abaft Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adverb at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
    aft; astern.
    • 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

WordNet

A*baft" preposition
Etymology
Pref. a-on + OE. baft, baften, biaften, AS. beæftan; be by + æftan behind. See After, Aft, By.
Definitions
  1. (Naut.) Behind; toward the stern from; as, abaft the wheelhouse.
A*baft" adverb
Definitions
  1. (Naut.) Toward the stern; aft; as, to go abaft.

Webster 1913