against

English Online Dictionary. What means against‎? What does against mean?

English

Alternative forms

• againest (obsolete), agaynest (obsolete), agaynst (obsolete)
• ageinest (obsolete, rare), ageinst (obsolete), agenest (obsolete), agenst (obsolete), ageynest (obsolete, rare), ageynst (obsolete), agin (colloquial or humorous)
• 'gainst, gainst (poetic)

Etymology

Formed from Middle English ayenes, agenes, againes (“in opposition to”), a southern variant of agen, or directly from again, either way with adverbial genitive singular ending -es; the parasitic -t was added circa 1350, probably by confusion with the superlative ending -est. By surface analysis, again +‎ -st (excrescent ending).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /əˈɡɛnst/, IPA^(key): /əˈɡeɪnst/
• (US) IPA^(key): /əˈɡɛnst/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /əˈɡɛnst/, /əˈɡeɪnst/, [əˈɡeə̯nst], [əˈɡɛːnst]
• Rhymes: -ɛnst, -eɪnst
• Hyphenation: a‧gainst

Preposition

against

1. In a contrary direction to.

2. In physical opposition to; in collision with.
3. In physical contact with, so as to abut or be supported by.

4. Close to, alongside.
5. In front of; before (a background).

6. In contrast or comparison with.

7. In competition with, versus.
8. Contrary to; in conflict with.

9. In opposition to.

   Antonym: for

   (with implied object) Ten voted for, and three voted against.
10. Of betting odds, denoting a worse-than-even chance.

    Antonym: on

11. In exchange for.

12. As counterbalance to. (Can we add an example for this sense?)
13. As a charge on.

14. As protection from.
15. In anticipation of; in preparation for (a particular time, event etc.).
16. (Hollywood) To be paid now in contrast to the following amount to be paid later under specified circumstances, usually that a movie is made or has started filming.
17. (obsolete) Exposed to. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Synonyms

• (in competition with): versus

Antonyms

• with

Derived terms

Translations

Conjunction

against

1. (obsolete) By the time that (something happened); before.

Translations

Anagrams

• Gaitans, antigas, antisag

Scots

Etymology

Formed from Middle English ayenes, agenes, againes (“in opposition to”), a southern variant of agen. Equivalent to again +‎ -s (“adverbial genitive”) +‎ -t.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈɡenst/, /əˈɡɛnst/

Preposition

against

1. towards, near (of time)

References

• “against, prep.”, in The Dictionary of the Scots Language, Edinburgh: Scottish Language Dictionaries, 2004–present, →OCLC.