before

1 of 3

adverb or adjective

be·​fore bi-ˈfȯr 

bē-

1

: in advance : ahead

marching on before

2

: at an earlier time

the night before

knew her before

before

2 of 3

preposition

1

a(1)

: forward of : in front of

stood before the fire

(2)

: in the presence of

speaking before the conference

b

: under the jurisdiction or consideration of

the case before the court

c(1)

: at the disposal of

the great sums placed before him

(2)

: in store for

got the whole summer before you

2

: preceding in time : earlier than

just before noon

3

: in a higher or more important position than

put quantity before quality

before

3 of 3

conjunction

1

a(1)

: earlier than the time that

call me before you go

(2)

: sooner or quicker than

I'll be done before you know it

(3)

: so that … do not

get out of there before you get dirty

b

: until the time that

miles to go before I sleep

—Robert Frost

c(1)

: or else … not

must be convicted before he can be removed from office

(2)

: or else

get out of here before I call a cop

2

: rather or sooner than

would starve before he'd steal

Synonyms

Adverb or adjective

• afore [chiefly dialect]
• ahead
• already
• antecedently
• anteriorly
• beforehand
• earlier
• formerly
• preliminarily
• previously

Preposition

• afore [chiefly dialect]
• ahead of
• ere
• fore [chiefly dialect]
• 'fore
• of
• previous to
• prior to
• to

Examples of before in a Sentence

Adverb or adjective

their arrival was completely expected because a messenger had gone before

Preposition

We arrived shortly before six o'clock.

He left just before sunrise.

I've never seen her so happy before now.

Call me before your arrival.

She arrived the day before yesterday.

Why haven't you ever helped me before now?

Your name is listed before mine.

You'll see my house just before the bank and after the school.

The Great Plains stretched endlessly before them.

The championship fight took place before a crowd of thousands.

Conjunction

He left long before morning came.

Say goodbye before you go.

Call me before you arrive.

I finished the exam before he did.

It was not long before he arrived.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adverb or adjective

Weeks before, migrant encounters had reached a record high. —Nicole Russell, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024

But Syria’s then leader, who had succeeded his father Hafez seven years before, represented a stable contrast to the chaos engulfing neighboring Iraq. —Ivan Watson, CNN, 12 Dec. 2024

Preposition

And for about 25 years before that, Abramowitz was a reporter at The Washington Post. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

An invite was extended to a concert the band were playing locally the night before that League Two meeting with visitors Notts at The Racecourse. —Richard Sutcliffe, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adverb or adjective

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English beforan, from be- + foran before, from fore

Preposition

Middle English before, beforen, going back to Old English beforan — more at before entry 1

Conjunction

Middle English before, beforen, from before, beforen, before entry 2

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Preposition

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Conjunction

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing before

• (and) not before time (too)
• been/gone down this/that road before
• before bed
• before long
• before one can blink
• before one knows it
• before one's time
• before someone's eyes
• before the hour
• before the mast
• before the wind
• bring before
• carry all/everything before (one)
• cast/throw pearls before swine
• count one's chickens (before they hatch)
• count one's chickens before they're hatched
• die before one's time
• go before
• look before one leaps
• old before one's time
• put before
• put the cart before the horse
• the calm/lull before the storm
• the day before yesterday
• walk before one can run
• walk before one runs

Kids Definition

before

1 of 3 adverb

be·​fore bi-ˈfō(ə)r 

-ˈfȯ(ə)r

1

: in advance : ahead

go on before

2

: at an earlier time

was here before

before

2 of 3 preposition

1

a

: forward of : in front of

stood before a mirror

b

: in the presence of

spoke before the legislature

2

: under the consideration of

the case before the court

3

: earlier than

got there before me

come before six

before

3 of 3 conjunction

1

: earlier than the time when

think before you speak

2

: more willingly than

I'd starve before I'd steal

Legal Definition

before

preposition

be·​fore

1

: in the presence of

then personally appeared before me

2

: to be judged or acted on by

a case before the court

a bill coming up before Congress