2. Below in rank; next to in order. --Shak.
Codrus after Ph?bus sings the best. --Dryden.
3. Later in time; subsequent; as, after supper, after three
days. It often precedes a clause. Formerly that was
interposed between it and the clause.
After I am risen again, I will go before you into
Galilee. --Matt. xxvi.
32.
4. Subsequent to and in consequence of; as, after what you
have said, I shall be careful.
5. Subsequent to and notwithstanding; as, after all our
advice, you took that course.
6. Moving toward from behind; following, in search of; in
pursuit of.
Ye shall not go after other gods. --Deut. vi.
14.
After whom is the king of Israel come out? --1 Sam.
xxiv. 14.
7. Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to;
as, to look after workmen; to inquire after a friend; to
thirst after righteousness.
8. In imitation of; in conformity with; after the manner of;
as, to make a thing after a model; a picture after Rubens;
the boy takes after his father.
{To name} or {call after}, to name like and reference to.
Our eldest son was named George after his uncle.
--Goldsmith.
9. According to; in accordance with; in conformity with the
nature of; as, he acted after his kind.
He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes.
--Isa. xi. 3.
They that are after the flesh do mind the things of
the flesh. --Rom. viii.
5.
10. According to the direction and influence of; in
proportion to; befitting. [Archaic]
He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk
and currency, and not after their intrinsic value.
--Bacon.
{After all}, when everything has been considered; upon the
whole.
{After} (with the same noun preceding and following), as,
wave after wave, day after day, several or many (waves,
etc.) successively.
{One after another}, successively.
{To be after}, to be in pursuit of in order to reach or get;
as, he is after money.
Note: In this sense the word is sometimes needlessly combined
with the following noun, by means of a hyphen, as,
after-ages, after-act, after-days, after-life. For the
most part the words are properly kept separate when
after has this meaning.
2. Hinder; nearer the rear. (Naut.) To ward the stern of the
ship; -- applied to any object in the rear part of a
vessel; as the after cabin, after hatchway.
Note: It is often combined with its noun; as, after-bowlines,
after-braces, after-sails, after-yards, those on the
mainmasts and mizzenmasts.
{After body} (Naut.), the part of a ship abaft the dead flat,
or middle part.
It was about the space of three hours after. --Acts. v.
7.
Note: After is prefixed to many words, forming compounds, but
retaining its usual signification. The prefix may be
adverbial, prepositional, or adjectival; as in after-
described, after-dinner, after-part. The hyphen is
sometimes needlessly used to connect the adjective
after with its noun. See {Note} under {After}, a., 1.
A project for the fact and vending Of a new kind of
fucus, paint for ladies. --B. Jonson.
2. An effect produced or achieved; anything done or that
comes to pass; an act; an event; a circumstance.
What might instigate him to this devilish fact, I am
not able to conjecture. --Evelyn.
He who most excels in fact of arms. --Milton.
3. Reality; actuality; truth; as, he, in fact, excelled all
the rest; the fact is, he was beaten.
4. The assertion or statement of a thing done or existing;
sometimes, even when false, improperly put, by a transfer
of meaning, for the thing done, or supposed to be done; a
thing supposed or asserted to be done; as, history abounds
with false facts.
I do not grant the fact. --De Foe.
This reasoning is founded upon a fact which is not
true. --Roger Long.
Note: TheTerm fact has in jurisprudence peculiar uses in
contrast with low; as, attorney at low, and attorney in
fact; issue in low, and issue in fact. There is also a
grand distinction between low and fact with reference
to the province of the judge and that of the jury, the
latter generally determining the fact, the former the
low. --Burrill Bouvier.
{Accessary before}, or {after}, {the fact}. See under
{Accessary}.
{Matter of fact}, an actual occurrence; a verity; used
adjectively: of or pertaining to facts; prosaic;
unimaginative; as, a matter-of-fact narration.
Syn: Act; deed; performance; event; incident; occurrence;
circumstance.
He'd rather on a gibbet dangle Than miss his dear
delight, to wrangle. --Hudibras.
From her lifted hand Dangled a length of ribbon.
--Tennyson.
{To dangle about} or {after}, to hang upon importunately; to
court the favor of; to beset.
The Presbyterians, and other fanatics that dangle
after them, are well inclined to pull down the
present establishment. --Swift.