athwart
Part of speech: adv
prep
Morphological type: derivation
Topics: nautical
transport
Etymology: From Late Middle English athwert, athirt, from a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwert (“crosswise; (cooking) across the grain”, adverb). Thwert is derived from thwert (“crosswise, transverse; counter, opposing; contrary, obstinate, stubborn”, adjective), borrowed from Old Norse þvert (“across, athwart”), originally the neuter form of þverr (“across, transverse”), from Proto-Germanic *þwerhaz (“cross; adverse”) (altered or influenced by Proto-Germanic *þweraną (“to stir; to swirl; to turn”)), from Proto-Germanic *þerh-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to spin; to turn”). The English word is analysable as a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwart (“placed or situated across something else”).
Cognates
* Scots athort (“athwart”)
Base: thwart
Affixes: a-
Inflected forms:
form: more athwart
pos: adv
tags: comparative
form: most athwart
pos: adv
tags: superlative
Senses:
gloss: From side to side, often in an oblique manner; across or over.
pos: adv
examples: Above, the stars appeared to move slowly athwart.
We placed one log on the ground, and another athwart, forming a crude cross.
In the fore part of his garment vvhich couered his breaſt he vvore pretie taſſels inſteed of buttons, like to thoſe that our Engliſh Souldiers doe vveare about their bandeleers, in vvhich they put their gunnepovvder. Theſe taſſels came dovvne athvvart ouer his breaſt; truely I did invvardly reioyce to ſee his pourtraiture.
Thus the Aſſe having a peculiar mark of a croſſe made by a black liſt down his back, and another athwart, or at right angles down his ſhoulders; common opinion aſcribes this figure unto a peculiar ſignation; ſince that beaſt had the honour to bear our Saviour on his back.
[…] Frenzy, fierce-ey'd child of moping pain, / Darts her hot lightning flaſh athvvart the brain.
They come, they crowd upon me all at once— / Moved from the cloud of unforgotten things, / That sometimes on the horizon of the mind / Lies unfolded, often sweeps athwart in storm— […]
But he had left the green wood, and the thousand inspirations of the wild flowers, and the shadows that flit athwart the drooping boughs, for scenes whose inspirations were thought, toil, and suffering.
Just as the first ray of the rising sun shot like a golden arrow athwart this storied desolation we gained the further gateway of the outer wall, […]
He shuffled athwart, keeping one eye ahead vigilantly.
gloss: Across the path of something, so as to impede progress.
pos: adv
examples: a fleet standing athwart our course
[W]ith his ſpear / Advanced athvvart puſh'd back the Trojan van, / And all ſtood faſt.
One of the world’s largest container ships was wedged athwart the Suez Canal on March 23rd, blown off course by high winds.
The Ever Given is standing athwart one of the most important shipping lanes in the world, yelling “Oops!” She is ruining everything, and at least for the moment, she cannot be (un)stopped.
One of the world’s largest containerships wedged athwart the Suez Canal has offered the shipping industry a timely reminder that super-sized ships can create super-sized problems
gloss: Against the anticipated or appropriate course of something; improperly, perversely, wrongly.
pos: adv
tags: figuratively
examples: [A]ll athvvart there came / A poſt from VVales, loden vvith heauy nevves, […]
The Baby beates the Nurſe, and quite athvvart / Goes all decorum.
Leo isn’t standing athwart Skynet yelling “Stop”; he’s blessing A.I., to a point, while warning that the line between Babel and Jerusalem runs through every nation, every corporation and every human heart.
gloss: From one side to the other side of; across.
pos: prep
examples: The stars moved slowly athwart the sky.
Knit vvith a golden bauldricke, vvhich forelay / Athvvart her ſnovvy breſt, and did diuide / Her daintie paps; […]
Did neuer Sonnet for her ſake compile, / Nor neuer lay his vvreathed armes athvvart / His louing boſome, to keepe dovvne his hart.
Ye knovv the ſpheres and various taſks aſſign'd / By lavvs eternal to th' aërial kind. / […] / Some leſs refin'd, beneath the moon's pale light / Purſue the ſtars that ſhoot athvvart the night, […]
But oh that deep romantic chasm which slanted / Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover! / A savage place! as holy and inchanted / As e'er beneath a waning moon was haunted / By woman wailing for her demon-lover!
At eve the beetle boometh / Athwart the thicket lone.
Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
gloss: Across the course or path of, so as to meet; hence (figuratively), to the attention of.
pos: prep
examples: For here our ſouls hath but one eye (the Apoſtle ſaith, vve knovv in part) be not proud if that chance to come athvvart thy ſeeing ſide, vvhich meets with the blind ſide of another.
O Years! the blest preeminence of Saints! / Ye sweep athwart my gaze, so heavenly-bright, […]
gloss: Across the course or path of, so as to oppose.
pos: prep
examples: VVhence and vvhat art thou, execrable ſhape, / That dar'ſt, though grim and terrible, advance / Thy miſcreated Front athvvart my vvay / To yonder Gates?
Lookée, you lubberly ſon of a vv——e, if you come athvvart me, 'vvare your ginger-bread-vvork.
It is the voice of human experience within us, judging and condemning all gods that stand athwart the pathway along which it feels itself to be advancing.
The new fashions were perforce addressed to the more prosperous young: the children of Europe’s white middle-class, who could afford records, concerts, shoes, clothes, make-up and modish hair-styling. But the presentation of these wares cut ostentatiously athwart conventional lines.
gloss: Across; through.
pos: prep
tags: figuratively
examples: And novv, athvvart the Terrors that thy Vovv / Has planted round thee, thou appear'ſt more fair, / More amiable, and riſeſt in thy Charms.
About three in the Afternoon he came up vvith us, and bringing too by Miſtake, juſt athvvart our Quarter, inſtead of athvvart our Stern, as he intended, vve brought 8 of our Guns to bear on that Side, and pour'd in a Broadſide upon him, vvhich made him ſheer off again, after returning our Fire, and pouring in alſo his ſmall Shot from near 200 Men vvhich he had on Board.
And should the moon happen to hit its ever-shifting orbital perigee at the same time that it lies athwart from the sun, we are treated to a so-called supermoon, a full moon that can seem close enough to embrace – as much as 12 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than the average full moon.
gloss: Opposed to.
pos: prep
tags: figuratively
examples: I have ſeen this preſent vvork, and finde nothing athvvart the Catholick faith and good manners: […]
[S]he, athwart many impediments, An ardent rider, often on horseback, at paces furiously swift; her beautiful face tanned by the weather. Very devout too; honest to be bone, athwart all her prejudices.
gloss: Across the line of a ship's course, or across its deck.
pos: prep
examples: The damaged mainmast fell athwart the deck, destroying the ship’s boat.
[H]e [a boat] come right athwart the steamer's bows and she cut him in two.
Related words: overthwart
overthwartly
overthwartness
thwart
thwarted
thwarten
thwartened
thwarter
thwarting
thwartwise
unthwartable
unthwarted
Derived words: athwartship
athwartships
athwartwise
Translations: