/bɪˈfo(ː)ɹ/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
/bɪˈfoə/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
bĭfôʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
/bəˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
/biˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
bəfôrʹ (General-American)
/bɪˈfoː/ (Australia)
bĭfōrʹ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épider.
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”).
Meanings
Earlier than (in time).
We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
I want this done before Monday.
In front of in space.
His angel, who shall go / Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. 1667, John Milton, “Book XII”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight. 2013 September-October, Henry Petroski, “The Evolution of Eyeglasses”, in American Scientist:
He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance.[…]But she said she must go back, and when they joined the crowd again[…]she found her mother standing up before the seat on which she had sat all the evening searching anxiously for her with her eyes, and her father by her side. 1909 September 9, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter I, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC:
He stood before me.
We sat before the fire to warm ourselves.
In the presence of.
He spoke before a joint session of Congress.
He performed before the troops in North Africa.
Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).
If a suit be begun before an archdeacon[…] 1726, John Ayliffe, Parergon Juris Canonici Anglicani:
The case laid before the panel aroused nothing but ridicule.
In store for, in the future of (someone).
There is an Eternity behind thee as well as one before. Hast thou bewailed the aeons that passed without thee, who art so much afraid of the aeons that shall pass? 1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 76:
The golden age[…]is before us. 1831, Thomas Carlyle, “The Phœnix”, in Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh. […], London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, 3rd book, page 164:
Your whole life is before you.
In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.
In alphabetical order, "cat" comes before "dog", "canine" before feline".
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.
He that cometh after me is preferred before me. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 1:15:
he לִפְנֵי (in front of according to an ordering system) · be пе́рад (earlier than) · el μπροστά από (in front of in space) · hi ... से पहले (earlier than) · ckb پێش (in front of in space) · fa پیش از (earlier than) · ta முன்பு (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · nrf d'vant (in front of in space) · ro înainte (in front of in space) · ta முன்பு (earlier than) · ga roimh (in front of according to an ordering system) · sk pred (in front of according to an ordering system) · sv framför (in store for, in the future of) · bsh nūštař (in front of in space) · nrf d'vànt qué (earlier than) · az qabaq (in front of according to an ordering system) · ask nustāri (earlier than) · id sebelum (earlier than) · cmn ...以前 (in front of in space) · ryn 前 (earlier than) · de vor (in front of according to an ordering system) · mr ...-च्या अगोदर (earlier than) · nrf d'vànt (in front of in space) · ml മുന്നെ (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · pt antes de (in front of according to an ordering system) · sv före (in front of in space) · pt na frente de (in front of in space) · ta முன் (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · nds fördem (earlier than) · ar قَبْلَ (in front of according to an ordering system) · fr avant (earlier than) · bg пред (in front of in space) · mt qabel (earlier than) · ro înainte (earlier than) · es ante (in the presence of) · ka უწინ (earlier than) · pl przed (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · nl vóór (in front of in space) · ko 이전에 (earlier than) · pis bifoa (in front of in space) · fy foar (earlier than) · wa divant (in front of in space) · te ఎదర (in front of in space) · ams 前 (in front of in space) · bg преди (earlier than) · ja ...の前に (in front of in space) · ary قدام (in front of in space) · bn আগে (earlier than) · he לִפְנֵי (in front of in space) · rup nãinti (earlier than) · mi mua (in front of in space) · ca davant (in front of in space) · sw kabla ya (earlier than) · hu előtt (in front of in space) · ml മുമ്പ് (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · ga os comhair (in front of in space) · sv före (earlier than) · ga faoi bhráid (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · ms sebelum (in front of according to an ordering system) · ru пе́ред (in front of according to an ordering system) · nb før (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · vi trước khi (earlier than) · pt ante (in front of in space) · rys 前 (earlier than) · dsb pśed (in front of according to an ordering system) · fr avant (in front of according to an ordering system) · mn өмнө (earlier than) · xug 前 (earlier than) · th ก่อน (earlier than) · es antes de (earlier than) · lld dan (earlier than) · cmn ...