agin
Against; opposing a person, rule, or hard surface.
Also called against.
Updated September 21, 2026
agin pronunciation
/uh-GIN/
Meaning
Means against. You can be agin a plan, agin the law, or slam agin a door. Same jobs as standard "against," just the older mountain shape of the word. Horace Kephart heard it on Smoky: a horse that "couldn't stand up agin" a hard wind.
How folks use it
- “It's strictly agin the law to set a trap out in a trail.”
- “I haven't got anything agin it, but I wouldn't know.”
Origin and etymology
An older pronunciation of "against" that dropped the st ending. Once widespread in English, it held on strongest in Southern and Midland American speech. DARE labels it chiefly South and Midland. Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English cites Kephart (1913) and later mountain speakers using it for opposition and physical collision alike.
Frequently asked questions
Is agin the same word as again?
Related history, different job here. Agin means against. Again means one more time. In dialect spelling they can look alike, so listen for the sense.