athwart
English · Thesaurus
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athwart
- /əˈθwɔːt/ UK
- /əˈθwɔɹt/ US
Rhymes with -ɔː(ɹ)t
Where it comes from
From Late Middle English athwert, athirt, from a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwert (“crosswise; (cooking) across the grain”, adverb). Thwert is derived from thwert (“crosswise, transverse; counter, opposing; contrary, obstinate, stubborn”, adjective), borrowed from Old Norse þvert (“across, athwart”), originally the neuter form of þverr (“across, transverse”), from Proto-Germanic *þwerhaz (“cross; adverse”) (altered or influenced by Proto-Germanic *þweraną (“to stir; to swirl; to turn”)), from Proto-Germanic *þerh-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *terkʷ- (“to spin; to turn”). The English word is analysable as a- (prefix meaning ‘in the direction of, toward’) + thwart (“placed or situated across something else”).
Cognates
* Scots athort (“athwart”)
adverb more athwart · most athwart
-
From side to side, often in an oblique manner; across or over.
Above, the stars appeared to move slowly athwart.
Similar: overthwart, transversely
- Across the path of something, so as to impede progress. a fleet standing athwart our course
- Against the anticipated or appropriate course of something; improperly, perversely, wrongly. [A]ll athvvart there came / A poſt from VVales, loden vvith heauy nevves, […]
preposition
-
From one side to the other side of; across.
The stars moved slowly athwart the sky.
Similar: overthwart
- Across the course or path of, so as to meet; hence (figuratively), to the attention of. For here our ſouls hath but one eye (the Apoſtle ſaith, vve knovv in part) be not proud if that chance to come athvvart thy ſeeing ſide, vvhich meets with the blind ſide of another.
- Across the course or path of, so as to oppose. VVhence and vvhat art thou, execrable ſhape, / That dar'ſt, though grim and terrible, advance / Thy miſcreated Front athvvart my vvay / To yonder Gates?
- Across; through. And novv, athvvart the Terrors that thy Vovv / Has planted round thee, thou appear'ſt more fair, / More amiable, and riſeſt in thy Charms.
- Opposed to. I have ſeen this preſent vvork, and finde nothing athvvart the Catholick faith and good manners: […]
- Across the line of a ship's course, or across its deck. The damaged mainmast fell athwart the deck, destroying the ship’s boat.
Translations
Every language
adv from side to side, often in an oblique manner — see also across
| Español | a través, de lado a lado |
|---|---|
| Français | à travers, d'un coté à l'autre |
| Deutsch | quer |
| Italiano | di traverso |
| Русский | поперёк poperjók |
prep across the path or course of, so as to oppose
| Русский | напереко́р naperekór |
|---|
Talk about this word "athwart." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/athwart. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. athwart. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/athwart "athwart." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/athwart.Cite this
@misc{athwart_2026,
title = {athwart},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/athwart},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
