different between abreast vs behind

English

Etymology

From Middle English abrest, equivalent to a- (“on, at”) +? breast, meaning “breasts (chests) in line, side-by-side and exactly equally advanced”; roughly “breast-by-breast”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??b??st/
• Rhymes: -?st
• Hyphenation: abreast

Adverb

abreast (not comparable)

1. Side by side and facing forward. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470.)]
2. (figuratively) Alongside; parallel to. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]
3. Informed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]
4. Followed by of or with: up to a certain level or line; equally advanced. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]

   She believes it is important to keep abreast of new scientific developments.

5. (nautical) Side by side; also, opposite; on a line with the vessel's beam. [First attested in the late 17^th century.]
6. (obsolete) At the same time; simultaneously.

Usage notes

• (nautical): Abreast is followed by the word of.
• (alongside): Abreast is followed by of.
• (informed): Abreast is followed by of.
• (up to a certain level): Abreast is followed by of.

Synonyms

• (informed): apprised, up to date/up-to-date

Translations

Adjective

abreast (not comparable)

1. Side by side, facing forward. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470.)]
2. (figuratively) Alongside; parallel to. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]
3. Informed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted. [First attested in the mid 17^th century.]
4. Up to a certain level or line; equally advanced[First attested in the mid 17^th century.]

   to keep abreast of [or with] the present state of science.

   • c. 1900, Kate Chopin, A Reflection

     Some people are born with a vital and responsive energy. It not only enables them to keep abreast of the times; it qualifies them to furnish in their own personality a good bit of the motive power to the mad pace.

5. (nautical) Side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam. [First attested in the late 17^th century.]

Preposition

abreast

1. Abreast of; alongside.

   This ship sank abreast the island.

References

• abreast at OneLook Dictionary Search
• abreast in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• Baaster, Sabater, Tabares, abaters, bat ears, rabates

English

Alternative forms

• behine (archaic, AAVE)

Etymology

From Middle English behinde, behinden, from Old English behindan (“on the back side of, behind”), equivalent to be- +? hind. Compare Old Saxon bihindan (“behind”, adverb), Middle High German behinter (“behind; back”).

Pronunciation

• (preposition, adverb)
  • IPA^(key): /b??ha?nd/, /b??ha?nd/
• (noun)
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /?bi??ha?nd/, /b??ha?nd/
  • (UK) IPA^(key): /b??ha?nd/, /b??ha?nd/
• Hyphenation: be?hind

Preposition

behind

1. At the back of; positioned with something else in front of.
2. To the back of. (Can we clean up⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)
3. After, time- or motion-wise.
4. responsible for

5. In support of.

6. Left a distance by, in progress or improvement; inferior to.
7. (nonstandard, US, slang) As a result or consequence of

Synonyms

• (at the back of): a-back (Chester), in back of, to the rear of.

Antonyms

• in front of

Derived terms

• behind every successful man there stands a woman

Translations

Adverb

behind (comparative behinder or more behind, superlative behindest or most behind)

1. At the back part; in the rear. (Can we clean up⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)
2. Toward the back part or rear; backward.

3. Overdue, in arrears.

4. Slow; of a watch or clock.

5. existing afterwards
6. Backward in time or order of succession; past.
7. Behind the scenes in a theatre; backstage.
8. (archaic) Not yet brought forward, produced, or exhibited to view; out of sight; remaining.

   • We cannot be sure that there is no evidence behind.

Usage notes

For usage in phrasal verbs, see Category:English phrasal verbs with particle (behind).

Translations

Noun

behind (plural behinds)

1. the rear, back-end
2. (informal) butt, the buttocks, bottom
3. (Australian rules football) A one-point score.
4. (baseball, slang, 1800s) The catcher.
5. In the Eton College field game, any of a group of players consisting of two "shorts" (who try to kick the ball over the bully) and a "long" (who defends the goal).

Translations

Derived terms

Related terms

• hind
• hiney

References

• behind in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• behind in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition, Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8