astern Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adverb stern foremost or backward
    • the steamer went astern at half speed
  2. adverb at or near or toward the stern of a ship or tail of an airplane
    aft; abaft.
    • 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
  3. adverb (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

WordNet

A*stern" adverb
Etymology
Pref. a- + stern.
Definitions
(Naut.)
  1. In or at the hinder part of a ship; toward the hinder part, or stern; backward; as, to go astern.
  2. Behind a ship; in the rear. "A gale of wind right astern." De Foe. "Left this strait astern." Drake.

Webster 1913