Before. World English Historical Dictionary

Before. World English Historical Dictionary Dictionary Biographies Literary Criticism Welcome Terms of Service ⧏ Previous Next ⧐ Contents Slice Contents Key Bibliographic Record Murray’s New English Dictionary. 1888, rev. 2024. Before adv., prep. and conj. Forms: 1 bi-, beforan, 2–4 bi-, beforen, 4– before. (Also 3 biuore(n, biforenn, byuore, biforr; 4–5 bi-, byforne, bifor(e, 4–6 byfore, 4–7 beforn(e, 5 befoore, 5–6 Sc. befoir, beforrow, 7 arch. beforen, biforn, 8 arch. beforne.) [OE. beforan (cogn. w. OS. biforan, OHG. bifora, MHG. bevor, also bevorne, bevorn), f. bi-, BE- by, about + foran adv.:—OTeut. *forana from the front, advb. derivative of fora, FOR. Cf. also FORE, AFORE, ATFORE, TOFORE. Primarily an adverb; its relation to a sb. was expressed by putting the latter in the dative, ‘in front as to a thing,’ whence it passed into a preposition (cf. B 2, quot. 971). Elision of a relative particle has given it also the force of an adverbial conjunction e.g., in ‘think before (that) you speak.’]

1   A.  adv. I. Of sequence in space.

2   1.  Of motion: Ahead, in advance, in front.

3 a. 1000.  Beowulf, 2829. He feara sum beforan gengde wisra monna.

4 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 41. Mihhal eode biforen and Poul com efter.

5 c. 1350.  Will. Palerne, 3193. And bifore went william and afterward þe quene.

6 1375.  Barbour, Bruce, X. 245. Thai that war went furth beforn.

7 c. 1430.  Chev. Assigne, 322. Euur feraunce by-forne & þat other aftur.

8 1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., V. i. 397. I am sent with broome before, To sweep the dust behinde the door.

9 1610.  Holland, Camden’s Brit., I. 3. Nor Twins, the horned Bull of Crete, untimely go beforn.

10 1740.  Johnson, Sir F. Drake, Wks. IV. 403. Advertised by two Symerons, whom he sent before.

11 1859.  Tennyson, Enid, 863. Not at my side. I charge thee ride before, Ever a good way on before.

12   2.  Of position or direction: In front, in or on the anterior or fore side.

13 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 16637. Þai hailsed him be-for, bihind.

14 1413.  Lydg., Pylgr. Sowle, IV. xxxviii. 64. Full of eyen byfore and behynd.

15 1420.  E. E. Wills (1882), 53. A habirgoun of Mylen, opyn be-for.

16 1523.  Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. cliii. 183. Bare a starre on his bonet and on his mantell before.

17 1596.  Shaks., Tam. Shr., III. ii. 56. His horse … neere leg’d before. Ibid. (1605), Macb., V. viii. 46. Had he his hurts before?

18 1635.  Pagitt, Christianogr., I. ii. (1636), 77. His upper garment … buttoned before.

19 1722.  Lond. Gaz., No. 6088/3. Has lost a Tooth before.

20 1855.  Owen, Skel. & Teeth, 302. The homologies of the remaining molars and premolars are determined by counting the molars from before backwards.

21   fig.  1821.  Shelley, Skylark. We look before and after, And pine for what is not.

22   † 3.  Before the face of men; openly. Obs.

23 c. 1000.  Andreas, 1212 (Bosw.). Wundor on eorþan he beforan cyþde.

24 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 41. Þe þet spekeð faire biforen and false bihinden.

25   † 4.  In a position of pre-eminence or superiority to. Obs.

26 1377.  Langl., P. Pl., B. XX. 23. For is no vertue by fer · to spiritus temperancie [C. text reads by-fore to, to-fore, by ȝer, by fer, be ver, so fair as].

27 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. i. 26. Bifore be he [man] to the fishis of the see.

