The spelling of the phrase 'send after' is quite straightforward once you understand the rules of English pronunciation. 'Send after' is pronounced /sɛnd ˈæftər/ with stress on the first syllable in 'send' and the second syllable in 'after'. The word 'send' is spelled with an 's' because it begins with an unvoiced consonant sound, whereas 'after' starts with a voiced consonant sound, which is why it's spelled with an 'a'. Overall, 'send after' is a simple phrase with a straightforward spelling.
The term "send after" refers to the act of dispatching or issuing something or someone to a particular destination or individual with the purpose of retrieving, returning, or pursuing them. It typically involves initiating a course of action in order to retrieve, obtain, or pursue the desired target. The action of "sending after" someone or something can be fueled by various intentions including locating a person, object, or animal, conveying a message, delivering instructions, or initiating a pursuit.
In practical terms, "send after" can be used to describe the act of dispatching an individual or group to seek or chase something or someone. It implies an active search or chase, often with an objective of capturing, recovering, or obtaining the target. "Send after" implies a level of urgency or importance attached to the act, regardless of the context.
This term can be applied to various scenarios, such as instructing a search and rescue team to locate a missing person, deploying law enforcement agents to apprehend a suspect, sending a courier to retrieve lost or forgotten items, or even dispatching a fleet of ships to pursue an enemy in war. The concept of "send after" inherently involves initiating a motion or action with the specific purpose of pursuing, retrieving, or obtaining the target or objective.
The word "send" comes from the Old English word "sendan", which means "to cause to go, to dispatch". It is of Germanic origin and related to the Dutch "zenden" and the German "senden".
The word "after" comes from the Old English word "æfter", which means "in the rear, behind". It can also indicate the future or subsequent time. It is derived from the Proto-Germanic word "after" and is related to the Old Frisian "efter", the Old High German "aftar", and the Gothic "aftaro".
When combined, "send after" means to dispatch someone or something in the direction of their location or to summon someone to come to a particular place. The etymology of "send after" is a combination of these two Old English words.