Dictionary > English Dictionary > Definition, synonym and antonym of before
Meaning of before by Wiktionary Dictionary



    From Middle English ( adverb and preposition ), from Old English beforan, itself from be- + foran 'before' ( from fore )


    • ( RP ) enPR: bĭfô', IPA: /bɪˈfɔː/, X-SAMPA: /bI"fO:/
    • ( US ) enPR: bĭfôr', IPA: /bɪˈfɔːr/, /bəˈfɔːr/, X-SAMPA: /bi"fO:r/
    • Hyphenation: be‧fore
    • Rhymes: -ɔː( r )



    1. Earlier than ( in time ) .
      I want this done before Monday .
    2. In front of in space .
      He stood before me .
    3. Under consideration, judgment, authority of ( someone ) .
      The case laid before the panel aroused nothing but ridicule .
    4. In store for, in the future of ( someone ) .
      The period before us looks grim because of the economical crisis .
    5. In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items .
      In alphabetical order, "cat" comes before "dog", "canine" before feline" .
    6. At a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking .
      An entrepreneur puts market share and profit before quality, an amateur intrinsic qualities before economical considerations .




    before ( not comparable )

    1. at an earlier time
      I've never done this before .
    2. in advance



    • after

    Derived terms



    1. in advance of the time when
    2. ( informal ) rather or sooner than


    See also

    • Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition, Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8


Explanation of before by Wordnet Dictionary


    1. earlier in time

    2. I had known her before
      as I said before
    3. at or in the front

    4. with the cross of Jesus marching on before

    Definition of before by GCIDE Dictionary


    1. Before prep. [OE. beforen, biforen, before, AS. beforan; pref. be- + foran, fore, before. See Be-, and Fore.]
      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. Milton.


      Before Abraham was, I am. John viii. 58.

      Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. Swift.

      ☞ Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. “Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee.” John i. 48.

      3. An advance of; farther onward, in place or time.

      The golden age . . . is before us. Carlyle.

      4. Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than.

      He that cometh after me is preferred before me. John i. 15.

      The eldest son is before the younger in succession. Johnson.

      5. In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing.

      Abraham bowed down himself before the people. Gen. xxiii. 12.

      Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Micah vi. 6.

      6. Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of.

      If a suit be begun before an archdeacon. Ayliffe.

      7. Open for; free of access to; in the power of.

      The world was all before them where to choose. Milton.

      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.

    2. Before, adv.

      The battle was before and behind. 2 Chron. xiii. 14.

      2. In advance. “I come before to tell you.” Shak.

      3. In time past; previously; already.

      You tell me, mother, what I knew before. Dryden.

      4. Earlier; sooner than; until then.

      When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before. Shak.

      ☞ Before is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, before-cited, before-mentioned; beforesaid.