PREPOSITIONARY
The Writer's Guide
to Prepositions
©
The Writer's Guide
to Prepositions
©
The one and only
Prepositionary
The one and only
Prepositionary
“
”
-
Charles Prieur & Elizabeth Champion-Speyer
Appear among?
at?
before?
below?
from?
in?
on?
near?
throught?
under?
with?
“ Many times one preposition might seem logically just as right as
a n o t h e r. And it is only that tyrannical, capricious, utterly incalcu-
lable thing, idiomatic usage, which has decreed that this pre p o s i-
tion must be used in the case, and that in another. . . ”
LO G A N PE A R S A L L SM I T H - “WO R D S A N D ID I O M S ”
“ Prepositions cause more difficulty than any other aspect of
the English language.”
J.B. HE ATO N - “PR E P O S I T I O N S A N D ADV E R B I A L PA RT I C L E S ”
“ No parts of speech must be used more exactly than connective s
( p re p o s i t i o n s ) . . . ”
R. VO O R H E E S - “HA N D B O O K O F PR E P O S I T I O N S ”
“The proper preposition is a matter of idiom; and idioms, if they
do not come “n a t u r a l l y”, must either be learned or looked up. ”
TH E O D O R E M. BE R N T E I N - “TH E CA R E F U L WR I T E R ”
Note: We are indebted to all those we have quoted in our 'pre p o s i t i o n a r y'. We have attempted to re t u r n the
f a v our by not only mentioning the authors of the quotations, but the sources as well; thus encouraging our
readers to read, or refer to, their work s .
PREFACE
D
U R I N G his long career in adve r tising, much of it as a writer, Charles Prieur often re a c h e d
in vain for an ‘instant help’ re f e rence work on the use of English prepositions one of
the trickiest aspects of the language. He began collecting examples of right pre p o s i t i o n
use in the course of his reading. And, as the file expanded to vast pro p o rtions, he asked himself:
"Why not a book?"
But the book kept being deferred, until a mutual friend introduced him to Elizabeth Sp e ye r,
whose career was education. In her work at the Centre for the Study and Teaching of Wr i t i n g ,
at the Faculty of Education of Mc Gill Un i ve r s i t y, Elizabeth had found that preposition use
baffled students, especially those new to the language. Preposition choice is capricious, re l a t e d
to meaning and nuance, and largely based on custom.
To g e t h e r, Charles and Elizabeth decided to organize a guide to prepositions in a handy dictio-
n a ry format, listing thousands of the most common words that present difficulty. The name
" p re p o s i t i o n a ry" suggested itself.
Interspersed among the mundane examples in the Pre p o s i t i o n a r y are quotations from many
s o u r ces: snippets of information, philosophy, and humour.
We are confident "The Wr i t e r’s Guide to Pre p o s i t i o n s" will prove both ve ry helpful and ve r y easy
to use. It was designed to be so.
Ab b reviations used for quick re f e re n c e :
n = noun
a = adjective
v = verb
vv = versatile ve r b. In other words: the verb in ques-
tion can be followed by a variety of pre p o s i t i o n s ,
w h i c h e ver best describes the action that follows. T h i s
is particularly true of any verb that suggests motion,
such as walk, run, crawl, cre e p, inch, hide, etc.
A SPECIAL NOTE
T
H E w o r l d ’s many languages are not the result of logical design. They evo l ved out of cul-
t u re and tradition. W h e n e ver linguists have tried to impose order on wayward usage, the
vernacular has always won out in the end. Which perhaps explains the failure of
Esperanto to take root. It was not born of the people. It has no music, no soul.
From approximately 50,000 words in the 16th century, English now greets the new millennium
with an estimated 750,000 words. Although technology has prompted much of this increase, it
is the readiness of the language to assimilate useful words from other cultures that has nourished
its growth over the centuries.
The Wr i t e r’s Guide to Prepositions will prove invaluable, if good speech and lucid writing mat-
ter to you. Our ‘p re p o s i t i o n a ry’ offers you more than 10,000 examples of the right pre p o s i t i o n ,
for the exact meaning you want to conve y.
The word preposition itself says that it pre-positions the thought or action that follows. For a
good example of this, consider the phrase: gathering in the corn. If gathering means harve s t i n g ,
then in is an adve r b, not a preposition, because it adds to the ve r b. If, howe ve r, gathering means
assembling, then in is a preposition, because it pre-positions where people are meeting, i.e. in
the corn.
Prepositions are not to be trifled with. The collision of two 747s in 1997, killing 583 people,
resulted from a misunderstanding over the preposition at. "At take-off" was understood by the
air controller to mean that the plane was waiting at the take-off point; and not that it was actu-
ally taking off.
