without
UK /wɪðˈaʊt/ · US /wɪθˈaʊt/ adverb, preposition, conjunction, noun
Forms withouts withoute wythoute wythowt wythowte
- adverb (archaic or literary) Outside, externally.
- adverb Lacking something; failing. “Being from a large, poor family, he learned to live without.”
- adverb (prostitution, euphemistic) Without a condom being worn.
- preposition (archaic or literary) Outside of, beyond.
- preposition Not having, containing, characteristic of, etc. “It was a mistake to leave my house without a coat.”
- preposition Not doing or not having done something. “He likes to eat everything without sharing.”
- conjunction (archaic or dialectal) Unless, except (introducing a clause).
- noun (uncommon) Someone or something lacking in something.
Synonyms
lacking outwith with no -less w/o sans -free minus devoid of excluding excusing neglecting void of
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English withoute, withouten, from Old English wiþūtan (literally “against the outside of”). By surface analysis, with- + out. Compare Dutch buiten (“outside of, without”), Danish uden (“without”), Swedish utan (“without”), Norwegian uten (“without”).
Superseded non-native Middle English sauns, sans (“without”), from Old French sans, sanz, senz (“without”).
Compare typologically Proto-Slavic *bez (“without”) (<+ Proto-Indo-European *h₁éǵʰs (“out”)).
Webster’s 1913
- preposition On or at the outside of; out of; not within; as, without doors.
- preposition Out of the limits of; out of reach of; beyond.
- conjunction Unless; except; --introducing a clause.
- adverb On or art the outside; not on the inside; not within; outwardly; externally.
Etymology [OE. withoute, withouten, AS. with; with with, against, toward + outside, fr. out. See With, prep., Out.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “without”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details