before
25 ENTRIES FOUND:
- before (adverb)
- before (preposition)
- before (conjunction)
- blink (verb)
- bring (verb)
- calm (noun)
- carry (verb)
- cart (noun)
- cast (verb)
- count (verb)
- everything (pronoun)
- eye (noun)
- go (verb)
- horse (noun)
- know (verb)
- leap (verb)
- long (noun)
- look (verb)
- pearl (noun)
- put (verb)
- run (verb)
- storm (noun)
- swine (noun)
- time (noun)
- walk (verb)
Britannica Dictionary definition of BEFORE
1
:
at an earlier time
-
Haven't we met before?
-
the night/day before
-
I've never seen her so happy before. [=I've never seen her as happy as she is now]
-
We haven't had these problems before.
-
Everything is just as (it was) before.
2
formal + old-fashioned
:
to or toward the place where someone is going
:
in advance
-
marching on before [=ahead]
2
before
/bɪˈfoɚ/
preposition
2
before
/bɪˈfoɚ/
preposition
Britannica Dictionary definition of BEFORE
1
a
:
at a time preceding (something or someone)
:
earlier than (something or someone)
-
We arrived shortly before six o'clock.
-
before dinner
-
He left just before sunrise.
-
I've never seen her so happy before now.
-
Call me before your arrival.
-
She arrived the day before yesterday.
-
Why haven't you ever helped me before now/this?
-
I finished the exam before him. [=before he finished the exam]
-
You can go before me. [=before I go]
-
He's an electrician, like his father before him. [=his father was also an electrician]
-
They earned 50,000 dollars before (paying) taxes.
b
US
— used to describe a time earlier than a specified hour
-
It's 20 (minutes) before 12. [=it's 20 of/to 12; it's 11:40]
2
:
preceding (something or someone) in order or in a series
-
Your name is listed before mine.
-
You'll see my house just before the bank and after the school.
-
The number 2 comes before 3 and after 1. [=2 comes between 1 and 3]
3
a
:
in front of (someone or something)
:
in the presence of (someone)
—
see also (right) before/in front of your (very) eyes at 1eye
-
The Great Plains stretched endlessly before them.
-
The championship fight took place before a crowd of thousands.
-
The defendant stood up before the judge.
b
:
being considered by (someone or something)
-
The case before the court involves a robbery.
-
the candidates before the voters
-
I have a proposal to put before [=to] the board.
-
The question before us is this: did he fall or was he pushed?
c
:
in the future for (someone)
:
ahead of (someone)
-
They had no idea of the ordeal that lay before them.
4
a
:
in a higher or more important position than (something)
-
They put quantity before [=above] quality. [=they cared more about quantity than about quality]
b
:
rather or sooner than
-
He vowed that he would choose death before dishonor. [=he would rather die than be dishonored]
5
formal
:
under the force of (something)
-
The tree fell before the force of the wind. [=the force of the wind caused the tree to fall]
3
before
/bɪˈfoɚ/
conjunction
3
before
/bɪˈfoɚ/
conjunction
Britannica Dictionary definition of BEFORE
1
a
:
earlier than the time that
:
earlier than when
—
see also before you know it at 1know
-
He left long before morning came.
-
The judge stood up before the defendant did. [=the defendant stood up after the judge did]
-
Say goodbye before you go.
-
Call me before you arrive.
-
Before [=until] she met him she had never been so happy.
-
I finished the exam before he did.
-
It was/happened not long before he arrived.
-
He left before I could thank him. [=I wasn't able to thank him because he left too soon]
-
I'll resign before I give in! [=I would rather resign than give in]
b
:
until the time that
-
It did not take long before he had earned their trust. [=he earned their trust quickly]
-
“I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep…”
Robert Frost, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” (1923)
2
a
— used to refer to something that might happen
-
Get out of there before you get dirty! [=get out of there because you will/might get dirty if you don't]
-
Before I forget, will you give me your telephone number? [=I'm asking for your telephone number now because I might forget to do it later]
b
— used to say that one thing must happen for another thing to happen or be possible
-
He must be convicted before he can be removed from office.
-
You must have completed an introductory class before you can take an advanced class.
