In addition to the uses shown below, between is used in a few phrasal verbs, such as 'come between'.
1. preposition
If something is between two things or is in between them, it has one of the things on one side of it and the other thing on the otherside.
She left the table to stand between the two men.
Charlie crossed between the traffic to the far side of the street.
Synonyms: amidst, among, mid, in the middle of More Synonyms of between
2. preposition
If people or things travel between two places, they travel regularly from one place to the other and back again.
I spent a lot of time travelling between London and Bradford.
3. preposition
A relationship, discussion, or difference between two people, groups, or things is one that involves them both or relates to them both.
I think the relationship between patients and doctors has got a lot less personal.
There have been intensive discussions between the two governments in recent days.
There has always been a difference between community radio and commercial radio.
Synonyms: connecting, uniting, joining, linking More Synonyms of between
4. preposition
If something stands between you and what you want, it prevents you from having it.
His sense of duty often stood between him and the enjoyment of life.
5. preposition
If something is between two amounts or ages, it is greater or older than the first one and smaller or younger than the second one.
Increase the amount of time you spend exercising by walking between 15 and 20 minutes.
Amsterdam is fun–a third of its population is aged between 18 and 30.
6. preposition
If something happens between or in between two times or events, it happens after the first time or event and before the secondone.
The canal was built between 1793 and 1797.
Berlin was well known for its good living in between the two world wars.
Between is also an adverb.
They come in peaks lasting two or three minutes, with periods of calm in between.
7. preposition
If you must choose between two or more things, you must choose just one of them.
Students will be able to choose between English, French and Russian as their firstforeign language.
8. preposition
If people or places have a particular amount of something between them, this is the total amount that they have.
The three sites employ 12,500 people between them.
Between them, they train over fifty horses in Lambourn.
9. preposition
When something is divided or shared between people, they each have a share of it.
His company was bought out for £3.5m, divided between five partners.
There is only one bathroom shared between eight bedrooms.
10.
See between you and me/between ourselves
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
between in British English
(bɪˈtwiːn)
preposition
1.
at a point or in a region intermediate to two other points in space, times, degrees, etc
2.
in combination; together
between them, they saved enough money to buy a car
3.
confined or restricted to
between you and me
4.
indicating a reciprocal relation or comparison
an argument between a man and his wife
5.
indicating two or more alternatives
a choice between going now and staying all night
adverb also: in between
6.
between one specified thing and another
two houses with a garage between
▶ USAGE After distribute and words with a similar meaning, among should be used rather than between: this enterprise issued shares which were distributed among its workers
Word origin
Old English betwēonum; related to Gothic tweihnai two together; see two, twain
between in American English
(biˈtwin; bɪˈtwin)
preposition
1.
in or through the space that separates (two things)
between the house and the garage
2.
in or of the time, amount, or degree that separates (two things); intermediate to
between blue and green
3.
that connects or relates to
a bond between friends, the difference between right and wrong
4.
along a course that connects
the road runs between here and there
5.
a.
by the joint action of
between them they landed the fish
b.
because of the combined effect of
between work and studies she has no time left
c.
in or into the combined possession of
they had fifty dollars between them
6.
with equal parts shared by each of
they divided it between them
7.
to the exclusion of all but both of
let's keep this matter between us
8.
from one or the other of
choose between love and duty
adverb
9.
in an intermediate space, position, or function
10.
in an intermediate time; in the interval
Idioms:
between ourselves
in between
Word origin
ME bitwene < OE betweonum < be, by + tweonum (dat. of *tweon); akin to Goth tweihnai, by twos, in pairs: for IE base see two
Examples of 'between' in a sentence
between
We work together across many areas of mutual interest and we have that special relationship between us.
The Sun (2017)
The choice is between spoilt parks or modified views from parks.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The second is to consider relations between the press and the police.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
There is not much to choose between the top six in terms of quality of squads.
The Sun (2017)
Time after time we found random price differences between an initial call and a second.
The Sun (2016)
Where was the running battles that would take place between these bitter rivals?
The Sun (2016)
The relationship between humans and robots is a tricky thing.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
Love sets up a tantalising choice between two people who are complete opposites.
The Sun (2016)
It will be a good combination between us.
The Sun (2015)
But this relationship between the supreme court and the disciplined attorney is not an employment relationship.
Christianity Today (2000)
Remember that it is not just a straightforward choice between hospital and home birth.
