From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German and Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Danish and Swedish efter (“after”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk etter (“after”), Faroese and Icelandic eftir (“after”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).
From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German and Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Danish and Swedish efter (“after”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk etter (“after”), Faroese and Icelandic eftir (“after”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).
I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
After early sparring, Spurs started to take control as the interval approached and twice came close to taking the lead. Terry blocked Rafael van der Vaart's header on the line and the same player saw his cross strike the post after Adebayor was unable to apply a touch.2012 April 15, Phil McNulty, “Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea”, in BBC:
2
Subsequently to and as a result of.
After your bad behaviour, you will be punished.
3
Subsequently to and considering.
I’m not putting you in charge again after the last disaster.
4
Subsequently to and in spite of.
After all that has happened, he is still my friend.
I can’t believe that, after all our advice against gambling, you walked into that casino!
5
Often Subsequently to the actions of (someone), in order to remedy a situation.
With verbs related to cleaning or tidying
I'm tired of picking up after you. Why can't you clean your own messes?
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In reduplicative expressions Repeatedly, seemingly in a sequence without end.
day after day, time after time, mile after mile, beer after beer, smile after smile
Paper after paper spells out how vulnerable we are to internet-induced brain rot.2024 December 9, Siân Boyle, “Is doom scrolling really rotting our brains? The evidence is getting harder to ignore”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2026:
Usually preceded by a form of be Followed by an -ing form of a verb
I was after finishing my dinner when there was a knock on the door. [= I had just finished my dinner when ...]
He was after walking on the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday before, all the way from the County Limerick, where his brother, Father John, has a parish; and you may believe, the poor man was tired1875, Patrick Kennedy, Evenings in the Duffrey, page 283:
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Mother: Let him get away out of this now, himself and his share of songs. Look at the way he has your bib destroyed that I was after washing in the morning!1906, Lady Gregory, “A Miracle Play”, in The Shanachie, volume 1:
When I woke up it was black-dark and the music was after stopping. I could taste the bread I was after eating in the dream, as sweet and luscious as any I ever knew2004, Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea, page 40:
He asked directions to the dairy those milk cans had shown up late at. Corrigan pointed back the way he'd come and explained, “You'd have been after riding past their loading platform because they don't have their sign overlooking where the train would be after stopping.2004, Tabor Evans, Longarm and the Great Milk Train Robbery:
"Yes. And where were you when the flood broke loose?" / "I would be most of the way to the Old House then. O'Loughlin was after running in wild to tell me he was hearing the Banshee out at The Old House, […]."2008, M. P. Shiel, The Black Box, page 45:
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Behind.
He will leave a trail of destruction after him.
I told her to shut the door after her.
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Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,[…], and the light of the reflector fell full upon her.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
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In pursuit of, seeking.
He’s after a job; run after him; inquire after her health.
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In allusion to, in imitation of; following or referencing.
We named him after his grandfather.
This painting is after Leonardo da Vinci.
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Work your horse in a calade, after the Italian way; ride him straight, and then you make good use of the calade.1735, The Sportsman's Dictionary:
In the 19th century, brothers John and Hugh Finlay pioneered the Baltimore Fancy Chair, modeling its klismos back not after firsthand encounters with the ancient Greek perches but after representations on Grecian urns.2026 May 23, Hannah Martin, “Grab a Chair”, in Architectural Digest, volume 83, number 4, page 24:
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Below, often next below, in importance or rank.
The princess is next in line to the throne after the prince.
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Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to.
to look after workmen; to enquire after a friend; to thirst after righteousness
Obsolete According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting.
He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk and currency, and not after their intrinsic value.a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC:
From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German and Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Danish and Swedish efter (“after”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk etter (“after”), Faroese and Icelandic eftir (“after”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).
1
Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause.
The show ends after the fat lady sings.
After we had decided to call it a day, I went home.
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It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC:
1991, Donald "Shadow" Rimgale (character), Robert DeNiro (actor), Backdraft So you punched out a window for ventilation. Was that before or after you noticed you were standing in a lake of gasoline?
Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, […]. In addition, we are looking for rare alleles, so the more plants we try, the better. These rarities may be new mutations, or they can be existing ones that are neutral—or are even selected against—in a wild population. A good example is mutations that disrupt seed dispersal, leaving the seeds on the heads long after they are ripe.2013 May-June, David Van Tassel, Lee DeHaan, “Wild Plants to the Rescue”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
after
adj
Etymology
From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German and Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Danish and Swedish efter (“after”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk etter (“after”), Faroese and Icelandic eftir (“after”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).
1
Dated Later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent
I did verily believe in my own mind, that I couldn't fight in that way at all; but my after experience convinced me that this was all a notion.1834, David Crockett, A Narrative of the Life of, Nebraska, published 1987, page 72:
The amends he had made in after life were lost sight of in the dramatic glare of the original act.1886, Thomas Hardy, The Mayor of Casterbridge:
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In the old days, […] he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […] and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned. But he had then none of the oddities and mannerisms which I hold to be inseparable from genius, and which struck my attention in after days when I came in contact with the Celebrity.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter I, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
2
At or towards the stern of a ship or the rear of an aircraft.
Nautical or aeronautical; where the frame of reference is within the craft; nautical or aeronautical; where the frame of reference is within the craft
The after gun is mounted aft.
The after gun is abaft the forward gun.
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The aircraft provided an after cabin for two radar operators.
Caspian led them down a ladder into the after hatch.1952, C. S. Lewis, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader:
From Middle English after, from Old English æfter, from Proto-West Germanic *aftar, from Proto-Germanic *after, *aftiri, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epoteros (“further behind, further away”), from *h₂epo (“off, away”). Cognate with Scots efter (“after”), North Frisian efter (“after, behind”), West Frisian after, achter, efter (“behind; after”), Low German and Dutch achter (“behind”), German after- (“after-”), Danish and Swedish efter (“after”), Norwegian Bokmål and Norwegian Nynorsk etter (“after”), Faroese and Icelandic eftir (“after”). The Irish usage to indicate recent completion of an activity is a calque of the Irish collocation Táim tar éis... (“I have just...”, literally “I am after...”).
1
Of before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference after a specified treatment.
In the ‘before’ shots, she’ll look like an ordinary suburban housewife; but we know she acts in community theater musicals sometimes, so the ‘afters’ will give her a glamorous starlet image, starting with a very revealing bathing suit shot.1987, Joanna Z. Adams, Makeovers, London: Headline Book Publishing Plc, →ISBN, page 61:
Did any of the before pictures remind you of yourself, and did any of the afters show what you hoped your results might be?1998, Alan Gaynor, “How to Choose a Doctor”, in Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Cosmetic Surgery But Couldn’t Afford to Ask: A Complete Look at the Latest Techniques and Why They Are Safer and Less Expensive, by One of Today’s Most Prominent Cosmetic Surgeons, New York, N.Y.: Broadway Books, →ISBN, part I (The New Aesthetic Surgery), page 66:
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So with that in mind, we thought it might be helpful to put some pictures where our mouths are, and include some less-than-flattering photos of our first house after we’d lived there eight whole months. Spoiler alert: We were miiiles away from the “afters” that we shared on pages 6 and 7.2012, Sherry Petersik, John Petersik, Young House Love: 243 Ways to Paint, Craft, Update & Show Your Home Some Love, New York, N.Y.: Artisan, →ISBN, page 16, column 2: