during


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dur·ing

 (do͝or′ĭng, dyo͝or′-)
prep.
1. Throughout the course or duration of: suffered food shortages during the war.
2. At some time in: was born during a blizzard.

[Middle English, from present participle of duren, to last, from Old French durer, from Latin dūrāre; see deuə- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

during

(ˈdjʊərɪŋ)
prep
1. concurrently with (some other activity): kindly don't sleep during my lectures!.
2. within the limit of (a period of time): during the day.
[C14: from duren to last, ultimately from Latin dūrāre to last]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

dur•ing

(ˈdʊər ɪŋ, ˈdyʊər-)

prep.
1. throughout the duration, continuance, or existence of: He lived in Florida during the winter.
2. at some time or point in the course of: They departed during the night.
[1350–1400; present participle of dure (now archaic) to last, Middle English < Middle French; see durance]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

during

1. 'during' and 'in'

You use during or in to say that something happens continuously or often from the beginning to the end of a period of time.

We often get storms during the winter.
This music was popular in the 1960s.

In sentences like these, you can almost always use in instead of during. There is very little difference in meaning. When you use during, you are usually emphasizing that something is continuous or repeated.

See in

You can also use during to say that something happens while an activity takes place.

I met a lot of celebrities during my years as a journalist.
During her visit, the Queen will also open the new hospital.

You can sometimes use in in sentences like these, but the meaning is not always the same. For example, 'What did you do during the war?' means 'What did you do while the war was taking place?', but 'What did you do in the war?' means 'What part did you play in the war?'

2. single events

Both during and in can be used to say that a single event happened at some point in the course of a period of time.

He died during the night.
His father had died in the night.
She left Bengal during the spring of 1740.
Mr Tyrie left Hong Kong in June.

It is more common to use in in sentences like these. If you use during, you are usually emphasizing that you are not sure of the exact time when something happened.

Be Careful!
Don't use during to say how long something lasts. Don't say, for example, 'I went to Wales during two weeks'. You say 'I went to Wales for two weeks'.

See for
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

during

preposition throughout, through, in the course of, throughout the time of Plants need to be looked after during bad weather.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
Translations
أَثْناءَأثْناءإثناءخِلال
běhemv obdobíza
ii løbet afundergennem
jooksulsees
aikana
tijekom
á meîan á e-u stendurí, á, einhvern tíma innan tiltekins tíma
・・・の間中ずっと
...동안
…metu
laikā
v čase
medza časa
under
ในระหว่าง
süresinceesnasındasırasında
trong suốt

during

[ˈdjʊərɪŋ] PREP
1. (= throughout) → durante
2. (= in the course of) → durante
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

during

[ˈdjʊərɪŋ] preppendant
during the day → pendant la journée
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

during

prepwährend (+gen)
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

during

[ˈdjʊərɪŋ] prepdurante
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

during

(ˈdjuəriŋ) preposition
1. throughout the time of. We couldn't get cigarettes during the war.
2. at a particular time within. He died during the war.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

during

أَثْناءَ během i løbet af / om während κατά τη διάρκεια durante aikana pendant tijekom durante ・・・の間中ずっと ...동안 tijdens i løpet av podczas durante в течение under ในระหว่าง süresince trong suốt 在...期间
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

during

prep. durante; mientras, entre tanto.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
References in classic literature ?
An observer endued with an infinite range of vision, and placed in that unknown center around which the entire world revolves, might have beheld myriads of atoms filling all space during the chaotic epoch of the universe.
Thus, then, advancing from atom to molecule, from molecule to nebulous mass, from that to principal star, from star to sun, from sun to planet, and hence to satellite, we have the whole series of transformations undergone by the heavenly bodies during the first days of the world.
The Seats of the Senators of the first Class shall be vacated at the expiration of the second Year, of the second Class at the expiration of the fourth Year, and of the third Class at the expiration of the sixth Year, so that one third may be chosen every second Year; and if vacancies happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make temporary Appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such Vacancies.
Neither House, during the Session of Congress, shall, without the Consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other Place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
As I feel that the opportunities which I enjoyed of studying the Natural History of the different countries we visited, have been wholly due to Captain Fitz Roy, I hope I may here be permitted to repeat my expression of gratitude to him; and to add that, during the five years we were together, I received from him the most cordial friendship and steady assistance.
I have myself published separate volumes on the 'Structure and Distribution of Coral Reefs;' on the 'Volcanic Islands visited during the Voyage of the Beagle;' and on the 'Geology of South America.' The sixth volume of the 'Geological Transactions' contains two papers of mine on the Erratic Boulders and Volcanic Phenomena of South America.
In addition to these openings there was, in the lower right-hand corner of the room, the "cat-hole," --a contrivance which almost every mansion or cabin in Virginia possessed during the ante-bellum period.
At dawn the two new batteries established during the night on the plain occupied by the Prince d'Eckmuhl will open fire on the opposing batteries of the enemy.
Ten truths must thou find during the day; otherwise wilt thou seek truth during the night, and thy soul will have been hungry.
Rosa never left her room during the day, and, more than that, strange to say, she never left it in the evening.
He was not found because he was not there during that time."
Every being, which during its natural lifetime produces several eggs or seeds, must suffer destruction during some period of its life, and during some season or occasional year, otherwise, on the principle of geometrical increase, its numbers would quickly become so inordinately great that no country could support the product.