- side by side, as in going or facing forward: often with of or with
- informed (of) or conversant (with) recent developments
Origin of abreast
a- + breast
Soldiers standing abreast.
- Abreast is defined as things that are next to each other.
An example of abreast is a row of soldiers marching in a parade.
- Abreast means to keep up with something and to stay up-to-date.
An example of abreast is the president of a company that stays informed on the competition’s new products.
YourDictionary definition and usage example. Copyright © 2018 by LoveToKnow Corp
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abreast
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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abreast
adverb
- Side by side: ships docked two abreast.
- Up to date: keeping abreast of the latest developments.
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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Abreast. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Abreast
Adverb
(comparative more abreast, superlative most abreast)
- Side by side, facing forward. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470.)]
- (figuratively) Alongside; parallel to. [First attested in the mid 17th century.]
- Informed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted. [First attested in the mid 17th century.]
- Up to a certain level or line; equally advanced; as, to keep abreast of [or with] the present state of science. [First attested in the mid 17th century.]
- (nautical) Side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam. [First attested in the late 17th century.]
Usage notes
- (nautical): Abreast is followed by the word of.
- (alongside): Abreast is followed by with or of.
- (informed): Abreast is followed by with or of.
- (up to a certain level): Abreast is followed by with or of.
Adjective
(comparative more abreast, superlative most abreast)
- Side by side, facing forward. [First attested from around (1350 to 1470.)]
- (figuratively) Alongside; parallel to. [First attested in the mid 17th century.]
- Informed, well-informed, familiar, acquainted. [First attested in the mid 17th century.]
- Up to a certain level or line; equally advanced; as, to keep abreast of [or with] the present state of science. [First attested in the mid 17th century.]
- (nautical) Side by side; also, opposite; over against; on a line with the vessel's beam. [First attested in the late 17th century.]
Preposition
- Abreast of; alongside.
- This ship sank abreast the island.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
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MLA Style
"Abreast." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/Abreast.
APA Style
Abreast. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Abreast
Sentence Examples
- He insisted on being kept abreast of the news.
- The three of them walked abreast along a narrow road consisting of no more than two bare strips of dirt in the grass.
- From the lighthouse abreast of the 4-in.
- Then the clang of hoofs, as of several horses galloping, resounded on the planks of the bridge, and the squadron, officers in front and men four abreast, spread across the bridge and began to emerge on his side of it.
- In education the Catholic Church endeavours to keep abreast with the best.
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