/af"teuhr, ahf"-/ , prep.
1. behind in place or position; following behind: men lining up one after the other.
2. later in time than; in succession to; at the close of: Tell me after supper. Day after day he came to work late.
3. subsequent to and in consequence of: After what has happened, I can never return.
4. below in rank or excellence; nearest to: Milton is usually placed after Shakespeare among English poets.
5. in imitation of or in imitation of the style of: to make something after a model; fashioned after Raphael.
6. in pursuit or search of; with or in desire for: I'm after a better job. Run after him!
7. concerning; about: to inquire after a person.
8. with the name of; for: He was named after his uncle.
9. in proportion to; in accordance with: He was a man after the hopes and expectations of his father.
10. according to the nature of; in conformity with; in agreement or unison with: He was a man after my own heart. He swore after the manner of his faith.
11. subsequent to and notwithstanding; in spite of: After all their troubles, they still manage to be optimistic.
12. after all , despite what has occurred or been assumed previously; nevertheless: I've discovered I can attend the meeting after all.
adv.
13. behind; in the rear: Jill came tumbling after.
14. later in time; afterward: three hours after; happily ever after.
adj.
15. later in time; next; subsequent; succeeding: In after years we never heard from him.
16. Naut. , Aeron.
a. farther aft.
b. located closest to the stern or tail; aftermost: after hold; after mast.
c. including the stern or tail: the after part of a hull.
conj.
17. subsequent to the time that: after the boys left.
n.
18. afters , Brit. Informal. the final course of a meal, as pudding, ice cream, or the like; dessert.
[ bef. 900; ME; OE aefter; c. OFris efter, OS, OHG after, Goth aftaro, ON eptir; equiv. to aef- (see AFT) + -ter suffix of comparison and polarity (c. Gk -teros ) ]
Syn. 1. See behind .