across
across
Pronunciation
IPA Phonetic Spelling and Syllable Breakdown:
across: /əˈkrɒs/ or /əˈkrɔs/ (depending on dialect)
a-: /ə/ (schwa, unstressed vowel sound)
-cross: /krɒs/ or /krɔs/ (consonant cluster /kr/ followed by a short 'o' sound and /s/)
Word Form Variations
The word "across" is primarily an adverb or a preposition. As such, it does not typically have singular, plural, or other inflectional word form variations like nouns or verbs. It remains "across" in all its uses.
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Adverb
Definition 1: From one side to the other; from one place to another on the opposite side.
Synonyms: over, through, beyond, to the other side
Antonyms: back, behind, here, short of
Definition 2: In a way that extends from one side to the other.
Synonyms: crosswise, horizontally, athwart
Antonyms: vertically, lengthwise
Definition 3: On the opposite side.
Synonyms: opposite, yonder, over there
Antonyms: nearby, here, on this side
Preposition
Definition 1: From one side to the other side of something.
Synonyms: over, through, beyond, past
Antonyms: short of, within, inside
Definition 2: On the opposite side of.
Synonyms: opposite, facing, beyond
Antonyms: beside, next to, near
Definition 3: So as to be understood or perceived by someone. (Used metaphorically)
Synonyms: to, by, with
Antonyms: (No direct antonyms for this specific metaphorical usage, as it describes a successful transmission of an idea rather than a physical location.)
Examples of Use
Books: "The old woman peered across the dimly lit room, her eyes searching for the familiar silhouette." (From The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, August 2020)
Newspapers: "Protests erupted across the nation today following the controversial legislative vote." (As reported in The New York Times)
Online Publications: "Scientists have made a significant breakthrough across multiple disciplines, offering new hope for treatments." (As seen on ScienceDaily.com)
Television/Film: "He walked across the deserted highway, a solitary figure against the vast horizon." (Describing a scene in the film Nomadland, February 2021)
Music/Song Lyrics: "And I saw you walking across the street, a vision I could never meet." (From the song "Across the Universe" by The Beatles, December 1969)
Podcasts: "Our guest today is a renowned expert who has worked across various sectors of the tech industry." (Heard on The Daily podcast, April 2024)
Social Media: "So excited to be performing across Europe this summer! See you there!" (From an artist's post on X (formerly Twitter), May 2024)
General Public Discourse: "Can you pass the salt, it's just across from you on the table."
General Public Discourse: "The message didn't really get across to the audience; they seemed confused."
10 Quotes Using Across
"He passed across the room with a quick, decisive stride." (Often found in descriptive literary passages, e.g., Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, 1847)
"And the stars that once twinkled brightly are now scattered across the void." (A poetic line, often found in science fiction or fantasy)
"Ideas travel swiftly across borders and boundaries." (A common adage about intellectual exchange)
"A single thread of hope ran across the tapestry of despair." (A metaphorical phrase, commonly used in literature)
"Her gaze swept across the vast, empty landscape." (From descriptive prose, commonly found in adventure novels)
"The sound carried distinctly across the still water." (A descriptive phrase, often used in natural settings)
"Knowledge is power, and it should be shared across all humanity." (A common sentiment in educational discourse)
"He saw the shadow fall across the window pane." (From suspenseful or atmospheric literature)
"Messages were sent across the network in mere milliseconds." (A technical or modern usage example)
"The bridge stretched majestically across the mighty river." (A common descriptive sentence for impressive structures)
Etymology
The word "across" has a clear and interesting history! It comes from a combination of older words that literally mean "on a cross" or "in a crossed position."
Origin: "Across" developed from the Old French phrase "an croiz" or "en croix," which directly translates to "on cross" or "in cross."
Early English: When this phrase made its way into Middle English (around the 13th and 14th centuries), it took on forms like "a-croiz" or "acros."
First Known Use and Meaning: The earliest known uses of "across" (or its earlier forms) in English, dating back to before 1250, initially meant "in a crossed position" or "in the shape of a cross." Imagine two lines lying on top of each other, forming a cross shape – that was the original idea.
Evolving Meaning: Over time, the meaning expanded. By the early 14th century, it started to mean "from one side to another," which is the sense we use most commonly today, like "walking across the street." The idea of moving over something, as if crossing it, became central to the word's meaning.
So, in simple terms, "across" started with the idea of being shaped like a cross or being placed in a crossed way, and then it evolved to describe moving or being located from one side to the other.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Across
Across the board: Applying to all members or categories; comprehensive.
Across the pond: Referring to the Atlantic Ocean, used to mean "in or to the United States from Britain" or vice versa.
Get (something) across: To make something understood or communicate effectively.
Come across: To be perceived or understood in a particular way; to meet or find by chance.
Run across: To meet or find someone or something by chance.
Cut across: To take a shorter route; to affect or involve different groups or categories.
Across the aisle: Referring to cooperation or agreement between opposing political parties.
Across the way: On the other side; opposite.
Look across: To direct one's gaze to the other side.
Sail across: To travel over water from one side to another.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of across from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
