that God might exist
[15] pertinent - relevant; appropriate; applying to what has been said so far
[18-19] relieved - removed; taken away; it is possible that the word may mean: improved; made less severe
[20] He were sought - we try to find, reach, or come to Him
[21] Being convinced, - when we were convinced, then; when we are sure about the previous three statements (a, b, and c), then
[23] as we understood Him - (See page 47, lines 1-9 for “your own conception of God”)
[26] self-will - stubbornness; willfulness; being obstinate; staying with an opinion or course of action in spite of reason or persuasion
[27] in collision with - opposed to; against; in conflict with; fighting or arguing with; in a disagreement or dispute with
[29] by self-propulsion - by their own strength alone; without help
[30] actor - (See page 61, lines 5 and 28 for “our actor” and page 73, line 12 for “is very much the actor”)
[30] show - (See page 61, lines 2, 11, 26 for “show,” page 76, lines 23-24 for “run the show,” page 88, line 1 for “running the show” and page 122, line 17 for “family show”)
If you would like to see more, the full glossary has about 3100 words and phrases found on 194 pages of the Big Book ®. They're a lot like the ones you see above. The entire glossary can be downloaded, at no charge, as a PDF (portable document format) file.
The glossary covers only the parts of pages xi through 181 of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, ® which are in the public domain in the United States. The glossary excludes the Forewords to the 3rd and 4th editions and part of the Preface because they are still under copyright protection. Read the DISCLAIMER below.
Please take a look at the Frequently Asked Questions.
Copyright and Trademark Notice
OurBasicText™ Line-by-Line Glossary Copyright © 1999, 2004, 2005, 2006 by O.B.T. All rights reserved.
O.B.T. is a pseudonym (pen name) which is derived from the phrase "our basic text." This glossary was registered with the U.S. Copyright Office in 2004, and it can be found under the number TXu-1-177-599 or the title Line by Line Glossary.
This is a page164™ study guide. Our motto is: "We realize we know only a little." (Alcoholics Anonymous, ® page 164, lines 10-11)
OurBasicText™ and page164™ are trademarks of O.B.T.
Version 2006.2 is only the latest draft of an ongoing project and should be considered a work in progress.
This glossary is restricted to the parts of pages xi through 181 which are in the public domain in the U.S.A.. While parts of Alcoholics Anonymous ® are in the public domain in the United States, the entire book remains under copyright protection elsewhere.
Alcoholics Anonymous Copyright © 1939, 1955, 1976, 2001 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.
Alcoholics Anonymous ® , Big Book ® and A.A. ® are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
The content of this website, including the comparison of the prepublication manuscript, as well as the glossary and its index, is a private work and is neither endorsed or sponsored by nor is it affiliated, connected, or associated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Service, Inc. in any way.
This glossary is NOT A.A. General Service Conference-approved literature. Conference-approved literature represents the broadest possible consensus on materials that can be used by all alcoholics. In contrast, this glossary was written by only a few people and is intended to be used only by sponsors who have recovered and who are working with their own sponsees.
*This glossary is not a conventional dictionary in the usual sense of the word. Most words have more definitions than are printed here. We have tried to consider how the word or phrase is used in a particular sentence. We freely admit that despite our best efforts, undoubtedly, sometimes we have been wrong. That is why we consider this a work in progress. Our motto is: "We realize we know only a little." (Alcoholics Anonymous ®, page 164, lines 10-11) Be sure to read the Warning to the Reader.
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