Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
Note: In addition to the uses shown below, '~' is used in phrasal verbs such as ‘get ~’, ‘go ~’, and ‘press ~’.
1.
Something that is ~ is in front of you. If you look ~, you look directly in front of you.
Brett looked straight ~...
I peered ~ through the front screen...
The road ~ was now blocked solid...
Ahead, he saw the side railings of First Bridge over Crooked Brook.
? behind
ADV: ADV after v, n ADV, ADV with cl
2.
You use ~ with verbs such as ‘push’, ‘move’, and ‘forge’ to indicate that a plan, scheme, or organization is making fast progress.
We are moving ~ with plans to send financial aid...
= forward
ADV: ADV after v
3.
If you are ~ in your work or achievements, you have made more progress than you expected to and are performing well.
First half profits have charged ~ from ?127.6m to ?134.2m...
Children in small classes are several months ~ in reading.
ADV: be ADV, ADV after v, oft amount ADV
4.
If a person or a team is ~ in a competition, they are winning.
Scotland were ~ in their European championship qualifier in Iceland...
A goal would have put Dublin 6-1 ~.
ADV: be ADV, ADV after v, oft amount ADV
5.
Ahead also means in the future.
A much bigger battle is ~ for the president...
Now I can remember without mourning, and begin to look ~...
ADV: v-link ADV, ADV after v, n ADV
6.
If you prepare or plan something ~, you do it some time before a future event so that everything is ready for that event to take place.
The government wants figures that help it to plan ~...
Summer weddings need to be arranged months ~.
ADV: ADV after v
7.
If you go ~, or if you go on ~, you go in front of someone who is going to the same place so that you arrive there some time before they do.
I went ~ and waited with Sean...
ADV: ADV after v