transcription, транскрипция: [ əgenst, əgeɪnst ]
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: In addition to the uses shown below, 'against' is used in phrasal verbs such as ‘come up against’, ‘guard against’, and ‘hold against’.
1.
If one thing is leaning or pressing against another, it is touching it.
She leaned against him...
On a table pushed against a wall there were bottles of beer and wine.
...the rain beating against the window panes.
PREP
2.
If you are against something such as a plan, policy, or system, you think it is wrong, bad, or stupid.
Taxes are unpopular–it is understandable that voters are against them...
Joan was very much against commencing drug treatment.
...a march to protest against job losses.
PREP
•
Against is also an adverb.
The vote for the suspension of the party was 283 in favour with 29 against.
ADV : ADV after v
3.
If you compete against someone in a game, you try to beat them.
The tour will include games against the Australian Barbarians...
PREP
4.
If you take action against someone or something, you try to harm them.
Security forces are still using violence against opponents of the government.
PREP
5.
If you take action against a possible future event, you try to prevent it.
...the fight against crime...
I must warn you against raising your hopes.
PREP
6.
If you do something against someone’s wishes, advice, or orders, you do not do what they want you to do or tell you to do.
He discharged himself from hospital against the advice of doctors.
PREP
7.
If you do something in order to protect yourself against something unpleasant or harmful, you do something which will make its effects on you less serious if it happens.
A business needs insurance against risks such as fire and flood...
PREP
8.
If you have something against someone or something, you dislike them.
Have you got something against women, Les?...
PHRASE : V inflects , PHR n
9.
If something is against the law or against the rules, there is a law or a rule which says that you must not do it.
It is against the law to detain you against your will for any length of time...
PREP
10.
If you are moving against a current, tide, or wind, you are moving in the opposite direction to it.
...swimming upstream against the current...
≠ with
PREP
11.
If something happens or is considered against a particular background of events, it is considered in relation to those events, because those events are relevant to it.
The profits rise was achieved against a backdrop of falling metal prices.
PREP
12.
If something is measured or valued against something else, it is measured or valued by comparing it with the other thing.
Our policy has to be judged against a clear test: will it improve the standard of education?...
The US dollar is down against most foreign currencies today.
PREP
13.
If you discuss a particular set of facts or figures as against another set, you are comparing or contrasting the two sets of facts or figures.
Over 50% of divorced men regretted their divorce, as against 25% of women.
PHRASE
14.
The odds against something happening are the chances or odds that it will not happen.
The odds against him surviving are incredible.
PREP : n PREP
•
Against is also an adverb.
What were the odds against?
ADV : n ADV
15.
up against: see up
against the clock: see clock