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Webster 1913 Edition


Abaft

A-baft′

(ȧ-bȧft′)
,
p
rep.
[Pref.
a-
on + OE.
baft
,
baften
,
biaften
, AS.
beæftan
;
be
by +
æftan
behind. See
After
,
Aft
,
By
.]
(Naut.)
Behind; toward the stern from;
as,
abaft
the wheelhouse
.
Abaft the beam
.
See under
Beam
.

A-baft′

,
adv.
(Naut.)
Toward the stern; aft;
as, to go
abaft
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Abaft

AB'AFT

,
adv.
or prep. [Sax. eft or aeft, again. Hence efter or aefter, after, subsequent; Sax. aeftan, behind in place; to which word be is prefixed - beaeftan, behind, and this word is corrupted into abaft.]
A sea-term signifying in or at the hinder part of a ship, or the parts which lie towards the stern; opposed to afore. Relatively it denotes further aft or towards the stern; as abaft the mainmast. Abaft the beam, is in that arch of the horizon which is between a line drawn at right angles with the keel, and the point to which the stern is directed. It is often contracted into aft.

Definition 2024


abaft

abaft

English

Preposition

abaft

  1. (nautical) Behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of. [First attested around the late 15th century.][3]
    abaft the wheelhouse.

Translations

Adverb

abaft (comparative more abaft, superlative most abaft)

  1. (nautical, obsolete) Backwards. [Attested from around (1150 to 1350) until the late 15th century.][3]
  2. (nautical) On the aft side; in the stern. [First attested in the early 17th century.][3]
    with the wind abaft
    The mate sleeps abaft

Translations

Related terms

Anagrams

References

  1. Morris, William, editor (1969) The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, New York, NY: American Heritage Publishing Co., Inc., ISBN 0-395-09066-0, published 1971, page 1
  2. Urdang, Laurence, editor (1975) The Random House College Dictionary, New York, NY: Random House, Inc., ISBN 0-394-43600-8, published 1984, page 1
  3. 1 2 3 Lesley Brown (editor), The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, 5th edition (Oxford University Press, 2003 [1933], ISBN 978-0-19-860575-7), page 2