Meaning
-
- In a contrary direction to.
- In physical opposition to; in collision with.
- In physical contact with, so as to abut or be supported by.
- Close to, alongside.
- In front of; before (a background).
- In contrast or comparison with.
- In competition with, versus.
- Contrary to; in conflict with.
- In opposition to.
- Of betting odds, denoting a worse-than-even chance.
- In exchange for.
- As counterbalance to.
- As a charge on.
- As protection from.
- In anticipation of; in preparation for (a particular time, event etc.).
- 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.
- (obsolete) Exposed to.
Synonyms
opposed to
in exchange for
counter to
opposite to
object to
in defiance
be leaning on
in opposition to
underservedly
be up against
in anticipation of
in contrast with
in opposition
in return for
in spite
leaning against
push against
oppose to
attached to
compared with
compete with
in contrast to
in the opposite direction
more than
on the other side
Frequency
Hyphenated as
a‧gainst
Pronounced as (IPA)
/əˈɡɛnst/
Etymology
In summary
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).
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Notes
