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more about before
before |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Before \Be*fore"\, 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. 2. Preceding in time; earlier than previously to anterior to the time when -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that Before Abraham was I am --John viii. 58. Before this treatise can become of use two points are necessary. --Swift. Note: 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Before \Be*fore"\, adv 1. On the fore part in front, or in the direction of the front; -- opposed to {in the rear}. 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. Note: Before is often used in self-explaining compounds; as before-cited, before-mentioned; beforesaid From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: before adv 1: earlier in time; previously; "I had known her before"; "as I said before"; "he called me the day before but your call had come even earlier"; "her parents had died four years earlier"; "I mentioned that problem earlier" [syn: {earlier}] 2: at or in the front; "I see the lights of a town ahead"; "the road ahead is foggy"; "staring straight ahead"; "we couldn't see over the heads of the people in front"; "with the cross of Jesus marching on before" [syn: {ahead}, {in front}]
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