Against Definition
ə-gĕnst
preposition
In a direction or course opposite to.
Row against the current.
American Heritage
In opposition to or competition with.
A fight against evil.
Webster's New World
So as to come into forcible contact with.
Waves dashing against the shore.
American Heritage
Contrary to.
Against one's will.
Webster's New World
In contact with so as to rest or press on.
Leaned against the tree.
American Heritage
conjuntion
By the time that; before.
Webster's New World
1749, Henry Fielding, Tom Jones, Folio Society 1973, p. 6.
He now gave Mrs Deborah positive orders to take the child to her own bed, and to call up a maid-servant to provide it pap, and other things, against it waked.
Wiktionary
adverb
In opposition to something.
Are you for the new ring road? No, I'm against.
Wiktionary
(gambling) Having a specified likelihood of not winning or happening.
The second favourite won the race at odds of two to one against.
Wiktionary
Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Against
Origin of Against
-
Formed from Middle English 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. Surface analysis again + -st (“(excrescence)”).
From Wiktionary
Middle English alteration of againes from Old English ongeagn
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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