before1 conjunctionbefore2 prepositionbefore3 adverb
beforebe‧fore1 /bɪˈfɔː $ -ˈfɔːr/ ●●● S1 W1 conjunction 
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Before you get angry, try and remember what it was like to be fifteen.
- Anthony wants to see you before you go.
- It will be a few days before we know the full results.
- Lock up your bike before it gets stolen.
- Take that dog indoors before it bites somebody.
- There's a lot to do before we can submit the proposal.
- We don't know how long it'll be before I get the cast off my arm.
Longman Language Activatorbefore you do something or before something happens
before you do something or before an event happens: · The family left France just before the war.· Think carefully before you give your final answer.· Before I had a chance to say anything, David walked away.before doing something: · Before joining IBM, Frank worked for Toshiba.· You should check the oil before beginning a long car journey.before that: · We spent two years in Thailand, and before that we lived in China.· I was a waiter for six months, and before that I worked in a supermarket.a week/two days/five years etc before: · I was born just eleven months before my brother.
also ahead of time American if you do something beforehand or ahead of time , you do it before you do something else, especially to make the situation easier: · Let me know ahead of time if you need a ride to the airport.· We had agreed beforehand not to tell anyone else about our plans.
before you do something else: · Add the onions and garlic first, then the mushrooms.· "Shall we go for some lunch?" "Yeah, great, let me just make a quick call first."
if you do something in advance , you do it before another event happens, especially so that you are prepared: · Pasta salad is a dish that you can easily prepare in advance.· I wish you'd told me in advance that you were going to be late.in advance of: · Your passport application should be submitted well in advance of your departure.three days/six months/a year etc in advance: · Preparations for the president's visit had been made several months in advance.
: pre-war/pre-Christmas/pre-Roman etc before the war, Christmas etc: · Life in pre-war Britain was simpler and less fast-paced.· As usual, the government seems to have forgotten most of its pre-election promises.
formal before, especially before a particular event or date: · I spoke with Sarah prior to the meeting.prior to doing something: · The doctor should have told you about the possible side effects prior to starting you on the medication.
the time before an important event: · On the eve of the election, some of the candidates were showing signs of strain.· No-one claimed responsibility for the bombing, which occurred on the eve of the Prime Minister's visit.· Another round of TV debates will be held in the run-up to the referendum.
given or done before the time that a particular event takes place or before the time that something is expected to happen: · Aid workers say the village had no advance warning of the floods.· Advance bookings for the concert start today.· Airport visas may be obtained if forty-eight hours advance notice has been provided.
formal taking place before something else happens or before someone is allowed to do something: · The airline says that some flights may be cancelled without prior warning.· The phone company is required to give you prior notice before disconnecting your service.· The tenant must get the prior consent of the landlord before doing any redecorating in the flat.
before a particular time or date · Call me back before 5.30.· You should go, before John gets back.just before · Our daughter was born just before Christmas.
: by 6 o'clock/Friday/next winter etc at some time before 6 o'clock, Friday etc, and certainly not later than this: · I'll be home by 6.30, I promise.· By 9.00, most of the guests had arrived.· Please try to have this done by Friday.
also by something at the latest before or at a particular time but definitely not after it - used especially to tell someone the time by which they must have done something: · I want your essays back no later than Wednesday, nine o'clock.· Jenny should be back by Monday at the latest.· Entry forms for the competition should arrive no later than Friday, November 1st.· The dinner party will be over by ten-thirty at the very latest.
before now before now or before the time you are talking about: · I had never seen such an ugly baby before.· Wendell had never been on a plane before.the day/week/year etc before: · Sheila and I became friends in 1995, although we had actually met several years before.
: five minutes/two weeks/20 years etc ago five minutes, two weeks, twenty years etc before now: · George went out half an hour ago. Can I have him call you back?· Lucy's aunt died a few months ago.a long time ago: · "When did you live in Germany?" "Oh, it was a long time ago."ages ago spoken (=a very long time ago): · Pauline wrote to me once, but that was ages ago.
at some time, date, year etc before now or before the time you are talking about: · Didn't I give you the key earlier?earlier in the day/year etc: · I saw Barbara earlier in the day - she looked pretty upset.20 years earlier/10 minutes earlier/moments earlier etc: · Three years earlier, Miller had been happily married, with a good job.
before a time or event in the past: · Hastings previously worked for a software company in Richmond.· The bombing is being blamed on a previously unknown group of terrorists.two days/three weeks/six months etc previously: · She had met Atwood at a conference a few weeks previously.
formal during a period in the past but not now: · Milligan, 43, was formerly a deputy foreign minister.· Peru was formerly ruled by the Spanish.· Watkins was formerly editor of the Express, a local weekly newspaper.
someone or something that existed before or that you had before the previous person or thing is the one that existed just before now or before the time you are talking about: · The car's previous owner didn't take very good care of it.· Please ignore my previous instructions.
the last thing or person is the one that you had just before now, or the one that existed just before now: · The last apartment we lived in was much smaller than this one.· Beth broke up with her last boyfriend because he drank too much.
: ex-wife/ex-boyfriend/ex-soldier etc someone who used to be someone's wife, used to be a soldier etc, but is not any more: · Her dad's an ex-policeman.· Lydia is still friends with her ex-husband.
: somebody's old job/car/girlfriend/boss etc the job, car etc that someone had before the one they have now: · The new stadium is much bigger than the old one.· I saw Phil with one of my old girlfriends.· We all liked the old teacher better.
the person or thing that existed before the one you have just mentioned: · I didn't enjoy Spielberg's last film but I thought the one before was all right.· Each year, the convention is a little larger than the one before.
formal use this especially to talk about someone who used to have a particular job or position but does not any more: · Her former husband now lives in Houston.· Weinberger was an advisor to former president Ronald Reagan.
formal someone's predecessor is the person who had the same job before them: · Vandenberg has been a more active director than his predecessor.· Sally's predecessor had warned her about Nick, one of the company vice-presidents.
formal someone whose ideas or style are later used by another more famous person, or an organization, movement or machine that later develops into one that is more important: precursor of/to: · The abacus was the precursor of the modern electronic calculator.· The Office of Strategic Services was the precursor of the CIA.
the first person, organization, machine etc that existed before the one that exists now and that the one that exists now is based on: forerunner of: · The P-50 is a forerunner of today's supersonic jet.· Hansen played in the American Basketball League, a forerunner of the NBA.
before someone or something else in a list, line, series etc before something or someone else in a list, series, or set: · I think you were before me in line, weren't you?· Islington station is one stop before Finsbury Park on the Victoria Line.
to happen or exist before something or someone else: · Churchill was a much stronger leader than the man who came before him.· A planning session at eleven-thirty will precede the noon lunch discussion.be preceded by something: · Witnesses say the fire was preceded by a loud explosion.· In most cases the illness is preceded by vomiting and chills.
before another person in a group of people who are waiting to do something: · The man in front of me looked very familiar.· There were about fifty people ahead of us waiting for tickets.
coming before the one that you are dealing with now: · The previous chapter examined how children learn language.· Each number in the series 2 - 4 - 8 - 16 is twice as large as the previous number.
coming at some time before the one you have just mentioned - use this especially about something that is very different from what is happening now: · He used a lot more color in his earlier paintings.· The play lacks the wit and energy of Jergen's earlier work.
the thing that comes before another in a series: · When you're in prison, every day feels just like the one before.
formal coming before the thing you have just mentioned, or the part of a book where you are now: · The preceding chapters have described several key events in recent French history.· In the preceding section of the poem, Whitman is talking about how important it is to live in the present.
