before
US
UK before conj: (at an earlier time than)
SC 在…以前 zài … yǐ qián
He could drive a car before he learned how to ride a bike. Simon threw the newspaper in the trash before I had a chance to read it.
学会骑自行车之前，他就会开车了。 我还没来得及读，西蒙就把报纸扔垃圾桶了。
before prep: (earlier than) (时间)
SC 在…之前 zài … zhī qián
You should finish your homework before dinner.
你应该在晚饭前完成家庭作业。
before prep: (preceding in order) (顺序)
SC 在…之前 zài … zhī qián
The letter 'b' comes before the letter 'c'.
字母 ”b" 在字母 “c" 之前。
before adv: (in the past)
SC 过去 guò qù
TC 過去
TC 過去
SC 以前 guò qù，yǐ qián
TC 以前
TC 以前
SC 过往 guò qù，guò wǎng
Have you been here before?
你以前来过这儿吗？
before adv: (earlier, sooner)
SC 较早
SC 早点
TC 早點
TC 早點
I would have written before, but I didn't have your new address.
我本该早点给你写信的，但没有你的新地址。
before adv: (ahead, in front)
SC 在前 zài qián
SC 先 zài qián，xiān
TC 先
TC 先
You go before and I'll follow.
你走在前，我跟在后。
before conj: (rather than)
SC 宁愿…也不愿… nìng yuàn yě bú yuàn
SC 宁可…而不愿… nìng yuàn yě bú yuàn，nìng kě ér bú yuàn
I would die before I would criticize her.
我宁愿去死也不愿意批评她。
before prep: (in front of)
SC 在…前面 zài … qián miàn
He stood before the crowd and raised his arms.
他站在人群前，举起双手。
before prep: (awaiting, in future)
SC 有待于…去完成 yǒu dài yú qù wán chéng
She has her whole career before her.
她有大好的职涯前景。
before prep: (rather than)
SC 而不… ér bú / ér bù
SC （与其…）宁可… ér bú / ér bù，yǔ qí nìng kě
Personally, I'd eat pizza before caviar or truffles.
就我个人而言，与其吃鱼子酱或者松露，我宁可吃披萨。
before prep: (preceding in rank)
SC （等级上）在…之前，在…之上 děng jí shàng zài zhī qián，zài … zhī shàng
SC 先于… xiān yú …
SC 优于… yōu yú …
Aces come before kings in this game.
这个游戏中，A比K大。
before prep: formal (in sight of)
SC 当着…的面 dāng zhe de miàn
SC 在…面前 dāng zhe de miàn，zài miàn qián
They performed an open-air concert before a huge audience.
他们当着许多观众表演了一场露天音乐会。
before prep: (in the jurisdiction of) (法律)
SC 由…审判，提交…，呈现到…前 yóu shěn pàn，tí jiāo，chéng xiàn dào qián
His case was brought before the International Court of Justice.
他的案子已经提交至国际法院审理。
before prep: (in the face of)
SC 面对… miàn duì
TC 面對…
TC 面對…
SC 面临 miàn duì，miàn lín
TC 面臨
TC 面臨
He always backs out before a difficult task.
在面对艰难险阻时，他总是退缩。
before prep: (in the presence of)
SC 在…面前 zài miàn qián
Before God I declare that I will always tell the truth.
我在上帝面前起誓，我不会说假话。
before prep: (without considering)
SC 在…前 zài qián
SC 在将…纳入考虑前 zài qián，zài jiāng nà rù kǎo lǜ qián
Their earnings before tax have doubled this year.
今年，他们的税前收入翻了一倍。
bow down before [sb] vi phrasal + prep: literal (bow in deference to)
SC 向…鞠躬 xiàng jū gōng
It is customary to bow down before the Emperor of Japan.
bow down before [sb] vi phrasal + prep: figurative (show deference to)
SC 对…表示敬意 duì biǎo shì jìng yì
He is so arrogant that he thinks everyone should bow down before him.
他很傲慢，觉得所有人都需要向他表示敬意。
bring [sb] before [sb], bring [sth] before [sb] vtr phrasal sep: (take to: court)
SC 把…带上法庭受审 bǎ dài shàng fǎ tíng shòu shěn
SC 提审 bǎ dài shàng fǎ tíng shòu shěn，tí shěn
The Senator was brought before the High Court on charges of racketeering.
come before [sth] vtr phrasal insep: formal (appear in court)
SC 出（庭）
The defendant came before the court for sentencing.
come before [sb] vtr phrasal insep: formal (appear before: magistrate, judge, etc.) (法官等)
SC 出庭面对
Miller came before the judge two months after pleading guilty to assault.
