fore-and-aft

American  

[fawr-uhnd-aft, -ahft, fohr-] / ˈfɔr əndˈæft, -ˈɑft, ˈfoʊr- /

adjective

1. located along or parallel to a line from the stem to the stern.

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adverb

1. fore.

fore and aft Idioms  

1. Both front and back, everywhere, as in The children clung to the teacher fore and aft. This expression is nautical terminology for the bow, or front, and the stern, or back, of a vessel. Today it is also used more broadly. [First half of 1600s]

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Etymology

Origin of fore-and-aft

First recorded in 1610–20

Example Sentences

The hard part is keeping the craft balanced from end to end�called fore-and-aft trim�so that it handles well without one end riding unduly high or low in the water.

From Time Magazine Archive

Aft, the boat deck is as solid as a concrete sidewalk, and easily holds a 14-foot Zodiac tender on fore-and-aft fiberglass ribs.

From Time Magazine Archive

The wave would rise through the keel and cradle the hull at its fore-and-aft point of balance.

From Time Magazine Archive

Improvements in rigging enabled the construction of larger, more maneuverable ships with both square-rigged and fore-and-aft sails.

From Time Magazine Archive

The third stage vibrated quite a bit, not from side to side but with a choppy fore-and-aft motion which was felt as almost a buzz.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins