anent, prep. and adv.
(əˈnɛnt)
Forms: α. 1 on efen, on efn, on emn, 2–3 onefent, oneuent, 2–4 onont, 3 onond, 3–5 anont, 4 anen, 4– anent. β. with -e: ? 2–3 anonde, ononde, 3 onnente, 4 anende, 5–6 -ente. γ. with -es, -s: 2 anundes, 4 anendez, anemptes, -emtis, -entys, -yntes, enence, onence, 4–5 anentes, -ens, -ence(s, 4–6 -entis, 5 aneentes, anentz, -emps, 5–6 -endes. δ. with -t: 4 anentist, anenist, 4– -enst, 5 -emste, -enste, 5–6 annenst, 5–6 anempst, 6 annempst, aneinst, enenst, anendest.
[The form-history of this wd. presents several points not fully explained; the primitive form is the OE. phrase on efen, on efn, on emn, with the dative = ‘on even (ground) with, on a level with,’ whence later side by side with, beside, face to face with, opposite, against, towards, in view of, etc.; cogn. w. OS. an eban, MHG. eneben, neben, and (with phonetic -t) nebent. In Eng. also a final -t had been developed by 1200, interchanging with -d, perhaps by form-assoc. with some other word. At the same time this extended form occurs with final -e and -es, after datival and genitival words like on-bute(n, on-ȝeanes. Following the latter class also, the final -s became in 14th c. -st, giving anentist, anentst, anenst, as the midl. form, in literary use in 17th c., and still dialectal. The north preserved the earlier anent, still common in north. dial., and in literary and legal Scotch, whence not unfrequent in literary Eng. during the present century. The early form anende may have been influenced by the prec. phr. an-end; anont, anond(e, are not explained. The development of meaning is largely parallel to that of again, against.]
A. prep. I. In line or company with.
† 1. In a line with, side by side with, in company with, beside. Obs. or dial.
| a 800 Beowulf 2903 Him on efn liᵹeð ealdorᵹewinna. a 1000 Byrht 181 Þá on emn hyra freán feorh ᵹesealdon. [1883 Easther Dial. Huddersfield 4 A cricket-ball in a line with the wicket is anent it.] |
† 2. On a level with in position, rank, or value; equal to, on a par with. Obs. or dial.
| 1220 Hali Meid. 9 The poure{ddd}þat nabbeð hwerwið buggen ham brudgume onont ham. c 1230 Wohunge of ure Lord in Cott. Hom. 285 Ȝif ich michte a þusandfald ȝiue þe me seluen, nere hit nowt onont te þat ȝef þe seluen for me. [1883 Easther Dial. Huddersf. 4 A lass striving to rival a lady in the fashion dresses anent her.] |
† 3. In the company of, with, among, beside, by (L. apud, Fr. chez, Ger. neben). Obs. or dial.
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. xxxi. 32 Anentist [1388 at] whom euer thow fyndist the goddis, be he slaw. 1382 ― Gal. i. 18, I cam to Jerusalem, for to se Petre, and dwellide anentis [1388 with] him fifteene dayes. 1387 Trevisa Higden Rolls Ser. VII. 107 Gretter enence þe kyng [apud regem]. 1432–50 tr. Higden (1865) I. 37 Þer were viij. maneres to calcle yeres; iij. anendes men of Ebrewe, thre anendes the Grekes, etc. [1883 Easther Dial. Huddersf. 4 When one man works in company with another, he works anent him.] |
† 4. With (figuratively), according to the way or manner of (L. apud). Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Mark x. 27 Anentis men it is impossible, but not anemptis God; for all thingis ben possible anemptis God. c 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xii. 63 Accepcioun of persoones is not anentis God. |
II. In front of.
† 5. Before the face of, in the sight or presence of (L. coram). Obs. rare.
| 1382 Wyclif Gen. xii. 15 The princis..preyseden hir anentys hym. ― 1 Cor. vi. 6 A brother with brothir stryueth in dome, and that anentis vnfeithful men. |
† 6. In the mental eyes or sight of; in the consideration, opinion, or reckoning of; before. Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 1353 Worldes wysdome..Onence God es bot foly. 1382 Wyclif Prov. iii. 7 Ne be thou wis anent thiself. 1469 Marg. Paston in Lett. 601 II. 340 And a nemps God, ye arn as gretly bownd to her as ye were maried. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. 280/1 Thou haste founde grace anenste oure lord Jhesu Cryst. |
III. Facing, against, towards.
7. Of position: fronting, opposite, over against, close against, close to. arch. or dial.
In this sense many northern dialects have now fore-nent.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 1135 A wounde ful wyde..An-ende hys hert. 1366 Mandeville vii. 80 Anen that Vale of Josaphathe..is the Chirche of seynt Stevene. 1450 Myrc 1961 Bere thyn ost a-nont thy breste. 1513–75 Diurn. Occurr. 164 Wardane of the eist Merchis anentis Ingland. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. i. 542 The shelves or barres of sand be every where anenst the land. 1857 E. Waugh Lanc. Life 201 O'er anent this biggin. 1864 Heavysege Dark Huntsm. 7 The huntsman..Anent me a moment, tall, tarried behind. |
† 8. Of motion: against, towards. Obs.
