abaft
- to the rear of; aft of: the fife rail abaft the mainmast.
- in the direction of the stern; astern; aft.
Origin of abaft
Examples from the Web for abaft
Historical Examples of abaft
The sound came from abaft his beam and his disquietude increased.
Blow The Man DownHolman Day
I had them all ready, and went to my desk in my room, just abaft the pilot-house, for them.
Down SouthOliver Optic
Up with your helm, abaft there, and let her go off square before the wind!
The Missing MerchantmanHarry Collingwood
"I'm on the port side just abaft the pantry," I answered, shaking him by the hand.
A Bid for FortuneGuy Boothby
Mr Culpepper was abaft, walking by himself, when Bob went up and accosted him.
Percival KeeneFrederick Marryat
abaft
- closer to the stern than to another place on a vesselwith the wind abaft
- behind; aft ofabaft the mast
Word Origin for abaft
Word Origin and History for abaft
"in or at the back part of a ship" (opposed to forward), 1590s, from Middle English on baft (Old English on bæftan) "backwards." The second component is itself a compound of be "by" (see by) and æftan "aft" (see aft). The word has been saved by the sailors (the stern being the "after" part of a vessel), the rest of the language having left it in Middle English.