Before (Adverb)
Meaning 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".
Examples
- I had met him before at a conference in Tokyo.
- As I said before, the deadline for the project is Friday.
- He called me the day before, but your call had come even earlier.
- Her parents had died four years earlier, when she was just a teenager.
- I mentioned that problem earlier, so I won't go into details again.
Synonyms
Meaning 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".
Examples
- The scouts marched on before the rest of the troops to clear the path.
- The general stood before the troops to give them a pep talk.
- The team's captain stood before the crowd to accept the trophy.
- The pilot flew the plane straight ahead through the stormy weather.
- The crowd parted to let the bride walk before them down the aisle.