Ivor had acquired more than a mile of fishing rights with the house ; he was not at all a good fisherman, but one must do something ; one generally, however, banged a ball with a squash-racketagainst a wall.
In physicalcontact with, so as to abut or be supported by.
We expressed our readiness, and in ten minutes were in the station wagon, rolling rapidly down the long drive, for it was then after nine.[…]As we reached the lodge we heard the whistle, and we backed upagainst one side of the platform as the train pulled up at the other.
1986 February 15, Lars Eighner, “A Homosexual Norman Mailer?”, inGay Community News, volume13, number31, page 5:
There is an awesome authenticity in Barrus's voice which, I imagine, is frightening to those who must evaluate artagainst a one-dimensional standard of political rectitude.
He stands outagainst his classmates.
This report sets out the risksagainst the benefits.
“[…] it is not fair of you to bringagainst mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”
Mr. Cooke at once began a tiradeagainst the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.
Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation,[…]. In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better. These rarities may be new mutations, or they can be existing ones that are neutral—or are even selectedagainst—in a wild population. A good example is mutations that disrupt seed dispersal, leaving the seeds on the heads long after they are ripe.
Of betting odds, denoting a worse-than-even chance.
1638, Democritus Junior [pseudonym;Robert Burton],The Anatomy of Melancholy.[…], 5th edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire:[…][Robert Young, Miles Flesher, and Leonard Lichfield and William Turner] for Henry Cripps,→OCLC, partition II, section 2, member 6, subsection iv,page298:
Beautie alone is a ſoveraigne remedyagainſt feare,griefe,and all melancholy fits; a charm,asPeter de la Seine and many other writers affirme,a banquet it ſelfe;he gives inſtance in diſcontentedMenelaus that was ſo often freed byHelenas faire face: andhTully, 3 Tusc. cites Epicurus as a chiefe patron of this Tenent.
1988 March 1, Pico Caroni with Martin E. Schwab, “Antibody against myelin associated inhibitor of neurite growth neutralizes nonpermissive substrate properties of CNS white matter”, inNeuron[1],→DOI, page85:
Monoclonal antibodies were raisedagainst these proteins: IN-1 and IN-2 bound both to the 35 kd and 250 kd inhibitors and to the surface of differentiated cultured oligodendrocytes.
In anticipation of; inpreparation for (a particular time, event etc.).
The stores are kept well stockedagainst a time of need.
He wrote to a friend of his, that he lived but with browne bread and water, and entreated him to send him a piece of cheese,against[translatingpour] the time he was to make a solemne feast.
"And now leave me, I pray thee, and thou too, my own Kallikrates, for I would get me readyagainst our journey, and so must ye both, and your servant also."
A quarter of a mile inland we came upon the holluschickie -- sleek young bulls, living out the loneliness of their bachelorhood and gathering strengthagainst the day when they would fight their way into the ranks of the benedicts
Of the two fried chops served him for breakfast he ate one and gave Edmund the other, and put a buttered sandwich of bread in his pocketagainst the accidents of travel.
2003, Rodger J. Bille,A Few of the Chosen: Survivors of Terrorism, Trafford Publishing,→ISBN, page 8:
Rod, who always distrusted such methods, was forced to accept the new way but had begun to stash away large amounts of cashagainst the day that the system might be sabotaged or failed entirely.
(Hollywood) To be paid now in contrast to the following amount to be paid later under specified circumstances, usually that a movie is made or has started filming.
The studio weren't sure the movie would ever get made, so they only paid $50,000against $200,000. That way they wouldn't be out very much if filming never began.
2011, Charles Foran,Mordecai: The Life & Times[2]:
“Hollywood noises” yielded an early $35,000 option against $100,000 if the movie was made.
The terms below need to be checked and allocated to the definitions (senses) of the headword above. Each term should appear in the sense for which it is appropriate. For synonyms and antonyms you may use the templates{{syn|en|...}} or{{ant|en|...}}.
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions atWiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Thence she them brought into a stately Hall, / Wherein were many tables faire dispred, / And ready dight with drapets festiuall, /Against the viaundes should be ministred.
1749, Henry Fielding,Tom Jones, Folio Society, published1973, page 6:
He now gave Mrs Deborah positive orders to take the child to her own bed, and to call up a maid-servant to provide it pap, and other things,against it waked.