written use this to talk about a person or thing that was mentioned earlier: · Write to the above address for more information.· The above diagram shows a diesel car engine.the above (=the people or things mentioned earlier): · Contact any of the above for more details.
a time, day, month etc that comes before another one · The company recorded a 50% increase in profits over the previous year.· Kirsty's baby had been born the previous October, while she was still in England.
the morning, afternoon, or evening of the day before today: · My sister and I went shopping yesterday lunchtime.· We met yesterday morning to discuss plans for the conference.
the week, year etc before this one: · I spoke to Neil and Sandra last weekend. · We still haven't paid last month's rent.
the day, week, month, year before the one in the past that you have just mentioned: · The day before the exam, I felt worried and unprepared.· Last week she was in Paris, and the week before she was in Rome.
formal the preceding months, years etc are the ones just before the time in the past that you are talking about: · The company made more profit in that one month than it made in the whole of the preceding year.· He had been arrested at least fifteen times in the preceding five years.
to happen or exist before someone or something else · The paragraph says basically the same thing as the one that came before.come before something · The salad usually comes before the main course.· In the Greek alphabet, the letter delta comes before the letter epsilon.
formal to come just before something else in a pattern or series: · In English, the subject precedes the verb.· On vehicle licence plates in the UK, the numbers are preceded by a single letter.
if one historical event or object predates another, it happened or existed before it: · Many economic systems predate capitalism.predate something by 10/50/200 etc years: · The steam engine predates the internal combustion engine by at least 100 years.
if an event leads up to another event, it comes before it and often causes it to happen: · Monroe still refuses to talk about the events which led up to his resignation.· The book describes some of the events leading up to the First World War.
if one of two events comes first , it happens before the other event: · The rains came first, then the storms.
formal or written if an event is a prelude to a more important event, it happens just before it and often makes people expect it: · The air-strike was just a prelude to the invasion.· The revolution of 1789 was a prelude to a more just and equal society.
to do something before someone else does it if you do something, go somewhere, see something etc first , you do it before someone else: · It's mine - I saw it first.· Who wants to go first?· Sandy finished the puzzle first.
to be the first person to do a particular thing: · Many people have copied her style, but she was definitely the first.be the first/first to do something: · Of the four of us, my sister was the first to get married.
informal to get or do something before another person who is trying to do the same thing: · I was going to have that last piece of pie but somebody beat me to it.· When Charlie finally got down there to buy the car, he discovered that someone else had beaten him to it.
if you arrive somewhere or finish something ahead of someone, you arrive there or finish it before them: · Carrie got to the pub ahead of us.· Cole finished the race ahead of Jewison.
if someone is ahead of their time they do something before other people do it, especially by having new ideas before anyone else: · As an architect, Sir John Soan was ahead of his time.way ahead of your time: · Ashton's educational theories were way ahead of their time.
when something is the first thing you want to say spoken say this to introduce the first fact, reason, or question, when you are going to mention several more things: · I wanted to change schools, firstly because I didn't like the teacher and secondly because it was too far away.· First, may I say that I am extremely grateful for the trust my colleagues have put in me.· African leaders are worried, firstly about the official flow of aid, and also about levels of private investment.
spoken say this when the reason you are giving first is the most important one: · Freddy, first of all, I didn't flirt with him. He flirted with me.· I called the book "Drum Planet" because first of all, there are drums in every culture.
spoken say this when your reason or fact is the most easy to see or understand: · To start with, one of the biggest problems in the classroom is that the kids don't get enough discipline at home.· Working at home is a good option, because, to begin with, what's the point of driving two hours a day just to sit in front of a computer?
also for a start British spoken say this when you are arguing or discussing something with someone and you are going to give the main reason that proves that what you are saying is true: · In the first place, they have a more experienced team, so they're more likely to win.· We haven't made a decision, because, in the first place, we do not know enough at this point.· For a start, someone's sex should not matter in a job interview.
spoken say this when you are going to say something before you start the main part of a speech or talk to a group of people: · Before I start, I'd like to thank everyone for coming.· All right, before I start, could everyone please stand up and introduce themselves.
if something does not happen · Your car should be ready by 12 o'clock, but if not I'll let you know.· If you don't leave now, I'll call the police.· Try these gloves on. If they're not the right size I'll take them back.if not, why not? spoken (=used to ask why something has not happened or why someone has not done something) · Have you done your homework yet? If not, why not?
use this to say that something will happen if something else does not change the situation: · Unless the weather improves, we will have to cancel the game.· You won't pass your examinations unless you study hard.· Milk quickly turns sour, unless it's refrigerated.
use this when there will be a bad result if someone does not do something or if something does not happen: · Stir the sauce until it cools, otherwise it will be lumpy.· I'm glad you told me about the show being cancelled. Otherwise I'd have travelled all the way to Glasgow for nothing.
use this when you are warning someone what will happen if they do not do what you are telling them to do: · Be careful or you'll bump your head.· Stop making so much noise or else the neighbours will start complaining.
use this when you cannot do something if you do not do something else first: · No one can succeed in business without taking certain risks.· How can you judge a book without reading it?
use this when something will happen or continue in the way that you want, if something does not happen to prevent it: · Barring unexpected delays, work on the tunnel should be completed by the end of next month.
use this when you are saying what someone must do if they want to stop something bad from happening: · Put that money somewhere safe before it gets stolen.· That dog ought to be destroyed before it attacks any more children.
use this when you are saying what you will do if the first thing you suggested is not possible: · My mother wanted me to be a teacher or, failing that, a nurse.· Dr Schwabe said he could find me a room either on the campus, or failing that, in a house nearby.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
She appeared before Colchester magistrates charged with attempted murder. Give me your phone number before I forget (=forget to get it). She had hardly sat down when the phone rang. I can’t remember what happened immediately before the crash. We moved here just after our son was born. It wasn’t long before (=soon) Lisa arrived. Paul’s been to Wexford once before. She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. They arrived the day before yesterday.
(=someone who helps a criminal before or after the crime)
She appeared before Colchester magistrates charged with attempted murder.· The case came before the federal courts.
· The case came to court 21 months later.
· We arrived in France the day before yesterday.
Give me your phone number before I forget (=forget to get it). She had hardly sat down when the phone rang.· I had just seen him a few hours earlier.
I can’t remember what happened immediately before the crash. We moved here just after our son was born. It wasn’t long before (=soon) Lisa arrived.· Her religious beliefs prevented sex before marriage.
Paul’s been to Wexford once before. (=be considered by parliament)· The Bill goes before Parliament on November 16.
She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. (=sex happening before marriage)
· She’s been up since well before dawn.
They arrived the day before yesterday.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► best before► before you could blink► dangle something in front of somebody/before somebody► somebody’s life flashes before their eyes► before the Flood► go before somebody/something► I’ve heard that one before► before you can say Jack Robinson► be old before your time► cast/throw pearls before swine► not before time/and about time (too)
1earlier than a particular event or action OPP after: - Charity should have recognised it as the calm before the storm, but she didn't.
- For much of 1981 and early 1982 the Social Democrats seemed to carry all before them.
- Hollywood had carried all before it but even the Hollywood product was fairly diversified.
- Neath carried all before them in winning the inaugural Heineken League last season - or did they?
- The conventional view, then as now, was that Lanfranc had carried all before him in asserting the rights of Canterbury.
- It is Labour's insistence on putting the cart before the horse which fills me with gloom.
- It seems to me that Mr Topolski is putting the cart before the horse.
- This is putting the cart before the horse.
- This may sound like putting the cart before the horse and being unnecessarily pessimistic.
- Getting an Oscar would be wonderful, but I think it's too early to count my chickens.
- If you want to go on a date sometime, you can ask me. But don't count your chickens.
- You'll probably get the job, but don't count your chickens just yet.
