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before
[ bih-fawr, -fohr ]
preposition
- previous to; earlier or sooner than:
Phone me before noon.
- in front of; ahead of; in advance of:
his shadow advancing before him;
She stood before the window.
- ahead of; in the future of; awaiting:
The golden age is before us.
- in preference to; rather than:
They would die before surrendering.
- in precedence of, as in order or rank:
We put freedom before wealth.
- in the presence or sight of: to appear before an audience.
- less than; until: used in indicating the exact time:
It's ten before three.
- under the jurisdiction or consideration of:
He was summoned before a magistrate.
- confronted by; in the face of:
Before such wild accusations, he was too stunned to reply.
- in the regard of:
a crime before God and humanity.
- under the overwhelming influence of:
bending before the storm.
- without figuring or deducting:
income before deductions.
adverb
- in front; in advance; ahead:
The king entered with macebearers walking before.
Antonyms: ,
- in time preceding; previously:
If we'd known before, we'd have let you know.
Antonyms: ,
- earlier or sooner:
Begin at noon, not before.
Antonyms:
conjunction
- previous to the time when:
Send the telegram before we go.
- sooner than; rather than:
I will die before I submit.
before
/ ɪˈɔː /
conjunction
- earlier than the time when
- rather than
he'll resign before he agrees to it
preposition
- preceding in space or time; in front of; ahead of
standing before the altar
- when confronted by
to withdraw before one's enemies
- in the presence of
to be brought before a judge
- in preference to
to put friendship before money
adverb
- at an earlier time; previously; beforehand; in front
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of before1
Idioms and Phrases
- cart before the horse
- cast pearls before swine
- look before you leap
Example Sentences
On Friday, as the Rams prepared for the second night of the draft, McVay used his oratory skills before another assemblage of pros.
’s getting newly registered cars on the road so fast is the fear that the Trump administration’s trade wars will starkly increase car prices, prompting motorists to buy new cars before the anticipated price hike.
Security camera video shows the suspects walking by a pool at a home on Waldo Place and ducking out of sight behind a trampoline, before climbing up a hill.
People can spread measles to others from four days before the disease’s telltale rash appears through four days afterward, according to the CDC.
"And we build it more beautiful than before."
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Related Words
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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