We use ' by ' to set a specific time in which everything must occur before or at the exact moment. For example: Turn in your assignments by midnight. You have by Saturday to finish this project. We use ' before ' to show that something occurred in advance of a particular time or event.

The meaning of BEFORE is in advance : ahead. How to use before in a sentence.

BEFORE definition: 1. at or during a time earlier than (the thing mentioned): 2. until (the event mentioned): 3. in…. Learn more.

Define before. before synonyms, before pronunciation, before translation, English dictionary definition of before. adv. 1. Earlier in time: They called me the day before.

Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion—or rather as a transition from the subject that started their conversation—such talk had been distressingly out of place.

Definition of BEFORE in the Definitions.net dictionary. Meaning of BEFORE. What does BEFORE mean? Information and translations of BEFORE in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web.

In preference to; rather than. Anterior to in time; previous to: as, I shall return before six o'clock. Under the action, influence, or power of. Figuratively and colloquially, in prosperous circumstances; out of debt or difficulty. Previous to the time when: formerly sometimes followed by that. Sooner than; rather than.