with
trembling with rage, blue with cold, etc
With is used in a number of expressions which say how people are showing their emotions and sensations.
- My father was trembling with rage.
- Annie was jumping up and down with excitement.
- When I found her she was blue with cold.
- white with fear/rage
- red with anger/embarrassment
- green with envy
- shivering with cold
angry with, etc
With is also used after a number of adjectives which say how people are feeling towards others.
- I’m cross with you.
- angry with
- furious with
- pleased with
- upset with
After words which say how people act towards others (like kind, nice, polite, rude, good), we generally use to, not with.
- She was very nice to me. (not
… nice with me.)
with meaning ‘against’
After fight, struggle, quarrel, argue, play and words with similar meanings, with can be used with the same meaning as against.
- Don’t fight with him – he’s bigger than you are.
- Will you play chess with me?
Accompanying circumstances and reasons
With can introduce accompanying circumstances or reasons (rather like and there is/was or because there is/was).
- The runners started the race with a light following wind.
- With all this work to do, I won’t have time to go out.
- With friends like you, who needs enemies?
Without can be used in similar ways.
- Without Emma and Jake, we’re going to have trouble finishing the repairs.
Possession
With is very often used, like have, to indicate possession and similar ideas.
- There are so many people around with no homes. (= … who have no homes.)
- They’ve bought a house with a big garden.
Clothing, voices, transport, etc
Note that in is often used instead of with to refer to articles of clothing.
- Who’s the man in the funny hat?
- Could you go and give this paper to the woman in glasses?
We say in a … voice, not with a … voice.
- Why are you talking in such a loud voice?
Note also: by car/train, etc (not with the car, etc), and write in pencil/ink.
For the difference between by and with, (see here).