Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of After?

\Aft"er\ ([.a]ft"t[~e]r), a. [AS. [ae]fter after, behind; akin to Goth. aftaro, aftra, backwards, Icel. aptr, Sw. and Dan. efter, OHG. aftar behind, Dutch and LG. achter, Gr. 'apwte`rw further off. The ending -ter is an old comparative suffix, in E. generally -ther (as in other), and after is a compar. of of, off. [root]194. See {Of}; cf. {Aft}.] 1. Next; later in time; subsequent; succeeding; as, an after period of life. --Marshall. Note: In this sense the word is sometimes needlessly combined with the following noun, by means of a hyphen, as, after-ages, after-act, after-days, after-life. For the most part the words are properly kept separate when after has this meaning. 2. Hinder; nearer the rear. (Naut.) To ward the stern of the ship; -- applied to any object in the rear part of a vessel; as the after cabin, after hatchway. Note: It is often combined with its noun; as, after-bowlines, after-braces, after-sails, after-yards, those on the mainmasts and mizzenmasts. {After body} (Naut.), the part of a ship abaft the dead flat, or middle part.
\Aft"er\, prep. 1. Behind in place; as, men in line one after another. ``Shut doors after you.'' --Shak. 2. Below in rank; next to in order. --Shak. Codrus after Ph?bus sings the best. --Dryden. 3. Later in time; subsequent; as, after supper, after three days. It often precedes a clause. Formerly that was interposed between it and the clause. After I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. --Matt. xxvi. 32. 4. Subsequent to and in consequence of; as, after what you have said, I shall be careful. 5. Subsequent to and notwithstanding; as, after all our advice, you took that course. 6. Moving toward from behind; following, in search of; in pursuit of. Ye shall not go after other gods. --Deut. vi. 14. After whom is the king of Israel come out? --1 Sam. xxiv. 14. 7. Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to; as, to look after workmen; to inquire after a friend; to thirst after righteousness. 8. In imitation of; in conformity with; after the manner of; as, to make a thing after a model; a picture after Rubens; the boy takes after his father. {To name} or {call after}, to name like and reference to. Our eldest son was named George after his uncle. --Goldsmith. 9. According to; in accordance with; in conformity with the nature of; as, he acted after his kind. He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes. --Isa. xi. 3. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. --Rom. viii. 5. 10. According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting. [Archaic] He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk and currency, and not after their intrinsic value. --Bacon. {After all}, when everything has been considered; upon the whole. {After} (with the same noun preceding and following), as, wave after wave, day after day, several or many (waves, etc.) successively. {One after another}, successively. {To be after}, to be in pursuit of in order to reach or get; as, he is after money.
\Aft"er\, adv. Subsequently in time or place; behind; afterward; as, he follows after. It was about the space of three hours after. --Acts. v. 7. Note: After is prefixed to many words, forming compounds, but retaining its usual signification. The prefix may be adverbial, prepositional, or adjectival; as in after- described, after-dinner, after-part. The hyphen is sometimes needlessly used to connect the adjective after with its noun. See {Note} under {After}, a., 1.