preposition
- in the space separating (two points, objects, etc.): between New York and Chicago.
- intermediate to, in time, quantity, or degree: between twelve and one o’clock; between 50 and 60 apples; between pink and red.
- linking; connecting: air service between cities.
- in portions for each of (two people): splitting the profits between them.
- among: sharing the responsibilities between the five of us.
- by the dual or common action or participation of: Between us, we can finish the job in a couple of hours.
- distinguishing one from the other: He couldn’t see the difference between good and bad.
- in comparing: no preference between the two wines.
- by the combined effect of.
- existing confidentially for: We’ll keep this matter between the two of us.
- involving; concerning: war between nations; choice between things.
- being felt jointly or reciprocated by: the love between them.
- by joint possession of: Between them they own most of this company.
- Heraldry. in the midst of, so as to make a symmetrical composition: a cross argent between four bezants.
noun
- Usually betweens. a short needle with a rounded eye and a sharp point, used for fine hand stitchery in heavy fabric.
adverb
- in the intervening space or time; in an intermediate position or relation: two windows with a door between; visits that were far between.
- between ourselves, confidentially; in trust.Also between you and me, between you, me, and the post/lamppost/gatepost/etc.
- in between,
- situated in an intermediary area or on a line or imaginary line connecting two points, things, etc.
- in the way: I reached for the ball, but the dog got in between.
preposition
- at a point or in a region intermediate to two other points in space, times, degrees, etc
- in combination; togetherbetween them, they saved enough money to buy a car
- confined or restricted tobetween you and me
- indicating a reciprocal relation or comparisonan argument between a man and his wife
- indicating two or more alternativesa choice between going now and staying all night
adverb Also: in between
- between one specified thing and anothertwo houses with a garage between
Old English betweonum “between, among, by turns,” Mercian betwinum, from bi- “by” (see be-) + tweonum dative plural of *tweon “two each” (cf. Gothic tweih-nai “two each”). Between a rock and a hard place is from 1940s, originally cowboy slang. Between-whiles is from 1670s.
In addition to the idioms beginning with between
- between a rock and a hard place
- between the lines
- between you and me
also see:
- betwixt and between
- come between
- draw a line between
- fall between the cracks
- few and far between
- hit between the eyes
- in between
- in between times
- read between the lines
- tail between one’s legs