28   II.  Of sequence in time or order.

29   5.  In time previous or anterior to a time in question, previous to that or to this, earlier, sooner; hence beforehand; already, heretofore, in the past. Often with adverbs or advb. phrases of time, as long before, three years before, the week before, etc.

30 a. 1225.  Ancr. R., 240. Vor þi, mine leoue sustren, beoð biuoren iwarre.

31 1258.  Procl. Hen. III. Alse hit is beforen iseid.

32 1297.  R. Glouc., 443. Roberd … les þat lyf Aboute þre ȝer byuore.

33 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 8523. Dauid … spak … O cristes birth sua lang be-forn.

34 1340.  Ayenb., 260. Ase ich habbe beuore yzed.

35 1477.  Earl Rivers (Caxton), Dictes, 2. Whyche book I had neuer seen before.

36 1512.  Act 4 Hen. VIII., xi. Everything … byfore rehersed.

37 1513.  Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 38. As our mother sayd to the byforne.

38 c. 1560.  A. Scott, Counsale Warton W. Ye trest to find thame trew That nevir wes beforrow.

39 1579.  Spenser, Sheph. Cal., May, 104. For ought may happen that hath bene beforne.

40 c. 1600.  Shaks., Sonn., xl. What hast thou then more then thou hadst before? Ibid. (1610), Temp., III. ii. 2. When the But is out we will drinke water; not a drop before.

41 1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., ix. (1806), 44. The conversation at this time was more reserved than before.

42 1798.  Coleridge, Anc. Mar., V. II. 47. The Mariners all return’d to work As silent as beforne.

43 1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 153. Charles the First, eighteen years before, withdrew from his capital.

44   † b.  In Scotch, Of before = of aforetime, formerly.

45 c. 1505.  Dunbar, Gold. Targe, xxiv. Scho semyt lustiar of chere … Than of before.

46 1513–75.  Diurn. Occurr. (1833), 109. Sho past a lytill of befoir to vesie hir sone.

47   B.  prep. I. Of sequence in space.

48   1.  Of motion: In advance of, ahead of.

49 c. 1000.  Ælfric, Ex. xiii. 21. And Drihten fór beforan him and swutelode him þone weʓ.

50 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 5. Al þe hebreisce folc þe eode efter him and biuoren him.

51 1388.  Wyclif, Ex. xiii. 21. Forsothe the Lord ȝede bifore hem to schewe the weie.

52 1436.  Test. Ebor., II. (1855), 75. Pore men berand … torches before my cors.

53 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 4. Theyr gyde … to go before them, and conducte or leade them.

54 1611.  Bible, Josh. viii. 10. And Ioshua … went vp; he, and the Elders of Israel, before the people to Ai.

55 1843.  Macaulay, Armada, 20. Behind him march the halbardiers; before him sound the drums.

56   b.  Driven in front of, hurried on by; e.g., in the phrase Before the wind: said of a ship sailing directly with the wind; also fig.

57 1598.  W. Phillip, Linschoten’s Trav., in Arb., Garner, III. 23. We got before the wind to the Cape of Good Hope.

58 1697.  Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 822. Tisiphone … Before her drives Diseases and Affright.

59 1726.  Thomson, Winter, 171. Before the breath Of full exerted Heaven they wing their course.

60 1769.  Falconer, Dict. Marine (1789), Arriver, to bear away before the wind.

61 1853.  Kingsley, Hypatia, xviii. He had been only the leaf before the wind.

62 1865.  Dickens, Mut. Fr., i. Kept the boat in that direction going before the tide.

63 Mod.  A man who carries everything before him.

64   c.  Hence, with distinct causal force.

65 1535.  Coverdale, 1 Sam. viii. 33. Smytten before their enemies.

66 1590.  Shaks., Mids. N., III. ii. 423. Thou runst before me. Ibid. (1593), 2 Hen. VI., IV. ii. 37. Our enemies shall falle before us. Ibid. (1599), Hen. V., III. Cho. 34. Downe goes all before them.

67 1850.  Mrs. Browning, Poems, I. 4. Recoil before that sorrow, if not this sword.

68   2.  Of position or direction: In front of.

