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between

/bɪˈtwin/
/bɪˈtwin/
IPA guide

Other forms: betweens

To be between two things is to be in the middle. In a picture, if you are between your sisters, one is on your left and the other is on your right.

The preposition between comes from the Old English word betweonum, meaning “among,” or “by turns.” If you are between jobs, you are not at your old job anymore and you haven’t yet found a new one — you are in the middle of your transition to something new, just as if you live between two feuding neighbors, you might feel caught in the middle. If you are stuck between a rock and a hard place, you are in some kind of trouble.

Definitions of between
  1. adverb
    in the interval
    “dancing all the dances with little rest between
    synonyms: betwixt
  2. adverb
    in between
    “two houses with a tree between
    synonyms: 'tween
Pronunciation
US
/bɪˈtwin/
UK
/bɪˈtwin/
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