Before

Part of speech: adverb (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." Shak.

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.

Part of speech: preposition (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.

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.