different between amidst vs during

English

Alternative forms

• amidest (obsolete)
• amiddst (obsolete, rare)
• amiddest (obsolete)
• amydst (obsolete)
• amyddst (obsolete, rare)
• amyddest (obsolete, rare)

Etymology

amids +? -t (excrescent), from amid +? -s (genitive); surface analysis as amid +? -st (excrescent). Root amid from Middle English amidde, amiddes, on midden, from Old English on middan (“in the middle”), from midd (“central”) (English mid).

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /a?m?dst/, /??m?tst/
• Rhymes: -?dst

Preposition

amidst

1. In the midst or middle of; surrounded or encompassed by; among.
   • 1748. David Hume. Enquiries Concerning the Human Understanding and Concerning the Principles of Morals. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. § 4.

     Be a philosopher ; but amidst all your philosophy, be still a man.

   • 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan of the Apes, Chapter 5

     Not so, however, with Tarzan, the man-child. His life amidst the dangers of the jungle had taught him to meet emergencies with self-confidence, and his higher intelligence resulted in a quickness of mental action far beyond the powers of the apes.

   Synonyms: amid, among, amongst

Usage notes

As with other words with excrescent suffix -st, amidst is generally considered synonymous with simpler amid, and amid is preferred by style guides on both sides of the Atlantic.

Further, amidst/amid are similar in meaning to – but distinct from – amongst/among. Amid(st) denotes that something is "in the midst of", "surrounded by" other things, and is used when the idea of separate things is not prominent. Among(st) denotes that something is mingling with other separable things ("blessed art thou among women").

Some speakers feel it is an obsolete form of amid. Amidst is more common in British English than American English, though it is used to some degree in both.

Translations

References

Anagrams

• admits

English

Alternative forms

• dureing (archaic)

Etymology

From Middle English during, durynge, durinde, durand, durende, present participle of duren (“to last”), equivalent to dure +? -ing. Compare Dutch gedurende (“during”). More at dure.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, UK, General Australian) IPA^(key): /?dj?????/, /-?????/
• (Received Pronunciation, UK, Canada, Ireland, General Australian, General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /?d??????/, /-?????/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?d????/, /?d???/
• Rhymes: -?????
• Hyphenation: dur?ing

Preposition

during

1. For all of a given time interval.
   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]
2. At any time or period within a given time interval.

Related terms

• durable
• duration
• endure

Translations

Verb

during

1. present participle of dure

Anagrams

• Durgin, ungird