withal, adv. and prep. arch.
(wɪˈðɔːl)
[Properly two words, orig. with al(le (see with prep. and all A. 9 e); in the earliest instances predominantly northern; ultimately superseding the older mid alle (see mid prep.1 7 a). The spelling withall continued till nearly 1800.]
A. adv.
1. Along with the rest; in addition; besides; moreover; likewise; as well. Often in the collocations and withal (so-and-so), and (so-and-so) withal. See also forthwithal.
| c 1200 Ormin 2572 Ne nan ne beoþ..þatt muȝhe..tredenn dun þe deofless mahht, swa summ ȝho tradd wiþþ alle. Ibid. 2997 Þatt Godess Gast iss soþfasst Godd & Allmahhtiȝ wiþþ alle. Ibid. 4203 He beoþ all unnbeshorenn þa swa þwerrt ut wel wiþþ alle. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 7012 Seint edward held at windelsore a uair feste wiþ alle. a 1300 Cursor M. 3491 He þat was rugh was rede wit-al. 13.. K. Horn 424 (Harl.) Ich am ybore þral, Þy fader fundlyng wiþ al. 13.. Guy Warw. (A.) 2984 Romiraunt com forþ snelle A Sarrazin a strong wiþ elle. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xi. 143 The constable of þat castel..Is a wys knyght with-alle. c 1470 Henry Wallace iv. 549 A bow he bair..And arrous als, bath lang and scharpe with aw. 1528 More Dyaloge iii. Wks. 224/1 Thereupon they burne up the booke and sometime the good manne withall. 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 35 Meryly spoken & nippyngly withall. 1611 Bible Acts xxv. 27 It seemeth to me vnreasonable, to send a prisoner, and not withall to signifie the crimes laid against him. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. ii. §2. 139 He that shall consider how many thousand severall words have beene..composed out of 24. Letters; withall how many hundred lines there are to be drawn in the fabrick of one man; shall [etc.]. 1671 Milton P.R. iv. 128, I shall, thou say'st, expel A brutish monster: what if I withal Expel a Devil who first made him such? 1771 Franklin Autobiog. Wks. 1840 I. 11 When he played and sung withal, it was extremely agreeable to hear. 1808 Scott Marm. i. xxviii, Nor lord nor knight was there more tall Or had a statelier step withal. 1837 Southey Let. to Wynn 24 May, Withal I have not often read a book that interested me so much. 1883 D. C. Murray Hearts viii, She..was so sweet and kind, and withal seemed..so dependent on him. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 266 Of such peculiar suppleness that you could wind it round anything,..and as strong withal as a hawser. |
b. Contextually: ‘At the same time’; in spite of all; notwithstanding, nevertheless.
| 1596 Danett tr. Comines viii. v. 326 Yet is it verie troublesome for horsemen, bicause it is full of ditches like to Flaunders,..but withall it is much pleasanter. 1654 Bp. Bramhall Just Vind. vi. (1661) 124 St. Gregory..disliked the Law, but withall according to his duty published it. 1794 Southey Let. to G. C. Bedford 11 May, They have shown me that happiness is attainable; but, withall, taught me by repeated disappointments never to build on so sandy a foundation. 1802 Wordsw. To the Small Celandine 17 Modest, yet withal an Elf Bold, and lavish of thyself. 1859 Lang Wand. India 161 He confessed that his master was rather severe, but withal a very good man. 1880 Academy 23 Oct. 299/2 This..impressive, though withal faulty, work. |
2. = therewith 2, 3.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 12318 Iesus..bar it ham als in a ball, And present þan his moder wit-all. 1389 in Engl. Gilds (1870) 101 Ye Den schal gedren ye forseyde halpenys, and bywyht-al breed. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 83 Lok thou dele noght withal. c 1400 Rule St. Benet (prose) 29/33 Yef any es tan wid-al. 1535 Coverdale 1 Macc. iv. 44 He toke aduysement, what he might do withall. 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. i. 301 A Philosopher..taking a lanterne and a candle lighted at midday..was demanded what he ment to do withall. 1605 A. Wotton Answ. to late Popish Articles 78 We are not ashamed of our small nomber: though the Papists twight vs with all, in comparison of their huge multitudes. 1657 Sanderson Serm. Pref. §4 The Papists,..escaping in the mean while Scot-free, seldome or never meddled withall in any of their Sermons. 1833 Mrs. Browning Prometh. Bound 92 Having spoiled the gods Of honours, crown withal thy mortal men Who live a whole day out. |
to begin withal: see with prep. 37 e.
