After

//ˈɑːftə// adj, adv, conj, noun, prep

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent dated

    "I did verily believe in my own mind, that I couldn't fight in that way at all; but my after experience convinced me that this was all a notion."

  2. 2
    At or towards the stern of a ship or the rear of an aircraft.

    "The after gun is mounted aft."

Adjective
  1. 1
    located farther aft wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    Behind; later in time; following. not-comparable

    "I left the room, and the dog bounded after."

Adverb
  1. 1
    happening at a time subsequent to a reference time wordnet
  2. 2
    behind or in the rear wordnet
Conjunction
  1. 1
    Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause.

    "The show ends after the fat lady sings."

Noun
  1. 1
    Of before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference after a specified treatment.

    "In the ‘before’ shots, she’ll look like an ordinary suburban housewife; but we know she acts in community theater musicals sometimes, so the ‘afters’ will give her a glamorous starlet image, starting with a very revealing bathing suit shot."

Preposition
  1. 1
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.

    "We had a few beers after the game."

  2. 2
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.; Subsequently to and as a result of.

    "After your bad behaviour, you will be punished."

  3. 3
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.; Subsequently to and considering.

    "I’m not putting you in charge again after the last disaster."

  4. 4
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.; Subsequently to and in spite of.

    "After all that has happened, he is still my friend."

  5. 5
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.; Subsequently to the actions of (someone), in order to remedy a situation. often

    "I'm tired of picking up after you. Why can't you clean your own messes?"

Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.; Repeatedly, seemingly in a sequence without end.

    "day after day, time after time, mile after mile, beer after beer, smile after smile"

  2. 7
    Subsequently to; following in time; later than.; Used to indicate recent completion of an activity. Ireland, Newfoundland

    "I was after finishing my dinner when there was a knock on the door. [= I had just finished my dinner when ...]"

  3. 8
    Behind.

    "He will leave a trail of destruction after him."

  4. 9
    In pursuit of, seeking.

    "He’s after a job; run after him; inquire after her health."

  5. 10
    In allusion to, in imitation of; following or referencing.

    "We named him after his grandfather."

  6. 11
    Below, often next below, in importance or rank.

    "The princess is next in line to the throne after the prince."

  7. 12
    Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to.

    "to look after workmen; to enquire after a friend; to thirst after righteousness"

  8. 13
    According to (an author or text). obsolete
  9. 14
    According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting. obsolete

    "He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk and currency, and not after their intrinsic value."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German/Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Swedish/Danish efter (“after”), Norwegian Nynorsk/Norwegian Bokmål etter (“after”), Icelandic eftir (“after”), aftur (“back, again”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German/Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Swedish/Danish efter (“after”), Norwegian Nynorsk/Norwegian Bokmål etter (“after”), Icelandic eftir (“after”), aftur (“back, again”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).

Etymology 3

From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German/Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Swedish/Danish efter (“after”), Norwegian Nynorsk/Norwegian Bokmål etter (“after”), Icelandic eftir (“after”), aftur (“back, again”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).

Etymology 4

From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German/Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Swedish/Danish efter (“after”), Norwegian Nynorsk/Norwegian Bokmål etter (“after”), Icelandic eftir (“after”), aftur (“back, again”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).

Etymology 5

From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German/Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Swedish/Danish efter (“after”), Norwegian Nynorsk/Norwegian Bokmål etter (“after”), Icelandic eftir (“after”), aftur (“back, again”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: after