Definition of 'between'
In addition to the uses shown below, between is used in a few phrasal verbs, such as 'come between'.
1. preposition
If something is between two things or is in between them, it has one of the things on one side of it and the other thing on the other
side.
2. preposition
If people or things travel between two places, they travel regularly from one place to the other and back again.
3. preposition
A relationship, discussion, or difference between two people, groups, or things is one that involves them both or relates to them both.
5. preposition
If something is between two amounts or ages, it is greater or older than the first one and smaller or younger than the second one.
6. preposition
If something happens between or in between two times or events, it happens after the first time or event and before the second
one.
Between is also an adverb.
8. preposition
If people or places have a particular amount of something between them, this is the total amount that they have.
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
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Video: pronunciation of
between
British English pronunciation
American English pronunciation
Word Frequency
between in British English
preposition
1.
at a point or in a region intermediate to two other points in space, times, degrees, etc
adverb also: in between
▶ USAGE After distribute and words with a similar meaning, among should be used rather than between: this enterprise issued shares which were distributed among its workers6.
between one specified thing and another
two houses with a garage between
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English betwēonum; related to Gothic tweihnai two together; see two, twainWord Frequency
between in American English
preposition
1.
in or through the space that separates (two things)
between the house and the garage
2.
in or of the time, amount, or degree that separates (two things); intermediate to
between blue and green
3.
that connects or relates to
a bond between friends, the difference between right and wrong
4.
along a course that connects
the road runs between here and there
5.
6.
with equal parts shared by each of
they divided it between them
8.
from one or the other of
choose between love and duty
adverb
9.
in an intermediate space, position, or function
10.
in an intermediate time; in the interval
Idioms:
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
between in American English
(bɪˈtwin)
preposition
1.
in the space separating (two points, objects, etc.)
between New York and Chicago
2.
intermediate to, in time, quantity, or degree
between twelve and one o'clock
between 50 and 60 apples
between pink and red
5.
among
sharing the responsibilities between the five of us
6.
by the dual or common action or participation of
Between us, we can finish the job in a couple of hours
9.
by the combined effect of
10.
existing confidentially for
We'll keep this matter between the two of us
11.
involving; concerning
war between nations
choice between things
13.
by joint possession of
Between them they own most of this company
14. Heraldry
a cross argent between four bezants
15. See between ourselves
noun
adverb
SYNONYMS See among.USAGE among expresses a relationship when more than two persons or things are involved: Distrust spread among even his strongest supporters. between is used when only two persons or things are involved: between you and me; to decide between tea and coffee. between also continues to be used, as it has been throughout its entire history, to express
a relationship of persons or things considered individually, no matter how many: Tossing up coins between three people always takes a little working out. Between holding
public office, teaching, and writing, she has little free time. Although not generally accepted as standard usage, between you and i I is heard occasionally in speech. By the traditional rules of grammar, when a pronoun
is the object of a preposition, that pronoun should be in the objective case: between you and me; between her and them. The use of the nominative form (I, he, she, they, etc.) arises partly as overcorrection, the reasoning being that if it is correct
at the end of a sentence like It is I, it must also be correct at the end of the phrase between you and … The choice of pronoun also owes something to the tendency for the final pronoun in
a compound object to be in the nominative case after a verb: It was kind of you to invite my wife and I. This too is not generally regarded as standard usage. The construction between each (or every) is sometimes objected to on the grounds that between calls for a plural or compound object. However, the construction is old and fully
standard when the sense indicates that more than one thing is meant: Spread softened butter between each layer of pastry. There were marigolds peeking between every row of vegetables. The construction between … to is a blend of between … and (between 15 and 25 miles) and from … to (from 15 to 25 miles). It occurs occasionally in informal speech but not in formal speech or writing.17.
in the intervening space or time; in an intermediate position or relation
two windows with a door between
visits that were far between
18. See in between
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
betweenness noun
Word origin
[bef. 900; ME betwene, OE betwēonan, betwēonum, equiv. to be- be- + twēon- (c. Goth tweihn(ai) two each) + -um dat. pl. ending]Examples of 'between' in a sentence
between
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In other languages
between
British English: between
/bɪˈtwiːn/ PREPOSITION
If you are between two things, one of them is on one side of you and the other is on the other side.
She stood between her two brothers.
- American English: between /bɪˈtwin/
- Arabic: بَيْـنَ
- Brazilian Portuguese: entre
- Chinese: 在...之间
- Croatian: između
- Czech: mezi
- Danish: mellem
- Dutch: tussen
- European Spanish: entre dos
- Finnish: välissä
- French: entre
- German: zwischen
- Greek: μεταξύ
- Italian: tra, fra
- Japanese: ・・・の間に
- Korean: 사이에
- Norwegian: mellom
- Polish: między
- European Portuguese: entre
- Romanian: între
- Russian: между
- Latin American Spanish: entre
- Swedish: mellan
- Thai: ระหว่าง
- Turkish: arasında
- Ukrainian: між
- Vietnamese: ở giữa
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Source
Definition of between from the Collins English Dictionary
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