abaft
pronunciation
How to pronounce abaft in British English:
UK [əˈbɑ:ft]
How to pronounce abaft in American English:
US [əˈbæft]
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- Adverb:
- at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
Word Origin
- abaft (adv.)
- "in or at the back part of a ship" (opposed to forward), 1590s, from Middle English on baft (Old English on bæftan) "backwards." The second component is itself a compound of be "by" (see by) and æftan "aft" (see aft). The word has been saved by the sailors (the stern being the "after" part of a vessel), the rest of the language having left it in Middle English.
Example
- 1. Abaft every acknowledged man , there is a woman .
- 2. And abaft every bootless man , there are two .
- 3. The aureate age is afore us , not abaft us .
- 4. The flag flies on the mast abaft .
- 5. The captain ordered the crews to stand abaft the main deck .