abreast

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. adjective being up to particular standard or level especially in being up to date in knowledge
  2. adverb alongside each other, facing in the same direction

Etymology

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”.

In classic literature

Synonyms

au courant, au fait, up on

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