[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/between/) [dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [B](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/b/) / between # between preposition; adverb (in between) «between» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova. ## Everyday 1. Between means in the space in the middle of two things: the ball is between the chairs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m1) 2. Between means shared by two or more people: share between them. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m2) 3. Between can mean in the time from one thing to another: between 2 and 3 o'clock. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m3) 4. In numbers, between means larger than one and smaller than the other: 5 is between 4 and 6. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m4) 5. Between shows a difference or a link: the difference between cats and dogs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m5) 6. (casual) «Between you and me» means this is a secret; «in between» means in the middle, neither one nor the other. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m6) 7. (formal) The exam voice says «apportioned among», «distributed amongst», «the interval bounded by», «the disparity between». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#m7) ### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x1) - Mo and Lin share 14 grapes between them equally. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x2) - What is the difference between 18 and 11? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x3) - The cat sat between the two pillows. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x4) - Which number is between 7 and 9? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x5) - Do not eat between meals. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x6) - We have a break between maths and reading. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x7) - You have to choose between the red bike and the blue one. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x8) - Between you and me, Mr Lee's leaving at Christmas. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x9) - split it between the 3 of us, it's 12 chips [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x10) - sod it, just split 'em between us [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x11) - Twenty-five volumes are to be apportioned equally amongst five pupils; ascertain the allocation per pupil. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x12) - The truth lies between these two extremes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/#x13) ### 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 →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/#x1) - and Resen between Nineveh and Calah — the same is the great city. (Torah GEN.10.12, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/#x2) - Wherefore the well was called 'Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. (Torah GEN.16.14, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/#x3) - And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. (Prophets 1KI.15.7, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/#x4) - And there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. (Writings 2CH.13.2, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/#x5) - And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites. (Prophets 1SA.7.14, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/#x6) ### 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. ## On Mova - [Trees and pragmatics of «between» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/between/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«between» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/between.html) on Mova free. - [Trees and pragmatics of «between» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/between/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames. - [«between» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/between.html) on Mova free.