prep. Obs. Forms: 1 betweoxn, 2 bitwuxan, -twixan, -tweoxe, -twuxe, 2–4 bitwixen, 3 bituxe(n, 3–5 bitwixe, 4 betwixen, -twyxen, -twexen, 4–5 by-, betwixe, (9 betwixen). [ME. bi-, betwixe(n, 12th c. bitwixan, -twuxan, -tweoxe, pointing to an OE. *betweoxan (for which the Pastoral Care has betweoxn), app. for earlier *be-tweoxum, -tweohsum, orig. OE. *bi-twihsum:—*-twicsum, *-twiscum; f. bi-, BE- prep. + *twiscum, dat. pl. of *twisc adj., in OS. twisc, OHG. zuiski, MHG. zwisc, zwisch:—OTeut. twiskjo- ‘two-fold,’ f. twa, TWO + -ISH (i)sc. The same idea (inter duos, entre deux) was expressed in OHG. by the dat. pl. zuiskên, MHG. zwischen, with a preceding prep., untar, undar, in, en (cf. mod.G. zwischen from ’nzwischen, Du. tusschen). The ordinary form in OE. was betweox (see next); but bitweoxan, bitwixan, became frequent a. 1200, prob. because of its analogy to the numerous other prepositions in -an, ME. -en. For the subsequent history see BETWIXT.] Betwixt, between.
c. 897. K. Ælfred, Gregory’s Past., 121. Ne sie hit ðonne na sua betweoxn eow.
c. 1160. Hatton Gosp., Matt. xxi. 25. Beotweoxe heom.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 91. Ne þer nas nan wone bi-twuxan heo. Ibid., 15. Bitwixen godes wrecchan.
c. 1205. Lay., 5012. Bi-twixen hire ærmes. Ibid., 30618. Bitwixe Dinan and þære sæ.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 1747. That maister Nichole … Bi-tuxen us deme schulde.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 21840 (Edinb.). Bituixin us and helles here.
c. 1325. Metr. Hom., 166. A derne priuite … bytwixe me and the.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame (Fairf. MS.), 715. Betwexen heuene and erthe and see. Ibid. (c. 1386), Prol., 277. Bitwixe Middleburgh and Orewelle.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xiii. 69. Bitwixe me and ȝou … Bitwixe Poul and the Cristen.
[1865. Swinburne, Christm. Carol, 52. The manger shall be straw two spans Betwixen kine and kine.]
