Against
King James Dictionary [1]
Against prep. agenst'.
1. In opposition noting enmity or disapprobation.
His hand will be against every man. Genesis 16 .
I am against your pillows. Ezekiel 8 .
2. In opposition, noting contrariety, contradiction, or repugnance as, a decree against law, reason or public opinion. 3. In opposition, noting competition, or different sides or parties as, there are twenty votes in the affirmative against ten in the negative. 4. In an opposite direction as, to ride against the wind. 5. Opposite in place abreast as, a ship is against the mouth of a river. In this sense it is often preceded by over.
Aaron lighted the lamps over against the candlesticks.
Numbers 8 .
6. In opposition, noting adversity, injury, or contrariety to wishes as, this change of measures is against us. 7. Bearing upon as, one leans against a wall. 8. In provision for in preparation for.
Urijah made it against king Ahaz came from Damascus.
2 Kings 16.
In this sense against is a preposition, with the following part of the sentence for an object. See After, prep. def. 2.
In short, the sense of this word is opposition, variously modified according to its application to different objects.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): (prep.) In opposition to, whether the opposition is of sentiment or of action; on the other side; counter to; in contrariety to; hence, adverse to; as, against reason; against law; to run a race against time.
(2): (prep.) Abreast; opposite to; facing; towards; as, against the mouth of a river; - in this sense often preceded by over.
(3): (prep.) From an opposite direction so as to strike or come in contact with; in contact with; upon; as, hail beats against the roof.
(4): (prep.) By of before the time that; in preparation for; so as to be ready for the time when.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [3]
a - genst ´ (κατά , katá ; ἐναντίον , enantı́on ; πρός , prós ): Preposition expressing contrast. When used of direction, equivalent to "toward" ( Matthew 10:35; Matthew 12:14 , etc.); when of position, meaning "opposite," "facing," "in front of" ( 1 Kings 7:5; Genesis 15:10 , Romans 8:31 ); when of action, "opposed to" ( Matthew 5:11; Matthew 26:59; 1 Corinthians 4:6 ); "in resistance to" ( Hebrews 12:4 ); "provision for" (Greek eis , literally, "unto, toward" ( 1 Timothy 6:19 ). Sometimes also applied to what breaks an established order as "customs" ( Acts 28:17 ), "nature" ( Romans 1:26 ). Peculiar shades of meaning may be traced by careful examination of the variety of prepositions in Hebrew and Greek employed in the Scriptures, that are translated into English by this one word.
