after

Everyday

1. After means later than something else: «Lunch comes after breakfast». tree →
2. After means behind or following: «Close the door after you», «The dog ran after the ball». tree →
3. To be named after someone is to get their name. tree →
4. To look after is to take care of. tree →
5. To be after something is to want or look for it: «What are you after?». tree →
6. (casual) «After» in Irish English: «I'm after eating» means I have just eaten; «arvo» is afternoon in Australia; «laters» means see you later. tree →
7. (rude) «Who are you after?» or «they're after you» can mean someone wants to hurt or catch you. tree →
8. (formal) Exams say «subsequently», «following», «subsequent to», «thereafter», «upon completion of» and «posterior to». tree →
9. "After all" means when everything is thought about, or despite what you expected. tree →

In the lessons

orders the events of a story in time; tells which amount comes first and which change follows; in counting, 8 comes after 7; phrases: «after that», «after school», «look after», «run after», «the day after», «after all», «after a while»; in casual talk «see ya after», «I'm after finishing it» (Ireland), «this arvo»; in rough talk «Mum's gonna be after you when she sees the mess»; in the exam voice «subsequent to the transfer», «following the purchase», «upon completion of»

Examples

• After lunch, Mia had 8 cookies left. tree →
• After giving 5 to Joe, he has 12 marbles. tree →
• How many pages are left after she reads 20? tree →
• What number comes after 19? tree →
• I go to football after school. tree →
• Please look after your little sister. tree →
• He was named after his grandfather. tree →
• I'm after eating 4 of them, sorry (Ireland: I have just eaten). tree →
• Footy this arvo, after school, 5 of us. tree →
• Mum's gonna be after you when she sees you broke 2 plates. tree →
• Subsequent to the transfer of 5 marbles, the pupil holds 12. Ascertain the initial holding. tree →
• What are you after? The red one? tree →
• How kind man is, after all! tree →

Note

Marks the order of events: the amount «after» a change is the result. Trap: «after giving away 5 he has 12» gives the end amount; to find the start you add back 5. «subsequent to» and «following» in an exam mean after. Trap: Irish «I'm after eating» is the past, not the future. Opposite: before.

In Jewish tradition

"After its kinds" in the lists of animals means "according to its species." Tradition treats the kinds as groups of related creatures.

Interpretation. The rabbis used "after its kinds" to study which creatures count as one species, which matters for the laws of clean and unclean animals.

Examples

• and every raven after its kinds; (Torah DEU.14.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And after that he will let you go. (Torah EXO.3.20, JPS 1917) tree →
• and the kite, and the falcon after its kinds; (Torah LEV.11.14, JPS 1917) tree →
• And after him Ibzan of Beth-lehem judged Israel. (Prophets JDG.12.8, JPS 1917) tree →
• And David sent and inquired after the woman. (Prophets 2SA.11.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• Or will he harrow the valleys after thee? (Writings JOB.39.10, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Marks the order of events: the amount «after» a change is the result. Trap: «after giving away 5 he has 12» gives the end amount; to find the start you add back 5. «subsequent to» and «following» in an exam mean after. Trap: Irish «I'm after eating» is the past, not the future. Opposite: before.