prep. and adv. arch. and dial. Forms: 5 atwen(e, -eene, 5–6 attwen(e, 7– atween; aphetic ’TWEEN. [f. A prep.1 + -twene, -tween, stem of BE-TWEEN, on analogy of afore before, among bimong, and other twin forms already in OE. Atween is the usual form in north. dial., but only a poetic archaism in the literary language.]
A. prep. Between.
c. 1400. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 27. A-twene theis tweyn a gret comparison.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), I. 442. Atwen myn armys now shall I the embrace.
1579. J. Stubbes, Gaping Gulf, C v. Assured peace attwene them.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., I. ii. A season atween June and May.
1842. Tennyson, Oriana. Thou comest atween me and the skies.
† B. adv. In between, between whiles. Obs.
1595. Spenser, Col. Clout, 83. A bonie swaine, That Cuddy hight, him thus atweene bespake. Ibid. (1596), F. Q., IV. vii. 35. From her faire eyes wiping the deawy wet … and kissing them atweene.