| 1531 Tindale Expos. 1 John v. (1538) 83 And to begynne wythall, they sayde Confiteor. 1553 Bradford Serm. Repentance (1574) B vij b, I wyll (to begyn withal) shew you what repentance is. 1590 Marlowe 2nd Pt. Tamburl. v. i, Then have at him, to begin withal. |
† b. I cannot do withal: I cannot help it.
| 1470–1611 [see do v. 54]. |
B. prep. Substituted for with prep. in postposition, esp. at the end of a relative clause or its equivalent or of a direct or indirect question, governing a relative (expressed or implied) or an interrogative; † occas. = wherewithal 2 b.
The relative may be either expressed (e.g. that..withal = with whom or which; as after such, etc.) or not expressed (freq. in the inf. construction, e.g. a rod to be beaten withal = a rod with which to be beaten).
The advs. herewithal, therewithal, wherewithal, were modelled upon the earlier herewith, therewith, wherewith.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6374 Bot tel yew of his suinc i sall, He drou þat fraward folk wit-all. c 1400 Mandeville (Roxb.) xxvi. 122 Þai giffe a grete soume of monee for to bye oute þaire penaunce withall. 1477 Earl Rivers (Caxton) Dictes 7 Leste ye resemble hym that seketh a rod to be betyn with all. 1517 in Glasscock Rec. St. Michæl's, Bp.'s Stortford (1882) 35 A skeyn to kefer w{supt} alle the same booke. 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. cxlvi. 71 b/2 And we be so sore strayned that we haue nat to lyue withall. 1526 Tindale Matt. xvi. 26 What shall a man geve to redeme hys soule agayne with all? 1531 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) VI. 25 Suche tithes as I was behind withall. 1555 R. Pownall Musculus' Temporiser i. B vj b, Yonder commeth he that I haue dyuers tymes desyred to talke withall. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. iii. ii. 328 Ros. Ile tel you who Time ambles withall, who Time trots withal,..and who he stands stil withall. Orl. I prethee, who doth he trot withal? a 1628 Preston Breastpl. Faith (1630) 30 Whatsoever you part withall, you shall have a hundred fold in this life. 1665 in Extr. St. Papers rel. Friends Ser. iii. (1912) 236 P. J...tooke one Rebecah who he liues withall as his wife. 1703 Moxon Mech. Exerc. 238 Which sort of Bricks, is commonly used..to pave Yards or Stables withal. a 1774 Goldsm. Surv. Exp. Philos. (1776) I. 365 Though we took the best telescope to observe him withal. 1821 Scott Kenilw. iv, But for hurting a man I have drunk my morning's draught withal, 'tis clean against my conscience. 1884 Lowell Democr. (1887) 6 Such eyes and ears as Nature had been pleased to endow me withal. |
† b. in other cases, esp. with indirect passive.
| 1556 in Lodge Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791) I. 215 Notwithstanding ther layt brags and doings, wherin they have ben somwhat met w{supt}{suph}all. a 1568 R. Ascham Scholem. i. (Arb.) 45 Will in children, wiselie wrought withall, maie easelie be won. 1642 Tasman Jrnl. in Acc. Sev. Late Voy. i. (1694) 141 From that time they were better to be spoken withal. 1680 Allen Peace & Unity Pref. p. xv, If such were indulgently dealt withal and tolerated. c 1685 Roxb. Ball. (1891) VII. 477 Full six legs she travels withal. 1700 T. Brown tr. Fresny's Amusem. 28 The Devil's Broker may be spoken withal every Sunday. |