abaft
UK /əˈbɑːft/ · US /əˈbæft/ preposition, adverb
Forms baft
- preposition (nautical) Behind; toward the stern relative to some other object or position; aft of. “The captain stood abaft the wheelhouse.”
- adverb (nautical) On the aft side; in the stern. “We drifted with the wind abaft.”
- adverb (nautical, obsolete) Backwards.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English obaft, baft, baften, from Old English beæftan; be (“by”) (modern English by) + æftan (“behind”) (modern English after). See also aft.
Webster’s 1913
- preposition Behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse. Abaft the beam. See under Beam.
- adverb Toward the stern; aft; as, to go abaft.
Etymology [Pref. a-on + OE. baft, baften, biaften, AS. beæftan; be by + æftan behind. See After, Aft, By.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “abaft”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details