69 [971.  Blickl. Hom., 15. [He] ʓehyrde myccle meniʓo him beforan feran.]

70 a. 1200.  Moral Ode, 44, in E. E. P. (1862), 25. He is buuen vs & bi-neþen . biforen & bi-hinde.

71 c. 1250.  Gen. & Ex., 2272. Al ðo briðere … fellen bi-forn ðat louerd-is fot.

72 c. 1340.  Cursor M., 15023 (Trin.). Biforn her kyng childre cast braunches broken of bowȝe.

73 c. 1386.  Chaucer, Knt.’s T., 776. He caryed al this harneys him byforn.

74 c. 1450.  Merlin, xv. 237. He dide after many feire chiualries be-fore the castell.

75 1593.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., II. iv. § 5, Wks. 1841, I. 240. When many meats are set before me.

76 1652.  Needham, trans. Selden’s Mare Cl., 96. Wee decree that every Man possess his Vestibula or Seas lying before his lands.

77 1766.  Goldsm., Vic. W., viii. (1806), 42. On the grass-plot before our door.

78 1871.  Black, Dau. Heth, xviii. Peering over the edge of the rock before him.

79   fig.  1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 84. Great statesmen who looked far behind them and far before them.

80   b.  In front of, at the beginning of (a writing).

81 1535.  Joye, Apol. Tindale, 19. Tindals incharitable pistle set before hys newe Testament.

82   c.  Before the face or eyes: = 3.

83 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 111. Þine welan forrotiað biforan þine ehȝan.

84 1611.  Bible, Ps. xxxi. 22. I am cut off from before thine eies.

85 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 12, ¶ 2. The Mistress … scolds at the Servants as heartily before my Face as behind my Back.

86 1832.  Tennyson, Talking Oak, 3. Once more before my face I see the moulder’s Abbey-walls.

87   d.  Before the mast: a phrase said of the common sailors, who are berthed in the forecastle in front of the fore-mast.

88 1627.  Capt. Smith, Seaman’s Gram., ix. 39. The Boatswaine, and all the Yonkers or common Sailers vnder his command is to be before the Mast.

89 1870.  R. H. Dana (title), Two years before the mast.

90   3.  In front of so as to be in the sight of; under the actual notice or cognizance of; in presence of.

91 c. 1000.  Ælfric, Ex. xi. 10. [Hi] worhton ealle þa wundru … beforan Faraone.

92 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 53. Þe speket alse feire biforen heore euencristene.

93 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 13137. Bifor þis king in his palis, His broþer doghter … Com … for to bale.

94 c. 1450.  Henryson, Tale of Dog, 22. This summond is made befoir witnes.

95 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 156 b. Though the kynge were before hym in his robes of golde, he wolde lytell regarde his royalte.

96 1601.  F. Godwin, Bps. of Eng., 398. Preaching at Sittingborne before a great auditory.

97 1611.  Bible, John xii. 37. Though he had done … miracles before them.

98 1883.  Gilmour, Mongols, xvii. 209. Those who will confess Him before their countrymen.

99   b.  spec. Said in reference to a tribunal, of the persons or matters of which it has cognizance.

100 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Matt. xxvii. II Ða stod se Hælend beforan þam deman.

101 c. 1200.  Ormin, 6901. Wreȝedd Biforr þe Romanisshe king.

102 1512.  Act 4 Hen. VIII., x. Any office or offices found before Eschetour or Eschetours.

103 1601.  F. Godwin, Bps. of Eng., 451. Both of them being … before the Pope, they fell … into by matters and articling one against another.

104 1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 270, ¶ 1. As ill an Action as any that comes before the Magistrate.

105 1838.  Arnold, Hist. Rome (1848), I. 17. The appeal was tried before all the Romans.

106 1883.  Law Rep., xi. Q. Bench Div., 595. The proceedings before the police court.

107   c.  with the added idea of deference toward.

108 1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. i. 30. No knee … hath bent before its altar.

109 1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 146. The military power now humbled itself before the civil power.

