Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WITH, prep. [Sax. with, near or against; Goth. ga-withan, to join. The primary sense is to press, or to meet, to unite; hence in composition, it denotes opposition, as in withstand and withdraw; hence against, Sax. wither, G. wider.]

1. By, noting cause, instrument or means. We are distressed with pain; we are elevated with joy. With study men became learned and respectable. Fire is extinguished with water.
2. On the side of, noting friendship or favor. Fear not, for I am with thee. – Gen. xxvi.
3. In opposition to; in competition or contest; as, to struggle with adversity. The champions fought with each other an hour. He will lie with any man living.
4. Noting comparison. The fact you mention compares well with another I have witnessed.
5. In company. The gentlemen traveled with me from Boston to Philadelphia.
6. In the society of. There is no living with such neighbors.
7. In connection, or in appendage. He gave me the Bible, and with it the warmest expressions of affection.
8. In mutual dealing or intercourse. I will buy with you, sell with you. – Shak.
9. Noting confidence. I will trust you with the secret.
10. In partnership. He shares the profits with the other partners. I will share with you the pleasures and the pains.
11. Noting connection. Nor twist our fortunes with your sinking fate. – Dryden.
12. Immediately after. With this he pointed to his face. – Dryden.
13. Among. I left the assembly with the last. Tragedy was originally with the ancients a piece of religious worship. – Rymer.
14. Upon. Such arguments had invincible force with those pagan philosophers. – Addison.
15. In consent, noting parity of state. See! where on earth the flow'ry glories lie / With her they flourish'd, and with her they die. – Pope. With and by are closely allied in many of their ones, and it is not easy to lay down a rule by which their uses may be distinguished. It is observed by Johnson that with seems rather to denote an instrument, and by a cause; as, he killed an enemy with a sword, but he died by an arrow. But this rule is not always observed. With, in composition, signifies sometimes opposition, privation; or separation, departure.