abreast C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /əˈbrɛst/ UK /əˈbrɛst/ See IPA manual Meanings 1 adv side by side and facing the same way; up to date with They walked three abreast along the narrow lane. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 adv · side by side and facing the... alongsidelevelalignedparallelinformedconversant ↔ Opposites behindapart Word family Related forms breast Etymology AI details From a- ('on, in') + breast, from Old English brēost ('breast, chest'), from Proto-Germanic *breustą. Literally 'with breasts in a line'. brēost Old English *breustą Proto-Germanic View etymology graph -> Topics Describing Qualities External links Google Images Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary # abreast **Type:** Word **Level:** C2+ **Part of speech:** adv **IPA (US):** /əˈbrɛst/ **IPA (UK):** /əˈbrɛst/ ## Meanings 1. side by side and facing the same way; up to date with ## Examples - They walked three abreast along the narrow lane. ## Synonyms - alongside - level - aligned - parallel - informed - conversant ## Antonyms - behind - apart ## Related Forms - breast ## Roots and Affixes - Root: brēost - Root: *breustą ## Etymology From a- ('on, in') + breast, from Old English brēost ('breast, chest'), from Proto-Germanic *breustą. Literally 'with breasts in a line'. ## AI Etymology Abreast is an adverb and adjective meaning "side by side and facing the same way; up to date with". Historically, it is from a- ('on, in') + breast, from Old English brēost ('breast, chest'), from Proto-Germanic *breustą. Literally 'with breasts in a line'. The visible construction is part of the etymology: abreast is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old English brēost with Proto-Germanic *breustą. A close English family member is breast. ## Topics - Describing Qualities markdown