Sekirov Dictionary

before

UK /bɪˈfɔː/US /bɪˈfoɹ/

preposition 7
adverb 3
noun 3
conjunction 2
forms 1
phrases 13

preposition7

•
earlier than a time or an event
- I want this done before Monday.
•
In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.
- In alphabetical order, "cat" comes before "dog", "canine" before feline".
•
At a higher or greater position than, in a ranking.
- An entrepreneur puts market share and profit before quality, and amateur intrinsic qualities before economical considerations.
•
In front of in space.
- He stood before me.
- We sat before the fire to warm ourselves.
•
In the presence of.
- He performed before the troops in North Africa.
- He spoke before a joint session of Congress.
•
Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).
- The case laid before the panel aroused nothing but ridicule.
•
In store for, in the future of (someone).
- Your whole life is before you.

adverb3

•
At an earlier time.
- I've never done this before.
- This achievement far exceeded anything that had come before.
•
At the front end.
- When people call this beast to mind, They marvel more and more At such a little tail behind, So LARGE a trunk before. — 1896
•
(literary) In advance in position or sequence; ahead.
- We walked behind while they went before.

noun3

•
(literary) That which occurred or existed previously.
- Your music has lasted since the beginning of the world. A stone was born in the waters. […] Voice rising to heaven, pure music, green primal root, mother-sea, before all the befores. — 1995
Of before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference before a specified treatment.
•
(rare) A previous form or instance.
- A big wind blew all their befores away. Impacted teeth grew over their names. Even the lines in their hands unraveled, these are the lines they stand in to ask for their hands back. — 1999

conjunction2

•
In advance of the time when.
- Brush your teeth before you go to bed.
•
Rather or sooner than.
- I'll die before I('ll) tell you anything about it.

forms

befores

Phrases with before

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