prepositions - What does 'against' mean in the phrase 'Execute against a MySQL database'?


I've encountered this strange and rather odd (to me) usage of the preposition 'against', which I quite can't grasp as of now. I've tried to look it up in several dictionaries to no avail.



Answer



You can't use a ladder unless it is leaning against a wall or tree or some such object.


Likewise you can't use a SQL statement unless you have a database to run it against.


The database supports the SQL statement. The wall supports the ladder.


When I think of it like that against seems a natural choice.


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