be·fore /bɪˈfor, ˈfɔr/
 (ad.)前一,此前,以前,從前,早些時候在…以前,先于,早于(conj.)在…以前


 before
 前


 Be·fore prep.
 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.
 Note: ☞ Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. “Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee.”
 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 Naut., as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast.
 Before the wind Naut., in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.


 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.”
 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.
 Note: ☞ Before is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, before-cited, before-mentioned; beforesaid.

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 before
      adv 1: earlier in time; previously; "I had known her before"; "as I
             said before"; "he called me the day before but your
             call had come even earlier"; "her parents had died
             four years earlier"; "I mentioned that problem
             earlier" [syn: earlier]
      2: at or in the front; "I see the lights of a town ahead"; "the
         road ahead is foggy"; "staring straight ahead"; "we
         couldn't see over the heads of the people in front"; "with
         the cross of Jesus marching on before" [syn: ahead, {in
         front]