before

Meanings

1. 1
   prep

   Earlier than (in time).

   I want this done before Monday.

2. 2
   prep

   In front of in space.

   He stood before me.

3. 3
   prep

   In the presence of.

   He performed before the troops in North Africa.

4. 4
   prep

   Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).

   The case laid before the panel aroused nothing but ridicule.

5. 5
   prep

   In store for, in the future of (someone).

   Your whole life is before you.

6. 6
   prep

   In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.

   In alphabetical order, "cat" comes before "dog", "canine" before feline".

7. 7
   prep

   At a higher or greater position than, in a ranking.

   An entrepreneur puts market share and profit before quality, and amateur intrinsic qualities before economical considerations.

8. 8
   adv

   At an earlier time.

   I've never done this before.

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epsder. Proto-Indo-European *h₁epider. Proto-Indo-European *h₁pi Proto-Germanic *bider. Proto-Germanic *bi- Proto-West Germanic *bi- Old English be- Old English foran Old English beforan Middle English bifore English before Inherited from Middle English before /bifore, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran (“before”), from fore, from Proto-Germanic *furai, from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“front”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian befoar (“before”), German Low German bevör (“before”), German bevor (“before”).