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