† beˈtwixen, -twixe, prep. Obs.
Forms: 1 betweoxn, 2 bitwuxan, -twixan, -tweoxe, -twuxe, 2–4 bitwixen, 3 bituxe(n, 3–5 bitwixe, 4 betwixen, -twyxen, -twexen, 4–5 by-, betwixe, (9 betwixen).
[ME. bi-, betwixe(n, 12th c. bitwixan, -twuxan, -tweoxe, pointing to an OE. *betweoxan (for which the Pastoral Care has betweoxn), app. for earlier *be-tweoxum, -tweohsum, orig. OE. *bi-twihsum:—*-twicsum, *-twiscum; f. bi-, be- prep. + *twiscum, dat. pl. of *twisc adj., in OS. twisc, OHG. zuiski, MHG. zwisc, zwisch:—OTeut. twiskjo- ‘two-fold,’ f. twa, two n. + -ish (i)sc. The same idea (inter duos, entre deux) was expressed in OHG. by the dat. pl. zuiskên, MHG. zwischen, with a preceding prep., untar, undar, in, en (cf. mod.G. zwischen from 'nzwischen, Du. tusschen). The ordinary form in OE. was betweox (see next); but bitweoxan, bitwixan, became frequent a1200, prob. because of its analogy to the numerous other prepositions in -an, ME. -en. For the subsequent history see betwixt.]
Betwixt, between.
| c 897 K. ælfred Gregory's Past. 121 Ne sie hit ðonne na sua betweoxn eow. c 1160 Hatton Gosp. Matt. xxi. 25 Beotweoxe heom. c 1175 Lamb. Hom. 91 Ne þer nas nan wone bi-twuxan heo. Ibid. 115 Bitwixen godes wrecchan. c 1205 Lay. 5012 Bi-twixen hire ærmes. Ibid. 30618 Bitwixe Dinan and þære sæ. a 1250 Owl & Night. 1747 That maister Nichole..Bi-tuxen us deme schulde. a 1300 Cursor M. 21840 (Edinb.) Bituixin us and helles here. c 1325 Metr. Hom. 166 A derne priuite..bytwixe me and the. c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame (Fairf. MS.) 715 Betwexen heuene and erthe and see. c 1386 ― Prol. 277 Bitwixe Middleburgh and Orewelle. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xiii. 69 Bitwixe me and ȝou..Bitwixe Poul and the Cristen. [1865 Swinburne Christm. Carol 52 The manger shall be straw two spans Betwixen kine and kine.] |