From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishafteraf‧ter1 /ˈɑːftə $ ˈæftər/ ●●● S1 W1 preposition, conjunction, adverb 1 AFTERwhen a particular event or time has happened, or when someone has done something OPP before After the war many soldiers stayed in France. I go swimming every day after work. Do you believe in life after death? The first attack started just after midnight. David went to bed straight after (=immediately after) supper. After you’d called the police, what did you do? Zimmerman changed his name after he left Germany. People still remember the 1958 revolution and what came after (=happened after it).after doing something After leaving school, Mackay worked in a restaurant for a year.two days/three weeks etc after (something) Ten years after he bought the painting, Carswell discovered that it was a fake.the day/week/year etc after (something) (=the next day, week etc) His car was outside your house the morning after Bob’s engagement party. I’ll see you again tomorrow or the day after. She retired from politics the year after she received the Nobel Prize.soon/not long/shortly after (something) Not long after the wedding, his wife became ill. The family moved to Hardingham in June 1983, and Sarah’s first child was born soon after.2 AFTERwhen a particular amount of time has passed OPP before After ten minutes remove the cake from the oven. You’ll get used to it after a while. After months of negotiation, an agreement was finally reached.3 AFTERfollowing someone or something else in a list or a piece of writing, or in order of importance Whose name is after yours on the list? The date should be written after the address. After football, tennis is my favourite sport. The UK is the world’s third largest arms producer, after the USA and Russia.4 American EnglishTMC used when telling the time to say how many minutes have passed since a particular hour SYN past British English The movie starts at a quarter (=fifteen minutes) after seven.5 → day after day/year after year etc6 a) CATCHfollowing someone in order to stop or speak to them Go after him and apologize. I heard someone running after me, and a voice called my name. b) in the direction of someone who has just left ‘Good luck, ’ she called after me as I left. Harry stood in the doorway gazing after her. 7 AFTERwhen someone has left a place or has finished doing something Remember to close the door after you. I spend all day cleaning up after the kids.8 BECAUSEbecause of something that happened earlier I’m not surprised he walked out, after the way she treated him. After your letter, I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.9 DESPITEin spite of something that was done in the past How can you treat me like this after all I’ve done for you?10 when you have passed a particular place or travelled a certain distance along a road Turn left after the hotel. After a mile you will come to a crossroads.11 → be after somebody/something12 → one after another/one after the other13 → after all14 NAME OF A PERSON especially British English used to say who or what first had the name that someone or something has been given His name is Alessandro, after his grandfather. It was named Waterloo Bridge, after the famous battle. 15 formalAPAV in the same style as a particular painter, musician etc a painting after Rembrandt16 a) after you spokenAFTER used to say politely that someone else can use or do something before you do ‘Do you need the copier?’ ‘After you.’ b) after you with somethingAFTER used to ask someone if you can have or use something after they have finished After you with that knife, please. → a man/woman after my own heart at heart1(22), → take after at take1THESAURUSafter preposition after something happens, or after a period of time has passed. After is used especially when talking about the pastWe went for a walk after lunch.After an hour, we got tired of waiting and went home.They got married just after Christmas.in preposition after a particular period of time. In is used especially when talking about the future, especially the next few minutes, hours, days etcThe concert’s due to start in a few minutes.I’ll come back in an hour.In a few years’ time, this place will look completely different.within preposition after less than a month, two weeks etc has passed – used especially when the time seems surprisingly short: within a month/two weeks etcHe developed a headache at lunchtime, and within two hours he was dead.Within two days of arriving she had managed to upset everyone.24 hours/a year etc from now at a time 24 hours, a year etc after nowA week from now we’ll be in Paris.afterwards (also afterward especially American English) adverb after an event or time you have mentionedJones admitted afterwards that she had been very nervous during the game.Speaking to reporters afterward, he said the operation had been a success.He moved to Belgium, and soon afterwards he met Angela.later adverb some time after now or after the time you are talking aboutI’ll tell you about it later when I’m less busy. | two months/three years etc laterJames went off, and came back ten minutes later with some food.subsequently adverb formal after something had happened in the pastThe book was published in 1954 and was subsequently translated into fifteen languages.
Examples from the Corpus
after• After a few minutes, she fell asleep.• At first I was very nervous, but after a while I began to feel more confident.• After a while, we got tired of waiting and went home.• After all the trouble I had, Reese didn't even say thank you.• The war ended after another six months of fighting.• After dancing, going to the movies is my favorite weekend activity.• Do you believe in life after death?• After half an hour we got tired of waiting and went home.• There were several people after me who didn't manage to get into the game.• a painting after Rembrandt• The movie starts at a quarter after seven.• After ten days, their supplies of water were running low.• What's on after the 6 o'clock news?• The date should be written after the address.• After the dance, a few of us went out for a drink.• I'm not surprised he left her, after the way she treated him.• I go swimming every day after work.• After your letter, I didn't think I'd ever see you again.• My name is after yours on the list.• Whose name is after yours on the list?soon/not long/shortly after (something)• Her fiance was there; they married and then divorced not long after.• This ambition becomes more predominant in his character not long after his encounter with the witches.• But not long after, it was back.• She had confided this to Liz in a tearful moment, not long after Jonathan had run off with the Williams girl.• The pity of it was, not long after my father died in 1933 things improved quite a lot in the material sense.• Two can be seen not long after the start of the Cliff Walk.• They were wrong. Not long after they arrived home, Allison began to feel the familiar pains and called the doctor.• It was probably not long after this that they made their peace with the Yorkists and entered Gloucester's service.afterafter2 adjective [only before noun] 1 → in after years2 TTWTTA technical in the back part of a boat or an aircraftExamples from the Corpus
after• the after deck• A packed Hall of graduates and undergraduates gave Baroness Park an affectionate standing ovation at the end of her after dinner speech.• Abaft the after head is a large locker accessed either through a door in the head or from the cockpit.• Several men in the after shell-room lingered there too long... and were drowned.• Our friendly wine bar is also there for your pre-show drink, your interval glass of wine or your after show socialising.after-after- /ɑːftə $ æftər/ prefix AFTERcoming or happening afterwards OPP pre- an after-dinner speech after-school activitiesExamples from the Corpus
after-• aftereffects• the afterlifeOrigin after1 Old English æfter 