† atforeprep.
Obsolete.
1. In front of, before.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > front > in front of [preposition]
toforea900
aforeeOE
atforec1000
forneOE
beforeOE
forne toc1175
afornonc1275
forne an, atc1275
forouthc1375
aforewardc1380
before the face ofa1382
forwitha1400
forne inc1540
afront1558
ahead1578
in (the) front of1609
in advance1656
forward of1838
front of1843
the world > movement > progressive motion > order of movement > going first or in front > in advance of [preposition]
atforec1000
forneOE
toforec1000
forouthc1375
forwitha1400
forrow1474
c1000 West Saxon Gospels: John (Corpus Cambr.) xix. 13 And sæt æt-foran ðam dóm~setle.
c1175 Lamb. Hom. 41 Heȝe treon eisliche beor~ninde etforen helle ȝete.
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 358 Hys baner, þat men at vore hym bere.
2. In the presence of, in the sight of, before.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > place > presence > in the presence of [preposition]
beforeeOE
toforec1000
aforyenlOE
atforec1175
againsta1225
atc1275
aforec1330
anenta1382
c1175 Cott. Hom. 225 Rich[t] wis et-foran gode.
c1175 Cott. Hom. 229 Et-for har alra ȝesychðe.
1258 Eng. Procl. Hen. III §8 Ætforen ure isworene redesmen.
c1305 St. Lucy 79 in Early Eng. Poems & Lives Saints (1862) 103 Sire Iustise atfore þe.
3. Before in time or order. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > relative time > the past > antecedence or being earlier > antecedence [preposition] > before
aforeeOE
toOE
toforea1000
atforea1250
forouthc1375
fornea1400
forrow1474
tilla1616
in advance1680
A1807
pre1960
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 101 Þeo ðet beoð her etforen i seid.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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prep.c1000