across

[uh-kraws, uh-kros]

preposition

1. from one side to the other of.

   a bridge across a river.

2. on or to the other side of; beyond.

   across the sea.

3. into contact with; into the presence of, usually by accident.

   to come across an old friend; to run across a first edition of Byron.

4. crosswise of or transversely to the length of something; athwart.

   coats across the bed; straddled across the boundary line.

adverb

1. from one side to another.

2. on the other side.

   We'll soon be across.

3. crosswise; transversely.

   with arms across.

4. so as to be understood or learned.

   He couldn't get the idea across to the class.

5. into a desired or successful state.

   to put a business deal across.

adjective

1. being in a crossed or transverse position; crosswise.

   an across pattern of supporting beams.

across

/ əˈkrɒs /

preposition

1. from one side to the other side of

2. on or at the other side of

3. so as to transcend boundaries or barriers

   people united across borders by religion and history

   the study of linguistics across cultures

4. fully informed about; dealing with

   we are across this problem

adverb

1. from one side to the other

2. on or to the other side

Word History and Origins

Origin of across¹

First recorded in 1470–80; a- ¹ + cross

Word History and Origins

Origin of across¹

C13: on croice, acros, from Old French a croix crosswise

Idioms and Phrases

• come across
• cut across
• get across
• put across
• run across

Example Sentences

If we don’t organize, articulate a policy platform and recruit the best and brightest across different generations, we will be marginalized and then extinguished entirely.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“The Nigerian delegation refuted allegations of genocide in Nigeria, emphasizing that violent attacks affect families and communities across religious and ethnic lines,” Onanuga said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Tyler’s stage was designed to resemble a New York City subway station complete with a train car that he climbed atop and herky-jerked his way across.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The limits were designed in part to restrict the amount of control any one company could have over local news broadcasts across the country.

Read more on MarketWatch

In the notes he jokes that after years of “commuting” to Europe, a weekly trip across Pennsylvania was pretty easy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• crossways 
• crosswise 
• transversely www.thesaurus.com