between

Everyday

1. Between means in the space in the middle of two things: the ball is between the chairs. tree →
2. Between means shared by two or more people: share between them. tree →
3. Between can mean in the time from one thing to another: between 2 and 3 o'clock. tree →
4. In numbers, between means larger than one and smaller than the other: 5 is between 4 and 6. tree →
5. Between shows a difference or a link: the difference between cats and dogs. tree →
6. (casual) «Between you and me» means this is a secret; «in between» means in the middle, neither one nor the other. tree →
7. (formal) The exam voice says «apportioned among», «distributed amongst», «the interval bounded by», «the disparity between». tree →

In the lessons

sharing out to a number of people («shared between 5 children» = divide by 5); or the gap between two numbers («the difference between 18 and 11» = subtract); in maths «numbers between 10 and 20»; in everyday life «between you and me», «in between», «choose between», «between meals»; in casual and gossip talk «between us, she's moving house» (a secret); in the exam voice «apportioned equally among», «the disparity between»

Examples

• 25 books are shared between 5 children equally. How many does each child get? tree →
• Mo and Lin share 14 grapes between them equally. tree →
• What is the difference between 18 and 11? tree →
• The cat sat between the two pillows. tree →
• Which number is between 7 and 9? tree →
• Do not eat between meals. tree →
• We have a break between maths and reading. tree →
• You have to choose between the red bike and the blue one. tree →
• Between you and me, Mr Lee's leaving at Christmas. tree →
• split it between the 3 of us, it's 12 chips tree →
• sod it, just split 'em between us tree →
• Twenty-five volumes are to be apportioned equally amongst five pupils; ascertain the allocation per pupil. tree →
• The truth lies between these two extremes. tree →

Note

«shared between N» names the number of shares: divide; «apportioned among» in an exam is the same. Trap: «the difference between A and B» asks you to subtract, not to share; «the disparity between» is the formal word for that difference. «Numbers between 3 and 7» usually means 4, 5, 6, not 3 and 7. «between the 3 of us» counts the speaker in: 3 shares. Say «between you and me», not «between you and I». «Between you and me» in gossip is a secret, not a sharing problem.

In Jewish tradition

In these texts it often marks a dividing or a covenant, as in the line between holy and ordinary, or between two parties.

Interpretation. Tradition stresses the separations God makes (light and dark, holy and ordinary, Israel and the nations), marked by Shabbat and the havdalah blessing.

Examples

• Issachar is a large-boned ass, couching down between the sheep-folds. (Torah GEN.49.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• and Resen between Nineveh and Calah — the same is the great city. (Torah GEN.10.12, JPS 1917) tree →
• Wherefore the well was called 'Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. (Torah GEN.16.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. (Prophets 1KI.15.7, JPS 1917) tree →
• And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. (Writings 2CH.13.2, JPS 1917) tree →
• And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. (Prophets 1SA.7.14, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

«shared between N» names the number of shares: divide; «apportioned among» in an exam is the same. Trap: «the difference between A and B» asks you to subtract, not to share; «the disparity between» is the formal word for that difference. «Numbers between 3 and 7» usually means 4, 5, 6, not 3 and 7. «between the 3 of us» counts the speaker in: 3 shares. Say «between you and me», not «between you and I». «Between you and me» in gossip is a secret, not a sharing problem.