Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
Please look at category 6 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.
1.
If someone is ~ you, they are directly in front of you. If someone is moving ~ you, they are in front of you and moving in the same direction.
I saw a man in a blue jacket thirty metres ~ me...
She walked ~ Helene up the steps into the hotel.
PREP-PHRASE
2.
If an event or period of time lies ~ you, it is going to happen or take place soon or in the future.
I tried to think about all the problems that were ~ me tomorrow...
She spent all night thinking about the future that lay ~ her...
We have a very busy day ~ us today.
= before
PREP-PHRASE: PREP pron
3.
In a competition, if a person or team does something ~ someone else, they do it before the second person or team.
Millar finished 1 minute and 35 seconds ~ Thierry Claveyrolat.
PREP-PHRASE: oft n PREP n
4.
If something happens ~ schedule or ~ time, it happens earlier than was planned.
This dish may be prepared a day ~ time and refrigerated.
? behind
PREP-PHRASE
5.
If someone is ~ someone else, they have made more progress and are more advanced in what they are doing.
Henry generally stayed ~ the others in the academic subjects.
PREP-PHRASE
6.
one step ~ someone or something : see step
~ your time: see time