Using a wrong preposition will not often have such tragic consequences. But using the right
p reposition will always be a source of satisfaction, and speak well of one’s writing competence.
A B AT E
The cleaning women are a b a t i n g the noise of their va c u u m
cleaners b y plugging their ears with cotton batten.
We can a b a t e the smoke nuisance b y h a l f.
His anger will a b a t e i n intensity when he learns of yo u r
c o o p e r a t i o n .
Her pain was a b a t e d b y a strong dru g .
His voice suddenly a b a t e d t o a whisper.
A B B R EV I AT E
She automatically a b b re v i a t e s my written speeches b y
cutting out the first paragraph; almost always, for the
b e t t e r.
The exam was a b b re v i a t e d by omitting an entire section.
She a b b re v i a t e d his whole diatribe t o one word: NO!
He was a b b re v i a t i n g the message w i t h g reat skill.
A B H O R R E N C E
We share an a b h o r re n c e o f sloppy writing.
A B H O R R E N T
This idea is a b h o r re n t t o re a s o n .
A B I D A N C E
Ab i d a n c e b y the regulations is obligatory.
A B I D E
She is a b i d i n g b y (i.e. sticking to) our agre e m e n t .
He promised to a b i d e b y (i.e. adhere to) the rules of
g r a m m a r.
Do you intend to a b i d e (i.e. dwell) i n this part of the
c o u n t ry.
“Abide with (i.e. remain faithful to) me! ” says the
psalmist.
A B I L I TY
His a b i l i t y a t chess was exc e p t i o n a l .
His a b i l i t y w i t h d a rts was a by w o r d in eve ry pub in
En g l a n d .
A B O U N D
“Colonialism . . a b o u n d e d i n flags, exotic uniform s ,
splendid ceremonies, Durbars, sunset-guns, trade
exhibitions . . postage stamps and, above all, coloure d
m a p s . ” ( P aul Johnson, A Hi s t o ry of the Modern Wo r l d)
Rocks abound u n d e r the soil.
This lake abounds w i t h fi s h .
I promise you: it is abounding w i t h game of all sort s .
A B R E A S T
I like to keep a b reast o f the latest new s .
A B S CO N D
The boy absconded f ro m the re f o r m a t o ry with the ward e n’s
c r edit card s .
He will abscond w i t h the funds; I guarantee it.
A B S E N C E
The student’s a b s e n c e f ro m class resulted in a failing grade.
“The dolphin can re p o rt the a b s e n c e o f objects, as well as
their pre s e n c e . ” (Louis Herman, Om n i mag.)
“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear — not
a b s e n c e o f f e a r. ” ( Ma rk Tw a i n )
A B S E N T
“ G od is a b s e n t f ro m the world, except in the existence in
this world of those in whom His love is alive . . T h e i r
compassion is the visible presence of God here below. ”
( S imone Weil, Ga t eway to Go d)
A
A
ABATE - ABSENT 10
A B S E N T E E
He was a conspicuous absentee f ro m the morning drill.
ABSOLVE
She was absolved from her obligation.
The bishop absolved him of his sins. (rare)
ABSORB
Nutriment may be absorbed by plants into their system
through their roots.
Plants absorb moisture from the air.
“When iron is a b s o r b e d i n the small intestine, it is
immediately joined to the protein transferrin, which
shuttles it through the bloodstream, shielding tissues fro m
its harmful effects.” (Te r ence Mo n m a n e y, Di s c ove r m a g . )
She is absorbing all that information in small bites.
“Between 1867 and 1899, Canada absorbed 1.6 million
immigrants into a population at Confederation of barely
three million.” (Andrew Coyne, The Next City mag.)
ABSTAIN
True science teaches us to doubt and to abstain from
ignorance.
ABSTINENCE
The negative side of virtue is abstinence from vice.
ABSTRACT (V)
To ascertain the truth, it was necessary to abstract (i.e.
remove) a good deal from his account of the proceedings.
ABUT
The lane abuts against (i.e. runs alongside) the railroad.
The house abuts (i.e. fronts) on the street.
His property abuts (i.e. borders) upon mine.
ABUZZ
“The brain contains between 10 billion and 100 billion
neurons, each forming bridges to so many others that
the brain is abuzz with as many as 1 quadrillion
connections.” (Sharon Begley with John Carey and Ray
Sawhill, Newsweek mag., Feb. 7, ‘83)
ACCEDE
“There are over 60 covenants on human rights . . China
has acceded to 17 and the United States to 15 of them.”
(Qian Qichan, Time mag., Aug. 11, ’97)
When the monarch died, his eldest son acceded to (i.e.
inherited) the throne.
ACCEPT
Having been accepted as an accountant, he ‘moled’ his
way into the secret organization.
His credentials have been accepted by the company.
