Noah Webster
Abreast
ABREAST', adverb abrest', [from a and breast.]
1. Side by side; with the breasts in a line.
Two men rode abreast
2. In marine language, ships are abreast when their heads are equally advanced; and they are abreast of objects when the objects are on a line with the beam. - Hence,
Opposite; against; on a line with - as a ship was abreast of Montauk point - A seaman's phrase.