- Badgers usually only venture out after dark, so they can be difficult to spot.
- I have often come out here alone after dark to breathe it in.
- If McQuaid had a big order to fill he mightn't come till after dark.
- Not many people chose to take a ride on such a bumpy, gloomy road after dark in the month of January.
- Start in the morning and not go home until dark.
- That evening I was all right - Joanna would be afloat in the late afternoon, and I could get away before dark.
- We had been too nervous to arrive after dark.
- We worked from early morning until dark.
- Get them by blasting the goose-neck helicopter that assembles itself before your very eyes!
- He hadn't even touched her, yet she was in severe danger of coming unglued before his very eyes.
- He unzipped his fly and peed before their very eyes.
- It isn't even about having him perform them for us before our very eyes, on demand.
- Michael plans to prepare complete meals before your very eyes.
- One hundred and fifty years of glamour sitting on a stool right before your very eyes, that's what she was.
- The pounds, shillings and pence were dancing before her very eyes.
- Spring break will be here before you know it.
- You'll be fully recovered before you know it.
- You offer to iron his shirt and before you know it, he expects you to do all the housework.
- He saves his money, before you know it he owns a car.
- It happens before you know it.
- It seemed a long way away but before we knew it we were paying the last of the deposits.
- One thing kept leading to another, and before I knew it a small industry had been set in motion.
- Take time with people, and you will see success in your business before you know it.
- They claim that news is just around the corner, and that it will be on us before we know it.
- I didn't know myself where the house was until the week before last.
- In the week before last, claims rose by 22, 000.
- The Sunday newspaper articles had come out the week before last, and were still bringing in letters.
- But if past success is any guide, another Nasdaq company will join the fold before long.
- He supported individual artists financially, and before long Perkins Cove lured them north.
- His problems had been much more serious than mine, but before long he was accepted by everyone.
- I found that before long I was eating everything - most people did out of boredom.
- If news sites waited around before updating their visitors, before long they'd have none to update.
- Late in 1994, Riley abandoned paper altogether and before long, the Riley Guide moved on to the Web.
- So I walked down to the sea and before long, I was at the ship and was swimming round it.
- Stevie would start spinning stuff out of whole cloth to Bill, and before long, the whole camp would fall silent.
- Proceed with caution and, at the risk of sounding like a tabloid astrologer, look before you leap.
- Whatever you decide, it pays to look before you leap.
- Then came the lull before the storm.
- There was a feeling that something was in the air, that it was the lull before the storm.
- He might supplant Jones before the year is out.
- There will be many more surprises before the year is out.
- Voice over Meanwhile up to 1,000 more break-ins are expected in Gloucestershire before the year is out.
- I think too that she wants to run before she can walk.
- Just don't try to run before you can walk.
- Try to be honest with your use of the table and don't attempt to run before you can walk.
- As for this debut, it comes to us regrettably before its time.
- In many ways, his books, written in the first three decades of the last century, were before their time.
- No, he was before my time.
- She did not look old; rather, she had become wrinkled before her time.
- That would be before your time, of course.
- The last family to live there was called Wright, but that was well before my time.
- The men in the farmyard were all Fallschirmjager, hard young men, old before their time with cropped hair.
- There is a basic truth in his assertion, for before his time the use of marble was rare in Roman architecture.
- Borrowers on a budget plan have to wait till the year is up before they can reap the benefits.
- I had not slept much and was up before dawn.
- In November 1987 they were up before the court on badger digging charges - one got off due to inadequate evidence.
- Rae was up before dawn all that week.
- The women were up before first light and called me over for tea.
- We will have to be up before dawn for the Buddhist ceremony.
Say goodbye before you go. I saw her a few days before she died.2so that something does not or cannot happen: Put that money somewhere safe before it gets stolen. That dog ought to be destroyed before it attacks any more children. Before I could say anything more, Holmes had rushed off towards the station.3used to say that something happens after a period of time: It was several minutes before we realised what was happening. It will be a while before we know the results.4used to say that something must happen in order for something else to be possible: You have to pass a test before you can get a licence.5 spoken used to warn someone that something bad will happen to them if they do not do something: Get out before I call the police!6used to emphasize that someone does not want to do something: She would die before she would admit she was wrong.GRAMMAR: Choosing the right tenseYou use the present simple with before to talk about a future event. Don’t use ‘will’. You say: · I want to get home before it rains. ✗Don’t say: before it will rainGrammar guide ‒ VERBSbefore1 conjunctionbefore2 prepositionbefore3 adverb
beforebefore2 ●●● S1 W1 preposition WORD ORIGINbefore2
Origin:
Old English beforan, from foran ‘before’, from fore; ➔ FORE-EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Call me back before 5.30.
- Denise got there before me.
- I think you were before me in line, weren't you?
- I visited them just before Christmas.
- Islington station is one stop before Finsbury Park on the Victoria Line.
- My son is most important - he comes before anyone.
- No cookies before dinner, Andy.
- Our daughter was born just before Christmas.
- Quality should come before quantity.
- She gave a presentation before the board of directors.
- She trembled before the prospect of meeting him again.
- The highway stretched out before them.
- The priest knelt before the altar.
- The proposal came before the city council a year ago.
- This lady was before you, sir.
- Turn left just before the traffic lights.
- We had the whole summer before us.
- You should go, before John gets back.
THESAURUS
earlier than something or someone: · She could read before she started school.· Do you want to have a shower before me?
formal before something happens: · Please arrive at the airport two hours prior to departure.
no later than a particular time or date: · The children are usually in bed by 9 o'clock.· We have to be out of our hotel room by 10 o'clock.
before now, or before the time you are talking about: · I saw her earlier.· I had sent the letter earlier in the week.
before now, or before a time in the past: · He previously worked as an electrician.· The show starred a previously unknown actress called Jennifer Aniston.
before something happens – used especially when talking about the arrangements for something: · Let me know in advance if you are going to be late.· The landlord wants three months’ rent in advance.
(also ahead of time) before something happens, especially so that you are ready: · I wish we had known about all this beforehand.· It’s always best to decide beforehand how much you want to pay.
Longman Language Activatorbefore you do something or before something happens before you do something or before an event happens: · The family left France just before the war.· Think carefully before you give your final answer.· Before I had a chance to say anything, David walked away.before doing something: · Before joining IBM, Frank worked for Toshiba.· You should check the oil before beginning a long car journey.before that: · We spent two years in Thailand, and before that we lived in China.· I was a waiter for six months, and before that I worked in a supermarket.a week/two days/five years etc before: · I was born just eleven months before my brother.
also ahead of time American if you do something beforehand or ahead of time , you do it before you do something else, especially to make the situation easier: · Let me know ahead of time if you need a ride to the airport.· We had agreed beforehand not to tell anyone else about our plans.
before you do something else: · Add the onions and garlic first, then the mushrooms.· "Shall we go for some lunch?" "Yeah, great, let me just make a quick call first."
if you do something in advance , you do it before another event happens, especially so that you are prepared: · Pasta salad is a dish that you can easily prepare in advance.· I wish you'd told me in advance that you were going to be late.in advance of: · Your passport application should be submitted well in advance of your departure.three days/six months/a year etc in advance: · Preparations for the president's visit had been made several months in advance.
: pre-war/pre-Christmas/pre-Roman etc before the war, Christmas etc: · Life in pre-war Britain was simpler and less fast-paced.· As usual, the government seems to have forgotten most of its pre-election promises.
formal before, especially before a particular event or date: · I spoke with Sarah prior to the meeting.prior to doing something: · The doctor should have told you about the possible side effects prior to starting you on the medication.
the time before an important event: · On the eve of the election, some of the candidates were showing signs of strain.· No-one claimed responsibility for the bombing, which occurred on the eve of the Prime Minister's visit.· Another round of TV debates will be held in the run-up to the referendum.
given or done before the time that a particular event takes place or before the time that something is expected to happen: · Aid workers say the village had no advance warning of the floods.· Advance bookings for the concert start today.· Airport visas may be obtained if forty-eight hours advance notice has been provided.
formal taking place before something else happens or before someone is allowed to do something: · The airline says that some flights may be cancelled without prior warning.· The phone company is required to give you prior notice before disconnecting your service.· The tenant must get the prior consent of the landlord before doing any redecorating in the flat.
before a particular time or date · Call me back before 5.30.· You should go, before John gets back.just before · Our daughter was born just before Christmas.
: by 6 o'clock/Friday/next winter etc at some time before 6 o'clock, Friday etc, and certainly not later than this: · I'll be home by 6.30, I promise.· By 9.00, most of the guests had arrived.· Please try to have this done by Friday.
also by something at the latest before or at a particular time but definitely not after it - used especially to tell someone the time by which they must have done something: · I want your essays back no later than Wednesday, nine o'clock.· Jenny should be back by Monday at the latest.· Entry forms for the competition should arrive no later than Friday, November 1st.· The dinner party will be over by ten-thirty at the very latest.
before now before now or before the time you are talking about: · I had never seen such an ugly baby before.· Wendell had never been on a plane before.the day/week/year etc before: · Sheila and I became friends in 1995, although we had actually met several years before.
: five minutes/two weeks/20 years etc ago five minutes, two weeks, twenty years etc before now: · George went out half an hour ago. Can I have him call you back?· Lucy's aunt died a few months ago.a long time ago: · "When did you live in Germany?" "Oh, it was a long time ago."ages ago spoken (=a very long time ago): · Pauline wrote to me once, but that was ages ago.
at some time, date, year etc before now or before the time you are talking about: · Didn't I give you the key earlier?earlier in the day/year etc: · I saw Barbara earlier in the day - she looked pretty upset.20 years earlier/10 minutes earlier/moments earlier etc: · Three years earlier, Miller had been happily married, with a good job.
before a time or event in the past: · Hastings previously worked for a software company in Richmond.· The bombing is being blamed on a previously unknown group of terrorists.two days/three weeks/six months etc previously: · She had met Atwood at a conference a few weeks previously.
formal during a period in the past but not now: · Milligan, 43, was formerly a deputy foreign minister.· Peru was formerly ruled by the Spanish.· Watkins was formerly editor of the Express, a local weekly newspaper.
someone or something that existed before or that you had before the previous person or thing is the one that existed just before now or before the time you are talking about: · The car's previous owner didn't take very good care of it.· Please ignore my previous instructions.
the last thing or person is the one that you had just before now, or the one that existed just before now: · The last apartment we lived in was much smaller than this one.· Beth broke up with her last boyfriend because he drank too much.
: ex-wife/ex-boyfriend/ex-soldier etc someone who used to be someone's wife, used to be a soldier etc, but is not any more: · Her dad's an ex-policeman.· Lydia is still friends with her ex-husband.
: somebody's old job/car/girlfriend/boss etc the job, car etc that someone had before the one they have now: · The new stadium is much bigger than the old one.· I saw Phil with one of my old girlfriends.· We all liked the old teacher better.
the person or thing that existed before the one you have just mentioned: · I didn't enjoy Spielberg's last film but I thought the one before was all right.· Each year, the convention is a little larger than the one before.
formal use this especially to talk about someone who used to have a particular job or position but does not any more: · Her former husband now lives in Houston.· Weinberger was an advisor to former president Ronald Reagan.
formal someone's predecessor is the person who had the same job before them: · Vandenberg has been a more active director than his predecessor.· Sally's predecessor had warned her about Nick, one of the company vice-presidents.
formal someone whose ideas or style are later used by another more famous person, or an organization, movement or machine that later develops into one that is more important: precursor of/to: · The abacus was the precursor of the modern electronic calculator.· The Office of Strategic Services was the precursor of the CIA.
the first person, organization, machine etc that existed before the one that exists now and that the one that exists now is based on: forerunner of: · The P-50 is a forerunner of today's supersonic jet.· Hansen played in the American Basketball League, a forerunner of the NBA.
before someone or something else in a list, line, series etc before something or someone else in a list, series, or set: · I think you were before me in line, weren't you?· Islington station is one stop before Finsbury Park on the Victoria Line.
to happen or exist before something or someone else: · Churchill was a much stronger leader than the man who came before him.· A planning session at eleven-thirty will precede the noon lunch discussion.be preceded by something: · Witnesses say the fire was preceded by a loud explosion.· In most cases the illness is preceded by vomiting and chills.
before another person in a group of people who are waiting to do something: · The man in front of me looked very familiar.· There were about fifty people ahead of us waiting for tickets.
coming before the one that you are dealing with now: · The previous chapter examined how children learn language.· Each number in the series 2 - 4 - 8 - 16 is twice as large as the previous number.
coming at some time before the one you have just mentioned - use this especially about something that is very different from what is happening now: · He used a lot more color in his earlier paintings.· The play lacks the wit and energy of Jergen's earlier work.
the thing that comes before another in a series: · When you're in prison, every day feels just like the one before.
formal coming before the thing you have just mentioned, or the part of a book where you are now: · The preceding chapters have described several key events in recent French history.· In the preceding section of the poem, Whitman is talking about how important it is to live in the present.
written use this to talk about a person or thing that was mentioned earlier: · Write to the above address for more information.· The above diagram shows a diesel car engine.the above (=the people or things mentioned earlier): · Contact any of the above for more details.
a time, day, month etc that comes before another one · The company recorded a 50% increase in profits over the previous year.· Kirsty's baby had been born the previous October, while she was still in England.
the morning, afternoon, or evening of the day before today: · My sister and I went shopping yesterday lunchtime.· We met yesterday morning to discuss plans for the conference.
the week, year etc before this one: · I spoke to Neil and Sandra last weekend. · We still haven't paid last month's rent.
the day, week, month, year before the one in the past that you have just mentioned: · The day before the exam, I felt worried and unprepared.· Last week she was in Paris, and the week before she was in Rome.
formal the preceding months, years etc are the ones just before the time in the past that you are talking about: · The company made more profit in that one month than it made in the whole of the preceding year.· He had been arrested at least fifteen times in the preceding five years.
to happen or exist before someone or something else · The paragraph says basically the same thing as the one that came before.come before something · The salad usually comes before the main course.· In the Greek alphabet, the letter delta comes before the letter epsilon.
formal to come just before something else in a pattern or series: · In English, the subject precedes the verb.· On vehicle licence plates in the UK, the numbers are preceded by a single letter.
if one historical event or object predates another, it happened or existed before it: · Many economic systems predate capitalism.predate something by 10/50/200 etc years: · The steam engine predates the internal combustion engine by at least 100 years.
if an event leads up to another event, it comes before it and often causes it to happen: · Monroe still refuses to talk about the events which led up to his resignation.· The book describes some of the events leading up to the First World War.
if one of two events comes first , it happens before the other event: · The rains came first, then the storms.
formal or written if an event is a prelude to a more important event, it happens just before it and often makes people expect it: · The air-strike was just a prelude to the invasion.· The revolution of 1789 was a prelude to a more just and equal society.
to do something before someone else does it if you do something, go somewhere, see something etc first , you do it before someone else: · It's mine - I saw it first.· Who wants to go first?· Sandy finished the puzzle first.
to be the first person to do a particular thing: · Many people have copied her style, but she was definitely the first.be the first/first to do something: · Of the four of us, my sister was the first to get married.
