before (bɪˈfɔː
)
Definitions
conjunction (subordinating)
- 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 Origin
Old English beforan ; related to Old Frisian befara , Old High German biforaSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
in the presence of,
in front of,
before the eyes of
=
in the past,
earlier,
once,
previously,
formerly,
at one time,
hitherto,
beforehand,
B4,
a while ago,
heretofore,
in days or years gone by
Translations
- British English:
before
You use before when you are talking about a previous time.The war had ended only a month before.bɪˈfɔː ADVERB The war had ended only a month before.
- Spanish:
antes
adv
- French:
avant
adv
- German:
davor
adv
- Chinese: 以前 adv
- Arabic: قَبْلَ adv
- Portuguese: antes adv
- Russian: прежде adv
- Croatian: ranije adv
- Czech: předtím adv
- Danish: før adv
- Dutch: vroeger adv
- Finnish: aiemmin adv
- Greek: προηγουμένως adv
- Italian: prima adv
- Japanese: 以前に adv
- Korean: 앞에 adv
- Norwegian: før adv
- Polish: wcześniej adv
- Brazilian Portuguese: antes adv
- European Spanish:
antes
adv
- Swedish: före adv
- Thai: ก่อน adv
- Turkish: önceden adv
- Vietnamese: trước adv
- British English:
before
If you do something before someone else, you do it when they have not yet done it.Before I got to the ball, someone else kicked it away.bɪˈfɔː CONJUNCTION Before I got to the ball, someone else kicked it away.
- Spanish:
antes de que
conj
- French:
avant que
conj
- German:
bevor
conj
- Chinese: 在...之前 conj
- Arabic: قَبْلَ أَنْ conj
- Portuguese: antes que conj
- Russian: до того как conj
- Croatian: prije conj
- Czech: dokud conj
- Danish: før conj
- Dutch: voordat conj
- Finnish: ennen kuin conj
- Greek: προτού conj
- Italian: prima conj
- Japanese: ･･･する前に conj
- Korean: ...하기 전에 conj
- Norwegian: heller enn conj
- Polish: zanim conj
- Brazilian Portuguese: antes que conj
- European Spanish:
antes de que
conj
- Swedish: innan conj
- Thai: ก่อนที่ conj
- Turkish: önce conj
- Vietnamese: trước khi conj
- British English:
before
If one thing happens before another thing, it happens earlier than it.My birthday is just before his.bɪˈfɔː PREPOSITION My birthday is just before his.
- Spanish: antes de prep
- French:
avant
prep
- German:
vor
prep
- Chinese: 在...之前 prep
- Arabic: أَمَام prep
- Portuguese: antes prep
- Russian: перед prep
- Croatian: ispred prep
- Czech: před prep
- Danish: før prep
- Dutch: voor prep
- Finnish: ennen prep
- Greek: προ prep
- Italian: prima prep
- Japanese: ･･･の前に prep
- Korean: ...전에 prep
- Norwegian: før prep
- Polish: przed prep
- Brazilian Portuguese: antes prep
- European Spanish: antes de prep
- Swedish: före prep
- Thai: ก่อนที่ prep
- Turkish: önünde prep
- Vietnamese: trước prep
Usage examples
There are also files full of Marianne's personal stuff, although I'd never looked at them before.
, THE EXECUTION (2002)Some gardeners prefer to prune now - before the leaves have expanded - because the job is more difficult later on.
Country Life (2004)The visitors have a full squad to choose from with Alan Mahon and Mick O'Donnell both included in the panel before their suspensions.
Irish Times (2002)Then six minutes later there was a scramble in the box following a corner, before Steven Gerrard hooked the ball clear.
Glasgow Herald (2001)With few exceptions, notably Ancient Rome, medical officers were not found in the army before the 18th century.
, THE MEDICAL MYSTERIES E-OMNIBUS (2001)