I. əˈgen(t)st, -nzt also -ān- or ( less often in stand than in substand speech ) -in- preposition
Etymology: Middle English against, agenst, ayenst, alteration of againes, agenes, ayenes, from again, agen, ayen, preposition + -es -'s
1.
a. : directly opposite : in front of : facing
America seems to stand against it with a fire extinguisher and … gets burned — E.A.Mowrer
— often used with preceding over
b. obsolete : in the presence of : exposed to : with
those boughs which shake against the cold — Shakespeare
2.
a. : from an opposite direction and into contact with : upon
the fighter was knocked back against the ropes
b. : in contact with : touching
against the walls of … the houses … were pear trees — Ernest Hemingway
c. : close to : beside , near
ships lay against the walls — Daniel Defoe
3. : in a direction opposite to the course or motion of : counter to
they sailed against the wind
a ground swell running against the new education — Paul Woodring
4.
a. : in opposition or hostility to
stood steadfast against alumni pressure — J.B.Conant
a successful campaign against the enemy
b. : not in conformity with : contrary to
offenses against the law
forced to act against his conscience
c. : in spite of : notwithstanding
succeeded against many handicaps
d. : in competition with
a race run against the clock
5.
a. : as a defense or protection from : in resistance to
puffed his cigar against the mosquitoes — Claud Cockburn
at wit's end what to do against the inexorable ticking of the clock — G.J.Nathan
b. : in the face of : from
to protect their native subjects against the rapacity of some … business communities — W.T.Stace
6. : compared with or contrasted to
the importance of space as against time and of time as against space — A.N.Whitehead
net profits of 80 cents a share against 70 cents last year
7. : in preparation or provision for : in anticipation of
silver coins hoarded against a day of need — W.P.Webb
8. : with respect to : relating to : toward
customs which had the force of law against both lord and tenant — E.C.Smith
9.
a. : in the opposite scale to : as a counterbalance to
his pride in his own prestige is set against his kindness to younger writers — P.M.Fulcher
b. : in exchange for : in return for
the free-market rate against dollars was 302 francs
c. : as a charge upon : to the debit of
to make today's purchases against tomorrow's earnings
10. : having as background: as
a. : before the surface or expanse of
the rain is dark against the white sky — Amy Lowell
against this background the developments of the last two … years are … easy to grasp — Barbara Ward
b. : above the sound of
talking against the music
11. dialect : not later than : by the time of
to leave against noon
•
- against the grain
- against the sun
- against time
II. conjunction
Etymology: Middle English against, agenst, ayenst, from against, agenst, ayenst, preposition
1. now chiefly dialect : before : by the time that
2. now chiefly dialect : in readiness for the time when