word-vault/dist/data/cards/ag/against.json

A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.

{
    "term": "against",
    "partOfSpeech": "preposition",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "a2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "opposing or disagreeing with somebody/something",
            "cefr": "a2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the fight against terrorism"
                },
                {
                    "text": "We're playing against the league champions next week."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We were rowing against the current."
                },
                {
                    "text": "That's against the law."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Employees can't be forced to join a union against their will."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Are you for or against the death penalty?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She is against seeing *(= does not want to see)* him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'd advise you against doing that."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Opinion and argument"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "not to the advantage or favour of somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The evidence is against him."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her age is against her."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "close to, touching or hitting somebody/something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Put the piano there, against the wall."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rain beat against the windows."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "in order to prevent something from happening or to reduce the damage caused by something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "an injection against rabies"
                },
                {
                    "text": "They took precautions against fire."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Are we insured against theft?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "He gritted his teeth against the pain."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "with something in the background, as a contrast",
            "labels": "(figurative)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "His red clothes stood out clearly against the snow."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The love story unfolds against a background of civil war."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "used when you are comparing two things",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "You must weigh the benefits against the cost."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Check your receipts against the statement."
                },
                {
                    "text": "What's the rate of exchange against the dollar?"
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "if you include money or costs against an amount that is owed, you use it to reduce the amount",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The accountant said I could offset all my travel costs against tax."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "if you borrow money against property that you own, you use the value of the property as a guarantee that you will repay the money",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They had borrowed a lot of money against the value of the house."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "in contrast with something",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They got 27 per cent of the vote as against 32 per cent at the last election."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "you are unlikely to succeed because the conditions are not good for you",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈɡenst//əˈɡeɪnst/",
                "audio": "ag/against/against__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/əˈɡenst//əˈɡeɪnst/",
                "audio": "ag/against/against__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from again + -s (adverbial genitive) + -t probably by association with superlatives (as in amongst)."
}