Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

After

After (ȧft"tẽr) , adjective

[Anglo-Saxon after after, behind; akin to Gothic aftaro, aftra, backwards, Icelandic aptr, Swedish and Danish efter, Old High German aftar behind, Dutch and LG. achter, Greek 'apwte`rw further off. The ending -ter is an old comparative suffix, in English generally -ther (as in other), and after is a compar. of of, off. r194. See Of; compare Aft.]

1.
Next; later in time; subsequent; succeeding; as, an after period of life. — Marshall

In this sense the word is sometimes needlessly combined with the following noun, by means of a hyphen, as, after-ages, after-act, after-days, after-life. For the most part the words are properly kept separate when after has this meaning.

It is often combined with its noun; as, after-bowlines, after-braces, after-sails, after-yards, those on the mainmasts and mizzenmasts.

2.
(Nautical) Hinder; nearer the rear.
(Nautical) To ward the stern of the ship; -- applied to any object in the rear part of a vessel; as the after cabin, after hatchway.
Collocations (1)
After body (Nautical) , the part of a ship abaft the dead flat, or middle part.

After , preposition

1.
Behind in place; as, men in line one after another.
Shut doors after you. — Shakespeare
2.
Below in rank; next to in order. — Shakespeare
Codrus after Phobus sings the best. — Dryden
3.
Later in time; subsequent; as, after supper, after three days. It often precedes a clause. Formerly that was interposed between it and the clause.
After I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. — Matt. xxvi. 32
4.
Subsequent to and in consequence of; as, after what you have said, I shall be careful.
5.
Subsequent to and notwithstanding; as, after all our advice, you took that course.
6.
Moving toward from behind; following, in search of; in pursuit of.
Ye shall not go after other gods. — Deut. vi. 14
After whom is the king of Israel come out? — 1 Sam. xxiv. 14
7.
Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to; as, to look after workmen; to inquire after a friend; to thirst after righteousness.
8.
In imitation of; in conformity with; after the manner of; as, to make a thing after a model; a picture after Rubens; the boy takes after his father.
Our eldest son was named George after his uncle. — Goldsmith
Collocations (5)
To name or call after , to name like and reference to.
After all , when everything has been considered; upon the whole.
After , successively.
One after another , successively.
To be after , to be in pursuit of in order to reach or get; as, he is after money.
9.
According to; in accordance with; in conformity with the nature of; as, he acted after his kind.
He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes. — Isa. xi. 3
They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh. — Rom. viii. 5
10.
According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting. [Archaic]
He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk and currency, and not after their intrinsic value. — Bacon

After , adverb

Subsequently in time or place; behind; afterward; as, he follows after.
It was about the space of three hours after. — Acts. v. 7

After is prefixed to many words, forming compounds, but retaining its usual signification. The prefix may be adverbial, prepositional, or adjectival; as in after- described, after-dinner, after-part. The hyphen is sometimes needlessly used to connect the adjective after with its noun. See Note under After, a., 1.