Forms: 1 beæftan, bæftan, -on, -en, 1–3 bæfte, 2 bieften, befte, 3 biæften, biaften, (bafftenn), baften, bæfte, bafte, 4 bafft, 7 be-aft, 3–4, 7–9 baft. [OE. beæftan, f. be by, at + æftan = Goth. aftana behind. Cf. AFT.]
A. adv.
1. Of place: Behind, in the rear; in later usage only nautical: Astern, aft, abaft. arch.
c. 885. K. Ælfred, Oros., I. x. § 3. Micel ðæs heres ðe mid hiere beæftan wæs.
c. 1205. Lay., 26927. Þa weoren heo biuoren, and Bruttes biaften.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter lxxviii. 66. He smate his faas in baft.
c. 1325. E. E. Allit. P., C. 148. Þe bur ber to hit baft þat braste alle her gere.
1687. Lond. Gaz., No. 2272/4. Long Hatches from Fore and baft.
1759. Lond. Mag., XXVIII. 32. The powder room … was be-aft.
1837. Marryat, Dog-fiend, xiii. ‘Are they all forward?’… ‘Yes … not one soul baft.’
† 2. Of time: After. Obs. rare.
c. 1205. Lay., 31946. Hit ilomp inne frimdæȝen, feor her biæften.
† B. prep. [orig. only the adv. with dative of reference.] Behind, to the rear of. Obs.
a. 800. O. E. Chron., an. 755. Þæs cyninges þeʓnas þe him be æftan wærun [Laud, bæfton] … Þa men þe he be æftan him læfde ær [Laud, be æfton].
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. xvi. 23. Gang bæftan me, Satanas!
c. 1160. Hatton G., ibid. Gange befte me.
c. 1200. Ormin, 14688. Tacc þær an shep bafftenn þin bacc.
c. 1205. Lay., 26957. Richer and Beduer wenden heom bafte.
c. 1250. Gen. & Ex., 1333. Biaften bak he saȝ a s[c]ep.
c. 1400. Beryn, 1576. Euery man … tofore the Shipp & bafft.
