athwart
adverb
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L186285 on Wikidata ↗preposition
No English definition recorded for this entry.
L333916 on Wikidata ↗Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /əˈθwɔːt/ / /əˈθwɔɹt/
adv
Etymology: From Late Middle English athwert, athirt, from a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwert (“crosswise; (cooking) across the grain”, adverb). Thwert is derived from thwert (“crosswise, transverse; counter, opposing; contrary, obstinate, stubborn”, adjective), borrowed from Old Norse þvert (“across, athwart”), originally the neuter form of þverr (“across, transverse”), from Proto-Germanic *þwerhaz (“cross; adverse”) (altered or influenced by Proto-Germanic *þweraną (“to stir; to swirl; to turn”)), from Proto-Germanic *þerh-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to spin; to turn”). The English word is analysable as a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwart (“placed or situated across something else”). Cognates * Scots athort (“athwart”)
- From side to side, often in an oblique manner; across or over.
“Above, the stars appeared to move slowly athwart.”
“We placed one log on the ground, and another athwart, forming a crude cross.”
- Across the path of something, so as to impede progress.
“a fleet standing athwart our course”
“[W]ith his ſpear / Advanced athvvart puſh'd back the Trojan van, / And all ſtood faſt.”
- Against the anticipated or appropriate course of something; improperly, perversely, wrongly.
“[A]ll athvvart there came / A poſt from VVales, loden vvith heauy nevves, […]”
“The Baby beates the Nurſe, and quite athvvart / Goes all decorum.”
prep
Etymology: From Late Middle English athwert, athirt, from a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwert (“crosswise; (cooking) across the grain”, adverb). Thwert is derived from thwert (“crosswise, transverse; counter, opposing; contrary, obstinate, stubborn”, adjective), borrowed from Old Norse þvert (“across, athwart”), originally the neuter form of þverr (“across, transverse”), from Proto-Germanic *þwerhaz (“cross; adverse”) (altered or influenced by Proto-Germanic *þweraną (“to stir; to swirl; to turn”)), from Proto-Germanic *þerh-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to spin; to turn”). The English word is analysable as a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwart (“placed or situated across something else”). Cognates * Scots athort (“athwart”)
- From one side to the other side of; across.
“The stars moved slowly athwart the sky.”
“Knit vvith a golden bauldricke, vvhich forelay / Athvvart her ſnovvy breſt, and did diuide / Her daintie paps; […]”
- Across the course or path of, so as to meet; hence (figuratively), to the attention of.
“For here our ſouls hath but one eye (the Apoſtle ſaith, vve knovv in part) be not proud if that chance to come athvvart thy ſeeing ſide, vvhich meets with the blind ſide of another.”
“O Years! the blest preeminence of Saints! / Ye sweep athwart my gaze, so heavenly-bright, […]”
- Across the course or path of, so as to oppose.
“VVhence and vvhat art thou, execrable ſhape, / That dar'ſt, though grim and terrible, advance / Thy miſcreated Front athvvart my vvay / To yonder Gates?”
“Lookée, you lubberly ſon of a vv——e, if you come athvvart me, 'vvare your ginger-bread-vvork.”
- Across; through.
“And novv, athvvart the Terrors that thy Vovv / Has planted round thee, thou appear'ſt more fair, / More amiable, and riſeſt in thy Charms.”
“About three in the Afternoon he came up vvith us, and bringing too by Miſtake, juſt athvvart our Quarter, inſtead of athvvart our Stern, as he intended, vve brought 8 of our Guns to bear on that Side, and pour'd in a Broadſide upon him, vvhich made him ſheer off again, after returning our Fire, and pouring in alſo his ſmall Shot from near 200 Men vvhich he had on Board.”
- Opposed to.
“I have ſeen this preſent vvork, and finde nothing athvvart the Catholick faith and good manners: […]”
“[S]he, athwart many impediments, An ardent rider, often on horseback, at paces furiously swift; her beautiful face tanned by the weather. Very devout too; honest to be bone, athwart all her prejudices.”
- Across the line of a ship's course, or across its deck.
“The damaged mainmast fell athwart the deck, destroying the ship’s boat.”
“[H]e [a boat] come right athwart the steamer's bows and she cut him in two.”