astern meaning and definition

ASTERN adverb

Definition of astern (adverb)

1. stern foremost or backward
   • "the steamer went astern at half speed"
2. 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"
   • synonyms: abaft, aft
   • antonym: fore
3. (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"