prep (1) 在……之先(earlier in time than; ahead of)：～lunch/a meeting/that/2 o'clock/the dawn/1949/now午饭/会议/那/两点/黎明/1949年/现在以前;～Christ公元前;the day～yesterday前天;the year/week～last前年/上上周;long/two days～Christmas圣诞节之前很久/两天以前;since～the war从战前以来;He's certain to arrive～long.他肯定不久就要到了。arrive/leave～sb 在……之先到/离开;Turn right just～the shop.快到那商店时往右拐。～entering/speaking 进去/说话之前;～the Flood太古以前;～one's time某人出世以前;～tax纳税之前;〖反〗after;

(2) 在……前面(头) (in front of; ahead of (with reference to order arrangement))：Pride comes～a fall. 骄必败。His name comes～hers on the list. 名单上他的名字在她前面。10 comes～11. 10在11之前。put one's work～everything工作第一;put the cart～the horse本末倒置;ladies～gentlemen 女士(比男士)优先;be～sb in the queue/the list在队中/名单上排在某人之前;～e in the alphabet字母表中e之前;〖反〗after;

(3) 在……面前 (in front of (with reference to position))：stand/kneel～an idol 站在/跪在神像面前;(waiter) set the food～sb(侍者)把食物放在某人面前;I have a difficult job～me.我面临一项困难工作。the task/problem～sb某人面临的任务/问题;life/wide lands～sb某人面前的生活/广阔土地;The accident happened～his own eyes.事故就发生在他的眼前。the case～the court 法庭面对的案子;〖反〗behind;

(4) 在……面前 (in the presence of)：appear～an audience出现在观(听)众面前;be brought～a judge带出庭受审;say sth～witnesses当着证人们说……;make a statement～the House of Commons在下院发表讲话;

(5) 高于，先于 (rather than; in preference to or in higher esteem than)：put quality～quantity质量高于数量;put the interests of others～one's own先人后己;Work should come～pleasure.工作应该先于享乐。honour～wealth 荣誉高于财富;death～surrender/dishonour宁死不投降/受辱;

(6) 在……威力之下(under pressure from)：recoil/retreat～the attack面对进攻退缩/退却;sail～wind顺风行驶;

conj (1) 在……之前 (in advance of the time when)：The train (had) left～we reached the platform. 火车在我们到达站台之前已开走了。 A dozen ideas were considered～he decided on his plan.他做了周密考虑才决定这个计划。It was a long time/will be many years～we met (meet) again.好长时间了我们才再见面/许多年后我们才会再见面。It won't be very long～you are of age.你很快就会成年的。〖反〗after;

(2) 宁可 (rather than; in preference to)：I would die～I would betray my country/I would give in. 我宁死也不背叛祖国/投降。She will die of hunger～she will steal.她宁可饿死也不愿偷窃。He'd shoot himself～he apologized to them.他宁可自杀也不向他们道歉。

adv (1) 从(以)前 (at an early time; previously; in the past; already)：I have seen the film/had been there～.我以前看过那个电影/去过那儿。They are/were even happier than～.他们比以前还幸福。 He fell silent， as～.像以前一样，他一声不吭了。He had taken his degree long/a year/two days/the day/the week～.他很久以前/一年以前/两天以前/前一天/前一周取得了学位。〖反〗after， afterwards;

(2) 早于 (earlier or sooner)：Come at 2 o'clock， not～! 两点钟来，别提前! 〖反〗later;

→ be′forehand adv 预(事)先;过早;

【说明】before和after用法上的相同之处见AFTER。

【辨异】before与ago的区别见AGO。