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BEFOREHAND
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Being ahead of time or need
Example:
was beforehand with her report
Synonyms:
advance; beforehand
Classified under:
Similar:
early (at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time)
II. (adverb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Ahead of time; in anticipation
Example:
should have made reservations beforehand
Synonyms:
ahead; beforehand; in advance
Classified under:
Context examples:
As to the maid, Marie, she had gone off some days beforehand in floods of tears, after informing the other maids that she was leaving service forever.
(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
"Go ahead," he said; "tell me about them beforehand. What do they do for a living? How do they happen to be here?"
(Martin Eden, by Jack London)
‘It is also my custom,’ said he, smiling in the most pleasant fashion until his eyes were just two little shining slits amid the white creases of his face, ‘to advance to my young ladies half their salary beforehand, so that they may meet any little expenses of their journey and their wardrobe.’
(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
By his wise precaution the seats had been allotted beforehand, so that the gentlemen might be scattered among the professionals and no risk run of two enemies finding themselves together, or a man who had been recently beaten falling into the company of his conqueror.
(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
I know beforehand that nothing you, or anyone, can tell me, will show my husband's noble heart in any other light than one.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Very odd! but one never does form a just idea of any body beforehand.
(Emma, by Jane Austen)
One always knows beforehand what the dinner will be, and who will be there; and it is so very uncomfortable not having a carriage of one's own.
(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)
I must tell you beforehand that Mr. Morris doesn't always speak slang—that is to say, he never does so to strangers or before them, for he is really well educated and has exquisite manners—but he found out that it amused me to hear him talk American slang, and whenever I was present, and there was no one to be shocked, he said such funny things.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
Mrs. Chester fancied beforehand that it would be easy to deliver this little speech, but when the time came, she found it rather difficult to utter it naturally, with Amy's unsuspicious eyes looking straight at her full of surprise and trouble.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
So sensible of this, beforehand, that I had really felt ashamed of doing what I was nevertheless impelled to do, I went back to the inn.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
