Keep abreast of 📏🏊
Meaning
To stay informed about the latest developments or news on a particular subject.
Origin
Imagine sailors on a ship, their bodies straining against the wind and waves. 'Abreast' in nautical terms means side-by-side or level with something. To 'keep abreast' was literally to keep your ship parallel to another ship or to a landmark, maintaining your position and awareness. This practical, maritime origin evolved into a metaphor for staying informed and aligned with the flow of information or events in the wider world, ensuring you don't fall behind.
Keep abreast of represented with emoji📏🏊
This playful 📏🏊 invites a dialogue on the importance of staying informed, juxtaposing the precision of measurement with the fluidity of information. It teaches the viewer to keep abreast of the latest developments, functioning as a delightful reminder that knowledge is a vast ocean waiting to be explored and understood.
Examples
- It's important for doctors to keep abreast of the latest medical research.
- She subscribes to several newsletters to keep abreast of industry trends.
- My parrot, Reginald, insists on keeping abreast of all the neighborhood gossip, squawking loudly whenever a new cat appears.
- To truly understand the world of competitive cloud-watching, one must diligently keep abreast of the cirrus and cumulus updates.
Frequently asked questions
While "keep abreast of" is commonly used metaphorically, its origin is quite literal. "Abreast" historically referred to a nautical position, meaning side-by-side, making the phrase about maintaining a physical alignment that evolved into staying informed.
The opposite of "keeping abreast of" something would be to "fall behind" or become "out of touch" with the latest developments. This implies a failure to maintain current awareness or knowledge.
Yes, you can "keep abreast of" abstract concepts; while the origin is nautical, the meaning has expanded to include staying informed about trends, ideas, or discussions, not just factual news.