ASTERN

astern

(adverb) (of a ship or an airplane) behind; “we dropped her astern on the end of a seven-inch manilla, and she laid comfortably on the ebb tide”

aft, abaft, astern

(adverb) at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane; “stow the luggage aft”; “ships with square sails sail fairly efficiently with the wind abaft”; “the captain looked astern to see what the fuss was about”

astern

(adverb) stern foremost or backward; “the steamer went astern at half speed”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adverb

astern (comparative more astern, superlative most astern) (nautical)

Behind (a vessel); in the rear.

In the direction of the stern; backward (motion); to the rear.

(obsolete or rare) At or toward the rear of a vessel.

Antonyms

• ahead

Adjective

astern (not comparable) (nautical)

Behind a vessel; having a bearing of 180 degrees from ahead.

Usage notes

• Within the ship, the corresponding adjective is abaft. An object nearer the stern than the mainmast is abaft the mainmast.

Anagrams

• Arents, Stearn, Terans, antres, arents, arnest, atrens, santer, sterna, transe

Source: Wiktionary


A*stern", adv. Etym: [Pref. a- + stern.] (Naut.)

1. In or at the hinder part of a ship; toward the hinder part, or stern; backward; as, to go astern.

2. Behind a ship; in the rear. "A gale of wind right astern." De Foe. "Left this strait astern." Drake. To bake astern, to go stern foremost.

– To be astern of the reckoning, to be behind the position given by the reckoning.

– To drop astern, to fall or be left behind.

– To go astern, to go backward, as from the action of currents or winds.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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