Past vs After - What's the difference?
past | after |
The period of time that has already happened, in contrast to the present and the future.
* D. Webster
* Trench
(grammar) The past tense.
Having already happened; in the past; finished.
* {{quote-book, year=1963, author=(Margery Allingham), title=(The China Governess)
, chapter=7 (postmodifier) Following expressions of time to indicate how long ago something happened; ago.
* 1999 , (George RR Martin), A Clash of Kings , Bantam 2011, p. 538:
* 2009 , , Glencoe , Amberley 2009, p. 20:
Of a period of time: having just gone by; previous.
* {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 23, work=(The Guardian), author=Angelique Chrisafis
, title=François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election
(grammar) Of a tense, expressing action that has already happened or a previously-existing state.
beyond in place, quantity or time
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=April 22
, author=Sam Sheringham
, title=Liverpool 0-1 West Brom
, work=BBC Sport
Behind; later in time; following.
Subsequently to; following in time; later than.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1
, passage=I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West.}}
* {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 15, author=Phil McNulty, work=BBC
, title= * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
, title= Behind.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5
, passage=Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,
In pursuit of, seeking.
In allusion to, in imitation of; following or referencing.
Next in importance or rank.
As a result of.
In spite of.
(Used to indicate recent completion of an activity)
*
*
* '>citation
*
*
(dated) According to an author or text.
Denoting the aim or object; concerning; in relation to.
(obsolete) According to the direction and influence of; in proportion to; befitting.
* Francis Bacon
(Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause).
:
*
*:It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.
*1991 , Donald "Shadow" Rimgale (character), (Robert DeNiro) (actor),
*:So you punched out a window for ventilation. Was that before or after you noticed you were standing in a lake of gasoline?
*{{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=May-June, author=
, title= (dated) Later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent
* 1834 , (w), A Narrative of the Life of , Nebraska 1987, p. 72:
* 1886 , (Thomas Hardy),
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1
, passage=In the old days, […], he gave no evidences of genius whatsoever. He never read me any of his manuscripts, […], and therefore my lack of detection of his promise may in some degree be pardoned. But he had then none of the oddities and mannerisms which I hold to be inseparable from genius, and which struck my attention in after days when I came in contact with the Celebrity.}}
(nautical, where the frame of reference is within the ship) At or towards the stern of a ship.
As adjectives the difference between past and after
is that past is having already happened; in the past; finished while after is later; second (of two); next, following, subsequent.As adverbs the difference between past and after
is that past is in a direction that passes while after is behind; later in time; following.As prepositions the difference between past and after
is that past is beyond in place, quantity or time while after is subsequently to; following in time; later than.As a noun past
is the period of time that has already happened, in contrast to the present and the future.As a conjunction after is
Signifies that the action of the clause it starts takes place before the action of the other clause.past
English
(wikipedia past)Noun
(en noun)- a book about a time machine that can transport people back into the past
- The past , at least, is secure.
- The present is only intelligible in the light of the past , often a very remote past indeed.
Derived terms
(Terms derived from the noun "past") * blast from the past * in the past * past anterior * past continuous * past historic * past participle * past perfect * past progressive * past simple * past tense * simple pastSee also
* preteriteAdjective
(en adjective)citation, passage=The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures.}}
- That had been, what, three years past ?
- Some four decades past , as a boy, I had a chance encounter and conversation with the late W.A. Poucher [...].
citation, passage=Sarkozy's total will be seen as a personal failure. It is the first time an outgoing president has failed to win a first-round vote in the past 50 years and makes it harder for Sarkozy to regain momentum.}}
Preposition
(English prepositions)- the room past mine
- count past twenty
- past midnight
citation, page= , passage=But they were stunned when Glen Johnson's error let in Peter Odemwingie to fire past Pepe Reina on 75 minutes.}}
Usage notes
* The preposition past is used to tell the time. The time 5:05 is said as five past five. 5:10 as ten past five. 5:15 as quarter past five. 5:20 as twenty past five. 5:25 as twenty-five past five. 5:30 as half past five. If we are aware of the approximate time, we can just use e.g. five past, ten past etc. See the example below. *: I thought it was about six o'clock, but it was actually ten past . * Compare with to (five to, ten to, quarter to, twenty to, twenty-five to) * See also: o'clockStatistics
*Anagrams
* 1000 English basic words ----after
English
Alternative forms
* afther * aftre (obsolete)Adverb
(-)- They lived happily ever after .
- I left the room, and the dog bounded after .
Derived terms
* after-effect * aftermarket * aftermath * aftertaste * afterwards * go afterPreposition
(English prepositions)Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea, passage=After early sparring, Spurs started to take control as the interval approached and twice came close to taking the lead. Terry blocked Rafael van der Vaart's header on the line and the same player saw his cross strike the post after Adebayor was unable to apply a touch.}}
The new masters and commanders, passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.}}
- I can't believe that, after all our advice against gambling, you walked into that casino!
- to look after''' workmen; to enquire '''after''' a friend; to thirst '''after righteousness
- He takes greatness of kingdoms according to bulk and currency, and not after their intrinsic value.
Usage notes
* The Irish English usage example is equivalent to "I had just finished my dinner when .".Derived terms
* after one's own heart * after you * after-five * afternoon * go after * look after * name afterConjunction
(English Conjunctions)David Van Tassel], [http://www.americanscientist.org/authors/detail/lee-dehaan Lee DeHaan
Wild Plants to the Rescue, volume=101, issue=3, magazine=(American Scientist) , passage=Plant breeding is always a numbers game.
Adjective
(head)- I did verily believe in my own mind, that I couldn't fight in that way at all; but my after experience convinced me that this was all a notion.
- The amends he had made in after life were lost sight of in the dramatic glare of the original act.