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How to pronounce before
Say it like this: /bɪˈfoɹ/. Listen to real recordings below and compare how it sounds in different accents.
What does before mean?
prepEarlier than (in time).
“I want this done before Monday.”
In front of in space.
“He stood before me.”
In the presence of.
“He spoke before a joint session of Congress.”
advAt an earlier time.
“I've never done this before.”
In advance in position or sequence; ahead.
“We walked behind while they went before.”
At the front end.
“When people call this beast to mind, They marvel more and more At such a little tail behind, So LARGE a trunk before.”
conjIn advance of the time when.
“Brush your teeth before you go to bed.”
Rather or sooner than.
“I'll die before I('ll) tell you anything about it.”
nounOf before-and-after images: the one that shows the difference before a specified treatment.
That which occurred or existed previously.
“We talk about all the befores. The stupid things we did. The funny things. The times she made us laugh.”
A previous form or instance.
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Pronunciations and meanings from Wiktionary via kaikki.org, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Recordings by Wikimedia Commons contributors. This page is shared under the same license.