之前 (in front of in space) · bg пред (in store for, in the future of) · kzg 前 (earlier than) · wa divant ki (earlier than) · bsh nūštař (earlier than) · cmn ...以前 (earlier than) · gcr anvan (earlier than) · nb foran (in store for, in the future of) · wa divant (earlier than) · sw awali (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · he לִפְנֵי (earlier than) · nds för (in front of according to an ordering system) · rys 前 (in front of in space) · nl voordat (earlier than) · ka -მდე (earlier than) · eo antaŭ (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · fi ennen (earlier than) · te ముందు (earlier than) · ca abans que (earlier than) · ta முன்னே (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · ka წინ (earlier than) · kw kyns (earlier than) · es ante (in front of in space) · cmn ...之前 (earlier than) · ko 앞에 (in store for, in the future of) · sv framför (in front of according to an ordering system) · nl voor (earlier than) · te ముందుగాల (earlier than) · hy մինչեւ (earlier than) · de vor (in front of in space) · pl przed (in front of in space) · ang ǣr (earlier than) · nl voor (in front of according to an ordering system) · fr devant (in the presence of) · ar بَيْنَ يَدَيْ (in front of in space) · da inden (in front of according to an ordering system) · pt diante de (in front of in space) · sh prije (earlier than) · ur ... سے پہلے (earlier than) · sk pred (in store for, in the future of) · nds beför (earlier than) · sk pred (in front of in space) · nds er (earlier than) · eo antaŭ (in front of in space) · sv framför (in front of in space) · pt perante (in the presence of) · ary قبالة (in front of in space) · it innanzi (in front of in space) · ta முன் (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · ru пе́ред (in front of in space) · ta முன் (in the presence of) · ga os comhair (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · crh aldı (earlier than) · sh пред (in front of in space) · it innanzi (earlier than) · ary قبل (earlier than) · is áður (earlier than) · ta முன் (in front of in space) · uk пе́ред (earlier than) · lld dant (earlier than) · wbk nūst (in front of in space) · ru пе́ред (earlier than) · be пе́рад (in front of in space) · ta முன்பு (in front of in space) · izh ees (in front of in space) · css chien (earlier than) · sl pred (in front of according to an ordering system) · ar أَمَامَ (in front of in space) · ka წინათ (earlier than) · nl voor (in store for, in the future of) · uk пе́ред (in front of in space) · ba алда (earlier than) · ta முன் (in front of according to an ordering system) · arz قبل (earlier than) · is fyrr (earlier than) · ru пред (earlier than) · ba борон (earlier than) · fa قبل از (earlier than) · ba алда (in front of in space) · sv före (in front of according to an ordering system) · sw mbele ya (in front of in space) · it prima (earlier than) · sga ré (earlier than) · rup nãnti (earlier than) · te ముందు (in front of in space) · de vor (in the presence of) · ryu 前 (in front of in space) · sq para (in front of in space) · ar قَبْلَ (in front of in space) · xug 前 (in front of in space) · sk pred (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · pt em frente a (in front of in space) · mi mua (earlier than) · yoi 前 (in front of in space) · grc ἔμπροσθεν (in front of in space) · mvi 前 (earlier than) · ca abans de (earlier than) · ko 전에 (earlier than) · io avan (in front of in space) · pl nim (earlier than) · mrw mona (earlier than) · mvi 前 (in front of in space) · sl pred (in front of in space) · sh pred (in front of in space) · nn framanfor (in front of in space) · fi varhemmin (earlier than) · vi đằng trước (in front of according to an ordering system) · sk nad (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · bg пред (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · vi đằng trước (in front of in space) · lld dan (earlier than) · nb før (earlier than) · rm avant (earlier than) · ba алдында (in front of in space) · br rak (in front of in space) · bg пред (in front of according to an ordering system) · io ante (earlier than) · sv innan (earlier than) · sh пре (earlier than) · dv އިސް (earlier than) · cs před (in front of in space) · pt ante (in the presence of) · si ඉස්සර (earlier than) · ka წინ (in front of in space) · ro anterior (earlier than) · el μπροστά σε (in front of in space) · yox 前 (earlier than) · el πριν (earlier than) · ga os coinne (in the presence of) · tkn 前 (in front of in space) · sh прије (earlier than) · ms sebelum (earlier than) · fi ennen (in front of according to an ordering system) · dsb pśed (earlier than) · la prō (in front of in space) · it di fronte (in front of in space) · sco afore (earlier than) · grc πρό (earlier than) · fr avant que (earlier than) · ru до (earlier than) · ia ante (earlier than) · hy առջև (in front of in space) · cu прѣдъ (in front of in space) · eu baino lehen (earlier than) · hy առաջ (in front of according to an ordering system) · la ante (in front of in space) · te ముందు (in front of according to an ordering system) · ta முன் (earlier than) · az irəli (earlier than) · ar قَبْلَ (earlier than) · cmn ...