without

[with-out, with-]

preposition

1. with the absence, omission, or avoidance of; not with; with no or none of; lacking.

   without help; without shoes; without her helping me; without him to help.

2. free from; excluding.

   a world without hunger.

3. not accompanied by.

   Don't go without me.

4. at, on, or to the outside of; outside of.

   both within and without the house or the city.

5. beyond the compass, limits, range, or scope of (now used chiefly in opposition towithin ).

   whether within or without the law.

adverb

1. in or into an exterior or outer place; outside.

2. outside a house, building, etc..

   The carriage awaits without.

3. lacking something implied or understood.

   We must take this or go without.

4. as regards the outside; externally.

noun

1. the outside of a place, region, area, room, etc.

conjunction

1. Midland and Southern U.S.,  unless.

without

/ wɪˈðaʊt /

preposition

1. not having

   a traveller without much money

2. not accompanied by

   he came without his wife

3. not making use of

   it is not easy to undo screws without a screwdriver

4. (foll by a verbal noun or noun phrase) not, while not, or after not

   she can sing for two minutes without drawing breath

5. archaic,  on the outside of

adverb

1. formal,  outside; outwardly

conjunction

1. not_standard,  unless

   don't come without you have some money

Word History and Origins

Origin of without¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English withouten, Old English withūtan (adverb and preposition); equivalent to with + out

Idioms and Phrases

• absent without leave
• do without
• get along without
• go without saying
• no smoke without fire

Example Sentences

A true rock ’n’ roll persona, the artist was once rarely seen without a drooping cigarette and a top hat, the latter of which could barely contain his face-engulfing curly hair.

From Los Angeles Times

Communicating with rescuers, Hey gave a careful account of Montgomery’s condition, including the prescribed medications he had been without since losing his pack.

From Los Angeles Times

He climbed into his sleeping bag without dinner, because he knew it was more important to warm up before the cold of night descended than it was to eat.

From Los Angeles Times

Without him, she would be entirely alone in a mining colony whose management is fine with working the population to death.

From Salon

Without Andy, a so-called “synthetic person,” we get the sense that Rain wouldn’t experience much humane treatment at all.

From Salon