BEFORE • E-FREE TRANSLATION.COM • Definition of Before

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/bɪfˈɔr/ /bˌifˈɔr/ Listen

preposition

Before prep.

1.

In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house. "His angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire."

2.

Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that. "Before Abraham was, I am." "Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary." Note: Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. "Before that Philip called thee... I saw thee."

3.

An advance of; farther onward, in place or time. "The golden age... is before us."

4.

Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than. "He that cometh after me is preferred before me." "The eldest son is before the younger in succession."

5.

In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing. "Abraham bowed down himself before the people." "Wherewith shall I come before the Lord?"

6.

Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of. "If a suit be begun before an archdeacon."

7.

Open for; free of access to; in the power of. "The world was all before them where to choose."

Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast.

Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.

adverb

Before adv.

1.

On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; opposed to in the rear. "The battle was before and behind."

2.

In advance. "I come before to tell you."

3.

In time past; previously; already. "You tell me, mother, what I knew before."

4.

Earlier; sooner than; until then. "When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before." Note: Before is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, before-cited, before-mentioned; beforesaid.

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Etymology of 'Before'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Before" Quotes from Famous Books

... Commons, Monday. March 28.—Strange sight witnessed in House to-night. Subject of Debate, Indian Council Bill; Benches nearly full. Pup and dog, I've known the House for nineteen years, and never before saw the like. Explanation not found in fact of CURZON making his maiden speech as Minister in charge of Bill, though that had some influence at outset. Able speech it proved, our newest Minister having the great gift of lucidity. ...

— Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 102, April 9th, 1892 • Various

... gleam was unconsciously projected upon the present crisis by Mr. Bodge, better known in the village as Father Bodge. Mr. Bodge was stone deaf, naturally stupid, and had been nearly moribund for thirty years with asthma. Just before night-fall he had crawled, in his bewildered, wheezy fashion, down to the tavern, where he found a somber crowd in the bar-room. Mr. Bodge ordered his mug of beer, and sat sipping it, glancing meditatively from time to time over the pewter rim at the mute assembly. Suddenly he broke out: "S'pose ...

— The Stillwater Tragedy • Thomas Bailey Aldrich

... might be wished. The fact that among certain nations marriage sometimes takes place at a remarkably early age, is no certain proof of the early awakening of sexuality in persons of this nationality; for the marriage may be a purely ceremonial affair, and may be effected long before the individual is ripe for sexual intercourse or for procreation; and the first act of intercourse may not take place until several years after the ceremony of marriage. Among ourselves, marriage, especially in the case of men, does not as a rule take place until long after the age of puberty, ...

— The Sexual Life of the Child • Albert Moll

... you say, my dear?" came immediately from her mother, the ever-watchful dragon just before them. She forthwith turned a little round, for the sun was on her left hand, and with her right eye kept Priscilla well in view for ...

— The Revolution in Tanner's Lane • Mark Rutherford

... this Catechism has passed away from earth, but, before he left the body, he had arranged with the High Priest Sumangala to make some small corrections in the text. These are incorporated in the present edition by the High Priest's wish, expressed to me ...

— The Buddhist Catechism • Henry S. Olcott

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