fore and aftadv.1. a. From the bow of a ship to the stern; lengthwise.b. In, at, or toward both ends of a ship.2. In or at the front and back.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.