'gainst

American

[genst, geynst] / gɛnst, geɪnst /

Or gainst

preposition

shortened form of against.

'gainst British

/ ɡɛnst, ɡeɪnst /

preposition

poetic short for against

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As the first hymn began, with: "He who would valiant be 'gainst all disaster," she appeared, to take her place.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2022

“Attitude is very important to me. I’m gonna turn my whole life around. I been carryin’ a big chip, felt it was me ’gainst the world.

From Seattle Times • May 11, 2017

She looked over in the corner, where Cooter was still mashing his nose up ’gainst the walls.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

When I busted ’round the corner I saw Mr. Alston squatting ’gainst a wagon wheel watching the other men tossing the white spotty boxes.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Being close to the water and hearing the lake slapping ’gainst the sand was ’bout the peacefulest thing you could think of.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023