again English · revision 1838

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=993|origins=ang ongēan}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈɡen/, /əˈɡeɪn/ ''(UK)''; /əˈɡen/ ''(US)''^(Roach et al. 2011)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|again]], [[m|enm|ayen]],^(Webster's Third 1961)^(MWU 2024) [[inh|ang|ongēan|t=toward, opposite, against; back]], later [[m|ang|agēn]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995)^(SOED 2002) formed [[af|ang|on|-gegn|t1=on|t2=against, toward]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) from the Germanic root that also gave [[de|gegen|t=against]], [[m|de|entgegen]] and [[non|gegn|t=straight, direct]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002) Barnhart calls the Germanic root of unknown origin.^(Barnhart 1988) The hard g is due to Norse influence:^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the native forms beginning with ay- were superseded by northern forms with ag- and did not survive beyond the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In the opposite direction, back (Old English, 993 in the OED, and ''agan'' 1031 in Barnhart).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Old English the main word for “again” was ''eft'' (see [[eftsoons]]), which was often strengthened by ''ongēan'', “back”;^(Etymonline) ''again'' became the principal word by the 13th century.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) As “in return, in reply” it dates from the early 13th century,^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) and as “once more” from the late 14th.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary) In the 16th century southern writers began to distinguish it from ''against'', keeping ''again'' as an adverb and using ''against'' as preposition and conjunction, but northern and Scottish dialect, which never adopted ''against'', kept ''again'' in all senses.^(Etymonline)^(Weekley 1921) The prepositional use survives in dialectal and jocular ''agin'', as in ''agin the government''.^(Weekley 1921)^(SOED 2002) After verbs such as ''ring'' and ''echo'' it meant “in response”, extended to intense action, as in Dickens's “till the glasses in the sideboard rang again”.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 993 – Old English, back, in the opposite direction.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1031 – late Old English ''agan''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * early 13th century – in return, in reply.^(Etymonline)

+ * 13th century – becomes the main word for “again”, replacing ''eft''.^(Etymonline)

+ * late 14th century – once more.^(Etymonline)

+ * 16th century – separated from ''against'' in southern English.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Once more; another time; [[anew]]: ''try again''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Back to a previous place, position or state: ''went back again''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Furthermore; besides.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # On the other hand: ''she might go, and then again she might not''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # In addition to an amount: ''half as much again''.^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)

+ # ''(archaic)'' In return; in reply.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Preposition===

+ # ''(dialect)'' Against.^(MWU 2024)^(Chambers 2008)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[born-again]]

+ * [[again and again]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[against]]

+ * [[gainsay]]

+ * [[eftsoons]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House notes that in the United States the usual pronunciation rhymes with ''pen''; a pronunciation rhyming with ''pain'' is found chiefly in the Atlantic states, and one rhyming with ''pin'' in much of the South.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}