ENGLISH
REFERENCE

abreast

adj.
C1 Advanced US //əˈbɹɛst// UK //ɐbɹˈɛst// abreast Archaic

adj. next to someone or something else, especially when you are moving at the same speed. It is often used when talking about ships or people walking together.

adj. situated next to or alongside another person or object, typically at the same level or speed. Often used in nautical contexts to describe the relative position of vessels.


SIMPLE

The two ships sailed abreast of each other.

CONTEXTUAL

The two friends walked abreast through the park, sharing a quiet conversation about their upcoming trip.

COMPLEX

The fleet maintained a formation where each vessel remained abreast of its neighbors, ensuring that no ship fell behind during the high-speed crossing of the strait.

Origin

From Middle English abrest. By surface analysis, a- (“on, at”) + breast, meaning “breasts (chests) in line, side-by-side and exactly equally advanced”; roughly “breast-by-breast”.

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