Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BE-FORE', prep. [be and fore, that is, by fore, near the fore part. Sax. before, or beforan, retained by Chaucer in beforn.]

1. In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons. – Milton.
2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect. Abraham bowed before the people of the land. – Gen. xxiii. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord? – Micah vi.
3. In sight of; as, before the face.
4. In the presence of, noting cognizance, or jurisdiction. Both parties shall come before the judge. – Ex. xxii.
5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice. The world was all before them. – Milton. My land is before thee. – Gen. xx.
6. In front of any object; as, before the house, before the fire.
7. Preceding in time. Before I was afflicted, I went astray. – Ps. cxix. Before Abraham was, I am. – John viii. Here the preposition has a sentence following for an object.
8. In preference to. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. – Gen. xlviii. Poverty is desirable before torments. – Taylor.
9. Superior; preceding in dignity. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. – John i.
10. Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order; as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession.
11. Previous to; in previous order; in order to. Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. – Swift. [See No. 7.]
12. Before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.