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again

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See also: again-

English

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English agayn, from Old English onġēan (“against, again”), from Proto-West Germanic *in gagin, from Proto-Germanic *in gagin. Cognate with German entgegen (“contrary to”), North Frisian ijen (“against”), Danish igen (“again”), Swedish igen (“again”), and Norwegian Bokmål igjen (“again”), and Icelandic í gegnum (“through”). By surface analysis, on- +‎ gain (“against”).

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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again (not comparable)

  1. Another time; once more. [from 14thc.]
    • 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
      The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; […] . Our table in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit and caustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demand for seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition.
    • 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
      Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ […]. […].” So I started to back away again into the bushes. But I hadn't backed more'n a couple of yards when I see something so amazing that I couldn't help scooching down behind the bayberries and looking at it.
    • 1931, Robert L. May, Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Montgomery Ward (publisher), draft:
      He tangled in tree-tops again and again / And barely missed hitting a tri-motored plane.
    • 1979, Charles Edward Daniels et al., “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (song), Million Mile Reflections, Charlie Daniels Band, Epic Records:
      Johnny said, “Devil, just come on back if you ever want to try again / I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I’m the best that’s ever been.”
    • 2010 October 30, Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian:
      The last sentence is so shocking, I have to read it again.
  2. Over and above a factor of one. [from 16thc.]
    • 1908 December 10, Austin H. Clark, “New Genera and Species of Crinoids”, in Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, volume XXI, pages 229–230:
      Cirri l-lxxx, 15, about 12mm. long; first two joints short, about twice as broad as long; third about one-third again [=one and one-third times] as long as broad; fourth and fifth the longest, about half again [=one and a half times] as long as broad; […].
  3. Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion. [from 16thc.]
    Great, thanks again!
    1. Tell me again, say again; used in asking a question to which one may have already received an answer that one cannot remember.
      What's that called again?
    2. I ask again, I say again; used in repeating a question or statement.
      Again, I'm not criticizing, I just want to understand.
    3. Here too, here also, in this case as well; used in applying a previously made point to a new instance; sometimes preceded by "here".
      Approach B is better than approach A in many respects, but again, there are difficulties in implementing it.
  4. (obsolete) Back in the reverse direction, or to an original starting point. [10th–18thc.]
    Bring us word again.
  5. Back (to a former place or state). [from 11thc.]
    We need to bring the old customs to life again.
    The South will rise again.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
      Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.
  6. (obsolete) In return, as a reciprocal action; back. [13th–19thc.]
  7. (obsolete) In any other place.
    • a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a VVarre vvith Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany VVorks of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC:
      There is not, in the world again, such a spring and seminary of brave military people as in England, Scotland, and Ireland.
  8. (obsolete) On the other hand.
  9. Moreover; besides; further.
    • 1835, John Herschel, A Treatise on Astronomy:
      Again, it is of great consequence to avoid, etc.

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Translations

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Preposition

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again

  1. (obsolete or dialectal) Against.
    • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X:
      And here begynneth the treson of Kynge Marke that he ordayned agayne Sir Trystram.
    • 1924, J H Wilkinson, Leeds Dialect Glossary and Lore, page 60:
      Ah'd like to wahrn (warn) thi agaan 'evvin owt to dew wi' that chap.
    • 2003, Glasgow Sunday Herald, page 16, column 2:
      You may think you are all on the same side, agin the government.

References

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  1. ^ Hans Kurath and Raven Ioor McDavid (1961). The pronunciation of English in the Atlantic States: based upon the collections of the linguistic atlas of the Eastern United States. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, p. 131.

Anagrams

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Scots

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Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English agayn, again, ayain, ayen, anȝen, from Old English āġēan, onġēan, onġeġn (“towards, against, opposite to, contrary to, against, in exchange for, opposite, back, again, anew, also”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /əˈɡen/, /əˈɡɛn/, /əˈɡɪn/
  • (southern) IPA(key): /əˈɡɪən/

Adverb

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again

  1. back, in the opposite direction
  2. again, anew

Preposition

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again

  1. opposite, facing
  2. against, opposed to (literally or figuratively)

Conjunction

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again

  1. In preparation for, in advance of

References

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