Definition of "a-" [a-]

• Without; not: amoral. (prefix)
• On; in: abed. (prefix)
• In the act of: aborning. (prefix)
• In the direction of: astern. (prefix)
• In a specified state or condition: abuzz. (prefix)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "At a hearing on the budget this week, led by by the scandal-plagued Chairman of the City Council, Kwame Brown, best known for demanding a "fully loaded" $1900- a- month leased SUV from city officials, activists challenged his opposition to raising taxes, the deadlocked council's complacency, and the council leadership that has ignored public opinion favoring preserving social programs."
• "So get your sweet a-, um, self over here so the rest of us can chow down."
• "Another 1,500 in-the-money calls were purchased up at the Jan. 2012 $13 strike at an average premium of $1.32 a-pop."