- after
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I. adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English æfter; akin to Old High German aftar after, and probably to Old English of of
Date: before 12th century
following in time or place ; afterward, behind, later <we arrived shortly after> <returned 20 years after> II. preposition Date: before 12th century 1. a. behind in place <people lined up one after another> b. (1) subsequent to in time or order <20 minutes after 6> (2) subsequent to and in view of <after all our advice> 2. — used as a function word to indicate the object of a stated or implied action <go after gold> <was asking after you> 3. so as to resemble: as a. in accordance with b. with the name of or a name derived from that of <named after his father> c. in the characteristic manner of ; in imitation of <writing after the manner of Hemingway> III. conjunction Date: before 12th century subsequently to the time when <we will come after we make plans> IV. adjective Date: before 12th century 1. later in time <in after years> 2. located toward the rear and especially toward the stern of a ship or tail of an aircraft V. verbal auxiliary Date: 1792 chiefly Irish — used with a present participle to indicate action completed and especially just completed <the poor old man is after dying on me — J. M. Synge> VI. noun Date: circa 1902 afternoon
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.