Martin, April The Guide to Lesbian and Gay Parenting (1993)
Those countries with the smallest gap between rich and poor have the best health.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
What makes you think there is any relation between painting and common intelligence?
Patrick O'Brian Richard Temple
Action taken in tandem between the two countries killed off both.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You handle relationships very well and see the difference between gossip and facts.
The Sun (2009)
It was a choice between being open to new funding or just plodding on.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The salary gap between men and women has recently increased.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
So the difference between us was massive.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
But more importantly a choice between two directions for our country.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It is difficult to see how seemingly insurmountable gaps between the sides would be bridged.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Close relationship between land usage and climatic features and the location and design of buildings and their uses.
Lashford, Stephanie The Residue Report - an action plan for safer food (1988)
You can choose between sprinting, a rowing machine or cycling.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
We've become hung up on the chasm between indie and mainstream sensibilities.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It's all about getting that combination right between the tomatoes and spices.
The Sun (2013)
Persons and positions are easily confused, but equality is intrinsic only to relations between the former.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
She takes on between three and 12 jobs a month.
The Sun (2010)
The relationship between mainstream education, higher education and the world of work is at a crossroads.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He has a good combination between quality, agility and big size.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In chapter 6 we examine relations between mothers and young adolescents and uncover a mixture of daily closeness and conflict.
Larson, Reed & Richards, Maryse H. Divergent Realities: the Emotional Lives of Mothers, Fathers, and Adolescents (1994)
There is lots of action in your romance chart, you may also have to choose between old and new love.
The Sun (2011)
In other languages
between
British English: between /bɪˈtwiːn/ PREPOSITION
If you are between two things, one of them is on one side of you and the other is on the other side.
She stood between her two brothers.
American English: between
Arabic: بَيْـنَ
Brazilian Portuguese: entre
Chinese: 在...之间
Croatian: između
Czech: mezi
Danish: mellem
Dutch: tussen
European Spanish: entre dos
Finnish: välissä
French: entre
German: zwischen
Greek: μεταξύ
Italian: tra, fra
Japanese: ･･･の間に
Korean: 사이에
Norwegian: mellom
Polish: między
European Portuguese: entre
Romanian: între
Russian: между
Latin American Spanish: entre
Swedish: mellan
Thai: ระหว่าง
Turkish: arasında
Ukrainian: між
Vietnamese: ở giữa
All related terms of 'between'
go-between
A go-between is a person who takes messages between people who are unable or unwilling to meet each other.
in between
between
between times
at intervals, as between other events or actions
come between
If someone or something comes between two people, or comes between a person and a thing, they make the relationship or connection between them less close or happy .
between whiles
now and then; at intervals
between ourselves
in confidence ; as a secret
between two fires
between two attacks; shot at, criticized , etc. from both sides
betwixt and between
in an intermediate , indecisive , or middle position
between-subjects design
(of an experiment ) concerned with measuring the value of the dependent variable for distinct and unrelated groups subjected to each of the experimental conditions
few and far between
Things that are few and far between are very rare or do not happen very often.
no love lost between
no liking or affection existing between
between wind and water
the part of a vessel's hull below the water line that is exposed by rolling or by wave action
fall between the cracks
to fail to fit into a given agenda or program
fall between two stools
If someone has fallen between two stools , they are unable to decide which of two courses of action to take and as a result they have not done either of them successfully.
nothing to choose between
(of two people or objects) almost equal
read between the lines
to understand what someone really means, or what is really happening in a situation, even though it is not stated openly
War Between the States
the American Civil War
between Scylla and Charybdis
in a predicament in which avoidance of either of two dangers means exposure to the other
drive a wedge between people
to cause bad feelings between two people who are close in order to weaken their relationship
to read between the lines
If you read between the lines , you understand what someone really means, or what is really happening in a situation, even though it is not said openly.
between you and me/between ourselves
When you introduce a statement by saying ' between you and me ' or ' between ourselves ', you are indicating that you do not want anyone else to know what you are saying.
get the bit between your teeth
to become very enthusiastic and determined about doing a particular job or task
have nothing between your ears
to be stupid
between a rock and a hard place
in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action
between you, me, and the gatepost
confidentially
with one's tail between one's legs
in a state of utter defeat or confusion
with your tail between your legs
If you say that you have your tail between your legs , you are emphasizing that you feel defeated and ashamed .
