Etimology
From Middle English betwene, from Old English betwēonum (“between, among”, dative plural, literally “by the two, near both”), from Proto-Germanic *bi- (“be-”) + *twīhnaz (“two each”), corresponding to be- + twain. Cognate with Scots between (“between”), Scots atween (“between”), Gothic 𐍄𐍅𐌴𐌹𐌷𐌽𐌰𐌹 (tweihnai, “two each”), Old English betweohs (“between”), Old English twinn (“double, twofold”). More at betwixt, twin.
preposition
between
In the position or interval that separates (two things), or intermediate in quantity or degree. (See Usage notes below.)
Done together or reciprocally.
Shared in confidence.
In transit from (one to the other, or connecting places).
Combined (by effort or ownership).
One of (representing a choice).
Taking together the combined effect of.
Examples
John stood between Amy and Mary. Let's meet between two and three.
I want to buy one that costs somewhere between forty and fifty dollars.
Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
Energy has seldom been found where we need it when we want it. Ancient nomads, wishing to ward off the evening chill and enjoy a meal around a campfire, had to collect wood and then spend time and effort coaxing the heat of friction out from between sticks to kindle a flame.
conversation between friends
She mixed furniture with the same fatal profligacy as she mixed drinks, and this outrageous contact between things which were intended by Nature to be kept poles apart gave her an inexpressible thrill.
Between you and me, I think the boss is crazy. Let's keep this between ourselves.
He's between jobs right now. The shuttle runs between the town and the airport.
[If] you don’t want to flip the channels between Biden and Trump, join [the] live chat, [which is covering] both town halls.
Between us all, we shall succeed. We've only got £5 between us.
Between the leaky taps and the peeling wallpaper, there isn't much about this house to appeal to a buyer.
You must choose between him and me.
Some colour-blind people can't distinguish between red and green.
Between the food and the card games, this proved to be the best birthday party I have ever had.
Related words
synonyms
atween (archaic)
atwix (dialectal)
atwixt (archaic)
betwixt (archaic)
betwixte (archaic)
noun
between (plural betweens)
A kind of needle, shorter than a sharp, with a small rounded eye, used for making fine stitches on heavy fabrics.