BCE, B.C.E. adv: initialism (Before the Common Era)
SC 公元前 gōng yuán qián
Julius Caesar was born in the year 100 BCE.
before an audience adv: (in front of people)
SC 大庭广众之下 dà tíng guǎng zhòng zhī xià
SC 在人们面前 dà tíng guǎng zhòng zhī xià，zài rén mén miàn qián
I hate speaking before an audience; I get stage fright and stammer over my words.
before its time adv: (prematurely) (胎儿)
SC 早产
The baby was born before its time.
before its time adv: (precociously)
SC 过早地 guò zǎo de
TC 過早地
TC 過早地
SC 比正常时间提前
Parents should not try to force a child to walk before its time.
before long adv: (soon)
SC 不久 bù jiǔ
TC 不久
TC 不久
SC 在不久的将来 bù jiǔ，zài bù jiǔ de jiāng lái
Spring should be coming before long.
不久，春天就要来了。
before noon adv: (in advance of midday)
SC 午前 wǔ qián
I'll take my walk before noon so I'll be home in time for lunch.
I hope you can arrive before noon.
before now adv: (previously)
SC 早先 zǎo xiān
SC 早前 zǎo xiān，zǎo qián
SC 以前 zǎo xiān，yǐ qián
TC 以前
TC 以前
Before now, I had never really been in love!
before that adv: (prior to a given occasion)
SC 在那之前
I started wearing glasses a couple of years ago; before that I wore contact lenses for 40 years.
Before the Common Era expr: (Before Christ: non-Christian equivalent)
SC 公元前 gōng yuán qián
before the court adv: (in front of a tribunal)
SC 在法庭上 zài fǎ tíng shàng
SC 在法官面前 zài fǎ tíng shàng，zài fǎ guān miàn qián
I'm going to testify before the court on Wednesday.
before the fact adv: (beforehand) (法律)
SC 作案前 zuò àn qián
By acting before the fact, a company can save time and money by anticipating problems.
before the Flood adv: figurative (long ago) (比喻)
SC 远古洪荒之前，很久以前 yuǎn gǔ hóng huāng zhī qián，hěn jiǔ yǐ qián
before the judge adv: (in court)
SC 在法庭上 zài fǎ tíng shàng
before the judge adv: (in front of a magistrate)
SC 在法官面前 zài fǎ guān miàn qián
before you know it expr: informal (rapidly, soon)
SC 不知不觉间
SC 很快 hěn kuài
Christmas will be here before you know it.
before your eyes, right before your eyes, before your very eyes adv: (right in front of you)
SC 就在眼面前
SC 当着…的面 dāng zhe de miàn
His father was murdered right before his eyes.
before your time adv: informal (before your birth)
SC 在你出生前 zài nǐ chū shēng qián
SC 在你卷入某事之前 zài nǐ chū shēng qián，zài nǐ juǎn rù mǒu shì zhī qián
I remember the day President Kennedy was shot - but that's before your time.
我记得肯尼迪总统被枪杀的那天，但是那发生在你出生前。
before your time adv: informal (before your involvement)
SC 你来之前
He used to be Managing Director here, but that was a few years before your time.
before-tax adj: (profits, etc.: before tax is paid)
SC 税前的 shuì qián de
SC 未缴税前的
best before [sth] adj + prep: (food: fresh until a specified date) (食物)
SC 在…前最佳
Milk is best before the expiration date.
best before expr: (warning on food packaging) (食物)
SC 保质期 bǎo zhì qī
TC 貨質期
TC 貨質期
SC 最佳食用期
The label on the tin says, "Best before 09.09.2018".
best-before date n: (expiration)
SC 此日期前最佳，最佳食用日期
Blood is thicker than water, Blood before water expr: figurative (family relationships are strongest)
SC 血浓于水
Neil will always support his brother's position on this matter because blood is thicker than water.
calm before the storm n: figurative (quiet period before [sth] turbulent)
SC 暴风雨前的平静 bào fēng yǔ qián de píng jìng
SC 大事件（如动荡等）之前的平静 bào fēng yǔ qián de píng jìng，dà shì jiàn （ rú dòng dàng děng ） zhī qián de píng jìng
Mary's much too quiet. I fear it's the calm before the storm.
cast pearls before swine, cast your pearls before swine v expr: figurative (squander [sth] on [sb] who does not value it)
SC 明珠暗投
SC 对牛弹琴
TC 對牛彈琴
TC 對牛彈琴
come before [sth] vi + prep: (precede)
SC 出现在…之前
The number 2 comes before 3, and 4 comes before 5.
come before [sth] vi + prep: figurative (be more important than)
SC 优先于 yōu xiān yú
TC 優先於
TC 優先於
SC 比…更重要 yōu xiān yú ，bǐ gèng zhòng yào
The welfare of my family comes before anything else.
count your chickens, count your chickens before they are hatched expr: figurative (rely on [sth] prematurely)
SC 过早下定论
SC 打如意算盘
dangle [sth] in front of [sb], dangle [sth] before [sb] vtr + prep: figurative, informal (offer as incentive)
SC 拿某物来诱惑某人
SC 用某物来吊某人的胃口
Dangle a raise in front of him and see what happens.
