again

English

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Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Etymology

From Middle English again, ayain, anȝen, from Old English onġēan (“towards, against, opposite to, contrary to, against, in exchange for, opposite, back, again, anew, also”), equivalent to a- +‎ gain (“against”). Cognate with Danish igen (“again”), Swedish igen (“again, back”).

Adverb

again (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Back in the reverse direction, or to an original starting point. [10th-18th c.]
    • 1526, The Bible, tr. William Tyndale, Matthew 2:
      And after they were warned in ther slepe, that they shulde not go ageyne to Herod, they retourned into ther awne countre another way.
  2. Back (to a former place or state). [from 11th c.]
    We need to bring the old customs to life again.
    The South will rise again.
  3. (obsolete) In return, as a reciprocal action; back. [13th-19th c.]
    • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book III:
      Merlyn warned the kynge couertly that gweneuer was not holsome for hym to take to wyf, for he warned hym that launcelot shold loue her and she hym ageyne […]
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essays, II.31:
      So women are never angrie, but to the end a man should againe be angrie with them, therein imitating the lawes of Love.
    • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, I.2.4.vii:
      Thus men are plagued with women, they again with men, when they are of diverse humours and conditions […]
    • 185?, Charles Dickens, Bleak House
      As he lies in the light before a glaring white target, the black upon him shines again […]
  4. Another time; once more. [from 14th c.]
    • 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.”
    • 2010, Simon Hattenstone, The Guardian, 30 Oct 2010:
      The last sentence is so shocking, I have to read it again.
  5. Over and above a factor of one. [from 16th c.]
    • 1908 December 10, Austin H. Clark, “New Genera and Species of Crinoids”, 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; […]
  6. 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 16th c.]
    Great, thanks again!
    1. Tell me again, say again; used in asking a question to which one may have already received the answer, but cannot remember it.
      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.

Derived terms

Translations

another time
used in a question to ask something one has forgotten

Preposition

again

  1. (obsolete) Against.
    • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book X:
      And here begynneth the treson of Kynge Marke that he ordayned agayne Sir Trystram.

Statistics

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Scots

Alternative forms

Etymology

Old English onġēan.

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /əˈɡen/, /əˈɡɛn/

Adverb

again

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

Preposition

again

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

Conjunction

again

  1. in preparation for, in advance of
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Last modified on 19 May 2013, at 16:53