“The computer can a c c e p t data only i n a highly
structured (digital) form.”
(British Medical Bulletin, Oxford English Dictionary)
I accept (i.e. agree) to do that, but on one condition.
“Legacies, or children of alumni, are three times more
likely to beaccepted (i.e. admitted) to Harvard than other
high school graduates with the same (sometimes better)
scores.” (Michael Lind, Harper’s mag.)
ACCEPTANCE
“The assertion finds acceptance in every rank of society.”
(M. Faraday, Oxford English Dictionary)
“The only real freedom is in order, in an acceptance of
boundaries.” (Peter Ustinov)
ACCESS (N)
“Each animal was kept in a small room, with access to an
outdoor exercise area.” (National Geographic)
ACCESS (V)
He accessed (i.e. made his way into) the house by (or
through) a window.
I know she will access (i.e. enter) his apartment with the
stolen key.
ACCESSIBLE
The fortress was accessible (i.e. approachable) from the
seacoast only.
11 ABSENTEE - ACCESSIBLE
A
He was as accessible (i.e. available) to the humblest as he
was to his peers.
ACCESSION (N)
The a c c e s s i o n (i.e. addition) o f 90 new students
overcrowded the school.
The populace rejoiced at the prince’s accession to (i.e.
assumption of) the throne.
ACCESSION (V)
“This skull was the oldest of its type ever found (2.5 to
2.6 million years old). It was accessioned (i.e. recorded)
under the number KNM-WT 17000 in the National
Museums of Kenya.” (Pat Shipman, Discovery)
ACCESSORY
A person who conceals a crime is an accessory after the
fact.
A person who incites another to commit a felony is
considered to be an accessory before the fact.
Though he escaped punishment, he was an accessory to
the crime.
ACCIDENT
Her wealth was due to an accident (i.e. happenstance) of
birth.
An a c c i d e n t (i.e. mishap) t o the machinery halted
production.
ACCLIMATIZE
She quickly became acclimatized to the new conditions.
He is acclimatizing himself to desert conditions.
ACCOMMODATE
They were accommodated (i.e. given lodging) at the
newly-refurbished Ritz hotel.
His staff was usually a c c o m m o d a t e d (i.e. lodged) i n motels.
We were forced to accommodate (i.e. adapt) ourselves to
our circumstances.
She was always ready to accommodate (i.e. oblige) a
friend with a loan.
ACCOMPANY
The child was accompanied (i.e. escorted) by her mother.
She accompanied (i.e. went with) him on all his travels.
Let me accompany (i.e. escort) you to the door.
He accompanied (i.e. supplemented) his speech with
gestures.
ACCOMPLICE
He was an accomplice (i.e. partner in crime) in the
murder of the diplomat.
The police are searching for the two accomplices (i.e.
associates in wrongdoing) of the thief.
ACCOMPLISH
She was accomplished (i.e. skilled) in all the social arts.
She accomplished (i.e. performed) the difficult task with
speed and efficiency.
ACCORD (N)
They were all in accord with his decision.
ACCORD (V)
Wordsworth mentioned the glimpses of eternity accorded
(i.e. granted) to saints.
The victim’s account of the accident accords (i.e. agrees)
with yours.
ACCORDING
“ C o r rosion costs America $70 billion each ye a r,
according to the National Bureau of Standards.”
(The Economist, 1988)
ACCOUNT
He gave an accurate account of his adventures.
ACCOUNT
“The Columbia (river) and its tributaries account for
(i.e. produce) o n e - t h i rd of all hyd ro e l e c t ric powe r
generated in the United States.”
(William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways)
A
ACCESSION - ACCOUNT 12
“The Higgs boson accounts (i.e. is responsible) for the
origin of all mass in the universe.”
(Larry Gonick, Discover mag.)
The bank clerk had to account to (or with) his superiors
every Tuesday.
ACCOUNTABLE
Man is accountable for his acts.
He likes to pretend that he is accountable to no one.
ACCRETE
“The poor live in . . the makeshift, vertical barrio that has
accreted to suspension cables of the bridge.”
(William Gibson)
ACCRETION
“They jettisoned . . the embarrassing accretions from their
past.” (Paul Johnson)
His book is an accretion of casual writings.
ACCRUE
Many advantages accrue (i.e. arise) from the freedom of
the press.
All proceeds will accrue (i.e. accumulate and go) by
natural advantage) to him.
ACCUMULATE
“ In August 1986, bubbles of carbon diox i d e
a c c u m u l a t i n g a t the bottom of (Lake Nyos in Ca m e ro o n )
. . burst to the surface; a blanket of dense carbon diox i d e
and water vapor spread over nearby villages, killing cattle
and 1,700 people.” (Di s c ove r mag., Oct. 1988)
I ’m a c c u m u l a t i n g stamps f o r my nephew i n a large album.