informal to get or do something before another person who is trying to do the same thing: · I was going to have that last piece of pie but somebody beat me to it.· When Charlie finally got down there to buy the car, he discovered that someone else had beaten him to it.
if you arrive somewhere or finish something ahead of someone, you arrive there or finish it before them: · Carrie got to the pub ahead of us.· Cole finished the race ahead of Jewison.
if someone is ahead of their time they do something before other people do it, especially by having new ideas before anyone else: · As an architect, Sir John Soan was ahead of his time.way ahead of your time: · Ashton's educational theories were way ahead of their time.
when something happens in a place where everyone can see if someone does something, especially something unpleasant or shocking, in full view of a group of people, they do it in a place where people can see it clearly: · The muggers stole his mobile and wallet in full view of a crowd of shoppers.· He made an obscene gesture in full view of TV cameras.
if something happens in front of someone, it happens where they can see it, especially when it is shocking or unpleasant: · The man was shot in front of his wife and three children.· The waitress complained that her employer had humiliated her in front of customers.right in front of somebody (=use this to emphasize how shocking something is): · Mom grabbed my arm and scolded me, right in front of all my friends.
if something surprising or shocking happens before your eyes , it happens very close to you, so that you can see it clearly: · Before our very eyes, he produced $50,000 out of his suitcase and offered to buy the house.right before your eyes: · When you see someone murdered right before your eyes, you don't forget it easily.
if a crime or something shocking happens in broad daylight , it happens during the day in a public place where people can see it: · He gunned down a man in broad daylight and got away.· A woman was attacked in broad daylight, right in front of our office.
in a short time from now or from a particular time in a short time from now, or a short time after something else happens: · It'll soon be Christmas.· Driving in the city was hard at first, but she soon got used to it.· Why wasn't I told about this sooner?as soon as possible: · Please reply as soon as possible.as soon as you can: · I came as soon as I could.the sooner the better (=used to say that it is important that something is done very soon): · We need to get him to a hospital, and the sooner the better.after/afterwards: · They set off soon after breakfast.
after a fairly short time: · Those two will be getting married before long.· Her eyelids began to droop and before long she was fast asleep.
soon - use this especially about something that you know will happen soon: · We apologize for the delay -- the train will be leaving shortly.· The President will shortly be on his way to Italy for a trade conference.shortly after: · Her last novel was published shortly after her death.
use this to talk about something that will happen in the next few weeks or months, although you do not know exactly when: · She doesn't have a driver's license, but is hoping to pass her test in the near future.· A new health club is to be built here in the not too distant future.
spoken use this to say that something will happen soon or someone will arrive soon: · Dinner won't be long.· "When's Dad coming home?'' "He won't be long.''it won't be long before: · It won't be long before we're off on vacation.
use this to talk about something that happened fairly soon after a particular event: · They started playing together in June 1961, and it wasn't long before they got a recording contract.
if you do something quickly , you do it very soon after something else happens: · Alex was knocked to the ground, but he quickly recovered.· Fortunately, India quickly returned to calm after Mrs Gandhi's death.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY We only got back from Scotland the day before yesterday (=two days ago). Other students joined in the protest, and before long (=soon) there was a crowd of 200 or so.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES She appeared before Colchester magistrates charged with attempted murder. Give me your phone number before I forget (=forget to get it). She had hardly sat down when the phone rang. I can’t remember what happened immediately before the crash. We moved here just after our son was born. It wasn’t long before (=soon) Lisa arrived. Paul’s been to Wexford once before. She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. They arrived the day before yesterday.
We only got back from Scotland the day before yesterday (=two days ago). Other students joined in the protest, and before long (=soon) there was a crowd of 200 or so. (=someone who helps a criminal before or after the crime)
She appeared before Colchester magistrates charged with attempted murder.· The case came before the federal courts.
· The case came to court 21 months later.
· We arrived in France the day before yesterday.
Give me your phone number before I forget (=forget to get it). She had hardly sat down when the phone rang.· I had just seen him a few hours earlier.
I can’t remember what happened immediately before the crash. We moved here just after our son was born. It wasn’t long before (=soon) Lisa arrived.· Her religious beliefs prevented sex before marriage.
Paul’s been to Wexford once before. (=be considered by parliament)· The Bill goes before Parliament on November 16.
She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. (=sex happening before marriage)
· She’s been up since well before dawn.
They arrived the day before yesterday.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► best before► before you could blink► dangle something in front of somebody/before somebody► somebody’s life flashes before their eyes► before the Flood► go before somebody/something► I’ve heard that one before► before you can say Jack Robinson► be old before your time► cast/throw pearls before swine► not before time/and about time (too)
1earlier than something or someone OPP after: - Charity should have recognised it as the calm before the storm, but she didn't.
- For much of 1981 and early 1982 the Social Democrats seemed to carry all before them.
- Hollywood had carried all before it but even the Hollywood product was fairly diversified.
- Neath carried all before them in winning the inaugural Heineken League last season - or did they?
- The conventional view, then as now, was that Lanfranc had carried all before him in asserting the rights of Canterbury.
- It is Labour's insistence on putting the cart before the horse which fills me with gloom.
- It seems to me that Mr Topolski is putting the cart before the horse.
- This is putting the cart before the horse.
- This may sound like putting the cart before the horse and being unnecessarily pessimistic.
- Getting an Oscar would be wonderful, but I think it's too early to count my chickens.
- If you want to go on a date sometime, you can ask me. But don't count your chickens.
- You'll probably get the job, but don't count your chickens just yet.
- Badgers usually only venture out after dark, so they can be difficult to spot.
- I have often come out here alone after dark to breathe it in.
- If McQuaid had a big order to fill he mightn't come till after dark.
- Not many people chose to take a ride on such a bumpy, gloomy road after dark in the month of January.
- Start in the morning and not go home until dark.
- That evening I was all right - Joanna would be afloat in the late afternoon, and I could get away before dark.
- We had been too nervous to arrive after dark.
- We worked from early morning until dark.
- Get them by blasting the goose-neck helicopter that assembles itself before your very eyes!
- He hadn't even touched her, yet she was in severe danger of coming unglued before his very eyes.
- He unzipped his fly and peed before their very eyes.
- It isn't even about having him perform them for us before our very eyes, on demand.
- Michael plans to prepare complete meals before your very eyes.
- One hundred and fifty years of glamour sitting on a stool right before your very eyes, that's what she was.
- The pounds, shillings and pence were dancing before her very eyes.
- Spring break will be here before you know it.
- You'll be fully recovered before you know it.
- You offer to iron his shirt and before you know it, he expects you to do all the housework.
- He saves his money, before you know it he owns a car.
- It happens before you know it.
- It seemed a long way away but before we knew it we were paying the last of the deposits.
- One thing kept leading to another, and before I knew it a small industry had been set in motion.
- Take time with people, and you will see success in your business before you know it.
- They claim that news is just around the corner, and that it will be on us before we know it.
- I didn't know myself where the house was until the week before last.
- In the week before last, claims rose by 22, 000.
- The Sunday newspaper articles had come out the week before last, and were still bringing in letters.
- But if past success is any guide, another Nasdaq company will join the fold before long.
- He supported individual artists financially, and before long Perkins Cove lured them north.
- His problems had been much more serious than mine, but before long he was accepted by everyone.
- I found that before long I was eating everything - most people did out of boredom.
- If news sites waited around before updating their visitors, before long they'd have none to update.
- Late in 1994, Riley abandoned paper altogether and before long, the Riley Guide moved on to the Web.
- So I walked down to the sea and before long, I was at the ship and was swimming round it.
- Stevie would start spinning stuff out of whole cloth to Bill, and before long, the whole camp would fall silent.
- Proceed with caution and, at the risk of sounding like a tabloid astrologer, look before you leap.
- Whatever you decide, it pays to look before you leap.
- Then came the lull before the storm.
- There was a feeling that something was in the air, that it was the lull before the storm.
- He might supplant Jones before the year is out.
- There will be many more surprises before the year is out.
- Voice over Meanwhile up to 1,000 more break-ins are expected in Gloucestershire before the year is out.
- I think too that she wants to run before she can walk.
- Just don't try to run before you can walk.
- Try to be honest with your use of the table and don't attempt to run before you can walk.
- As for this debut, it comes to us regrettably before its time.
- In many ways, his books, written in the first three decades of the last century, were before their time.
- No, he was before my time.
- She did not look old; rather, she had become wrinkled before her time.
- That would be before your time, of course.
- The last family to live there was called Wright, but that was well before my time.
- The men in the farmyard were all Fallschirmjager, hard young men, old before their time with cropped hair.
- There is a basic truth in his assertion, for before his time the use of marble was rare in Roman architecture.
- Borrowers on a budget plan have to wait till the year is up before they can reap the benefits.
- I had not slept much and was up before dawn.
- In November 1987 they were up before the court on badger digging charges - one got off due to inadequate evidence.
- Rae was up before dawn all that week.
- The women were up before first light and called me over for tea.
- We will have to be up before dawn for the Buddhist ceremony.
The new road should be completed before the end of the year. Let’s meet at our house before the show. Larry arrived home before me.five minutes/two hours etc before something Hugh arrived just five minutes before the ceremony.before doing something I usually take a shower before having my breakfast. We only got back from Scotland the day before yesterday (=two days ago). Other students joined in the protest, and before long (=soon) there was a crowd of 200 or so.2ahead of someone or something else in a list or order OPP after: You were before me in the queue. The files are in alphabetical order, so B1 comes before C1.3used to say that something happens where it can be watched by people SYN in front of: Italy will face Brazil this afternoon before a crowd of 100,000 spectators. an actor who had performed before the Queen4used to say that someone or something comes to be judged or considered by a person or group of people: The proposal was put before the planning committee.5used to say that one thing or person is considered more important than another: I put my wife and kids before anyone else. In the air transport business, safety must always come before profit.6formal in front of something or someone: The priest stood before the altar. The sea stretched out before them.7if one place is before another place on a road or journey, the first place is nearer to you than the second, so you will reach it first OPP after: The pub is 100 metres before the church on the right. the last station before the Simplon Tunnel8formal if there is a job or situation before you, you will have to do the job or face the situation SYN ahead of: The task of emptying the house lay before us.9formal if a period of time is before you, it is about to start and you can do what you want during it SYN in front of: We had a glorious summer afternoon before us to do as we pleased. You have your whole life before you.THESAURUSbefore earlier than something or someone: · She could read before she started school.· Do you want to have a shower before me?prior to formal before something happens: · Please arrive at the airport two hours prior to departure.by no later than a particular time or date: · The children are usually in bed by 9 o'clock.· We have to be out of our hotel room by 10 o'clock.earlier before now, or before the time you are talking about: · I saw her earlier.· I had sent the letter earlier in the week.previously before now, or before a time in the past: · He previously worked as an electrician.· The show starred a previously unknown actress called Jennifer Aniston.in advance before something happens – used especially when talking about the arrangements for something: · Let me know in advance if you are going to be late.· The landlord wants three months’ rent in advance.beforehand (also ahead of time) before something happens, especially so that you are ready: · I wish we had known about all this beforehand.· It’s always best to decide beforehand how much you want to pay.before1 conjunctionbefore2 prepositionbefore3 adverb
beforebefore3 ●●● S1 W1 adverb EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- I've never been to this restaurant before.
- I had never seen such an ugly baby before.
- I know I've seen him somewhere before.
- Sheila and I became friends in 1995, although we had actually met several years before.
- The king's guards walked before.
- Wendell had never been on a plane before.
- But Garvey and Lucie had to clown more than before.
- This was a different Fernando from the one she had loved so passionately before.
Longman Language Activatorbefore you do something or before something happens
before you do something or before an event happens: · The family left France just before the war.· Think carefully before you give your final answer.· Before I had a chance to say anything, David walked away.before doing something: · Before joining IBM, Frank worked for Toshiba.· You should check the oil before beginning a long car journey.before that: · We spent two years in Thailand, and before that we lived in China.· I was a waiter for six months, and before that I worked in a supermarket.a week/two days/five years etc before: · I was born just eleven months before my brother.
also ahead of time American if you do something beforehand or ahead of time , you do it before you do something else, especially to make the situation easier: · Let me know ahead of time if you need a ride to the airport.· We had agreed beforehand not to tell anyone else about our plans.
before you do something else: · Add the onions and garlic first, then the mushrooms.· "Shall we go for some lunch?" "Yeah, great, let me just make a quick call first."
if you do something in advance , you do it before another event happens, especially so that you are prepared: · Pasta salad is a dish that you can easily prepare in advance.· I wish you'd told me in advance that you were going to be late.in advance of: · Your passport application should be submitted well in advance of your departure.three days/six months/a year etc in advance: · Preparations for the president's visit had been made several months in advance.
: pre-war/pre-Christmas/pre-Roman etc before the war, Christmas etc: · Life in pre-war Britain was simpler and less fast-paced.· As usual, the government seems to have forgotten most of its pre-election promises.
formal before, especially before a particular event or date: · I spoke with Sarah prior to the meeting.prior to doing something: · The doctor should have told you about the possible side effects prior to starting you on the medication.
the time before an important event: · On the eve of the election, some of the candidates were showing signs of strain.· No-one claimed responsibility for the bombing, which occurred on the eve of the Prime Minister's visit.· Another round of TV debates will be held in the run-up to the referendum.
given or done before the time that a particular event takes place or before the time that something is expected to happen: · Aid workers say the village had no advance warning of the floods.· Advance bookings for the concert start today.· Airport visas may be obtained if forty-eight hours advance notice has been provided.
formal taking place before something else happens or before someone is allowed to do something: · The airline says that some flights may be cancelled without prior warning.· The phone company is required to give you prior notice before disconnecting your service.· The tenant must get the prior consent of the landlord before doing any redecorating in the flat.
before a particular time or date · Call me back before 5.30.· You should go, before John gets back.just before · Our daughter was born just before Christmas.
: by 6 o'clock/Friday/next winter etc at some time before 6 o'clock, Friday etc, and certainly not later than this: · I'll be home by 6.30, I promise.· By 9.00, most of the guests had arrived.· Please try to have this done by Friday.
also by something at the latest before or at a particular time but definitely not after it - used especially to tell someone the time by which they must have done something: · I want your essays back no later than Wednesday, nine o'clock.· Jenny should be back by Monday at the latest.· Entry forms for the competition should arrive no later than Friday, November 1st.· The dinner party will be over by ten-thirty at the very latest.
before now before now or before the time you are talking about: · I had never seen such an ugly baby before.· Wendell had never been on a plane before.the day/week/year etc before: · Sheila and I became friends in 1995, although we had actually met several years before.
