with

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English - Etymology 1

From Middle English _with_, from Old English _wiþ_ (“against, opposite, toward”), a shortened form of _wiþer_, from Proto-Germanic _*wiþr-_ (“against”), from Proto-Indo-European _*wi-tero-_ (“more apart”); from Proto-Indo-European _*wi_ (“separation”). Cognate with Old Frisian _with_ (“against, again”), Old Saxon _with_ (“against, again”), Dutch _weder_ (“again”) and _weer_ (“again, opposite”), Low German _wedder_ (“again, against, opposite”), German _wider_ (“against”) and _wieder_ (“again”), Danish _ved_ (“by, near, with”), Swedish _vid_ (“by, next to, with”). In Middle English, the word shifted to denote association rather than opposition, displacing Middle English _mid_ (“with”), from Old English _mid_ (“with”), which is cognate to Old-Frisian _mith_ (“with”), Modern Frisian _mei_ (“with”), Old Norse _með_ (“with”), Icelandic _með_ (“with”), Dutch _met_ (“with”) and German _mit_ (“with”). ALTERNATIVE FORMS * wyth (obsolete) * wth (obsolete contraction) * w/ (abbreviation) * wi' (regional, dialectal) PRONUNCIATION * preconsonantal, final * (New Zealand, Australia, US) IPA(key): /wɪð/, /wɪθ/ * Rhymes: -ɪθ, -ɪð, * (UK) IPA(key): /wɪð/ * Rhymes: -ɪð * prevocalic * (Australia, UK, US) IPA(key): /wɪð/ * (US, also) IPA(key): /wɪθ/ * Rhymes: -ɪð, -ɪθ PREPOSITION WITH * Against. * 1621, John Smith, _The Proceedings of the English Colony in Virginia_ [1] Many hatchets, knives, & pieces of iron, & brass, we see, which they reported to have from the Sasquesahanocks a mighty people, and mortal enemies WITH the Massawomecks. _He picked a fight WITH the class bully._ * In the company of; alongside, along side of; close to; near to. _He went WITH his friends._ * In addition to; as an accessory to. _She owns a motorcycle WITH a sidecar._ * Used to indicate simultaneous happening, or immediate succession or consequence. * 1590, Sir Philip Sidney, _The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia_, WITH that she told me that though she spake of her father, whom she named Chremes, she would hide no truth from me: ... * 1697, Virgil, John Dryden (translator), _Aeneid_, in _The Works of Virgil_, WITH this he pointed to his face, and show'd His hand and all his habit smear'd with blood. * 1861, Alexander Pope, The Rev. George Gilfillan (editor) _The Fourth Pastoral, or Daphne_, in _The Poetical Works of Alexander Pope_, See where, on earth, the flowery glories lie, WITH her they flourish'd, and WITH her they die. * 1994, Stephen Fry, _The Hippopotamus_ Chapter 2 WITH a bolt of fright he remembered that there was no bathroom in the Hobhouse Room. He leapt along the corridor in a panic, stopping by the long-case clock at the end where he flattened himself against the wall. * In support of. _We are WITH you all the way._ * (obsolete) To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; – sometimes equivalent to by. * 1300S?, _Political, Religious and Love Poems_, “An A B C Poem on the Passion of Christ”, ed. Frederick James Furnivall, 1866 Al þus WITH iewys I am dyth, I seme a wyrm to manus syth. * C1388, Geoffrey Chaucer, _The Legend of Good Women_, Balade, 266 Ysiphile, betrayed WITH Jasoun, / Maketh of your trouthe neyther boost ne soun; * 1610, William Shakespeare, _The Winter’s Tale_, Act V, V-ii He was torn to / pieces WITH a bear: * 1669, Nathaniel Morton, _New England’s Memorial_ He was sick and lame of the scurvy, so as he could but lie in the cabin-door, and give direction, and, it should seem, was badly assisted either WITH mate or mariners _slain WITH robbers_ * Using as an instrument; by means of. * 1430?, “The Love of Jesus” in _Hymns to the Virgin and Christ_, ed. Frederick James Furnivall, 1867, p.26 Þirle my soule WITH þi spere anoon, * 1619, Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher, _A King and no King_, Act IV you have paid

From Middle English with, from Old English wiþ (“against, opposite, toward”), a shortened form of wiþer, from Proto-Germanic *wiþr- (“against”), from Proto-Indo-European *wi-tero- (“more apart”); from Proto-Indo-European *wi (“separation”). Cognate with Old Frisian with (“against, again”), Old Saxon with (“against, again”), Dutch weder (“again”) and weer (“again, opposite”), Low German wedder (“again, against, opposite”), German wider (“against”) and wieder (“again”), Danish ved (“by, near, with”), Swedish vid (“by, next to, with”). In Middle English, the word shifted to denote association rather than opposition, displacing Middle English mid (“with”), from Old English mid (“with”), which is cognate to Old-Frisian mith (“with”), Modern Frisian mei (“with”), Old Norse með (“with”), Icelandic með (“with”), Dutch met (“with”) and German mit (“with”).