with

Definitions from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

1 English

[ English

Rank of this word in the English language, from analyzing texts from Project Gutenberg.
was	he	his	#11: with	is	it	for

From Old English wiþ ("against, opposite, toward"), a shortened form of wiþer, from Proto-Germanic withr ("against"), from Proto-Indo-European *wi-tero- ("more apart"); from the PIE base wi ("separation"). Cognate with German wider (“‘against’”) and wieder (“‘again’”), Dutch weer (“‘again’”). In Middle English, the word shifted to denote association rather than opposition.

[ Pronunciation

(preconsonantal) (UK, US, AusE) IPA: /wɪθ/, SAMPA: /wIT/
(prevocalic) (UK, US, AusE) IPA: /wɪð/, SAMPA: /wID/
Audio (US)^{help, file}
Rhymes: -ɪθ, -ɪð

[ Preposition

with (abbreviation: w/)

against

He picked a fight with the class bully.
- 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
in the company of; alongside, along side of; close to; near to:

He went with his friends.
in addition to; as an accessory to:

a motorcycle with a sidecar
in support of:

We are with you all the way.
(obsolete) To denote the accomplishment of cause, means, instrument, etc; -- sometimes equivalent to by.

...slain with robbers...
- 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;
- c1460: Merlin, or the Early History of King Arthur, ed. Henry Benjamin Wheatley, 1875 - And so it was comaunded to be kept with x noble men; and thei were charge to take goode hede who com to assaien, and yef eny ther were that myght drawen out of the ston.
- 1610: William Shakespeare, The Winter's Tale, V-ii - He was torn to / pieces with a bear:
- 1630, John Smith, Travels of Captaine John Smith, 1907 edition, Vol. II, p. 42 - At Flowers we were againe chased with foure French men of warre
- 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
as an instrument; by means of

...cut with' a knife.
- 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 me equal, Heavens, / And sent my own rod to correct me with
- 1620, William Bradford. Of Plymouth Plantation [2] - They had cut of his head upon the cudy of his boat had not the man reskued him with a sword,
- 1677, William Wycherley, The plain-dealer. Prologue - And keep each other company in spite, / As rivals in your common mistress, fame, / And with faint praises one another damn;
(obsolete) as nourishment, more recently replaced by on
- 1604: William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure, IV-iii - I am fain to dine and sup with water and bran