/ bɪˈfɔː(r); NAmE / preposition , conjunction , adverb
■ preposition
1.
earlier than sb/sth :
before lunch
the day before yesterday
The year before last he won a gold medal, and the year before that he won a silver.
She's lived there since before the war.
He arrived before me.
She became a lawyer as her father had before her.
Leave your keys at reception before departure.
Something ought to have been done before now.
We'll know before long (= soon) .
Turn left just before (= before you reach) the bank.
2.
(rather formal ) used to say that sb/sth is in a position in front of sb/sth :
They knelt before the throne.
Before you is a list of the points we have to discuss.
—compare behind
3.
used to say that sb/sth is ahead of sb/sth in an order or arrangement :
Your name is before mine on the list.
He puts his work before everything (= regards it as more important than anything else) .
4.
used to say that sth is facing sb in the future :
The task before us is a daunting one.
The whole summer lay before me.
5.
in the presence of sb who is listening, watching, etc. :
He was brought before the judge.
She said it before witnesses.
They had the advantage of playing before their home crowd.
6.
( formal ) used to say how sb reacts when they have to face sb/sth :
They retreated before the enemy.
■ conjunction
1.
earlier than the time when :
Do it before you forget.
Did she leave a message before she went?
2.
until :
It may be many years before the situation improves.
It was some time before I realized the truth.
3.
used to warn or threaten sb that sth bad could happen :
Put that away before it gets broken.
4.
( formal ) rather than :
I'd die before I apologized!
■ adverb
at an earlier time; in the past; already :
You should have told me so before.
It had been fine the week before (= the previous week) .
That had happened long before (= a long time earlier) .
I think we've met before.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English beforan (see by , fore ), of Germanic origin; related to German bevor .