Your discards are accumulating into quite a pile.
The maple leaves had accumulated under the porch.
ACCURATE
You must be accurate in your calculations.
“Today’s best atomic clocks are accurate to one part in 10
to the 14th power; but a super-cooled atomic clock
should be 10,000 times more accurate).”
(The Economist)
ACCUSE
The foreman accused the worker of carelessness.
ACCUSTOM
You will simply have to accustom yourself to his habits.
“I’ve grown accustomed to her face.” (words of a song)
I’m slowly accustoming myself to this simpler way of life.
ACQUAINT
The couple became acquainted through mutual friends.
Please acquaint him with your plan.
ACQUAINTANCE
Clubs foster acquaintance between people with similar
values.
She is anxious to make the acquaintance of any person
who shares her interests.
ACQUIESCE
“You’re bound to acquiesce in his judgment, whatsoever
may be your private opinion.”
(Oxford English Dictionary)
Note: The use of to and with is obsolete
(Oxford English Dictionary)
ACQUIRE
He will acquire it by hook or by crook.
They acquired most of their mercenaries from Germany.
“One year into the First World War, Britain had to
acquire 32,000 pairs of German binoculars, through a
Swiss intermediary.” (John Grigg, The Sp e c t a t o r re v i ew i n g
First World Wa r by Ma rtin Gi l b e rt )
ACQUIT
The defendant was acquitted by the jury.
The jury acquitted the man of the alleged crime.
By acquitting the executive of all blame, the tribunal dealt
a serious blow to the company’s morale.
13 ACCOUNTABLE - ACQUIT
A
ACT (VV)
“A part of the brain called the hypothalamus a c t s a s the body’s
t h e rm o s t a t . ” (Robert M. Sapolsky, Discover mag., 1990)
Why don’t you act for him?
You are acting in a manner that invites criticism.
“DNA is a long molecule that contains information on
the way four different components are strung together
like beads on a string. Thus, they a c t l i k e letters in an
alphabet. The sequence of those letters forms sentences
called ‘g e n e s’ . ” ( David Suzuki, Mo n t real Ga ze t t e)
“ In t e r l u k i n - 1 a c t s o n the body’s central therm o s t a t ,
causing a feve r, which may depress viral activity and
enhance the immune re s p o n s e . ” (Leon Ja ro f f, Ti m e mag.)
Act towards him as you do towards his sister.
The gastric juice acts upon the food we swallow.
He always acted with decision.
Note: As for all VVs, this versatile verb can be followed by
a variety of prepositions, whichever best describes the
action that follows.
ACTIVE
Storefront lawyers are active in the cause of justice.
Drug dealers are very active on that street.
Mother Theresa is active with her sister nuns in obtaining
relief for the poor.
One gland in particular becomes active under stress.
ACTUATE
She was actuated by compulsive curiosity.
He actuates the light with a snap of his finger.
The boy was actuating the car’s starter with a stolen key.
ADAMANT
“Yes, he was adamant on that.” (John Le Carré)
ADAPT
The gun was adapted for use in hand-to-hand fighting.
His invention was adapted from an idea conceived by his
father.
“Natural selection cannot anticipate the future and can
adapt organisms only to challenges of the moment.”
(Stephen Jay Gould, Discover mag., Oct. ‘96)
A child adapts very quickly to his/her surroundings.
She was adapting unconsciously to his body language.
ADD
I will also add a ribbon for the effect.
“The burning of Earth’s rain forests . . not only adds
carbon dioxide to the atmosphere but also removes the
trees that would have absorbed it. The result is an
accumulation of heat-reflecting gases and an overall
w a rming of the planet — the greenhouse effect.”
(Jonathan Schell, Discover mag.)
When she added baby’s breath to the bouquet of roses, the
effect was magic.
He was adding insult to injury by not acknowledging her
presence.
That adds up to an insult, my friend.
ADDICT (V)
She was addicted to the music of Mozart.
What kind of monsters addict children to nicotine?
They were addicting underage girls to morphine.
ADDICTION
I shared his addiction to Sherlock Holmes mysteries.
ADDRESS (N)
She showed great address in dealing with her opponents.
He exhibited the address of an accomplished intriguer.
ADDRESS (V)
“Eric Gill solaced himself by instructing his apprentices to
address him as ‘Master’.” (The Economist mag.)
The president addressed (i.e. spoke to) the people in a
voice laden with sorrow.
She addressed (i.e. directed) her remarks to the legislature.
He was addressing her as Mrs. Ames long before she
married him.
ADEPT
She is adept at getting out of trouble.
The parliamentarian was adept in the cut and thrust of
debate.
ACT - ADEPT 14
A
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