110   4.  In the (mental) view of; in the opinion, regard, or consideration of. arch.

111 c. 1000.  Ælfric, Ex. iii. 21. Ic sylle þison folce ʓife beforan þam Eʓiptiscean folce.

112 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xv. 22. Fæder ic synʓude on heofon & beforan ðe.

113 c. 1175.  Lamb. Hom., 15. Eour eyþer suneȝað biforan drihten.

114 c. 1200.  Ormin, 117. Teȝȝ wærenn biforenn Godd Rihhtwise menn.

115 1583.  Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 14. Though this be not theft before the world, nor punishable by penall lawes.

116 1611.  Bible, Gen. xliii. 14. God Almightie giue you mercie before the man.

117   5.  Open to the knowledge of, displayed to or brought under the conscious knowledge or attention of. Hence, as an asseveration, Before God! = As God knows, by God.

118 [c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., Luke xii. 28. Swa hwylc swa me andet beforan mannum, þone mannes sunu andet beforan godes englum.

119 c. 1160.  Hatton G., ibid. Beforen mannen … beforen godes ængles.]

120 1393.  Langl., P. Pl., C. XVI. 139. By-for perpetuel pees · ich shal preoue þat ich seide, And a-vowe by-for God.

121 1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., V. ii. 149. Before God, Kate, I cannot looke greenely.

122 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 9, ¶ 4. That of the Georges, which used to meet at the sign of the George … and swear ‘Before George.’

123 1712.  Steele, ibid., No. 284, ¶ 6. I shall therefore with your Leave lay before you the whole Matter.

124 1815.  Scribbleomania, 234. The subject having been so recently before the public in all the diurnal prints.

125 1857.  Buckle, Civiliz., I. xii. 671. The accusations brought against these great men are before the world.

126   b.  Claiming the attention of.

127 a. 1711.  Ken, Div. Love, Wks. (1838), 217. That which now lies before you is to shew, how your abrenunciation is preparatory to the love of God.

128 1857.  Buckle, Civiliz., I. i. 19. The problem immediately before us, is to ascertain the method.

129   6.  In front of one in the course of action or of life; in prospect. a. Awaiting the coming action of, at the disposal of, open to. To have a penny before him: i.e., in hand for future needs, remaining over (now dial.).

130 [c. 1000.  Ælfric, Gen. xx. 15. Land liþ ætforan eow.]

131 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xx. 15. The lond is bifore ȝow; where euer it shal plese to thee, dwel.

132 c. 1420.  Sir Amadace, xxix. In gud tyme were he borne, That hade a peny him bi-forne.

133 1535.  Coverdale, Gen. xx. 15. Beholde, my londe stondeth open before the [1611 is before thee], dwell where it liketh the.

134 1667.  Milton, P. L., XII. 646. The World was all before them, where to choose, Their place of rest.

135 1882.  Hughes, Mem. D. Macmillan, ii. 10. In 1831 … he had the world before him.

136   b.  Ahead or in front of (one) in the future; awaiting.

137 1807.  Crabbe, Par. Reg., II. 386. Their graves before them and their griefs behind.

138 1837.  Carlyle, Sart. Res., III. v. The golden age … which a blind tradition has hitherto placed in the Past, is Before us.

139   II.  Of time.

140   7.  Preceding in order of time; anterior to.

141 c. 1000.  Ags. Gosp., John i. 15. Se þe to cummene is æfter me wæs geworden beforan me.

142 c. 1200.  Trin. Coll. Hom., 219. Þe laste man is sib þe formeste, þe was biforn us.

143 a. 1300.  E. E. Psalter lxxvii. 5. Our fadres us bifore.

144 1480.  Caxton, Chron. Eng., lvi. 40. They mowe lyuen as hyr auncestres dyde byforne hem.

145 1678.  Cudworth, Intell. Syst., I. i. § 28. 35. All the other ancient Physiologers that were before Anaxagoras.

146 1819.  Byron, Juan, I. v. Brave men were living before Agamemnon.

