in aghaidh

Irish

Alternative forms

• i n-aghaidh (superseded)

Etymology

From Middle Irish i n-agid (“against”, literally “in the face of”), from Old Irish agad (“face”).

Pronunciation

• (Munster) IPA^(key): /əˈn̪ˠəiɟ/
• (Connacht, Ulster) IPA^(key): /əˈn̪ˠəi/

Preposition

in aghaidh (plus genitive or possessive determiner, triggers no mutation)

1. contrary to

   Synonym: contrártha le

2. opposed to, against

   Synonyms: i gcoinne, in éadan

   an comhrac in aghaidh na sceimhlitheoireachta ― the fight against terrorism

   • 1899, Franz Nikolaus Finck, Die araner mundart [The Aran Dialect], volume II (overall work in German), Marburg: Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page 4:

     gax uəŕ, dā veḱn̥̄ šēd ə çēlə, biən̄ šēd ə n-ai ə çēlə.

     [Gach uair dá fheiceann siad a chéile, bíonn siad in aghaidh a chéile]

     Every time they see each other, they are opposed to each other.

     vī mē eǵ ə gūŕc əńḗ, vī n imr̥kə menī ə m ai, agəs buəlū mē sə gūš.

     [Bhí mé ag an gcúirt inné, bhí an iomarca mionnaí i m’aghaidh, agus bualadh mé sa gcúis.]

     I was in court yesterday; there were too many oaths against me and I lost the case.

   • 1981, An Bíobla Naofa, Matthew 18:21:

     A Thiarna, cé mhéad uair ba cheart dom pardún a thabhairt do mo bhráthair nuair a chiontaíonn i m’aghaidh?

     O Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother when he sins against me?

   • 2015 [2014], Will Collins, translated by Proinsias Mac a' Bhaird, edited by Maura McHugh, Amhrán na Mara (fiction; paperback), Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, Howth, Dublin: Cartoon Saloon; Coiscéim, translation of Song of the Sea (in English), →ISBN, page 2:

     Briseann tonnta boga in aghaidh na gcarraigeacha thíos faoi.

     [original: Waves gently lap against the rocks below.]

3. (sports) versus

Inflection

Inflection of in aghaidh

	Person:		simple	emphatic
singular	first		i m'aghaidh	i m'aghaidhse
	second		i d'aghaidh	i d'aghaidhse
	third	m	ina aghaidh	ina aghaidhsean
		f	ina haghaidh	ina haghaidhse
plural	first		inár n-aghaidh	inár n-aghaidhne
	second		in bhur n-aghaidh	in bhur n-aghaidhse
	third		ina n-aghaidh	ina aghaidhsean

Further reading

• Dinneen, Patrick S. (1904) “aġaiḋ”, in Foclóir Gaeḋilge agus Béarla, 1st edition, Dublin: Irish Texts Society, page 7
• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “in aghaidh”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN
• de Bhaldraithe, Tomás (1959) “in aghaidh”, in English-Irish Dictionary, An Gúm
• “in aghaidh”, in New English-Irish Dictionary, Foras na Gaeilge, 2013-2024
• “in aghaidh”, in Historical Irish Corpus, 1600–1926, Royal Irish Academy