full against
Preserved but no longer current.
Opposed to. As, "I’m FULL AGAINST him," I decidedly object to, or dislike him, or I am opposed to him. The term originated with the bookmakers; who, when they have laid all their money against a certain horse, put a mark against his name, and reply to all inquiries, "FULL AGAINST him." This grew to "FULL AGAINST his winning," and was thus taken, when shortened, to express feeling the reverse of friendly.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “full against” mean?
Opposed to. As, "I’m FULL AGAINST him," I decidedly object to, or dislike him, or I am opposed to him. The term originated with the bookmakers; who, when they have laid all their money against a certain horse, put a mark against his name, and reply to all inquiries, "FULL AGAINST him." This grew to "FULL AGAINST his winning," and was thus taken, when shortened, to express feeling the reverse of friendly.
Is “full against” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.