Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
Note: In addition to the uses shown below, '~' is used in phrasal verbs such as ‘ask ~’, ‘look ~’, and ‘take ~’.
1.
If something happens ~ a particular date or event, it happens during the period of time that follows that date or event.
After 19 May, strikes were occurring on a daily basis...
After breakfast Amy ordered a taxi...
It wasn’t until ~ Christmas that I met Paul.
? before
PREP
•
After is also a conjunction.
After Don told me this, he spoke of his mother...
Marina cared for him ~ he seriously injured his eye several years ago.
CONJ
2.
If you do one thing ~ doing another, you do it during the period of time that follows the other thing.
After completing and signing it, please return the form to us in the envelope provided.
...women who have changed their mind ~ deciding not to have children...
? before
PREP: PREP -ing
3.
You use ~ when you are talking about time. For example, if something is going to happen during the day ~ or the weekend ~ a particular time, it is going to happen during the following day or during the following weekend.
She’s leaving the day ~ tomorrow.
PREP: n PREP n
•
After is also an adverb.
Tomorrow. Or the day ~.
ADV: ADV ~ v
4.
If you go ~ someone, you follow or chase them.
He walked out, and Louise went ~ him.
...people who were ~ him for large amounts of money.
PREP
5.
If you are ~ something, you are trying to get it.
They were ~ the money...
I did eventually find what I was ~.
PREP
6.
If you call, shout, or stare ~ someone, you call, shout, or stare at them as they move away from you.
‘Come back!’ he called ~ me...
PREP
7.
If you tell someone that one place is a particular distance ~ another, you mean that it is situated beyond the other place and further away from you.
A few kilometres ~ the village, turn right to Montelabate.
= past
? before
PREP
8.
If one thing is written ~ another thing on a page, it is written following it or underneath it.
I wrote my name ~ Penny’s.
= following
PREP
9.
You use ~ in order to give the most important aspect of something when comparing it with another aspect.
After Germany, America is Britain’s second-biggest customer...
PREP
10.
To be named ~ someone means to be given the same name as them. (BRIT; in AM, use for )
He persuaded Virginia to name the baby ~ him.
PREP
11.
If you say ‘~ you’ to someone, you are being polite and allowing them to go in front of you or through a doorway before you do.
CONVENTION politeness
12.
After is used when telling the time. If it is, for example, ten ~ six, the time is ten minutes past six. (AM)
? before
PREP
13.
~ all: see all
14.
If you do something to several things one ~ the other or one ~ another, you do it to one, then the next, and so on, with no break between your actions.
Sybil ate three biscuits, one ~ the other...
PHRASE
15.
If something happens day ~ day or year ~ year, it happens every day or every year, for a long time.
...people who’d been coming here year ~ year.
PHRASE