averse

Dictionary of American Words And Phrases by John Russell Bartlett.

On the use of this word, Mr. Pickering has the following remarks: "American writers, till within some years past, generally employed the preposition to instead of from with this adjective. Dr. Witherspoon thinks, that "as averse properly signifies turned away, it seems an evident improvement to say averse from;" and the Scottish writers generally seem to have preferred this. Dr. Campbell, however, observes, that " the words averse and aversion are more properly construed with to, than with from. The examples in favor of the latter preposition, are, beyond comparison, outnumbered by those in favor of the former. The argument from etymology is here of no value, being taken from the use of another language. If, by the same rule, we were to regulate all nouns and verbs of Latin original, our present syntax would be overturned."--Campbell's Rhetoric. Dr. Webster remarks to the same effect. Mr. Todd says many examples may be brought to show the prevalent use of the word from in connection with averse, before Clarendon; but now the usage of to prevails.

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