[with] prep [ME, against, from, with, fr. OE; akin to OE wither against, OHG widar against, back, Skt vi apart] (bef. 12c) 1 a: in opposition to: against "had a fight ~ his brother" b: so as to be separated or detached from "broke ~ her family"
2. a--used as a function word to indicate a participant in an action, transaction, or arrangement "works ~ his father" "a talk ~ a friend" "got into an accident ~ the car" b--used as a function word to indicate the object of attention, behavior, or feeling "get tough ~ him" "angry ~ her" c: in respect to: so far as concerns "on friendly terms ~ all nations" d--used to indicate the object of an adverbial expression of imperative force "off ~ his head" e: over, on "no longer has any influence ~ them" f: in the performance, operation, or use of "the trouble ~ this machine" 3 a--used as a function word to indicate the object of a statement of comparison or equality "a dress identical ~ her hostess's" b--used as a function word to express agreement or sympathy "must conclude, ~ you, that the painting is a forgery" c: on the side of: for "if he's for lower taxes, I'm ~ him" d: as well as "can pitch ~ the best of them"
4. a--used as a function word to indicate combination, accompaniment, presence, or addition "heat milk ~ honey" "went there ~ her" "his money, ~ his wife's, comes to a million" b: inclusive of "costs $5 ~ the tax"
5. a: in the judgment or estimation of "stood well ~ her classmates" b: in or according to the experience or practice of "~ many of us, our ideas seem to fall by the wayside --W. J. Reilly"
6. a--used as a function word to indicate the means, cause, agent, or instrumentality "hit him ~ a rock" "pale ~ anger" "threatened ~ tuberculosis" "he amused the crowd ~ his antics" b archaic: by the direct act of
7. a--used as a function word to indicate manner of action "ran ~ effort" "acknowledge your contribution ~ thanks" b--used as a function word to indicate an attendant fact or circumstance "stood there ~ his hat on" c--used as a function word to indicate a result attendant on a specified action "got off ~ a light sentence"
8. a (1): in possession of: having "came ~ good news" (2): in the possession or care of "left the money ~ her mother" b: characterized or distinguished by "a person ~ a sharp nose"
9. a--used as a function word to indicate a close association in time "~ the outbreak of war they went home" "mellows ~ time" b: in proportion to "the pressure varies ~ the depth"
10. a: in spite of: notwithstanding "a really tip-top man, ~ all his wrongheadedness --H. J. Laski" b: except for "finds that, ~ one group of omissions and one important addition, they reflect that curriculum --Gilbert Highet" 11: in the direction of "~ the wind" "~ the grain"