before
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Related to before: after
before (someone or something)
1. Physically in front or ahead of someone or something. She laid the evidence on the table before me. I stood before the courthouse with a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's so peaceful out here. Look at all this wide open land before us!
2. Ahead of someone or something in order. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man should be before The Picture of Dorian Gray on the shelf. I know it's your turn, but would you mind letting Tom go before you? That car got to the stop sign first, so they get to go before you.
3. Awaiting or in store for someone or something in the future. I know things feel a little hopeless right now, but you've got your whole life before you. A long, hard road lies before the newly independent country. I'm not surprised she's valedictorian—I always knew that kid had a bright future before her.
4. Under the jurisdiction or consideration of someone or something. Your case will have to go before the Committee of Internal Affairs. He put the choice before us, promising to honor whatever we decided. I can't go and sing before a panel of judges! That sounds terrifying!
See also: before
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*before someone
ahead of or in front of someone in order. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; go ~.) Who is before Mary? I am before all of you.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.
- (and) not before time!
- (if you) sing before breakfast, (you'll) cry before night
- (if you) sing before breakfast, (you'll) cry before supper
- (one) has seen this movie (before)
- (right) before (one's) very eyes
- (the) shit hits the fan
- a red rag to a bull
- a reed before the wind lives on(, while mighty oaks do fall)
- act like you've been there before
- age before beauty
- all things are difficult before they are easy
- appear before
- appear before (someone or something)
- be ahead of (someone's or something's) time
- be ahead of/before/in advance of your time
- be before (one's) time
- be before (someone)
- be before somebody's time
- be equal before the law
- be in advance of (someone's or something's) time
- be in the calm before the storm
- be just before you're generous
- be up before (someone)
- be up before (something)
- before
- before (one) can blink
- before (one) can say Jack Robinson
- before (one's) eyes
- before (one's) time
- before (someone or something)
- before it was cool
- before last
- before long
- before the balloon goes up
- before the ink is dry
- before the rinderpest
- before the wind
- before time
- before you can say "knife"
- before you can say (something)
- before you can say Jack Robinson
- before you can say knife
- before you could say Jack Robinson
- before you know it
- before you know where you are
- before your eyes
- bend before
- bend before (something)
- best before date
- boldly go where no man has gone before
- boldly go where no one has gone before
- bow before
- bow before (someone)
- bow down before (someone)
- bring (someone or something) before (someone or something)
- bring before
- bros before hoes
- business before pleasure
- calm before the storm
- calm before the storm, the
- carry all before (one)
- carry all before you
- carry the world before (one)
- carry the world before you
- cart before the horse, don't put/set the
- cart before the horse, put the
- cast pearls before swine
- cast pearls before swine, to
- check yourself before you wreck yourself
- come before
- come before (someone or something)
- coming events cast their shadows before
- count chickens before they hatch
- count one's chickens before they hatch
- count your chickens before they hatch
- count your chickens before they're hatched
- Cowards die many times before their death
- cowards die many times before their death(s)
- crawl before you walk
- cringe before
- cringe before (someone or something)
- cross (one's) bridges before (one) gets to them
- cross a bridge before one comes to it
- cross a/that bridge before (one) comes to it
- cry before (one) is hurt
- cry before one is hurt
- dangle (something) before (someone)
- dangle before
- darkest hour is just before the dawn
- don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched
- don't count your chickens before they hatch
- Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
- Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
- don't cry before you are hurt
- don't halloo before you are out of the woods
- don't put the cart before the horse
- don't set the cart before the horse
- don't whistle before you are out of the woods
- equal before the law
- fingers were made before forks
- get up before (someone)
- get up before (something)
- go before
- go before (someone or something)
- go on before
- go on before (someone)
- go up before (someone)
- grovel before
- grovel before (someone)
- happen before (one's) time
- haul before
- have been down the road of (something) before
- have been down this/that road before
- have been there before
- Have we met before?
- Haven't I seen you somewhere before?
- Haven't we met before?
- in the calm before the storm
- it's (always) darkest (just) before the dawn
- It's always darkest just before the dawn
- I've never heard it called that before
- jump before (one) is pushed
- kneel before (someone or something)
- kneel down before (someone or something)
- lay (someone or something) before (someone or something)
- lay before
- lie ahead of
- lie before (someone or something)
- look before you leap
- lull before the storm
- never ask pardon before you are accused
- never cross a bridge before you come to it
- never halloo before you are out of the woods
- never whistle before you are out of the woods
- not before time
- not count your chickens
- one hour's sleep before midnight is worth two after
- pearls before swine
- place (someone or something) before (someone or something)
- place before
- pride comes before a fall
- pride comes before a/the fall
- pride cometh before a/the fall
- Pride goes before a fall
- pride goes before a/the fall
- pride goeth before a/the fall
- pride wenteth before a/the fall
- prostrate (oneself) before (someone or something)
- prostrate oneself before
- put (someone or something) before (someone or something)
- put before
- put the cart before the horse
- quail before
- quail before (someone or something)
- reed before the wind lives on, while mighty oaks do fall
- run before you can walk
- sail before the wind
- see (one) in hell before (doing something)
- send (one) before (someone or something)
- send before
- set (someone or something) before (someone or something)
- set before
- set the cart before the horse
- sing before breakfast, you'll cry before night
- sisters before misters
- summon (one) before (someone)
- summon before
- swim before (one's) eyes
- swim before eyes
- take (someone or something) before (someone or something)
- take (someone or something) below
- take before
- take the ball before the bound
- tears before bedtime
- the (same) mixture as before
- the calm before the storm
- the calm/lull before the storm
- the darkest hour is just before the dawn
- the day, week, month, etc. before last
- the lull before the storm
- the mixture as before
- the morning after (the night before)
- the morning after the night before
- think before (doing something)
- think before (one) (does something)
- think before doing
- think long and hard before (doing something)
- think long and hard before (one) (does something)
- up before
- up before (someone or something)
- up before somebody/something
- use (something) before (some date)
- use before
- walk before you can run
- we (all) have to eat a peck of dirt before we die
- we have to (learn to) walk before we (can) run
- we must (learn to) walk before we (can) run
- We must learn to walk before we can run
- would see (someone) in hell before (one) would (do something)
- wrap it before you tap it
- you have to (learn to) crawl before you (can) walk
- you have to (learn to) walk before you (can) run
- you have to eat a peck of dirt before you die
- you must (learn to) crawl before you (can) walk
- you must (learn to) walk before you (can) run
- you should know a man seven years before you stir his fire
- you've got to (learn to) crawl before you (can) walk
- you've got to (learn to) walk before you (can) run