before
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 →
2) Before means at an earlier time, in the past: I have been here before. tree →
3) Before can mean in front of: the number before 10 is 9; she stood before the class. tree →
4) (casual) «Before you know it» means very soon; «before long» means soon. tree →
5) (rough) «Before I …» in a threat warns of what will happen: «Get out before I lose my temper.» tree →
6) (formal) The exam voice says «prior to», «previously», «antecedent to», «in advance of», «hitherto», «preceding». tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: Often means "in the presence of" or "in the sight of," as when standing before God; it can also mean "in front of." Interpretation: Standing "before the LORD" is read as being in God's presence, as at the Tabernacle or in prayer. "No other gods before Me" is read by tradition as meaning no other gods in addition to Him, or in His presence. In the primary 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
- And none shall appear before Me empty. (Torah EXO.34.20, JPS 1917) tree →
- Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. (Torah EXO.20.3, JPS 1917) tree →
- And Moses brought their cause before the LORD. (Torah NUM.27.5, JPS 1917) tree →
- Who can stand before His indignation? (Prophets NAM.1.6, JPS 1917) tree →
- 'Shall mortal man be just before God? (Writings JOB.4.17, JPS 1917) tree →
- And I charged Baruch before them, saying: (Prophets JER.32.13, JPS 1917) tree →
- First, a little revision of what we learned before: Adding within 20. tree →
- Test: 60 of 60 right (before the lesson: 0 of 60). tree →
- Before lunch Jake had 15 marbles. tree →
- Ann had 8 coins before she found 4 more. tree →
- Wash your hands before you eat. tree →
- What number comes before 20? tree →
- I have never seen a whale before. tree →
- Brush your teeth before bed. tree →
- You'll be grown up before you know it. tree →
- put it back before mum sees, she'll kill us tree →
- Get off my bike before I count to three! tree →
- Prior to the transaction, Jake was in possession of 15 marbles; state the integer immediately preceding 15. tree →
- "I have never seen you before." tree →
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
- And the earth was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence.
- He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; wherefore it is said: 'Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.'
- And Abraham said unto God: 'Oh that Ishmael might live before Thee!'
- And the men turned from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.
- And Abraham got up early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «before» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.