147 1870.  Trollope, Phineas F., 401. It is so easy to be a lord if your father is one before you.

148   8.  Previous to, or earlier than (a point of time, date or event).

149 c. 1200.  Ormin, 177. He shall newenn cumenn forþ Biforenn Cristess come.

150 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 4236. Es noght his murning may a-mend I trou bi-fore his liues ende. Ibid., 5064. I saghe þe neuer be-for þis day.

151 1485.  Act 1 Hen. VII., x. § 1. Byfore the rest of Ester than next ensuyng.

152 1506.  Bury Wills (1850), 108. I anulle and revoke all the villes mad by for this date.

153 1603.  Shaks., Meas. for M., IV. iv. 10. And why should wee proclaime it in an howre before his entring?

154 1712.  Steele, Spect., No. 493, ¶ 4. He wondered I was not dead before now.

155 1779.  Johnson, Dryden, Wks. VII. 182. It was written before the Conquest of Granada.

156 1832.  Ht. Martineau, Life in Wilds, iii. 39. Would be back before dark.

157 1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 561. Thirty-five years before this time.

158   9.  † a. Previous to a past space of time, before the beginning of. Obs. In mod. usage before three months is replaced by three months before. Cf. A 5.

159 c. 1340.  Cursor M., 10675 (Laud). Hyt was by-fore many a day commoundid in the olde lay.

160   b.  Previous to the expiration of a future space of time.

161 1865.  Trollope, Belton Est., xxvii. 326. This grief, I hope, may be cured some day before long.

162 Mod.  I hope to be there before another year.

163   III.  Of rank.

164   10.  In precedence of, superior to; in advance of in development.

165 c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 19. Se schene biforen alle oðre.

166 a. 1300.  in Wright, Pop. Sc., 367. Al that a man hath bifore a best.

167 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 8 b. The philosophers that trusted in theyr owne connynge … that they had before other.

168 1676.  Hobbes, Iliad, I. 266. Atrides is before you in command.

169 1755.  Johnson, s.v. Before, He is before his competitors both in right and power.

170 1848.  Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 413. The nation which was so far before its neighbours in science.

171   11.  In preference to; rather than.

172 c. 1230.  Hali Meid., 23. He menskeð ham se muchel biforen alle þe oðre.

173 c. 1380.  Wyclif, Sel. Wks. (1871), III. 83. Þow schalt not haue bifore me alyen Goddis.

174 1450.  Q. Margaret, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 8. To do you worship by wey of mariage, bifore all creatures lyvyng.

175 1611.  Bible, 2 Sam. vi. 21. The Lord, which chose me before thy father, & before all his house.

176 1653.  Walton, Angler, i. 16. Action is … to be preferr’d before Contemplation.

177 1742.  Young, Nt. Th. (1751), 243. Why then is health preferr’d before disease?

178 Mod.  They would die before yielding.

179   12.  In comparison with, in respect to.

180 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 98, ¶ 1. The Women were of such an enormous Stature, that we appeared as Grashoppers before them.

181 1832.  Tennyson, St. Agnes, ii. So shows my soul before the Lamb, My spirit before Thee.

182   C.  Conj. or conjunctive adv.

183   1.  Of time: Previous to the time when.

184   a.  orig. with that: now arch.

185 c. 1200.  Ormin, 964. Biforenn þatt te Laferrd Crist Wass borenn her to manne.

186 a. 1300.  Cursor M., 10603. Beforn þat sco was of hir moder born.

187 1382.  Wyclif, John viii. 58. Bifore that Abraham was maad, I am.

188 1542.  Udall, Erasm. Apoph., 280 a. Neither did he repaire vnto Sylla before that he had … vanquyshed diuerse capitaines of enemies.

189 1611.  Bible, John i. 48. Before that Philip called thee … I saw thee.

190   b.  without that.

191 c. 1325.  E. E. Allit. P., A. 529. On oure byfore þe sonne go doun.

192 c. 1400.  Maundev., 18. 2000 ȝeer before oure Lord was born.

