astern meaning

astern as an 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: aft, abaft

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