different between reaper vs following

English

Etymology

From Middle English reper, repare, repere, *riper (the last, attested only in surnames Ryper, Riper, etc.), from Old English r?pere (“reaper”), equivalent to reap +? -er.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -i?p?(r)

Noun

reaper (plural reapers)

1. One who reaps; a person employed to harvest crops from the fields by reaping.
2. A machine used to harvest crops.
3. (often with initial capital) Short for Grim Reaper.
   • 1976, Buck Dharma (Blue Öyster Cult), "Don't Fear the Reaper" (song)

     Don't fear the Reaper / We'll be able to fly

   • 1999, Karl S. Guthke, The Gender of Death: A Cultural History in Art and Literature (page 7)

     Why is the Grim Reaper a man? True, the noun ending would theoretically allow us to visualize the reaper as a woman as well, but we don't.

Derived terms

• Grim Reaper

Related terms

• reap

Translations

Anagrams

• Pearre, Perera, rerape

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?f?l????/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?f?lo???/
• Hyphenation: fol?low?ing

Adjective

following (not comparable)

1. Coming next, either in sequence or in time.

   Synonyms: succeeding; see also Thesaurus:subsequent

   Antonyms: preceding; see also Thesaurus:former

   • 1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pp.284-5

     Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.

2. About to be specified.

   Synonym: undermentioned

   Antonyms: abovementioned, aforementioned, aforesaid

3. (of a wind) Blowing in the direction of travel.

Usage notes

(Senses 1, 2) When it modifies a noun phrase, it is generally preceded by the definite article the, and the combination functions as a determiner rather than a simple adjective. You can put it before a cardinal like the following two remarks instead of the two following remarks.

Translations

Preposition

following

1. After, subsequent to.

   Following the meeting, we all had a chat.

Translations

Noun

following (plural followings)

1. A group of followers, attendants or admirers; an entourage.

   He had a loyal following.
2. Vocation; business; profession.
3. (with definite article, treated as singular or plural) A thing or things to be mentioned immediately after.

   The following is a recommendation letter from the president.

   The following are the three most important questions.

Translations

Verb

following

1. present participle of follow