以前 (in front of according to an ordering system) · cy o flaen (in front of in space) · nl vóór (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · hy առաջ (earlier than) · wbk nūst (earlier than) · acw قَبل (earlier than) · cs před (in front of according to an ordering system) · sv förut (earlier than) · sl pred (earlier than) · ckb پێش (in front of according to an ordering system) · crh aldında (earlier than) · de vor (earlier than) · uk до (earlier than) · nn føre (in front of in space) · ar قُدَّامَ (in front of in space) · ba ала (in front of according to an ordering system) · kzg 前 (in front of in space) · nds för (in store for, in the future of) · got 𐍆𐌰𐌿𐍂 (in front of in space) · cy o flaen (earlier than) · ms di depan (in front of in space) · mk пред (earlier than) · dsb pśed (in front of in space) · nb innen (earlier than) · ml മുന്നിൽ (in front of in space) · ga os coinne (in front of in space) · it davanti (in front of in space) · ta முன் (in store for, in the future of) · id di depan (in front of in space) · ams 前 (earlier than) · vec avanti (earlier than) · ja ...の前に (earlier than) · ml മുമ്പ് (earlier than) · cs před (earlier than) · my ယခင် (earlier than) · be да (earlier than) · ryu 前 (earlier than) · ml മുമ്പിൽ (in front of in space) · eo antaŭ (earlier than) · cy o flaen (in front of according to an ordering system) · ta முன்பு (in front of according to an ordering system) · tr evvel (earlier than) · swb mbeli za (in front of in space) · la ante (in front of according to an ordering system) · az əvvəl (earlier than) · ta எதிரே (in front of in space) · ru пред (in front of in space) · fi edessä (in front of in space) · grc ἐνώπιον (in front of in space) · vi trước (earlier than) · da før (earlier than) · cu прѣдъ (earlier than) · es antes de (in front of according to an ordering system) · ro în față (in front of in space) · nb foran (in front of in space) · cmn ...之前 (in front of according to an ordering system) · la prae (in front of in space) · yox 前 (in front of in space) · sh pre (earlier than) · ask nustāri (in front of in space) · la ante (earlier than) · mt qabel (in front of in space) · fi aikaisemmin (earlier than) · ka -მდე (in front of according to an ordering system) · br rag (in front of in space) · mr ...-च्या आधी (earlier than) · bg пред (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · nb foran (at a higher or greater position in a subjective ranking) · ko 앞에 (in front of in space) · ru пре́жде (earlier than) · vi trước (in front of according to an ordering system) · ja ...の前に (in front of according to an ordering system) · nl voor (under consideration, judgment, authority of) · kmr berî (earlier than) · vi trước (in front of in space) · ba элек (earlier than) · az qabaq (earlier than) · tkn 前 (earlier than) · ta -உள் (earlier than) · sk pred (earlier than) · mt quddiem (in front of in space) · pl przed (in front of according to an ordering system) · mk пред (in front of in space) · cy yng ngŵydd (in front of in space) · cy cyn (earlier than) · rup ninti (roa-rup) (earlier than) · pl przed (earlier than) · sq para (earlier than) · rm avant (in front of in space) · da foran (in front of in space) · id sebelum (in front of according to an ordering system) · nds fördęm (earlier than) · pt antes de (earlier than) · lld inant (earlier than) · da før (in front of according to an ordering system) · ug بالدۇر (earlier than) · ml മുന്നെ (earlier than) · izh ennen (earlier than) · tr önce (earlier than) · hu előtt (earlier than) · fr devant (in front of in space) · ta முன்னே (in store for, in the future of) · ko 앞에 (in front of according to an ordering system) · fa قبل (earlier than) · ca abans (in front of according to an ordering system) · yoi 前 (earlier than) · ga roimh (earlier than) · hy առջևում (in front of in space) · sv inför (in front of in space)
/bɪˈfo(ː)ɹ/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
/bɪˈfoə/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
bĭfôʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
/bəˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
/biˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
bəfôrʹ (General-American)
/bɪˈfoː/ (Australia)
bĭfōrʹ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épider.
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”).
Meanings
(not-comparable) At an earlier time.
This achievement far exceeded anything that had come before.
I've never done this before.
All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. It was ugly, gross. Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion—or rather as a transition from the subject that started their conversation—such talk had been distressingly out of place. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XII, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
(literary, not-comparable, poetic) In advance in position or sequence; ahead.