: five minutes/two weeks/20 years etc ago five minutes, two weeks, twenty years etc before now: · George went out half an hour ago. Can I have him call you back?· Lucy's aunt died a few months ago.a long time ago: · "When did you live in Germany?" "Oh, it was a long time ago."ages ago spoken (=a very long time ago): · Pauline wrote to me once, but that was ages ago.
at some time, date, year etc before now or before the time you are talking about: · Didn't I give you the key earlier?earlier in the day/year etc: · I saw Barbara earlier in the day - she looked pretty upset.20 years earlier/10 minutes earlier/moments earlier etc: · Three years earlier, Miller had been happily married, with a good job.
before a time or event in the past: · Hastings previously worked for a software company in Richmond.· The bombing is being blamed on a previously unknown group of terrorists.two days/three weeks/six months etc previously: · She had met Atwood at a conference a few weeks previously.
formal during a period in the past but not now: · Milligan, 43, was formerly a deputy foreign minister.· Peru was formerly ruled by the Spanish.· Watkins was formerly editor of the Express, a local weekly newspaper.
someone or something that existed before or that you had before the previous person or thing is the one that existed just before now or before the time you are talking about: · The car's previous owner didn't take very good care of it.· Please ignore my previous instructions.
the last thing or person is the one that you had just before now, or the one that existed just before now: · The last apartment we lived in was much smaller than this one.· Beth broke up with her last boyfriend because he drank too much.
: ex-wife/ex-boyfriend/ex-soldier etc someone who used to be someone's wife, used to be a soldier etc, but is not any more: · Her dad's an ex-policeman.· Lydia is still friends with her ex-husband.
: somebody's old job/car/girlfriend/boss etc the job, car etc that someone had before the one they have now: · The new stadium is much bigger than the old one.· I saw Phil with one of my old girlfriends.· We all liked the old teacher better.
the person or thing that existed before the one you have just mentioned: · I didn't enjoy Spielberg's last film but I thought the one before was all right.· Each year, the convention is a little larger than the one before.
formal use this especially to talk about someone who used to have a particular job or position but does not any more: · Her former husband now lives in Houston.· Weinberger was an advisor to former president Ronald Reagan.
formal someone's predecessor is the person who had the same job before them: · Vandenberg has been a more active director than his predecessor.· Sally's predecessor had warned her about Nick, one of the company vice-presidents.
formal someone whose ideas or style are later used by another more famous person, or an organization, movement or machine that later develops into one that is more important: precursor of/to: · The abacus was the precursor of the modern electronic calculator.· The Office of Strategic Services was the precursor of the CIA.
the first person, organization, machine etc that existed before the one that exists now and that the one that exists now is based on: forerunner of: · The P-50 is a forerunner of today's supersonic jet.· Hansen played in the American Basketball League, a forerunner of the NBA.
before someone or something else in a list, line, series etc before something or someone else in a list, series, or set: · I think you were before me in line, weren't you?· Islington station is one stop before Finsbury Park on the Victoria Line.
to happen or exist before something or someone else: · Churchill was a much stronger leader than the man who came before him.· A planning session at eleven-thirty will precede the noon lunch discussion.be preceded by something: · Witnesses say the fire was preceded by a loud explosion.· In most cases the illness is preceded by vomiting and chills.
before another person in a group of people who are waiting to do something: · The man in front of me looked very familiar.· There were about fifty people ahead of us waiting for tickets.
coming before the one that you are dealing with now: · The previous chapter examined how children learn language.· Each number in the series 2 - 4 - 8 - 16 is twice as large as the previous number.
coming at some time before the one you have just mentioned - use this especially about something that is very different from what is happening now: · He used a lot more color in his earlier paintings.· The play lacks the wit and energy of Jergen's earlier work.
the thing that comes before another in a series: · When you're in prison, every day feels just like the one before.
formal coming before the thing you have just mentioned, or the part of a book where you are now: · The preceding chapters have described several key events in recent French history.· In the preceding section of the poem, Whitman is talking about how important it is to live in the present.
written use this to talk about a person or thing that was mentioned earlier: · Write to the above address for more information.· The above diagram shows a diesel car engine.the above (=the people or things mentioned earlier): · Contact any of the above for more details.
a time, day, month etc that comes before another one · The company recorded a 50% increase in profits over the previous year.· Kirsty's baby had been born the previous October, while she was still in England.
the morning, afternoon, or evening of the day before today: · My sister and I went shopping yesterday lunchtime.· We met yesterday morning to discuss plans for the conference.
the week, year etc before this one: · I spoke to Neil and Sandra last weekend. · We still haven't paid last month's rent.
the day, week, month, year before the one in the past that you have just mentioned: · The day before the exam, I felt worried and unprepared.· Last week she was in Paris, and the week before she was in Rome.
formal the preceding months, years etc are the ones just before the time in the past that you are talking about: · The company made more profit in that one month than it made in the whole of the preceding year.· He had been arrested at least fifteen times in the preceding five years.
to happen or exist before someone or something else · The paragraph says basically the same thing as the one that came before.come before something · The salad usually comes before the main course.· In the Greek alphabet, the letter delta comes before the letter epsilon.
formal to come just before something else in a pattern or series: · In English, the subject precedes the verb.· On vehicle licence plates in the UK, the numbers are preceded by a single letter.
if one historical event or object predates another, it happened or existed before it: · Many economic systems predate capitalism.predate something by 10/50/200 etc years: · The steam engine predates the internal combustion engine by at least 100 years.
if an event leads up to another event, it comes before it and often causes it to happen: · Monroe still refuses to talk about the events which led up to his resignation.· The book describes some of the events leading up to the First World War.
if one of two events comes first , it happens before the other event: · The rains came first, then the storms.
formal or written if an event is a prelude to a more important event, it happens just before it and often makes people expect it: · The air-strike was just a prelude to the invasion.· The revolution of 1789 was a prelude to a more just and equal society.
to do something before someone else does it if you do something, go somewhere, see something etc first , you do it before someone else: · It's mine - I saw it first.· Who wants to go first?· Sandy finished the puzzle first.
to be the first person to do a particular thing: · Many people have copied her style, but she was definitely the first.be the first/first to do something: · Of the four of us, my sister was the first to get married.
informal to get or do something before another person who is trying to do the same thing: · I was going to have that last piece of pie but somebody beat me to it.· When Charlie finally got down there to buy the car, he discovered that someone else had beaten him to it.
if you arrive somewhere or finish something ahead of someone, you arrive there or finish it before them: · Carrie got to the pub ahead of us.· Cole finished the race ahead of Jewison.
if someone is ahead of their time they do something before other people do it, especially by having new ideas before anyone else: · As an architect, Sir John Soan was ahead of his time.way ahead of your time: · Ashton's educational theories were way ahead of their time.
to do something that has never been done before · The Spanish were the first to keep cattle in the American deserts.· She was the first to see the link between poverty and poor health.be the first person to do something · Yuri Gagarin became the first man to fly in space.
to be the first to do something, especially something good or successful, which may encourage others to do something similar: · Once the Japanese had shown the way, manufacturers in other countries soon began to use robots on a large scale.lead the way in doing something: · The company has led the way in developing environmentally friendly products.
use this about something someone does or tries to do that no-one has ever done before: · The special effects in the movie included things that had never been done before.· Because of advances in technology, we are able to try something that has never been attempted before.
to be the first to invent or find a new method of doing something, and make it possible or easier for others to do the same: · He pioneered techniques for photographing moving objects.· Heart-transplant surgery was pioneered by Professor Christiaan Barnard.
using new and better methods or ideas for the first time: · Her pioneering work in the field of education will be remembered.· Cowley's pioneering development of modern emergency medicine helped save countless lives.
if someone or their work breaks new ground , their work is completely new and different from anything that existed before: · Roosevelt's social reform program broke new ground.· The album is enjoyable, but breaks no new ground.· There's a lot of new ground being broken in the field of genetic research.
