[Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/before.html) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [dictionaries](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/) / [The school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/) / before [← B](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/B/) # before «before» in Mova's school dictionary: **earlier than something else: before lunch** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it. ### part of speech preposition (before lunch); adverb (I have seen it before); conjunction (before you go) ### meaning for a pupil 1) Before means earlier than something else: before lunch. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#m1) 2) Before means at an earlier time, in the past: I have been here before. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#m2) 3) Before can mean in front of: the number before 10 is 9; she stood before the class. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#m3) 4) (casual) «Before you know it» means very soon; «before long» means soon. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#m4) 5) (rough) «Before I …» in a threat warns of what will happen: «Get out before I lose my temper.» [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#m5) 6) (formal) The exam voice says «prior to», «previously», «antecedent to», «in advance of», «hitherto», «preceding». [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#m6) ### sense in the lessons earlier lessons, or the amount before a change («Before lunch Jake had 15 marbles»); in counting «the number before 10» is one less (9); in safety «look before you cross», «ask before you touch», «think before you post»; in everyday life «the day before», «before bed», «before long»; in rough talk a threat «before I count to three»; in the exam voice «prior to», «previously», «the preceding integer» ### examples - First, a little revision of what we learned before: Adding within 20. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x1) - Test: 60 of 60 right (before the lesson: 0 of 60). [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x2) - Before lunch Jake had 15 marbles. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x3) - Ann had 8 coins before she found 4 more. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x4) - Wash your hands before you eat. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x5) - What number comes before 20? [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x6) - I have never seen a whale before. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x7) - Brush your teeth before bed. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x8) - You'll be grown up before you know it. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x9) - put it back before mum sees, she'll kill us [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x10) - Get off my bike before I count to three! [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x11) - Prior to the transaction, Jake was in possession of 15 marbles; state the integer immediately preceding 15. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x12) - "I have never seen you before." [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/#x13) ### note Points to the starting amount or an earlier time; no operation clue by itself. Trap: «how many did she have before» asks for the start, so you may need to undo the change. «The number before N» or «the integer preceding N» is N − 1. Opposite: after. «prior to» and «previously» in an exam mean «before». «she'll kill us» in casual talk means she will be very cross; it is not a real threat. ### In the corpora - [Job hunting means searching adverts and sending applications, often dozens before getting anywhere; many get no reply at all.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/5/) - [Payday is the day pay arrives in the bank, often once a month, so money is usually lowest just before it.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/6/) - [Many people are paid early in December, before Christmas, so January feels very long with the money already spent.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/7/) - [When a woman is pregnant, a baby grows inside her womb for about nine months before it is born.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/18-were-having-a-baby/0/) - [Many parents wait about three months before telling people, because the early weeks are the most uncertain.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/18-were-having-a-baby/2/) ### Trees and pragmatics [Every meaning and example of «before» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/before/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.