aftersn.
/ˈɑːftəz/, /ˈaftəz/, U.S. /ˈæftərz/ colloquial (originally nonstandard). Chiefly British.
1. The sweet course following the main course of a meal; pudding, dessert. Also with singular agreement. Cf. second n.2 8.
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the world > food and drink > food > meal > course > [noun] > course after main
after-mess1489
banquet1523
after-course1580
fruit1587
dessert1600
sweet1832
confectionery1847
afters1909
pudding1934
follows1946
1909 Daily Chron. 22 June 8/2 They could not all afford ‘dinner and afters’. Many had to be content with ‘afters’.
1940 ‘N. Shute’ Landfall x. 256 ‘What's he got for afters?’ ‘Plummy duff.’
1958 J. Hawthorne Myst. Blue Tomatoes xiv. 92 For ‘afters’ to-day she made them all an apple crumble.
1975 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 1 Nov. 278/1 Four servings of blackberries and cream for afters.
2003 J. Connolly Wks. (2004) v. 179 I reckon the apple and blackcurrant crumble's got to be favourite for afters.
2. figurative.
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1949 Observer 4 Sept. 6 The people who didn't like Mr. Simpson's play had switched their sets off already. The people who did like it were in no mood for ‘afters’.
1965 Times 12 July 11/6 Television presentation of the final Saturday at Wimbledon, combined with the usual menu of swimming, ten-pin bowling, and wrestling for ‘afters’.
1992 V. O'Sullivan Palms & Minarets 116 ‘He's an old man... What's the crime in asking him to lunch?’ ‘Why not feed the multitudes as well?’ she asked. ‘Cure a few lepers for afters?’
2009 R. Teme Life & Times Walter Mann ii. 17 I shall want first go and I promises there won't be much left of the sod for afters.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2011; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1909