British /mold American to be the first to do something in a different way from the way it was usually done before: · The governor urged teachers to break the mold in establishing new ways of teaching.· The new party promised to break the mould of British politics.
ways of saying what time it is use this when the time is exactly a particular hour: · It's 5 o'clock.· It's exactly 10 o'clock.
also just gone British use this when the time is a little before or after a particular hour: · It's just before 6.· It's just after 10 o'clock.· It's just gone midnight. (=just after)
also of American use this to say that the time is a particular number of minutes before a particular hour: · It's ten to six.· It doesn't get dark until about twenty to ten.· It's a quarter of eleven.· Joe, by the ten of eight you're going upstairs and that's only about a half hour from now.
also after American use this to say that the time is a particular number of minutes after a particular hour: · It's quarter past four.· It's ten after five.· It's quarter after eight, and Laurie's showing up at nine.· It's half past two.
British use this to say that it is almost a particular time, especially when you are guessing what time it might be: · It's getting on for five o'clock.· I should think it's getting on for ten by now.
British informal use this to say that it is exactly a particular time: · "What time is it?" "Bang on midnight."· I make it dead on half past by my watch.· We finished bang on eight, and we were back home by nine.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES She appeared before Colchester magistrates charged with attempted murder. Give me your phone number before I forget (=forget to get it). She had hardly sat down when the phone rang. I can’t remember what happened immediately before the crash. We moved here just after our son was born. It wasn’t long before (=soon) Lisa arrived. Paul’s been to Wexford once before. She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. They arrived the day before yesterday.
(=someone who helps a criminal before or after the crime)
She appeared before Colchester magistrates charged with attempted murder.· The case came before the federal courts.
· The case came to court 21 months later.
· We arrived in France the day before yesterday.
Give me your phone number before I forget (=forget to get it). She had hardly sat down when the phone rang.· I had just seen him a few hours earlier.
I can’t remember what happened immediately before the crash. We moved here just after our son was born. It wasn’t long before (=soon) Lisa arrived.· Her religious beliefs prevented sex before marriage.
Paul’s been to Wexford once before. (=be considered by parliament)· The Bill goes before Parliament on November 16.
She’s seen it all before (=has experienced so much that nothing surprises her) in her long career. (=sex happening before marriage)
· She’s been up since well before dawn.
They arrived the day before yesterday.PHRASES FROM THE ENTRYPHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► best before► before you could blink► dangle something in front of somebody/before somebody► somebody’s life flashes before their eyes► before the Flood► go before somebody/something► I’ve heard that one before► before you can say Jack Robinson► be old before your time► cast/throw pearls before swine► not before time/and about time (too)
1at an earlier time: - And he also had long discussions with the actors when they rehearsed the dialogue during the week before shooting began.
- Barbara Walters found time the week before her swirl of Inaugural engagements as the date of Sen.
- Even the day before the King died!
- If she laid at dawn, like most birds, she would have to have prepared the day before.
- That is equivalent to the day before Thanksgiving, Black Wednesday, in industry parlance.
- The final winner will be announced the week before Super Bowl.
- The move came the day before high school players are allowed to sign letters-of-intent with college programs.
- The observers of gonorrhoea in the days before effective treatment was available vividly described the symptoms of acute gonococcal urethritis.
- Charity should have recognised it as the calm before the storm, but she didn't.
- For much of 1981 and early 1982 the Social Democrats seemed to carry all before them.
- Hollywood had carried all before it but even the Hollywood product was fairly diversified.
- Neath carried all before them in winning the inaugural Heineken League last season - or did they?
- The conventional view, then as now, was that Lanfranc had carried all before him in asserting the rights of Canterbury.
- It is Labour's insistence on putting the cart before the horse which fills me with gloom.
- It seems to me that Mr Topolski is putting the cart before the horse.
- This is putting the cart before the horse.
- This may sound like putting the cart before the horse and being unnecessarily pessimistic.
- Getting an Oscar would be wonderful, but I think it's too early to count my chickens.
- If you want to go on a date sometime, you can ask me. But don't count your chickens.
- You'll probably get the job, but don't count your chickens just yet.
- Badgers usually only venture out after dark, so they can be difficult to spot.
- I have often come out here alone after dark to breathe it in.
- If McQuaid had a big order to fill he mightn't come till after dark.
- Not many people chose to take a ride on such a bumpy, gloomy road after dark in the month of January.
- Start in the morning and not go home until dark.
- That evening I was all right - Joanna would be afloat in the late afternoon, and I could get away before dark.
- We had been too nervous to arrive after dark.
- We worked from early morning until dark.
- Get them by blasting the goose-neck helicopter that assembles itself before your very eyes!
- He hadn't even touched her, yet she was in severe danger of coming unglued before his very eyes.
- He unzipped his fly and peed before their very eyes.
- It isn't even about having him perform them for us before our very eyes, on demand.
- Michael plans to prepare complete meals before your very eyes.
- One hundred and fifty years of glamour sitting on a stool right before your very eyes, that's what she was.
- The pounds, shillings and pence were dancing before her very eyes.
- Spring break will be here before you know it.
- You'll be fully recovered before you know it.
- You offer to iron his shirt and before you know it, he expects you to do all the housework.
- He saves his money, before you know it he owns a car.
- It happens before you know it.
- It seemed a long way away but before we knew it we were paying the last of the deposits.
- One thing kept leading to another, and before I knew it a small industry had been set in motion.
- Take time with people, and you will see success in your business before you know it.
- They claim that news is just around the corner, and that it will be on us before we know it.
- I didn't know myself where the house was until the week before last.
- In the week before last, claims rose by 22, 000.
- The Sunday newspaper articles had come out the week before last, and were still bringing in letters.
- But if past success is any guide, another Nasdaq company will join the fold before long.
- He supported individual artists financially, and before long Perkins Cove lured them north.
- His problems had been much more serious than mine, but before long he was accepted by everyone.
- I found that before long I was eating everything - most people did out of boredom.
- If news sites waited around before updating their visitors, before long they'd have none to update.
- Late in 1994, Riley abandoned paper altogether and before long, the Riley Guide moved on to the Web.
- So I walked down to the sea and before long, I was at the ship and was swimming round it.
- Stevie would start spinning stuff out of whole cloth to Bill, and before long, the whole camp would fall silent.
- Proceed with caution and, at the risk of sounding like a tabloid astrologer, look before you leap.
- Whatever you decide, it pays to look before you leap.
- Then came the lull before the storm.
- There was a feeling that something was in the air, that it was the lull before the storm.
- He might supplant Jones before the year is out.
- There will be many more surprises before the year is out.
- Voice over Meanwhile up to 1,000 more break-ins are expected in Gloucestershire before the year is out.
- I think too that she wants to run before she can walk.
- Just don't try to run before you can walk.
- Try to be honest with your use of the table and don't attempt to run before you can walk.
- As for this debut, it comes to us regrettably before its time.
- In many ways, his books, written in the first three decades of the last century, were before their time.
- No, he was before my time.
- She did not look old; rather, she had become wrinkled before her time.
- That would be before your time, of course.
- The last family to live there was called Wright, but that was well before my time.
- The men in the farmyard were all Fallschirmjager, hard young men, old before their time with cropped hair.
- There is a basic truth in his assertion, for before his time the use of marble was rare in Roman architecture.
- Borrowers on a budget plan have to wait till the year is up before they can reap the benefits.
- I had not slept much and was up before dawn.
- In November 1987 they were up before the court on badger digging charges - one got off due to inadequate evidence.
- Rae was up before dawn all that week.
- The women were up before first light and called me over for tea.
- We will have to be up before dawn for the Buddhist ceremony.
Haven’t I met you before somewhere? Never before had he seen so many people starving. She looked just the same as before.2the day/week/month etc before the previous day, week, month etc OPP after: She was in Paris last week and in Rome the week before.3 old use ahead of someone or something else: The king’s herald walked before.