As

Part of speech: conjunction, preposition, adverb

Definitions

  1. Equally or to the same extent ; in a manner resembling something else ; during the very moment that something happens ; for the reason that something is the case ; serving in the capacity of a particular role ; an ancient Roman bronze coin of low value
  2. To the same degree or extent ; by the way or manner that something happens ; simultaneously with the moment something occurs ; owing to the fact that something is the case ; in the function or position of someone ; a small copper coin of the Roman republic
  3. Equal in degree or extent ; in the manner or fashion that something is done ; while something else is happening ; since or because of a given reason ; in the capacity or role of a person or thing ; a unit of old Roman bronze money
  4. To an equal degree or extent ; at the same moment that something occurs ; since or because of a reason ; in the role of something ; in the manner that something happens
  5. Equally in measure or degree ; during the very time something happens ; for the reason that something is the case ; functioning in the capacity of someone ; the way in which something takes place

Etymology: The English "as" descends from Old English "eall swa" or "eal swa," meaning "all so," or "just so." The first word, "eall" (all), was gradually worn down through speech, leaving the short form that survives today. Its relatives appear in neighboring languages too: Low German "als," German "als," and Dutch "als" all share the same reduced shape, which points to a common ancestor in early Germanic. The word's jobs, comparing two things, marking a time, giving a reason, introducing a role, all grew out of that original sense of equivalence. "As big as" compares by sameness, "as I was leaving" ties two events together in time, and "as a teacher" names a function. Each use stretches the core idea of "in the same way." Some speakers use "as" in a more emphatic, slangy way, as in "as hell" or "as fuck," where the phrase intensifies an adjective. That expression is a shortening of longer intensifying forms, and it reads as informal.

Synonyms: like, while