between 的詞源

中古英語 bitwene，源自古英語 betweonum，麥西亞方言 betwinum，"在分隔的空間中，中途，在其中； 輪流地"，由 bi- "通過"（參見 by）+ tweonum "兩個每個" 的複數形式 *tweon（比較哥特語 tweih-nai "兩個每個"； 源自 PIE 詞根 *dwo- "兩個"）。

Between is literally applicable only to two objects; but it may be and commonly is used of more than two where they are spoken of distributively, or so that they can be thought of as divided into two parts or categories, or with reference to the action or being of each individually as compared with that of any other or all the others. When more than two objects are spoken of collectively or in divisibly, among is the proper word. [Century Dictionary]

Between 只能字面上適用於兩個對象； 但通常情況下，它可以用於超過兩個對象，前提是它們被分別討論，或者可以將它們想象爲分爲兩部分或兩個類別，或者與每個對象的行爲或存在相比較，而不是與其他對象或所有其他對象相比較。當涉及到集體或不可分割地討論超過兩個對象時， among 是正確的詞語。[世紀詞典]

In all senses, between has been from its earliest appearance, extended to more than two. [OED]

在所有意義上， between 從最早出現時就被擴展到超過兩個對象。[OED]

Between a rock and a hard place "陷入困境，處於困難境地" 源自20世紀40年代，最初是牛仔俚語（早期是 between the beetle (hammer) and the block，19世紀末）。Between-whiles "間隔地" 源自17世紀70年代。