Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - above

 I. adverb  Etymology: Middle English, from Old English abufan, from a- + bufan ~, from be- + ufan ~; akin to Old English ofer over  Date: before 12th century  1.  a. in the sky ; overhead the clouds ~  b. in or to heaven  2.  a. in or to a higher place  b. higher on the same page or on a preceding page  c. upstairs  d. ~ zero 10 degrees ~  3. in or to a higher rank or number 30 and ~  4. archaic in addition ; besides  5. upstage  II. preposition  Date: before 12th century  1.  a. in or to a higher place than ; over  b. upriver of  2.  a. superior to (as in rank, quality, or degree)  b. out of reach of ~ suspicion  c. in preference to  d. too proud or honorable to stoop to not ~ taking undue credit  3. exceeding in number, quantity, or size ; more than men ~ 50 years old  4. as distinct from and in addition to heard the whistle ~ the roar of the crowd  III. noun  (plural ~)  Date: 13th century  1.  a. something that is ~  b. a person whose name is written ~  2.  a. a higher authority  b. heaven Usage:  Although still objected to by some, the use of ~ as a noun in sense 1a none of the ~ the ~ is Theseus's opinion — William Blake and as an adjective without the ~ reserve — O. W. Holmes †1935 I was brought up on the ~ words — Viscount Montgomery has been long established as standard.  IV. adjective  Date: 1604 written or discussed higher on the same page or on a preceding page  Usage: see ~ III