Across; crosswise; positioned or moving from side to side rather than lengthwise.
Middle English form derived from Old English 'athwart,' with 'athort' being a variant or dialectal version. Related to Old Norse thvert meaning 'across.' This shows regional pronunciation and spelling variations.
The spelling variations between 'athort,' 'athwart,' and 'thwart' show English dialects in action—different regions emphasized different syllables and consonants, and athort represents one regional voice that mostly lost out to 'athwart.'
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