Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
preposition
- behind in place or position; following behind: men lining up one after the other.
- later in time than; in succession to; at the close of: Tell me after supper. Day after day he came to work late.
- subsequent to and in consequence of: After what has happened, I can never return.
- below in rank or excellence; nearest to: Milton is usually placed after Shakespeare among English poets.
- in imitation of or in imitation of the style of: to make something after a model; fashioned after Raphael.
- in pursuit or search of; with or in desire for: I’m after a better job. Run after him!
- concerning; about: to inquire after a person.
- with the name of; for: He was named after his uncle.
- in proportion to; in accordance with: He was a man after the hopes and expectations of his father.
- according to the nature of; in conformity with; in agreement or unison with: He was a man after my own heart. He swore after the manner of his faith.
- subsequent to and notwithstanding; in spite of: After all their troubles, they still manage to be optimistic.
adverb
- behind; in the rear: Jill came tumbling after.
- later in time; afterward: three hours after; happily ever after.
adjective
- later in time; next; subsequent; succeeding: In after years we never heard from him.
- Nautical, Aeronautics.
- farther aft.
- located closest to the stern or tail; aftermost: after hold; after mast.
- including the stern or tail: the after part of a hull.
conjunction
- subsequent to the time that: after the boys left.
noun
- afters, British Informal. the final course of a meal, as pudding, ice cream, or the like; dessert.
- after all, despite what has occurred or been assumed previously; nevertheless: I’ve discovered I can attend the meeting after all.
noun (functioning as singular or plural) British
- informal dessert; sweet
- slang a confrontation or physical violence between football players immediately after they have been involved in a challenge for the ball
preposition
- following in time; in succession toafter dinner; time after time
- following; behindthey entered one after another
- in pursuit or search ofchasing after a thief; he’s only after money
- concerningto inquire after his health
- consideringafter what you have done, you shouldn’t complain
- next in excellence or importance tohe ranked Jonson after Shakespeare
- in imitation of; in the manner ofa statue after classical models
- in accordance with or in conformity toa man after her own heart
- with a name derived fromMary was named after her grandmother
- US past (the hour of)twenty after three
- after all
- in spite of everythingit’s only a game, after all
- in spite of expectations, efforts, etche won the race after all!
- after you please go, enter, etc, before me
adverb
- at a later time; afterwards
- coming afterwards; in pursuit
- nautical further aft; sternwards
conjunction
- (subordinating) at a time later than that at whichhe came after I had left
adjective
- nautical further aftthe after cabin
Old English æfter “after, next, throughout, following in time, later,” from Old English of “off” (see of) + -ter, a comparative suffix; thus the original meaning was “more away, farther off.” Cf. Old Norse eptir “after,” Old High German aftar, Gothic aftra “behind.” Cognate with Greek apotero “farther off.”
After hours “after regular working hours” is from 1861. Afterwit “wisdom that comes too late” is attested from c.1500 but seems to have fallen from use, despite being more needed now than ever. After you as an expression in yielding precedence is recorded by 1650.
In addition to the idioms beginning with after
- after a fashion
- after all
- after all’s said and done
- after a sort
- after a while
- after hours
- after one’s own heart
- after the fact
also see:
- day after day
- get after
- go after
- inquire after
- keep after
- live happily ever after
- look after
- morning after
- name after
- run after
- see after
- sought after
- take after
- throw good money after bad
- time after time