Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
Note: The form '~st' is also used, but is more literary.
1.
If something happens ~ noises or events of some kind, it happens while the other things are happening.
A senior leader cancelled a trip to Britain yesterday ~ growing signs of a possible political crisis...
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2.
If something is ~ other things, it is surrounded by them. (LITERARY)
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