between you and me and the bedpost
confidentially; in secret
little to choose between/nothing to choose between
If there is little to choose between people or things or nothing to choose between them, it is difficult to decide which is better or more suitable.
be between the devil and the deep blue sea
to be in a difficult situation where the two possible courses of action or choices that you can take are equally bad
between the devil and the deep blue sea
If you say that you are between the devil and the deep blue sea , you mean that you are in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.
go off with your tail between your legs
to go away feeling very ashamed and embarrassed because of a defeat or a foolish mistake that you have made
to be caught between a rock and a hard place
If you are caught between a rock and a hard place , you are in a difficult situation where you have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.
to get the bit between your teeth take the bit between one's teeth
If you get the bit between your teeth , or take the bit between your teeth , you become very enthusiastic about a job you have to do.
take the bit in one's teeth
to undertake a task with determination
Chinese translation of 'between'
between
(bɪˈtwiːn)
prep
(in space) 在 ... 中间(間) (zài ... zhōngjiān)
⇒ He was sitting between two old ladies.他坐在两个老妇人中间。 (Tā zuò zài liǎng gè lǎo fùrén zhōngjiān.)
(in time) 介于(於) ... 之间(間) (jièyú ... zhījiān)
⇒ between 9 and 10 tomorrow在明天9点至10点之间 (zài míngtiān jiǔ diǎn zhì shí diǎn zhījiān)
(in amount, age) 介于(於) ... 之间(間) (jièyú ... zhījiān)
⇒ people aged between 18 and 30年龄在18至30之间的人们 (niánlíng zài shíbā zhì sānshí zhījiān de rénmen)
⇒ It weighs between 30 and 40 kilos.它重约30至40公斤。 (Tā zhòng yuē sānshí zhì sìshí gōngjīn.)
(= among) 之间(間) (zhījiān)
⇒ the relationship between doctors and patients医生与患者之间的关系 (yīshēng yǔ huànzhě zhījiān de guānxì)
(fig) 之间(間) (zhījiān)
⇒ the obstacles that lay between him and success摆在他和成功之间的障碍 (bǎi zài tā hé chénggōng zhījiān de zhàng'ài)
adv
in between (in space) 在 ... 中间(間) (zài ... zhōngjiān)
⇒ Court Road and all the little side streets in between考特路与所有那些夹在中间的小街道 (Kǎotè Lù yǔ suǒyǒu nàxiē jiā zài zhōngjiān de xiǎo jiēdào)
(in time) 期间(間) (qījiān)
⇒ He had to make two flights, with a 5-hour wait in between.他得坐两次航班，期间要等5个小时。 (Tā děi zuò liǎng cì hángbān, qījiān yào děng wǔ gè xiǎoshí.)
to choose between[two things]从(從)中选(選)一个(個) (cóngzhōng xuǎn yī gè)
to be shared/divided between people由大家一起分享/分用 (yóu dàjiā yīqǐ fēnxiǎng/fēnyòng)
the road between here and London这(這)里(裡)和伦(倫)敦之间(間)的道路 (zhèlǐ hé Lúndūn zhījiān de dàolù)
we only had 5 pounds between us我们(們)俩(倆)一共只有5英镑(鎊) (wǒmen liǎ yīgòng zhǐyǒu wǔ yīngbàng)
between you and me, between ourselves私下 (sīxià)
see usage note
among(st)
All related terms of 'between'
in between
( in space ) 在 ... 中间(間) zài ... zhōngjiān ⇒ Court Road and all the little side streets in between → 考特路与所有那些夹在中间的小街道 Kǎotè Lù yǔ suǒyǒu nàxiē jiā zài zhōngjiān de xiǎo jiēdào
come between
离(離)间(間) líjiàn
to choose between
( two things ) 从(從)中选(選)一个(個) cóngzhōng xuǎn yī gè
to draw or make a distinction (between two things)
区(區)分(两(兩)事物) qūfēn (liǎng shìwù)
1 (preposition)
Definition
at a point intermediate to two other points in space, time, etc.
She left the table to stand between the two men.
Synonyms
amidst
among
mid
in the middle of
betwixt
2 (preposition)
Definition
indicating a linking relation or comparison
the relationship between doctors and patients
Synonyms
connecting
uniting
joining
linking
related words
related prefixinter-
Usage note
After distribute and words with a similar meaning, among should be used rather than between: share out the sweets among the children (not between the children, unless there are only two children).