Across something from side to side; in opposition to or against something.
From Old English 'athwert' or 'thwaert,' combining 'a-' with 'thwart' (meaning across). Originally a nautical term meaning to cross a ship's course, it evolved to mean any crossing or opposition.
This word is still used in nautical contexts—'athwart' describes a line running across a ship from side to side, and sailors loved colorful terms like 'athwarthawse' (below, in full detail!) that combined multiple directional words.
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