ABREAST

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does abreast mean? 

• ABREAST (adjective)
  The adjective ABREAST has 1 sense:

1. being up to particular standard or level especially in being up to date in knowledge

  Familiarity information: ABREAST used as an adjective is very rare.

• ABREAST (adverb)
  The adverb ABREAST has 1 sense:

1. alongside each other, facing in the same direction

  Familiarity information: ABREAST used as an adverb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABREAST (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being up to particular standard or level especially in being up to date in knowledge

Synonyms:

abreast; au courant; au fait; up on

Context example:

up on the news

Similar:

informed (having much knowledge or education)

• ABREAST (adverb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Alongside each other, facing in the same direction

 Context examples 

After him, riding three abreast, were nine men-at-arms, all picked soldiers, who had followed the French wars before, and knew the marches of Picardy as they knew the downs of their native Hampshire.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Lord John came abreast of me, however, and his face was more grave than was his wont.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Already our wheels were abreast of their wheelers.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Mr. Enfield and the lawyer were on the other side of the by-street; but when they came abreast of the entry, the former lifted up his cane and pointed.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

I had glanced occasionally at the approaching schooner, and it was now almost abreast of us and not more than a couple of hundred yards away.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

He discovered the mistake too late, when Thornton was abreast of him and a bare half-dozen strokes away while he was being carried helplessly past.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

I let him take the helm, while the rest began thorough search, all keeping abreast, with lanterns: we left no corner unsearched.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

Between a grand piano and a centre-table piled high with books was space for a half a dozen to walk abreast, yet he essayed it with trepidation.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

When he ventured to run abreast of the older wolf (which was seldom), a snarl and a snap sent him back even with the shoulder again.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Speaking roughly, T, A, O, I, N, S, H, R, D, and L are the numerical order in which letters occur, but T, A, O, and I are very nearly abreast of each other, and it would be an endless task to try each combination until a meaning was arrived at.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)