between

1 /bI'twi:n/ preposition

1 in or into the space or time that separates two things or people: I sat between Sue and Jane at the Christmas party. | There was a low brick wall between our garden and the field beyond.

2 in the time that separates two events: Are there any public holidays between Christmas and Easter? | You shouldn't eat between meals.

3 used to show a range of amounts, numbers, distances etc especially when guessing a particular amount, number etc: The project will cost between eight and ten million dollars.

4 used to show a connection between two places: They're building a new road between Manchester and Sheffield. | a regular air service between London and Paris

5 used to show the relationship between two situations, things, people etc: a long-standing friendship between Bob and Bryan | co-operation between the two countries | a dispute between management and unions

6 used to show the fact that something is divided or shared among several people, places, or things: Tom divided his money between his three children. | Between the four of them they managed to lift her into the ambulance. | We collected $17 between us. | between doing sth: Between cooking, writing, and running the farm Elsie was kept very busy.

7 in between at a point in space or time between two places, events etc: In between school and university I did a three month crash course in Italian. | It's somewhere in between New York and Chicago.

8 between you and me also between ourselves spoken used before telling someone something that you do not want them to tell anyone else: Between you and me, I think Schmidt's about to resign as chairman.

9 come between you if something comes between two people, it causes an argument or problems between them

10 especially spoken used when it is difficult to give an exact description of, or name to something and you therefore have to compare it to two things that are similar to it: My job is between a bank-clerk and a messenger boy.

2 adverb in or into the space that separates two things or people, or in the time that separates two events: So far I've had temporary jobs with long periods of unemployment between. | in between: She has breakfast and supper but doesn't eat anything in between. | a house and stables with a yard in between USAGE NOTE: BETWEEN WORD CHOICE between, among(st), with, shared by Between is usually used to talk about two or a few people or things, thought of separately or one after another: the differences between British and American English | the relationship between each member of the family and the other (NOT among)| the gaps between the fence posts. In spoken English you will often hear things like Share this between the twelve of you, though some people think only among is correct where a group of more than two is involved. Among(st) is used to talk about of a group of three or more people or things together, especially using nouns that name groups: The mountains were hidden among the clouds. | Just talk amongst yourselves for a minute. | Among the books he found one by Salinger (Between the books would suggest `between two of them'). Amongst is more formal than among. Where there is little idea of anything different or separate being involved within a group, you can use with after adjectives and verbs or shared by with nouns: This offer was very popular with our customers (NOT between, though among is possible). I always eat with them (NOT usually among).| the knowledge shared by the family | an opinion/a view shared by a lot of people (or among)