Old English · adverb
wiþ
- Part of speech
- adverb
- IPA
- /wiθ/
- Syllables
- wiθ (1 syllable)
wiþ1 · adverb
Senses
with it; together; therewith
wiþ2 · preposition
Senses
against, opposite (typically + accusative with sense of motion or active opposition, typically + dative otherwise)
...;sē ūs ġescylt wið eallum yfellum....;He shieldeth us against every evil.
late 9th century, King Alfred's translation of Saint Augustine's Soliloquiesalong, towards (typically + genitive)
with
for, in exchange for,
Eall swa þa unriht-wisan deman þe heora domas awendað, æfre be þam sceattum na be soðfæstnysse and habbað æfre to cepe heora soðfæstnysse, and swa hi sylfe syllað wið sceattum...
So likewise those unrighteous judges who pervert their judgments, always for gain, and not for justice, and always offer their justice for sale, and thus sell themselves for the sake of money,...
late 10th century, Ælfric, "Passion of St.Alban, Martyr"compared with (+ accusative or dative)
Heora dȳre gold ne bið nāhte wurð wið ða foresǣdan māðmas...
Their precious gold will be worth nothing compared with the aforementioned treasures,...
late 10th century, Ælfric, "Saint Swithhun, Bishop"
Etymology
Probably a shortening of a Germanic preposition represented by Old English wiþer, from Proto-Germanic *wiþrą (“against”). Cognate with Old Frisian with, Old Saxon with, Old Norse við.
Descendants
wi, with, wiv
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wiþ · CC BY-SA 4.0 licence · Attribution