DictionaryRoot: wið
Old English
wið
against, toward, or near
Forms
- wið
- with — The old letter ð was replaced by th.
Origin
An inherited Germanic relationship word.
Note
Its older opposing sense survives in some compounds, while the modern independent word usually expresses company.
10 / 10
verb
withstand
with-STAND/wɪðˈstænd/
To endure or resist without giving way.
Etymology
“Against” and “stand” give the image of holding one's ground under opposition. That same image covers enduring pressure or difficulty without giving way.