The boss dangled extra overtime pay before the employees for working on the holiday.
用加薪来吊他的胃口，看看会怎样。 // 为了让雇员节假日上班，老板拿额外加班费来诱惑大家。
day before n: (previous day)
SC 前一天 qián yì tiān
ever before adv: (at any point previously)
SC 以前 yǐ qián
TC 以前
TC 以前
SC 从前 yǐ qián，cóng qián
TC 從前
TC 從前
Women are choosing to stay single more than ever before.
go before [sth/sb] vi + prep: (precede)
SC 走在…的前面
The travel guides go before the tourist group.
go before vi + adv: (exist or happen previously)
SC 发生（或存在）于过去
This discovery eclipses everything that has gone before.
go before the bar v expr: (appear in court) (法律)
SC 上法庭 shàng fǎ tíng
The prosecutor in the Smith case will go before the bar on ethics charges.
just before prep: (a moment prior to)
SC 就在…之前 jiù zài zhī qián
SC 在…前刚刚 jiù zài zhī qián，zài qián gāng gāng
I like to have a hot bath just before I go to bed.
look before you leap interj: figurative (be aware of the risks involved in [sth]) (谚语)
SC 三思而后行 sān sī ér hòu xíng
Thinking of investing in a new business? Look before you leap!
once before adv: (on one previous occasion)
SC 曾经，有一次 céng jīng，yǒu yí cì
TC 曾經
TC 曾經
put [sth/sb] before [sth/sb] vtr + prep: (prioritize more highly than)
SC 比...更重视
SC 将...放在比...更优先的地位
I will always put my children's welfare before my own desires.
put the cart before the horse v expr: figurative (act prematurely) (比喻)
SC 本末倒置，前后颠倒，不分主次 běn mò dǎo zhì，qián hòu diān dǎo，bù fēn zhǔ cì
Sara insisted that having sex before marriage was like putting the cart before the horse.
right before prep: (just prior to)
SC 就在刚刚 jiù zài gāng gāng
TC 就在剛剛
TC 就在剛剛
I'll see you right before the big meeting.
set [sth] before [sb] vtr + prep: (place in front of)
SC 置于…之前 zhì yú zhī qián
At about 3 months, a baby begins to focus its eyes on objects set before him.
He set the plate of cookies before his mother.
shortly before adv: (just before)
SC 前不久 qián bù jiǔ
SC 不久前 qián bù jiǔ，bù jiǔ qián
the day before n: (a day earlier, the previous day)
SC 前一天 qián yì tiān
the day before adv: (a day earlier, on the previous day)
SC 前一天 qián yì tiān
the day before yesterday n: (two days ago)
SC 前天
TC 前天
TC 前天
The day before yesterday was my birthday.
the day before yesterday adv: (two days ago)
SC 前天
TC 前天
TC 前天
I haven't seen him since the day before yesterday.
the night before n: (previous night or evening)
SC 昨天晚上
the night before adv: (on the previous night or evening)
SC 昨天晚上
the week before last n: (the week prior to last week)
SC 上上周
the week before last adv: (in the week prior to last week)
SC 上上周的时候
think twice about doing [sth], think twice before doing [sth], think twice before you do [sth] v expr: (reconsider prior to doing [sth])
SC 三思而后行 sān sī ér hòu xíng
You should think twice about giving up a steady job to start a PhD.
I'd advise you to think twice before you accept this man's proposal; you've only just met him!
two days before prep: (two days prior to)
SC 在…前两天 zài qián liǎng tiān
Unfortunately, the hurricane struck two days before their wedding.
two days before adv: (two days earlier)
SC 两天前 liǎng tiān qián
TC 兩天前
TC 兩天前
I was waiting for her when she arrived, having got there two days before.
- contractor
- contract out
- contracts
- contractual
- contracture
- contradict
- contradicting
- contradiction
- contradictory
- contradistinction
- contraflow
- contrail
- contraindicate
- contraindication
- contralto
- contraposition
- contraption
- contrapuntal
- contrarian
- contrariety
- contrarily
- contrariwise
- contrary
- contrary to
- contrast