Etymology : Middle English withoute, from Old English withutan, from with + utan outside, from ut out; more at OUT
Pronunciation : wi-[
th]aut, -thaut
Function : preposition
Date : before 12th century
1. outside, out of doors, outer part or section. adoutside; to the outside; outside of; lacking; externally. prep. with none; lacking; in the absence of; besides; outside of the framework of. conj. unless. without\with*out"\, conj. unless; except; -- introducing a clause. you will never live to my age without you keep yourselves in breath with exercise, and in heart with joyfulness. sidney.note: now rarely used by good writers or speakers.without \with*out"\ , prep. [oe. withoute, withouten, as. wi? tan; wi? with, against, toward + tan outside, fr. t out. see:
with, prep., out.].
2. on or at the outside of; out of; not within; as, without doors. without the gate some drive the cars, and some the coursers rein.
3. out of the limits of; out of reach of; beyond. eternity, before the world and after, is without our reach. burnet.
4. not with; otherwise than with; in absence of, separation from, or destitution of; not with use or employment of; independently of; exclusively of; with omission; as, without labor; without damage. i wolde it do withouten negligence. wise men will do it without a law. without the separation of the two monarchies, the most advantageous terms must end in our destruction. there is no living with thee nor without thee.
5. On or at the outside of; out of; not within; as, without doors.
6. Out of the limits of; out of reach of; beyond.
7. Not with; otherwise than with; in absence of, separation from, or destitution of; not with use or employment of; independently of; exclusively of; with omission; as, without labor; without damage.
8. Unless; except; introducing a clause.
9. On or art the outside; not on the inside; not within; outwardly; externally.
10. Outside of the house; out of doors.
11. with·out In addition to the uses shown below, without is used in the phrasal verbs `do without', `go without', and `reckon without'.
12. You use without to indicate that someone or something does not have or use the thing mentioned. I don't like myself without a beard She wore a brown shirt pressed without a wrinkle. ¡Ù with.
13. If one thing happens without another thing, or if you do something without doing something else, the second thing does not happen or occur. He was offered a generous pension provided he left without a fuss They worked without a break until about eight in the evening Alex had done this without consulting her.
14. If you do something without a particular feeling, you do not have that feeling when you do it. Janet Magnusson watched his approach without enthusiasm `Hello, Swanson,' he said without surprise. ¡Ù with.
15. If you do something without someone else, they are not in the same place as you are or are not involved in the same action as you. I told Franklin he would have to start dinner without me How can I rebuild my life without my husband? ¡Ù with.