between en · ADP
Pronunciation
- /bɪˈtwiːn/ (UK)
- /bɪˈtwin/ (General-American)
- /bɪˈtwɪjn/ (British, Southern, Standard)
- [bɪˈtʰwin] (General-American)
- /biˈtwin/ (General-American)
- /bəˈtwin/ (General-American)
- (US) audio
Etymology
PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English betwene, from Old English betwēonum (“between, among”, dative plural, literally “by the two, near both”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- (“be-”) + *twīhnaz (“two each”), corresponding to be- + twain. Cognate with Scots between (“between”), Scots atween (“between”), Gothic 𐍄𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 (tweihnai, “two each”), Old English betweoh (“between”), Old English twinn (“double, twofold”). More at betwixt, twin. More distantly related to Ancient Greek διά (diá, “through, across, by, over”) whence English dia- (“through, across, between”). For the meaning development also compare with Mongolian хооронд (xoorond, “between”), connected with Mongolian хоёр (xojor, “two”).
Meanings
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In the position or interval that separates (two things), or intermediate in quantity or degree. (See Usage notes below.)
The prince is here at hand, pleaſeth your Lordſhip / To meet his grace iuſt diſtance tvveene our armies.
[c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], signature G2, recto:I want to buy one that costs somewhere between forty and fifty dollars.
John stood between Amy and Mary. Let’s meet between two and three.
Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:Accounts with between fifty thousand and two hundred thousand followers are considered “microinfluencers,” and tend to have higher engagement rates—that is, a larger share of their followers like, favorite, or comment on their posts—than those with millions of followers.
2017 April 17, Rachel Monroe, “#Vanlife, the Bohemian Social-Media Movement”, in The New Yorker, archived from the original on 04 Aug 2017:Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.
2013 July-August, Henry Petroski, “Geothermal Energy”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 4:
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Done together or reciprocally.
conversation between friends
She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.
1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court:
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Shared in confidence.
Between you and me, I think the boss is crazy. Let's keep this between ourselves.
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In transit from (one to the other, or connecting places).
[If] you don’t want to flip the channels between Biden and Trump, join [the] live chat, [which is covering] both town halls.
2020, Lisa Lerer, “This Is Not the Debate We Wanted”, in The New York Times:He's between jobs right now. The shuttle runs between the town and the airport.
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Combined (by effort or ownership).
Between the leaky taps and the peeling wallpaper, there isn't much about this house to appeal to a buyer.
Between us all, we shall succeed. We've only got £5 between us.
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One of (representing a choice).
You must choose between him and me.
Some colour-blind people can't distinguish between red and green.
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Taking together the combined effect of.
Between the food and the card games, this proved to be the best birthday party I have ever had.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| btw | alternative | lexicographic | |
| btwn | alternative | lexicographic | |
| betwene | alternative | lexicographic | |
| b/w | alternative | lexicographic | |
| betweene | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
between you and I · come between · between the ears · betwixt and between · between the pipes · between Scylla and Charybdis · keep it between the ditches · tween · there's many a slip between the cup and the lip · in between times · between decks · betweenane · between you and me and the bedpost · read between the lines · between time · bit between one's teeth · between the sheets · put daylight between oneself and someone · betweenity · fall between the cracks · between the jigs and the reels · step between · betweenhood · between-step · between the sticks · between you and me and these four walls · wherebetween · stand between · between-seasons jacket · between wind and water · between-maid · rose between two thorns · between two stools · in between · between the devil and the deep blue sea · between you and me · get between · between times · between ourselves · nothing to choose between · between the hammer and the anvil · between a rock and a hard place · drive a wedge between · betweenness · fall between two stools · go-between · between-subjects · in between jobs · in-between · caught between two stools · go between · therebetween · tail-between-one's-legs · between the lines · create daylight between oneself and someone · mean distance between failure · between-time · in-between hop · between jobs · betweenwhiles · between the pegs · tail between one's legs · few and far between · sympathy is between shit and syphilis · know the difference between one's ass and a hole in the ground · tweenager · know the difference between one's ass and one's elbow
Relateds
Synonyms
betwixte · betwixt · atwixt · atween · atwix
Translations (231)
