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10 Sample Sentences Using the Idiom 'Be After'

The idiom "be after" generally means to pursue or to be seeking something. For example, "I'm after a new job" means "I am seeking a new job." It can also be used in the sense of "to want" or "to be trying to get."

"be after" meaning and sample sentences

For example, "He's after my job" means "He wants my job" or "He is trying to take my job." It can also be used to indicate an imminent event. For example, "I'm after seeing the doctor" means "I'm going to see the doctor soon".

The idiom "be after" has been in use for several centuries in the English language. It is thought to have originated from the Old English phrase "Γ¦fter" which means "in pursuit of" or "in search of."

This phrase was used in a similar way to the modern idiom, indicating that someone is actively seeking or trying to obtain something.

Here are 10 sample sentences using the idiom "be after":
  1. I think he's after my job.
  2. She's always after the latest fashion trends.
  3. The dog is after the cat.
  4. He's been after that promotion for months.
  5. They're after a larger house.
  6. I'm not sure what he's after, but it seems suspicious.
  7. The police are after the thief.
  8. We're after the same goal.
  9. He's always been after the easy way out.
  10. They're after a better deal on the car.
In the 16th and 17th century, the phrase was used in the sense of "to pursue or follow" and "to want or desire" and it was commonly used in literature of that time. It's also been used in the sense of "to be imminent or to be following" in the 19th century.

The idiom "be after" has been in continuous use in the English language and its meaning has remained relatively consistent over time. It is considered a very common and widely understood idiom in modern English.

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