before

/bɪˈfɔːr/ preposition

Definition

EARLIER › earlier than something or someone: a week before Christmas She arrived before me. [+ doing sth] Think hard before accepting the offer.

IN FRONT OF › in a position in front of someone or something: I've never performed this before an audience. He stood before her, shaking.

PLACE › at a place that you arrive at first when travelling towards another place: The hospital is just before the bridge.

IN ORDER › in front of someone or something in an order or a list: P comes before Q in the alphabet.

IMPORTANCE › treated as more important than someone or something: They always put the children's needs before their own.

EXAMINATION › being formally examined or considered by a group: the proposal before the committee He appeared before the court dressed in jeans.

(Definition of before preposition from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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