193 1503–4.  Act 19 Hen. VII., xxxvi. Pream., Sir William … lay both at Surgery and fesyk … by the space of ij yeres … byfore he was able to ride.

194 1588.  A. King, trans. Canisius’ Catech., 76. The day befoir he sufferit.

195 1658.  Ussher, Ann., 405. Seleucus was dead before he came.

196 1711.  Addison, Spect., No. 1, ¶ 2. I threw away my Rattle before I was two Months old.

197 1816.  J. Wilson, City of Plague, I. ii. 90. Ay, she intends to look before she leaps.

198   † c.  Formerly also with ere (than), or. Obs.

199 1297.  R. Glouc., 40. Fyf hundred ȝer … bifore Er þan oure Lord … on erþe was ybore.

200 1340.  Hampole, Pr. Consc., 9. Before ar anythyng was wroght.

201 c. 1400.  Maundev., 83. Before or thei resceyve hem thei knelen doun.

202   2.  Of preference: Sooner than, rather than.

203 1596.  Shaks., Merch. V., III. ii. 303. Treble that, Before a friend…. Shall lose a haire.

204 Mod.  I will die before I submit.

205   D.  Used as adj. and sb.

206   1.  quasi-adj. = Anterior; previous.

207 1382.  Wyclif, 1 Esdras ix. 1. Risende up Esdras fro the beforn porche of the temple.

208 c. 1400.  Test. Love, I. (1560), 279. I rehearse thy before deed.

209 1599.  Shaks., Hen. V., IV. i. 179. Men are punisht for before breach of the Kings Lawes.

210   2.  quasi-sb.

211 1850.  Tennyson, In Mem., xxvi. 3. Oh, if indeed that eye foresee Or see (in Him is no before) In more of life true life no more.

212   E.  Comb.

213   1.  In combination with participles where the hyphen has merely a syntactical value, showing that before is an adverbial qualification of the following pple., with sense of ‘previously, formerly’; as before-created, -going, -mentioned, -named, -noticed, -recited, -told, -written, BEFORE-SAID.

214 1786.  Burke, W. Hastings, Wks. XII. 360. The pernicious consequences of his *before-created unwarrantable, and illegal arrangements.

215 1606.  Hieron, Wks., I. 44. Let vs remember the *before-deliuered matter.

216 1382.  Wyclif, Rom. iii. 25. Remiscioun of *bifore goynge synnes.

217 1677.  Hale, Prim. Orig. Man., I. iv. 99. Somewhat which hath been before said touching the Question before-going.

218 1593.  Hooker, Eccl. Pol., III. xi. § 9, Wks. 1841, I. 331. Till the time *before-mentioned was expired.

219 1671.  F. Philipps, Reg. Necess., 534. By the beforemention’d Opinions of Sir Christopher Wray.

220 1815.  Encycl. Brit., V. 781/1. The queen … takes all the steps of the before-mentioned pieces.

221 1467.  Bury Wills (1850), 48. The ferme of the seide londys, medews, and pasture *bee-for-namyd.

222 a. 1626.  Bacon, New Atl., in Sylva (1658), 12. All the Nations beforenamed.

223 1864.  Times, 13 Oct. 10/5. Who would not say that a well-written tale with a good moral in it would sooner beguile a child to read than a dry chapter on the before-named science [i.e. political economy] or on Roman history?

224 1807.  Vancouver, Agric. Devon (1813), 127. The mattock, *before-noticed, is used to grub up … the surface.

225 1786.  Burke, W. Hastings, Wks. XII. 399. In consequence of all the *before-recited intrigues.

226 1697.  Snake in Grass (ed. 2), 288. Like Fox’s Apology *beforetold.

227 1825.  Bentham, Ration. Reward, 123. A new and *before-unknown splendour.

228 1382.  Wyclif, 2 Chron. xxx. 5. As in the lawe it is *befornwriten.

