again
Part of speech: adv
Morphological type: derivation
Etymology: Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
Proto-Germanic *in
Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ-der.
Proto-Germanic *ganganąder.?
Proto-Germanic *gagin
Proto-Germanic *in gagin
Proto-West Germanic *in gagin
Old English onġēan
Middle English agayn
English again
From Middle English agayn, from Old English onġēan (“against, again”), from Proto-West Germanic *in gagin, from Proto-Germanic *in gagin. Cognate with German entgegen (“contrary to”), North Frisian ijen (“against”), Danish igen (“again”), Swedish igen (“again”), and Norwegian Bokmål igjen (“again”), and Icelandic í gegnum (“through”). By surface analysis, on- + gain (“against”).
Inflected forms:
form: agen
pos: adv
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: againe
pos: adv
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: agayne
pos: adv
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: ageyne
pos: adv
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: agin
pos: adv
tags: alternative
colloquial
dialectal
form: ag'in
pos: adv
tags: alternative
colloquial
dialectal
form: 'gain
pos: adv
tags: alternative
dialectal
poetic
Senses:
gloss: Another time: indicating a repeat of an action.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: I enjoyed it so much I went again the next day.
He tangled in tree-tops again and again / And barely missed hitting a tri-motored plane.
Johnny said, “Devil, just come on back if you ever want to try again / I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I’m the best that’s ever been.”
The last sentence is so shocking, I have to read it again.
gloss: Back (to a former place or state).
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: We need to bring the old customs to life again.
The South will rise again.
The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again;[…]. Our table in the dining-room became again the abode of scintillating wit and caustic repartee, Farrar bracing up to his old standard, and the demand for seats in the vicinity rose to an animated competition.
Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’[…].[…].” So I started to back away again into the bushes. But I hadn't backed more'n a couple of yards when I see something so amazing that I couldn't help scooching down behind the bayberries and looking at it.
Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him.
gloss: Over and above a factor of one.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: This stick is quite long, but that other one is half as long again.
Cirri l-lxxx, 15, about 12mm. long; first two joints short, about twice as broad as long; third about one-third again [=one and one-third times] as long as broad; fourth and fifth the longest, about half again [=one and a half times] as long as broad;[…].
gloss: Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: Great, thanks again!
gloss: Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: What's that called again?
gloss: Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: Again, I'm not criticizing, I just want to understand.
gloss: Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: Approach B is better than approach A in many respects, but again, there are difficulties in implementing it.
A great bargain also had been the excellent Axminster carpet which covered the floor; as, again, the arm-chair in which Bunting now sat forward, staring into the dull, small fire.
gloss: Back in the reverse direction, or to an original starting point.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: Bring us word again.
And after they were warned in ther slepe, that they shulde not go ageyne to Herod, they retourned into ther awne countre another way.
gloss: In return, as a reciprocal action; back.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: So women are never angrie, but to the end a man should againe be angrie with them, therein imitating the lawes of Love.
Thus men are plagued with women, they again with men, when they are of diverse humours and conditions[…].
As he lies in the light before a glaring white target, the black upon him shines again[…].
gloss: In any other place.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: There is not, in the world again, such a spring and seminary of brave military people as in England, Scotland, and Ireland.
gloss: On the other hand.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
obsolete
examples: The one is my sovereign[…]the other again is my kinsman.
gloss: Moreover; besides; further.
pos: adv
tags: not-comparable
examples: Again, it is of great consequence to avoid, etc.
Derived words: again and again
again-coming
againness
agenbite
all over again
as much again
at times and again
born again
born-again
breathe again
but then again
come again
cut and come again
cut-and-come-again
ever and again
every now and again
everything old is new again
fix it again Tony
half again
here we go again
how's that again
Meagain
never again
not again
now and again
once again
once and again
one more again
over again
over and over again
please say that again
say again
say that again
sold again and got the money
then again
there again
think again
time and again
time and time again
to and again
turn again
turnagain
until we meet again
what's old is new again
you can say that again
you can't go home again
Translations: