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Webster 1913 Edition

Against

A-gainst′

(?; 277)
,
p
rep.
[OE.
agens
,
ageynes
, AS.
ongegn
. The s is adverbial, orig. a genitive ending. See
Again
.]
1.
Abreast; opposite to; facing; towards;
as,
against
the mouth of a river
; – in this sense often preceded by over.
Jacob saw the angels of God come
against
him.
Tyndale.
2.
From an opposite direction so as to strike or come in contact with; in contact with; upon;
as, hail beats
against
the roof
.
3.
In opposition to, whether the opposition is of sentiment or of action; on the other side; counter to; in contrariety to; hence, adverse to;
as,
against
reason;
against
law; to run a race
against
time.
The gate would have been shut
against
her.
Fielding.
An argument
against
the use of steam.
Tyndale.
4.
By of before the time that; in preparation for; so as to be ready for the time when.
[Archaic or Dial.]
Urijah the priest made it,
against
King Ahaz came from Damascus.
2 Kings xvi. 11.
Against the sun
,
in a direction contrary to that in which the sun appears to move.

Webster 1828 Edition

Against

AGAINST

, prep. agenst'.
1.
In opposition; noting enmity or disapprobation.
His hand will be against every man. Gen. 16.
I am against your pillows. Ez. 8.
2.
In opposition, noting contrariety, contradiction, or repugnance; as, a decree against law, reason or public opinion.
3.
In opposition, noting competition, or different sides or parties; as, there are twenty votes in the affirmative against ten in the negative.
4.
In an opposite direction; as, to ride against the wind.
5.
Opposite in place; abreast; as, a ship is against the mouth of a river. In this sense it is often preceded by over.
Aaron lighted the lamps over against the candlesticks.
Num. 8.
6.
In opposition, noting adversity, injury, or contrariety to wishes; as, this change of measures is against us.
7.
Bearing upon; as, one leans against a wall.
8.
In provision for; in preparation for.
Urijah made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
2Kings, 16.
In this sense against is a preposition, with the following part of the sentence for an object. See After, prep. def. 2.
In short, the sense of this word is opposition, variously modified according to its application to different objects.

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