beforepreposition, adverb, conjunction
uk/bɪˈfɔːr/us/bɪˈfɔːr/A1 at or during a time earlier than (the thing mentioned):
You should always wash your hands before meals.
Before leaving he said goodbye to each of them.
She's always up before dawn.
Before he could reach the door, she quickly closed it.
Before we make a decision, does anyone want to say anything else?
She had to give the doorman a tip before he would help her with her suitcases (= he would not do it until she had given him a tip).
B1 until (the event mentioned):
It was an hour before the police arrived.
A2 in the past:
He said he had never seen her before.
I feel as though I've been here before.
More examples
- You should always check your oil, water and tyres before taking your car on a long trip.
- Make sure your hands are clean before you have your dinner.
- Two weeks before my exams I shut myself away in my room with my books and I didn't speak to anyone.
- I want you to clear all these toys away before bedtime.
- She did well to find the way, considering she'd only been there once before.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Before, after and already
- afore
- after
- afterwards
- already
- ante
- as it is idiom
- following
- front
- gone
- heretofore
- immediate
- in advance idiom
- in advance of sth/sb idiom
- in the wake of sth idiom
- later
- shortly
- subsequent
- successor
- thereafter
- this
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Until a particular moment
In the past
beforepreposition
uk/bɪˈfɔːr/us/bɪˈfɔːr/B1 in front of:
The letter K comes before L in the English alphabet.
Many mothers put their children's needs before their own.
We have the whole weekend before us - what do you want to do?
He stood up before a whole roomful of people, and asked her to marry him.
A2 If a place is before another place, you will arrive at it first when you are travelling towards the second place:
The bus stop is just before the school.
If something is before someone or before a group of people, it will be formally considered or examined by that person or group:
The proposal before the committee is that we try and reduce our spending by ten percent.
The men appeared before the judge yesterday.
More examples
- He bowed down before the king and begged for mercy.
- I could hardly believe the chaotic scene before me.
- There were still several people before me in the queue.
- He took out his gold watch and laid it on the table before hm.
- He got down on his knees before the altar.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Ahead, in front and beyond
- ahead
- ante
- be (right) under your nose idiom
- beyond
- downriver
- follow
- follow your nose idiom
- fore
- fore-
- front
- head
- lead 1
- nose
- para
- past
- up
- yonder
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Analysing and evaluating
Law courts