We walked behind while they went before.
(not-comparable, uncommon) At the front end.
When people call this beast to mind,
They marvel more and more
At such a little tail behind,
So LARGE a trunk before. 1896, Hilaire Belloc, “The Elephant”, in The Bad Child’s Book of Beasts:
hu elöl (at the front end) · ml മുന്നെ (at an earlier time) · de vorne (at the front end) · ka ადრე (at an earlier time) · is áður (at an earlier time) · th ก่อน (at an earlier time) · es denantes (at an earlier time) · es endenantes (at an earlier time) · is fyrirfram (in advance) · nl vooraf (in advance) · is fyrr (at an earlier time) · ml മുമ്പിൽ (at the front end) · crh aldında (at an earlier time) · oc abans (at an earlier time) · bg предварително (in advance) · ru ра́ньше (at an earlier time) · ta முன் (at an earlier time) · fi ennen (at an earlier time) · ka წინად (at an earlier time) · bg преди (at an earlier time) · he לפני (at an earlier time) · de eher (in advance) · sh unaprijed (in advance) · is áður (in advance) · uk заздалегі́дь (in advance) · id dahulu (at an earlier time) · ko 미리 (in advance) · sv före (in advance) · da før (at an earlier time) · sv framför (in advance) · km ពីមុន (at an earlier time) · ce хьалха (at the front end) · vec avanti (at an earlier time) · uk рані́ше (at an earlier time) · nl op voorhand (in advance) · hy անցյալում (at an earlier time) · km មុន (at an earlier time) · dsb prězy (at the front end) · es denante (at an earlier time) · hy նախկինում (at an earlier time) · inh хьалха (at the front end) · fi aiemmin (in advance) · ro în avans (in advance) · sa पुरा (at an earlier time) · ja 前に (at an earlier time) · es enantes (at an earlier time) · vi trước (in advance) · es antes (at an earlier time) · nl vroeger (at an earlier time) · ml മുമ്പ് (in advance) · sl prej (at an earlier time) · it prima (at an earlier time) · de zuvor (at an earlier time) · sh prije (at an earlier time) · sh unapred (in advance) · sh pre (at an earlier time) · ta முன் (at the front end) · cy ynghynt (at an earlier time) · cmn 以前 (at an earlier time) · ta முன்னே (at an earlier time) · ru зара́нее (in advance) · ca davant (in advance) · hy առաջ (at an earlier time) · fi aikaisemmin (at an earlier time) · izh ennemoin (at an earlier time) · ko 전에 (at an earlier time) · ca abans (at an earlier time) · cy o'r blaen (at an earlier time) · nl voordien (at an earlier time) · da forud (in advance) · ga roimhe sin (at an earlier time) · la anteā (at an earlier time) · cy gynt (at an earlier time) · vi đằng trước (in advance) · ckb لەمەوپێش (at an earlier time) · fo fyrr (at an earlier time) · ta முன்னே (in advance) · es enante (at an earlier time) · ml മുന്നിൽ (at the front end) · ml മുന്നെ (in advance) · eo antaŭe (in advance) · ta முதல் (at the front end) · izh ennen (at an earlier time) · pt primeiro (in advance) · sk predtým (at an earlier time) · sv förr (at an earlier time) · da tidligere (at an earlier time) · ka მანამდე (in advance) · no før (at an earlier time) · fo áður (at an earlier time) · vi trước đây (at an earlier time) · ru ра́нее (at an earlier time) · sv tidigare (at an earlier time) · az əvvəllər (at an earlier time) · ja 以前 (at an earlier time) · nl voorheen (at an earlier time) · wa divant (at an earlier time) · de vorher (at an earlier time) · de vorn (at the front end) · pt antes (at an earlier time) · az əvvəl (at an earlier time) · ga cheana (at an earlier time) · nl eerder (at an earlier time) · eo antaŭe (at the front end) · fr avant (at an earlier time) · gd roimhe (at an earlier time) · de im Voraus (in advance) · fi etukäteen (in advance) · ka უწინ (at an earlier time) · ml മുമ്പ് (at an earlier time) · az qabaq (at an earlier time) · sw kabla (at an earlier time) · th เมื่อก่อน (at an earlier time) · ro înainte (at an earlier time) · sv förut (at an earlier time) · az qabaqlar (at an earlier time) · sw awali (at an earlier time) · eo antaŭe (at an earlier time) · ta முன் (in advance)
/bɪˈfo(ː)ɹ/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
/bɪˈfoə/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
bĭfôʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
/bəˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
/biˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
bəfôrʹ (General-American)
/bɪˈfoː/ (Australia)
bĭfōrʹ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épider.
