abreast

C2+ Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /əˈbrɛst/ UK /əˈbrɛst/ See IPA manual

adv adj

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... alongside level aligned parallel informed conversant

Opposites

behind apart

Word family

Related forms breast

Etymology

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

Space, Position & Direction

# abreast

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv, adj
**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
- Space, Position & Direction

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abreast

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