Be*fore" (?), prep. [OE. beforen, biforen, before, AS. beforan; pref. be- + foran, fore, before. See [Be-], and [Fore].]

1.

In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house.

His angel, who shall go Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire. Milton.

2.

Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that.

Before Abraham was, I am. John viii. 58.

Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. Swift.

⇒ Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. "Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee."

John i. 48.

3.

An advance of; farther onward, in place or time.

The golden age . . . is before us. Carlyle.

4.

Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than.

He that cometh after me is preferred before me. John i. 15.

The eldest son is before the younger in succession. Johnson.

5.

In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing.

Abraham bowed down himself before the people. Gen. xxiii. 12.

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord? Micah vi. 6.

6.

Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of.

If a suit be begun before an archdeacon. Ayliffe.

7.

Open for; free of access to; in the power of.

The world was all before them where to choose. Milton.

[Before the mast] [Nautical|Naut.], as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. -- [Before the wind] [Nautical|Naut.], in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.

© [Webster 1913].

Be*fore", adv.

1.

On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; -- opposed to in the rear.

The battle was before and behind. 2 Chron. xiii. 14.

2.

In advance.

"I come before to tell you."

Shak.

3.

In time past; previously; already.

You tell me, mother, what I knew before. Dryden.

4.

Earlier; sooner than; until then.

When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before. Shak.

⇒ Before is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, before-cited, before-mentioned; beforesaid.

© [Webster 1913].

Before (definition)