again

American  

[uh-gen, uh-geyn] / əˈgɛn, əˈgeɪn /

adverb

1. once more; another time; anew; in addition.

   Will you spell your name again, please?

2. in an additional case or instance; moreover; besides; furthermore.

3. on the other hand.

   It might happen, and again it might not.

4. in return; back; in reply.

   to answer again.

5. to the same place or person.

   to return again.

---

idioms

1. as much again, twice as much.

   She earns as much again as I do.

2. again and again, with frequent repetition; often.

   They went over the same arguments again and again.

again British  

/ əˈɡeɪn, əˈɡɛn /

adverb

1. another or second time; once more; anew

   he had to start again

2. once more in a previously experienced or encountered place, state, or condition

   he is ill again

   he came back again

3. in addition to the original amount, quantity, etc (esp in the phrases as much again; half as much again )

4. (sentence modifier) on the other hand

   he might come and then again he might not

5. besides; also

   she is beautiful and, again, intelligent

6. archaic in reply; back

   he answered again to the questioning voice

7. continuously; repeatedly

8. (used with a negative) any more; any longer

   I don't eat pumpkin again

---

1. moreover; furthermore

   again, it could be said that he is not dead

again More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing again

• come again
• do something over again
• ever and again
• every now and again
• here someone goes again
• now and again
• off and on (off again, on again)
• over again
• something else again
• time and time again
• you can say that again

---

Pronunciation

By far the most common pronunciation of again, in all parts of the United States, is , with the same vowel heard in yet and pep. The pronunciation , rhyming with pain, occurs chiefly in the Atlantic states. Again said as , with the vowel of pit or sip, or with a vowel somewhere between and , is the common pronunciation in much of the South, where and tend to become neutralized, or more like one another, before and , leading to a lack of noticeable distinction between such pairs as pen and pin, ten and tin.

Etymology

Origin of again

First recorded before 900; Middle English agayn, ageyn, Old English ongegn “opposite (to),” equivalent to on “ on, in” ( a- ¹ ) + gegn “straigh”t; cognate with Old High German ingagan, Old Norse igegn

Example Sentences

“You have to keep coming back. So, I received the grace of being rejected, the grace of being despised, and the gift of saying: ‘Okay, now we’re going to start all over again.’”

From The Wall Street Journal

Sir Keir was using that phrase to describe both the general economic impact of the Iran conflict and the particular difficulties in getting the Strait of Hormuz open again.

From BBC

“This was a release packaging issue caused by human error, not a security breach. We’re rolling out measures to prevent this from happening again,” the spokesman said.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Over and over again it’s been on hold,” the owner, Rupert Garcia, said in an interview.

From Los Angeles Times

The clip is worth watching, and not just to marvel yet again at Vance’s ability to make idiotic statements in the self-assured tone of the smartest boy in the room.

From Salon

Related Words

• anew
• over
• repeatedly