英语词汇“before”的英英意思、用法、释义、翻译、读音、例句、短语、词组-英语词典

before

(bɪfɔːʳ )

In addition to the uses shown below, before is used in the phrasal verbs 'go before' and 'lay before'.

1. preposition A1

If something happens before a particular date, time, or event, it happens earlier than that date, time, or event.

Annie was born a few weeks before Christmas.

Before World War II, women were not recruited as intelligence officers.

Dan rarely comes to bed before 2 or 3am.

Synonyms: earlier than, ahead of, prior to, in advance of

Before is also a conjunction.

Stock prices climbed close to the peak they'd registered before the stock market crashed.

2. preposition [PREP v-ing] A1

If you do one thing before doing something else, you do it earlier than the other thing.

He spent his early life in Sri Lanka before moving to England.

Before leaving, he went into his office to fill in the daily time sheet.

Before is also a conjunction.

He took a cold shower and then towelled off before he put on fresh clothes.

3. adverb [noun ADVERB] A2

You use before when you are talking about time. For example, if something happened the day before a particular date or event, it happened during the previous day.

The war had ended only a month or so before.

Synonyms: previously, earlier, sooner, in advance

Before is also a preposition.

It's interesting that he sent me the book twenty days before the deadline for my book.

Before is also a conjunction.

Kelman had a book published in the U.S. more than a decade before a British publisher would touch him.

4. conjunction A2

If you do something before someone else can do something, you do it when they have not yet done it.

Before he could take another one, she laid her fingertips on his mouth.

5. adverb [ADVERB after verb] A2

If someone has done something before, they have done it on a previous occasion. If someone has not done something before, they have never done it.

I've been here before.

I had met Professor Lown before.

She had never been to Italy before.

Synonyms: in the past, earlier, once, previously

6. conjunction B1+

If there is a period of time or if several things are done before something happens, it takes that amount of time or effort for this thing to happen.

It was some time before the door opened in response to his ring.

7. conjunction B2

If a particular situation has to happen before something else happens, this situation must happen or exist in order for the other thing to happen.

There was additional work to be done before all the troops would be ready.

8. preposition

If someone is before something, they are in front of it. [formal]

They drove through a tall iron gate and stopped before a large white villa.

Synonyms: in front of, ahead of, in advance of, to the fore of

9. preposition A2

If you tell someone that one place is a certain distance before another, you mean that they will come to the first place first.

The turn is about two kilometres before the roundabout.

10. preposition

If you appear or come before an official person or group, you go there and answer questions.

The Governor will appear before the committee next Tuesday.

Synonyms: in the presence of, in front of, before the eyes of

11. preposition

If something happens before a particular person or group, it is seen by or happens while this person or this group is present.

The game followed a colourful opening ceremony before a crowd of seventy-four thousand.

12. preposition

If you have something such as a journey, a task, or a stage of your life before you, you must do it or live through it in the future.

Everyone in the room knew it was the single hardest task before them.

I saw before me an idyllic life.

Synonyms: ahead of, in front of, in advance of

13. preposition

When you want to say that one person or thing is more important than another, you can say that they come before the other person or thing.

Life is still a juggling act, but my children come before anything else.

14. before long phrase B2

If you say that something will happen or happened before long, you mean that it will happen or happened soon.

German interest rates will come down before long.

Before long he took over the editing of the magazine.

Translations:

Chinese: 以前, 在...之前, 在...之前

Japanese: 以前に, ･･･する前に, ･･･の前に

单词	before
释义	before (bɪfɔːʳ ) In addition to the uses shown below, before is used in the phrasal verbs 'go before' and 'lay before'. 1. preposition A1 If something happens before a particular date, time, or event, it happens earlier than that date, time, or event. Annie was born a few weeks before Christmas. Before World War II, women were not recruited as intelligence officers. Dan rarely comes to bed before 2 or 3am. Synonyms: earlier than, ahead of, prior to, in advance of Before is also a conjunction. Stock prices climbed close to the peak they'd registered before the stock market crashed. 2. preposition [PREP v-ing] A1 If you do one thing before doing something else, you do it earlier than the other thing. He spent his early life in Sri Lanka before moving to England. Before leaving, he went into his office to fill in the daily time sheet. Before is also a conjunction. He took a cold shower and then towelled off before he put on fresh clothes. 3. adverb [noun ADVERB] A2 You use before when you are talking about time. For example, if something happened the day before a particular date or event, it happened during the previous day. The war had ended only a month or so before. Synonyms: previously, earlier, sooner, in advance Before is also a preposition. It's interesting that he sent me the book twenty days before the deadline for my book. Before is also a conjunction. Kelman had a book published in the U.S. more than a decade before a British publisher would touch him. 4. conjunction A2 If you do something before someone else can do something, you do it when they have not yet done it. Before he could take another one, she laid her fingertips on his mouth. 5. adverb [ADVERB after verb] A2 If someone has done something before, they have done it on a previous occasion. If someone has not done something before, they have never done it. I've been here before. I had met Professor Lown before. She had never been to Italy before. Synonyms: in the past, earlier, once, previously 6. conjunction B1+ If there is a period of time or if several things are done before something happens, it takes that amount of time or effort for this thing to happen. It was some time before the door opened in response to his ring. 7. conjunction B2 If a particular situation has to happen before something else happens, this situation must happen or exist in order for the other thing to happen. There was additional work to be done before all the troops would be ready. 8. preposition If someone is before something, they are in front of it. [formal] They drove through a tall iron gate and stopped before a large white villa. Synonyms: in front of, ahead of, in advance of, to the fore of 9. preposition A2 If you tell someone that one place is a certain distance before another, you mean that they will come to the first place first. The turn is about two kilometres before the roundabout. 10. preposition If you appear or come before an official person or group, you go there and answer questions. The Governor will appear before the committee next Tuesday. Synonyms: in the presence of, in front of, before the eyes of 11. preposition If something happens before a particular person or group, it is seen by or happens while this person or this group is present. The game followed a colourful opening ceremony before a crowd of seventy-four thousand. 12. preposition If you have something such as a journey, a task, or a stage of your life before you, you must do it or live through it in the future. Everyone in the room knew it was the single hardest task before them. I saw before me an idyllic life. Synonyms: ahead of, in front of, in advance of 13. preposition When you want to say that one person or thing is more important than another, you can say that they come before the other person or thing. Life is still a juggling act, but my children come before anything else. 14. before long phrase B2 If you say that something will happen or happened before long, you mean that it will happen or happened soon. German interest rates will come down before long. Before long he took over the editing of the magazine. Translations: Chinese: 以前, 在...之前, 在...之前 Japanese: 以前に, ･･･する前に, ･･･の前に
随便看	environmentally acceptable environmentally aware environmentally beneficial environmentally benign environmentally conscious environmentally destructive environmentally efficient environmental monitoring environmental movement environmental objectives environmental organization environmental permit environmental policy environmental pollution environmental problem environmental project environmental protection environmental regulation environmental regulator environmental responsibility environmental review environmental risk environmental safeguards environmental scientist environmental standard