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”).
Meanings
In advance of the time when.
Brush your teeth before you go to bed.
Near-synonym: no later than
Stephen Ward then had to time his tackle excellently to deny Tarmo Kink as the Wolves winger slid the ball out of play before the Estonian could attempt to beat Given. 2011 November 11, Rory Houston, “Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland”, in RTE Sport:
But before this elaborate treatise can become of universal use and ornament to my native country, two points[…] are absolutely necessary. 1731 (date written), Simon Wagstaff [pseudonym; Jonathan Swift], “An Introduction to the Following Treatise”, in A Complete Collection of Genteel and Ingenious Conversation, […], London: […] B[enjamin] Motte […], published 1738, →OCLC, page xiv:
(informal) Rather or sooner than.
I'll die before I('ll) tell you anything about it.
da før (in advance of the time when) · ta முன் (rather or sooner than) · cy cyn (in advance of the time when) · fr avant que (rather or sooner than) · mt qabel (in advance of the time when) · it prima (in advance of the time when) · ru пре́жде чем (in advance of the time when) · bg преди да (in advance of the time when) · ml മുമ്പ് (rather or sooner than) · bg преди (rather or sooner than) · hu mielőtt (in advance of the time when) · cs než (in advance of the time when) · es antes que (rather or sooner than) · sv förrän (in advance of the time when) · da inden (in advance of the time when) · ml മുൻപെ (in advance of the time when) · ha kafin (in advance of the time when) · el πριν (in advance of the time when) · da hellere (rather or sooner than) · ml മുമ്പ് (in advance of the time when) · sv hellre (rather or sooner than) · eo antaŭ kiam (in advance of the time when) · pt antes de (in advance of the time when) · ko 기 전(前)에 (in advance of the time when) · ru до того́, как (in advance of the time when) · fr avant que (in advance of the time when) · eo antaŭ ol (in advance of the time when) · el προτού (in advance of the time when) · pl zanim (in advance of the time when) · ml മുന്നെ (in advance of the time when) · ca abans que (rather or sooner than) · ta முன் (in advance of the time when) · ta -உள் (rather or sooner than) · ca abans que (in advance of the time when) · fi ennen kuin (in advance of the time when) · nl alvorens (in advance of the time when) · de bevor (rather or sooner than) · ta முன்பு (rather or sooner than) · pt antes que (rather or sooner than) · la antequam (in advance of the time when) · ml മുന്നെ (rather or sooner than) · nl voordat (in advance of the time when) · sv innan (in advance of the time when) · uk перш ніж (in advance of the time when) · de bevor (in advance of the time when) · grc πρίν (in advance of the time when) · nl eerder dan (rather or sooner than) · ga sula (in advance of the time when) · nl vooraleer (in advance of the time when) · ta முன்பு (in advance of the time when) · es antes de que (in advance of the time when) · it innanzi che (rather or sooner than) · uk до то́го, як (in advance of the time when) · nl voor (in advance of the time when) · ta -உள் (in advance of the time when) · is áður en (in advance of the time when)
/bɪˈfo(ː)ɹ/ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
/bɪˈfoə/ non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
bĭfôʹ (Received-Pronunciation)
/bəˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
/biˈfoɹ/ (General-American)
bəfôrʹ (General-American)
/bɪˈfoː/ (Australia)
bĭfōrʹ rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger
Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁ep-der.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épsder.
Proto-Indo-European *h₁épider.
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”).
Meanings
Of before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference before a specified treatment.
On the left of the double column of photographs are the “befores.” Look at them! Fine boys all, yet here is an unformed mouth; there, a fine face just missing strength by a slight over-plumpness of feature; below, a clever face just a shade too “smart”; on the next page, a form too slight and beginning to stoop. On the right are the “afters.” 1918 April, “Before and After”, in Arthur Deerin Call, editor, Advocate of Peace, volume LXXX, number 4, Washington, D.C.: American Peace Society, →ISSN, →OCLC, “Editorial Notes” section, page 105, column 2:
Sometimes we’d agree the person looked better in their before. Happier somehow. More themselves before the muscles. […] Other times we’d laugh at the befores. I’d make a crack, something like, “People should need a special government ID to buy spandex like that. It’s a question of public safety.” 2017, Meagan Cass, “Calling All Soloflex Men”, in ActivAmerica, Denton, Tex.: University of North Texas Press, →ISBN, page 100:
I told them that I was taking part in a ‘Before and After’ feature for the magazine. The beauty editor had picked a couple of girls in the office to experiment on. ‘I always think that the befores look better than the afters in that kind of experiment,’ Aunt G said. 1973, Mary Lutyens, chapter 8, in Cleo, London: Michael Joseph, →ISBN, page 164:
(often, poetic, uncommon) That which occurred or existed previously.