| 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 5130 He sal come doun..Even onence [v.r. ageyns] þe mount of Olyvet. 1366 Mandeville xxix. 298 Wylde Bestes..that slen and devouren alle that comen aneyntes hem. 1375 Barbour Bruce xix. 512 Tharfor thair ost but mar abaid Buskyt, and ewyn anent thaim raid. 1587 Misfort. Arthur iii. iv. in Hazl. Dodsl. IV. 313 My slender bark shall creep anenst the shore. |
† 9. Towards (expressing the bearing of actions, etc.: L. erga). Obs.
| c 1200 Pater N. in Lamb. Hom. 55 Uwilc mon hes undernim, to halden wel anundes him. c 1320 Seuyn Sages (W.) 2871 Thou wirkis to thi reproue, Onence thi son that thou sold loue. 1417 Hen. V. in Ellis Orig. Lett. iii. 26 I. 62 How Duc Johan..governeth him anenst us. 1470 Harding Chron. clxx, Anentes Kyng Bruys to execute his treason. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge (1848) 100 Why suffer ye suche wyckednes done for to be Anendes our felawe? 1525 State Papers, Hen. VIII, VI. 457 Anenst Whom that loue was engendyrd in his hert when ye wer to gedyr. |
† 10. In respect of, as regards, as to (limiting or confining the bearing of a statement: L. quoad). Obs.
| c 1230 Wohunge of ure Lord in Cott. Hom. 273 Onont ti monhad born þu wes of Marie. c 1230 Ancr. R. 164 Auh hit, anonde [v.r. onefent] meidelure, mei leosen his holinesse. c 1449 Pecock Repr. Prol. 1 Correccioun..longith oonli to the ouerer anentis his netherer. 1579 Wardrobe Warr. in Nichols Progr. Q. Eliz. II. 297 These our lettres..shall be your sufficient warraunte and dischardge in this behalf annempst us, our heires and successors. |
† b. In this sense strengthened with as. Obs.
| c 1320 Cast. Loue 1076 Þ{supu} noldest holden hem as a-nont þe. c 1380 Wyclif Sel. Wks. (1869) I. 33 Jesus..was an alien as anentis his godhede. 1390 Swinderby Protest. in Foxe A. & M. (1562) I. 538/1 As anences taking away of Temporalities..I say thus. c 1410 N. Love Bonavent. Mirr. (Gibbs MS.) xviii. 46 As anempst sothen deth, hit is spedeful for many men for to haue suche deth. 1463 Plumpton Corr. 7 As anent Scatergood I hafe yett taken a longer continuance. |
11. In respect or reference to, respecting, regarding, concerning, about. (Common in Scotch law phraseology, and affected by many English writers.)
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. A. 696 Anende ryȝtwys men, ȝet saytȝ a gome Dauid in sauter. c 1380 Sir Ferumb. 5877 God for-beode þat y anentes þilke neode Any-þyng sayde a-gayne. 1549 Compl. Scotl. 9 He vas speikand vitht hym self anent his auen byssynes. 1609 C. Butler Fem. Mon. i. (1623) 2 Anent the age of Bees there are divers opinions. 1723 Wodrow Corr. (1843) III. 43 The process at Glasgow anent Mr. Hervey. 1820 Scott Abbot xvii. 132 Nor is it worth while to vex oneself anent what cannot be mended. 1845 Miall Nonconf. V. 8 The order anent the surplice. 1875 Helps Anim. & Masters iii. 63, I do not like to make any violent assertion anent the sayings of philosophers. |
† B. adv. (obj. understood). Opposite. Obs. or dial.
| 1520 Whittinton Vulgar. (1527) 16 b, Upon the other syde anendest be fysshemongers. 1837 R. Nicoll Poems 82 Anent was sair-toiled father's chair. 1863 Mrs. Toogood Yorksh. Dial., All yon meadows ower anent belong to grandfather. |