aforehand

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈfɔrˌhænd/ UK /əˈfɔːhænd/ See IPA manual

adv

Meanings

1

adv
beforehand; in advance (archaic)

She had prepared the rooms aforehand for the guests.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · beforehand; in advance... beforehand previously early aheadaforetime

Opposites

afterward later behindhand

Word family

Related forms afore beforehand aforesaid

Etymology

From afore + hand, modelled on beforehand; afore is from Old English onforan ('before, in front of'), from on + foran ('in front').

onforan Old English fore Old English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Register & Style

# aforehand

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** əˈfɔrˌhænd
**IPA (UK):** əˈfɔːhænd

## Meanings
1. beforehand; in advance (archaic)

## Examples
- She had prepared the rooms aforehand for the guests.

## Synonyms
- beforehand
- previously
- early
- ahead
- aforetime

## Antonyms
- afterward
- later
- behindhand

## Related Forms
- afore
- beforehand
- aforesaid

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: onforan
- Root: fore

## Etymology
From afore + hand, modelled on beforehand; afore is from Old English onforan ('before, in front of'), from on + foran ('in front').

## AI Etymology
Aforehand is an adverb meaning "beforehand; in advance (archaic)". Historically, it is from afore + hand, modelled on beforehand; afore is from Old English onforan ('before, in front of'), from on + foran ('in front'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: aforehand is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old English onforan with Old English fore. Close English family members include afore, beforehand, and aforesaid.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Register & Style

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