mk меѓу (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it tra (in transit from one to the other) · pl między (one of, representing a choice) · da tilsammen (combined by effort or ownership) · ru ме́жду (shared in confidence by) · kk ортасында (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh ȉzmeđu (shared in confidence by) · sh mȅđu (shared in confidence by) · fi kesken (shared in confidence by) · sh ме̏ђу (in transit from one to the other) · lv starp (in transit from one to the other) · lv starp (one of, representing a choice) · da mellem (shared in confidence by) · es entre (one of, representing a choice) · hsb mjezy (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pt entre (shared in confidence by) · bg между́ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · he בין (one of, representing a choice) · fi väliltä (one of, representing a choice) · hu között (in the position or interval that separates two things) · az arasında (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh међу (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ro între (in the position or interval that separates two things) · tk arasynda (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fr entre (one of, representing a choice) · kmr di navbera ... de (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ast ente (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fur tra (in the position or interval that separates two things) · hy միջև (in transit from one to the other) · fi välillä (combined by effort or ownership) · fo ímillum (in the position or interval that separates two things) · nl tussen (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sv mellan (shared in confidence by) · gur tɩŋasʋka (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mk по́меѓу (one of, representing a choice) · lv starp (shared in confidence by) · sh ме̏ђу (shared in confidence by) · ko 중 하나 (one of, representing a choice) · ckb نێوان (in the position or interval that separates two things) · lo ລະຫວ່າງ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · io inter (one of, representing a choice) · pl pomiędzy (in transit from one to the other) · an entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it tra (one of, representing a choice) · pt entre (in transit from one to the other) · fi välillä (in transit from one to the other) · he בֵּין (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fur fra (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ang betweox (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pt entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · grc μεταξύ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · hi ... के बीच (in the position or interval that separates two things) · da imellem (shared in confidence by) · gur tẽŋasʋka (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ko -끼리 (shared in confidence by) · nl onder (combined by effort or ownership) · acw بين (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it fra (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sq midis (in the position or interval that separates two things) · uz oʻrtasida (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru ме́жду (in the position or interval that separates two things) · nl tussen (one of, representing a choice) · sv mellan (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it tra (in the position or interval that separates two things) · io inter (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fa میان (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pl między (shared in confidence by) · rup ntrã (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it tra (shared in confidence by) · sq ndërmjet (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sk medzi (in transit from one to the other) · io inter (in transit from one to the other) · egy Z11-m-Z4-t:W (in the position or interval that separates two things) · is á milli (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru среди́ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pl pomiędzy (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ps تر منځ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · es entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ko 간에 (in the position or interval that separates two things) · id antara (in the position or interval that separates two things) · da mellem (in the position or interval that separates two things) · de zwischen (in transit from one to the other) · sh и̏змеђу (one of, representing a choice) · yi צווישן (in the position or interval that separates two things) · id di antara (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh mȅđu (in transit from one to the other) · fi kesken (combined by effort or ownership) · bn মাঝে (in the position or interval that separates two things) · hy միջև (one of, representing a choice) · hsb mjez (in the position or interval that separates two things) · oc entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ro între (shared in confidence by) · et vahel (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fi välissä (in the position or interval that separates two things) · tg байни (in the position or interval that separates two things) · cs mezi (one of, representing a choice) · no mellom (in transit from one to the other) · fy tusken (one of, representing a choice) · ckb لەبەینی ... دا (in the position or interval that separates two things) · cu междоу (in the position or interval that separates two things) · srn mindri (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh и̏змеђу (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru на всех (combined by effort or ownership) · ka შორის (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sk medzi (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mn хооронд (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ars بين (in the position or interval that separates two things) · arz بين (in the position or interval that separates two things) · el μεταξύ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · no mellom (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fr entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · km រវាង (in the position or interval that separates two things) · nl tussen (in transit from one to the other) · pl między (in transit from one to the other) · mk за́едно (combined by effort or ownership) · la inter (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ckb لە نێوان (shared in confidence by) · ru вме́сте (combined by effort or ownership) · pl pomiędzy (one of, representing a choice) · hy միջև (shared in confidence by) · th ระหว่าง (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ca entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · tr arasında (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fur jenfri (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru всего́ (combined by effort or ownership) · be памі́ж (in the position or interval that separates two things) · he בין (in transit from one to the other) · fy tusken (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ko 사이에 (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ext entri (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ko 간을 (in transit from one to the other) · ru меж (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mk по́меѓу (in transit from one to the other) · uk меж (in the position or interval that separates two things) · lad entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · tg миёни (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru сумма́рно (combined by effort or ownership) · uk між (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pt entre (one of, representing a choice) · hy միջև (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fi välillä (shared in confidence by) · ko 가운데에 (in the position or interval that separates two things) · bg помежду (in transit from one to the other) · bn মধ্যে (in the position or interval that separates two things) · lv starp (in the position or interval that separates two things) · no mellom (one of, representing a choice) · ro între (in transit from one to the other) · ur بیچ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ms antara (in the position or interval that separates two things) · wyi bageroe (in the position or interval that separates two things) · wal gidduwan (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ky ортосунда (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mk помеѓу (shared in confidence by) · it fra (in transit from one to the other) · ja …の間に (in the position or interval that separates two things) · da ved fælles hjælp (combined by effort or ownership) · fr entre (shared in confidence by) · ro între (one of, representing a choice) · fa بین (one of, representing a choice) · da i forening (combined by effort or ownership) · bg между (one of, representing a choice) · eo inter (shared in confidence by) · gl ontre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · da mellem (in transit from one to the other) · it tra (combined by effort or ownership) · fy tusken (in transit from one to the other) · am በ - መካከል (in the position or interval that separates two things) · so dhexda (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru ме́жду (one of, representing a choice) · my ကြား (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh ȉzmeđu (one of, representing a choice) · fi keskellä (in the position or interval that separates two things) · gu વચ્ચે (in the position or interval that separates two things) · el ανάμεσα (in the position or interval that separates two things) · yai бидун (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh među (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fi yhteensä (combined by effort or ownership) · hil tunga (in the position or interval that separates two things) · vi giữa (in the position or interval that separates two things) · cy rhwng (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ang betweoh (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mk меѓу (shared in confidence by) · sv mellan (one of, representing a choice) · es entre (in transit from one to the other) · da mellem (one of, representing a choice) · mk измеѓу (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sk medzi (shared in confidence by) · ko 사이 (one of, representing a choice) · es entre (shared in confidence by) · ms di antara (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pt entre (combined by effort or ownership) · sh ȉzmeđu (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fo millum (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru среди́ (shared in confidence by) · gl entre (in the position or interval that separates two things) · es entre (combined by effort or ownership) · ga idir (in the position or interval that separates two things) · lb tëschent (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mt bejn (in the position or interval that separates two things) · vi ở giữa (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it fra (one of, representing a choice) · ar بَيْنَ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · hil sa gintung-an (in the position or interval that separates two things) · cmn 間 /间 (in the position or interval that separates two things) · tl gitna (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pam pilatan (in the position or interval that separates two things) · pl między (in the position or interval that separates two things) · cs mezi (in the position or interval that separates two things) · cmn 之間 /之间 (in the position or interval that separates two things) · fa بین (in transit from one to the other) · de zwischen (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sl med (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ru посреди́ (in the position or interval that separates two things) · izh välis (in the position or interval that separates two things) · no mellom (shared in confidence by) · bg между́ (shared in confidence by) · eo inter (in the position or interval that separates two things) · nl onder ons gezegd en gezwegen (shared in confidence by) · fi välissä (in transit from one to the other) · fa بین (in the position or interval that separates two things) · lv vidū (in the position or interval that separates two things) · mn дундуур (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sco atween (in the position or interval that separates two things) · izh välil (in the position or interval that separates two things) · sh и̏змеђу (shared in confidence by) · de zwischen (one of, representing a choice) · ba араһында (in the position or interval that separates two things) · ak ntam (in the position or interval that separates two things) · it fra (shared in confidence by) · nv bitaʼgi (in the position or interval that separates two things) · dsb mjazy (in the position or interval that separates two things)