efore

adv

at an earlier time; in the past; already 以前; 过去; 已经:

You should have told me so before.你早就应该告诉我.

* It had been fine the day/week before,ie the previous day/week.前一天[一周]天气很好（以过去某时为准的前一天[一周]）.

* That had happened long before,ie a long time earlier.那事老早就发生了（比过去某时早得多）

.* I've seen that film before.我以前看过那部影片.=>Usage at before2 用法见before2.Cf 参看 after1,afterwards.

prep

1 earlier than (sb/sth) 早於（某人[某事物]）; 在（某人[某事物]）以前:before lunch 午餐前 * the day before yesterday 前天

* two days before Christmas 圣诞节的前两天

* The year before last he won a gold medal,and the year before that he won the silver.他前年赢得一枚金牌,大前年赢得一枚银牌.

* She's lived there since before the war.她从战前就一直住在那里.

* He arrived before me.他在我之前到达.

* He taught English as his father had before him.他教过英语,他父亲以前也教过英语.

* Something ought to have been done before now.早就该采取措施了.* We'll know before long,ie soon.我们不久就会知道.

* Turn left just before (ie before you reach) the cinema.在快要到电影院时向左拐.Cf 参看 after2 1.

2 (a) (with reference to position) in front of (sb/sth) （指位置）在（某人[某物]）前面:We knelt before the throne.我们在御座前跪下.* (fig 比喻) The task before us is not an easy one.我们面临的任务可不轻.Cf 参看behind2

1.(b) (with reference to order or arrangement) in front of (sb/sth); ahead of （指顺序或排列）在（某人[某事物]）之前; 先於（某人[某事物]）:B comes before C in the alphabet.B在字母表里排在C之前.* Your name comes before mine on the list.名单上你的名字在我之前.* ladies before gentlemen 女士优先於先生 * He puts his work before everything,ie regards it as more important than anything else.他把工作放在第一位（看得比任何事都重要）.Cf 参看 after2 3.

3 in the presence of (sb) 在（某人）面前:He was brought before the judge.他被带到法官面前.* She said it before witnesses.她是当著证人的面说的.* He made a statement before the House of Commons.他在下议院当众发表了一个声明.

4 (fml 文) rather than (sth); in preference to 与其...,不如...; 宁可:death before dishonour 宁死不受辱.

5 (fml 文) under pressure from (sb/sth) 被（某人[某事物]）所迫:Our troops recoiled before the attack.我部队迫於敌人的进攻而后撤.* They retreated before the enemy.他们迫於敌方压力而退却.* The ship sailed before the wind,ie with the wind blowing from behind.轮船顺风航行.

before

NOTE ON USAGE 用法:

1 In front of and behind are prepositions and opposite in meaning *in front of和behind均用作介词,但意思相反.They indicate the relative position of people or things 这两个词语都指人或事物的相对位置 :Johnny is in front of me in the photo.照片中约翰尼在我的前面.* The garage is behind the house.车房在房子的后面.* The dog ran in front of the bus.狗在公共汽车前面跑.* The mouse ran behind the cupboard.老鼠在柜子后面跑.

2 In front and behind are also adverbs *in front和behind还可作副词:I'd like to sit in front.我愿意坐在前面.* The taxi followed on behind.计程车在后面跟著.

3 Before and after relate to time and can be *before和after可指时间,可作

(a) adverbs 副词:the day after/before 次 日[前一日] * I had met him before.我在那事之前就见过他.* I'll see you after.(Here afterwards is more common.) 我以后再见你.（此处用afterwards更普通.） (b) prepositions 介词:the day after/before my birthday 我生日的次日[前一日] * I'll see you after the meeting.散会后我再见你.

(c) conjunctions 连词:We had dinner after/before they arrived.他们到达之后[之前]我们吃的饭.4 Before and after can suggest place,especially when this is closely associated with time or order in a sequence.*before和after亦可指地点,尤其用於所指的地点是与时间或先后顺序有密切关系时.I was before/after you in the queue.我排队排在你前面[后面].* C comes before E in the alphabet.在字母表里C排在E之前.

before

conj

1 earlier than the time when （指时间）在...以前:Do it before you forget.趁早动手,免得忘了.* It may be many years before we meet again.大概要过许多年我们才能再见.* Before the week was out (ie had ended),they were dead.那个星期还没过完他们就死了.* It will be a long time before we finish this dictionary.我们需要很长的时间才能把这部词典编译完.Cf 参看 after3.

2 rather than 宁愿:I'd shoot myself before I apologized to him!我宁死也不向他道歉!