Distinctions Below-beneath — down-under-underneath: [Under strictly implies that another object is directly upon or over in a vertical line. Below signifies that one object is lower than another, so as to be looked down upon from it or hidden from view by it; as, below (not under nor beneath) the horizon. Standard Dictionary.] Below, beneath, and under are in many cases interchangeable. The distinctions in their use are so subtle as often to seem arbitrary. We may say below, beneath, or under the stars, but scarcely below or beneath the sun, though under the sun is very common. We may say below stairs, though down-stairs is more common; as, "I saw that down-stairs." Beneath or under the stairs would indicate that the stairway stretched above the object; as, the incendiary placed the combustibles under the stairs The phrase down-stairs, or down the stairs, has a special meaning of its own implying motion; as, to fall down-stairs, where neither below, beneath, nor under could be used. Similarly we say, "The man has gone down the river," meaning along the descending course of the stream; we could not say that the man has gone below, beneath, under, or underneath the river, unless we referred to the descent of a diver or to passage through a tunnel. So a ship may sail down, but not below, beneath, under, nor underneath the river, unless in the case of a submarine vessel. We may say of a person, "His knees trembled beneath him"; it would be impossible to say, "His knees trembled below him." Conversely, a student says of another, "He is in the class below me," implying simple gradation in rank; "the class beneath me" would imply inferiority or contempt, and hence is never used in such connection. Under has the special meaning of subject to, which is not in either of the associated prepositions. Hence we speak of an object or person as under our care or under our charge in a worthy sense; as, the jewels or the children under our care. Below could scarcely be used in such case. We may say contemptuously, "That is beneath your care" or beneath your attention," i e., unworthy of it. 66 'Beneath one's charge” is not used. Underneath, which is practically equivalent to under in literal reference to place, has not the derived or metaphorical use. Below does not carry the intimation of protection that is often found in beneath or under. We do not speak of the hen gathering her brood below her wings; we might say beneath her wings, but more naturally say under. The old hymn reads: "Beneath the shadow of thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure." For the contrasted prepositions above-on-over, see DISTINCTIONS under ABOVE. BESIDE Beside is from the Anglo-Saxon be sidan, by the side of. I. Of place or space: At the side of; in proximity to; near; close to; as, a path beside the river. Beside the bounteous board of home. WHITTIER For an Autumn Festival st. 10. And I have seen thee blossoming Beside the snow-bank's edges cold. BRYANT The Yellow Violet st. 3. The faithful Sancho still kept guard beside his little master. LOUISA M. ALCOTT Under the Lilacs ch. 10, p. 93. Beside him was the croupier, a very boy, whose duty it was to rake in the winnings and pay out the losses, which he did with wonderful dexterity. C. B. GILLESPIE in Century Magazine June, 1891, p. 262. When beside me in the dale, He carrolled lays of love. GOLDSMITH Hermit st. 30. II. Of various relations, more or less based upon the local: 1. In comparison with (as if the objects were placed side by side to be compared); compared with; my merit is little beside yours. Imports there loss, beside the present need? MILTON Comus 1. 287. Nosegays! leave them for the waking, Throw them earthward where they grew. Amaranths he looks unto. Folded eyes see brighter colors than the open ever do. 2. Outside of: (a) Away or apart from; aside from; as, this discussion is beside the matter in hand. The distinction . . . is an altogether false one and beside the question. ROBERTSON Sermons third series, ser. xiii, p. 158. (b) Alienated from; deviating from; out of; far from; as, the man is beside himself. In faith, my lord, you are too wilful-blame, SHAKESPEARE 1 K. Henry IV. act iii, sc. 1. My father... was as one beside himself, being in ecstasy or apture of mind. W. BESANT For Faith and Freedom ch. 21, p. 150. 'Ecstasy' was madness; it is intense delight; but has in no wise thereby broken with the meaning from which it started, since it is the nature alike of madness and of joy to set men out of and beside themselves. TRENCH On the Study of Words lect. vi, p. 274. (c) In addition to; over and above; other than; except; as, I have no treasure beside this. Beside the sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the Lord. Lev. xxiii, 38. [In this sense besides is the proper form, and now commonly Standard Dictionary.] used. Distinctions Along-beside-by: See under ALONG. besides PREPOSITIONS DEFINED AND ILLUSTRATED BESIDES 70 Besides is etymologically the same as beside, and was formerly used interchangeably with it, as Alas, Sir, how fell you besides your five wits. SHAKESPEARE Twelfth Night act iv, sc. 2, 1. 92. Now, however, besides is quite closely restricted to the sense of beside, II., 2 (c), in which sense beside is now little used, except in poetry or elevated style, the process of discrimination elsewhere referred to, which is working throughout our language toward the result of one word for one meaning, making its way also here, to distinguish these closely related forms. 1. In addition to; in connection with; other than; over and above; as, besides this we have as much more. The caloristic doctrine, besides its fundamental hypothesis, which we now know to be wrong, had given an absurd and illogical test for quantity of heat in a body. WM. THOMSON in Encyc. Brit. 9th ed., vol. xi, p. 557. 2. Apart from; beyond; except; bating; save; as, I care for nothing besides this. The Marquis had not much besides his palace. N. P. WILLIS Lady Jane can. 2, st. 32: Distinctions Besides-but-except-save-without: See under BUT. VII-Prepositions Defined and Illustrated BETWEEN Between is derived from the Anglo-Saxon betweōnum, from be, by, plus tweōnum, dative plural of tweōn, double, two I. Of place: In or at some point within the space which separates (two places or objects); as, between two fires; he stepped between the combatants. [Between is strictly applicable only to two things, but this may be understood as including cases where a number of things are discriminated collectively as two wholes or as taken in pairs, or where one thing is set off as against a number of others; among is used in cases of distributive discrimination. Standard Dictionary.] And he [Abram] went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, unto the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beth-el and Hai. Gen. xiii, 3. A break between the house tops shows The moon. Every step of the way lies between two precipices, and under toppling crags. TYNDALL Hours of Exercise ch. 3, p. 30. When the distance between two bodies is doubled their mutual attraction falls off to one-fourth of what it formerly was. P. G. TAIT Recent Advances lect. xiv, p. 356. And, for the winter fireside meet, ... WHITTIER Snow-Bound st. 9. What silence dwells between Those severed lips serene! |