229   † 2.  In many obsolete compound verbs and vbl. sbs. etc., esp. in Wyclif, representing L. præ- and ante-, some of which have mod. representatives with FORE-: as before-bar, to preclude, foreclose; before-casting, forecasting, pre-calculation; before-come, to prevent; before-cut; before-gird; before-goer, a predecessor; before-graithe, to prepare, make ready beforehand; before-had, held previously; before-know; before-passing, excelling; before-ripe, premature; before-runner; before-say, to predict, foretell; before-sayer, -speaker, a prophet: before-see; before-set, to promote, set over; before-show; before-sing; before-stretch, to extend forth; before-take, to anticipate; before-taste; before-tell; before-walling, antemurale, outer defence; before-warn; before-weave, to fringe, hem in, prætexere; before-witting, foreknowledge.

230 c. 1449.  Pecock, Repr., V. i. 477. What euer religioun lettith and *biforbarrith. Ibid., V. i. 478. Alle … letten and *biforebarren, ȝhe and forbeden, thilk religioun to be doon & usid.

231 1388.  Wyclif, Ex. xxi. 14. If ony man sleeth his neiȝbore bi *beforecastyng. Ibid. (1382), 2 Macc. xiv. 31. As he knewȝ hym strongly *byforecummen of the man. Ibid., Dan. iv. 11. *Biforekitte ȝe the braunchis therof. Ibid., Ps. xvii. 33. God that *beforgirte me with vertue. Ibid., Gal. i. 17. Nether I cam to Ierusalem to my *bifore goeris apostlis.

232 c. 1388.  in Wyclif’s Sel. Wks., 1871, III. 476. He þat is *biforegoar be he as a servant.

233 1382.  Wyclif, Ps. lxxxviii. 5. In to withoute ende I shal *beforgreithe thi seed. Ibid., 15. Riȝtwisnesse and dom *beforgreithing of thi sete. Ibid., Gen. xl. 13. Pharao shal restore thee to the *biforehad gree. Ibid. (1388), Gen. xv. 13. God *biforeknew also the things to comynge. Ibid. (1382), 2 Pet. i. 16. The vertu and prescience, or *bifore knowing. Ibid., Ecclus. xxxiii. 23. In alle thi werkes *beforn passende be thou [1388 be thou souereyn]. Ibid. (1388), Num. xiii. 21. The *before rijp grapes. Ibid. (1382), Ex. xxxiii. 2. Y shal sende an aungel, thi *before renner. Ibid., Isa. xlviii. 5. I *befornseide to thee fro thanne, er thei camen I shewede to thee. Ibid., Deut. viii. 19. Loo! now y *before seye to thee, that vtterly thow schalt perishe. Ibid. (1388), Eccles. iv. 13. That cannot *bifore se in to tyme to comynge. Ibid. (1382), Ecclus. xvii. 14. Into eche folc of kinde he *beforn sette a gouernour.

234 c. 1440.  Promp. Parv., 28. *Before sette, prefixus.

235 1382.  Wyclif, Gen. xli. 11. A sweuen *biforeshewynge of thingis that ben to comun. Ibid. (1388), Ps. cxlvi. 7. *Bifore synge ȝe to the Lord. Ibid., Ex. xv. 21. With the whiche she beforesonge. Ibid. (c. 1400), Ex. vii. 1 (MS. B). Profete, that is, interpretour other *biforspekere. Ibid. (1382), Ps. xxxv. 11. *Beforstrecche thi mercy to men. Ibid., Ps. lxxviii. 8. Soone shul *befortaken vs thi mercies.

236 1526.  Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 150. A *before tastynge of the ioye and glory of heuen.

237 1382.  Wyclif, Ps. xlix. 6. Heuenes shulen his riȝtwisnes *beforetelle. Ibid., Isa. xxvi. 1. The wal and the *biforwalling. Ibid., Wisd. xviii. 19. The viseouns … these thingus *bifornwarneden. Ibid., Job xxxvi. 28. The cloudis … that *beforeweuen alle thingus theraboue.

238 c. 1400.  Test. Love, III. (1560), 298. In the chapitre of Gods *beforneweting … all these matters apertely may be founden.

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