Yet when I was a child, I stood with my mother on that distant shore, or walked with her up the road, past orchards of plums and pears, past fields narrow as piano keys. To the village where she was born, and her mother before her; all other mothers, all the befores that ever were. 1998, Janice Kulyk Keefer, “Prologue: A Bridge of Words”, in Honey and Ashes: A Story of Family, Toronto, Ont.: HarperPerennialCanada, →ISBN, page 3:
As all are commanded to yield like the mummy when the dung beetle rolls the sun / before all the befores of the trillion nights past night and day / though I knew that the broken receding mouth of the Sphinx had nothing to add / of resurrection in the history of its grimace. 1982, Hugh Seidman, “Hymn”, in Throne/Falcon/Eye: Poems, New York, N.Y.: Random House, →ISBN; quoted in Michael Heller, “SEIDMAN, Hugh”, in James Vinson, D[aniel] L[ane] Kirkpatrick, editors, Contemporary Poets (Contemporary Writers of the English Language), 4th edition, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, 1985, →ISBN, pages 763–764:
Your music has lasted since the beginning of the world. A stone was born in the waters. […] Voice rising to heaven, pure music, green primal root, mother-sea, before all the befores. 1995, Maria Luisa Spaziani, translated by Laura Stortoni, “The Aegean”, in Sentry Towers, Berkeley, Calif.: Hesperia Press, →ISBN, page 41:
We talk about all the befores. The stupid things we did. The funny things. The times she made us laugh. 2011, Mary E. Pearson, chapter 74, in The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles; 2), New York, N.Y.: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, page 285:
Because we’re in debt to that before, to all the befores where the life was before the words. Every time we pick up a hammer and a nail there’s a dead man in it who built a lean-to out of the weather in Wyoming in December or a farmer in Latin America someplace on the back of a mule-drawn cart broken down with a town’s vegetables rotting in the sun or a Mennonite right over there in McGaheysville this minute saying no to some nigh useless particle board siding and still fashioning his house with his hand. 2000, Daniel Villasenor, chapter 6, in The Lake, New York, N.Y.: Viking, →ISBN, page 30:
The packing that took all week to finish had also taken her mind off Mike. Less and less she found herself weeping. Her focus was on the nexts. There was little time now to think about all the befores. Today would put an end to the last leftover one. 2003, Cynn Chadwick, chapter 16, in Cat Rising, Binghamton, N.Y.: Alice Street Editions, →ISBN, page 236:
For high in the brightest tower of Light Castle, one thing shone still brighter—the Princess of Light! She came from before all the befores, from a place that is no place. Not fire. Not water. Not air. Not earth. No place. Neither solid, nor liquid, nor gas. Nothing to speak of. 2001, Ezra Scott, “Anavak’s Tale”, in Angel Up My Sleeve, Santa Fe, N.M.: Fontanel Books, →ISBN, page 25:
(rare) A previous form or instance.
They were chatting and laughing and it made my heart hurt. They were getting out. Returning to whatever their befores were. They didn’t even glance back at the house as they climbed into the waiting vehicles. 2015, Sarah Pinborough, chapter 14, in The Death House, London: Gollancz, →ISBN, page 160:
I guess I should have known from all the befores / that when it’s all said and done / I don’t want to be / I won’t stand to be / I refuse to be / anything but YOURS 2006, Walee [pseudonym], “I Never Can Say Goodbye”, in What’s on the Menu? All of Me! Literary Entrees Prepared by Walee, Lincoln, Neb.: iUniverse, →ISBN, chapter 3, page 55:
A big wind blew all their befores away. Impacted teeth grew over their names. Even the lines in their hands unraveled, these are the lines they stand in to ask for their hands back. 1999 March, Julia Vinograd, “The Homeless”, in Street Spirit, volume 5, number 3, San Francisco, Calif.: American Friends Service Committee, →OCLC, page 13: