adv. Forms: 1 æftan, (2–6 wanting), 7 afte, 7– aft. [As usual with nautical terms the early history is lost; but comparison with the derived baft (earlier baftè, baften, bæftan, be æftan), show it to be the OE. æftan, cogn. w. Goth. aftana from behind, f. afta behind; formally a superlative of af off, away, with primitive superlative suffix -ta: cf. Gr. ὔπα-τος, πρῶ-τος. The true relation of af-ter and af-t is that of Gr. πρό-τερος and πρῶ-τος; but OE. æftan was only an adv. of position, and it is apt to be treated in mod. Eng. as the positive of AFTER.]
† 1. gen. Behind, in the rear. Obs.
937. O. E. Chron., B. of Brunanburh, 63. Let him behindan … earn æftan hwit · æses brúcan.
2. Naut. a. Of position: In or near the hinder part or stern of a ship.
1628. Digby, Voy. Medit. (1868), 3. Of aequall height fore and aft.
1706. Phillips, s.v., How chear ye fore and aft? i.e. How fares all your Ships Company?
1718. Steele, Fish-pool, 170. Whose hold had gratings ’fore and aft’.
1863. Longf., Olaf, xi. Though the flying sea-spray drenches Fore and aft the rowers’ benches.
b. Of motion or direction: Towards the stern, into the hinder part of the ship.
1678. Phillips, Aft or Abaft, a word us’d by Seamen to signify any Action, Motion, or Application from the Stemwards of the Ship toward the Stern; as Go aft.
1748. Anson, Voyage, III. ii. (ed. 4), 495. We … began to get the guns aft.
1832. Lander, Exped. Niger, III. xvi. 254. Call them aft, and let them stand by the arms.
1833. Marryat, Pet. Simple (1863), 52. He said to us as we came on deck,—‘Walk aft, young gentlemen.’
1859. W. James, Nav. Hist. Gt. Brit., IV. 73. Seized and carried aft, as the ringleader of the mutiny.
c. Fore and aft: from stem to stern, lengthwise. Also attrib.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Inv. Shipping, 29. Needing no other addition … then a slight spar Decke, fore and afte as the Seamen call it.
1878. M. Foster, Physiol., II. i. § 3. 225. A certain amount of lateral and fore and aft movement.
3. Of time: Back from the present, earlier.
1674. N. Fairfax, Bulk & Selv., 38. There being nothing but everlasting God … there can be no such thing as Time, or fore, or aft, at all.
1676. Hobbes, Odyssey, 299. Next him spake Alitherses, who alone Saw fore and aft.
4. Comb. aft-cabin, aft-meal = after-cabin, after-banquet in AFTER- in comb. II.
1816. Gentl. Mag., LXXXVI. I. 102. The aft-cabin was only wanting to make the boat complete.
a. 1603. Thynne, Debate, 49 (N.). At aft-meales who shall paye for the wine?
