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Webster 1913 Edition


Afore

A-fore′

,
adv.
[OE.
afore
,
aforn
, AS.
onforan
or
ætforan
; pref.
a-
+
fore
.]
1.
Before.
[Obs.]
If he have never drunk wine
afore
.
Shakespeare
2.
(Naut.)
In the fore part of a vessel.

A-fore′

,
p
rep.
1.
Before (in all its senses).
[Archaic]
2.
(Naut.)
Before; in front of; farther forward than;
as,
afore
the windlass
.
Afore the mast
,
among the common sailors; – a phrase used to distinguish the ship’s crew from the officers.

Webster 1828 Edition


Afore

AFO'RE

,
adv.
or prep. [a and fore.]
1.
In front.
2.
Between one object and another, so as to intercept a direct view or intercourse; as, to stand between a person and the light of a candle - a popular use of the word.
3.
Prior in time; before; anterior; prior time being considered as in front of subsequent time.
The grass which withereth afore it groweth up. Ps. 129.
In all these senses it is now inelegant, and superseded by before.
4.
In seaman's language, toward the head of the ship; further forward, or nearer the stem; as, afore the windlas. Afore the mast, is a phrase which is applied to a common sailor, one who does duty on the main deck, or has no office on board the ship.

Definition 2024


afore

afore

See also: aforé, afore-, and a-fore

English

Alternative forms

Adverb

afore (not comparable)

  1. (dialect) Before.
    • Shakespeare
      If he have never drunk wine afore, it will go near to remove his fit.
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well.
  2. (nautical) In the fore part of a ship.

Preposition

afore

  1. Before; in advance of the time of.
    • 1989: Edward Chisnall, Bell in the tree; The Glasgow story
      "Oh aye!" his face lit up with a smile. "I mind that! Where was that?" "That was us when we all worked in the shop, afore the War." "Oh aye …?" he frowned. "Who …?" She took the photograph back from him and reached inside her apron pocket for her spectacles.
  2. Before; situated geographically or metaphorically in front of.

Conjunction

afore

  1. In advance of the time when; before.
    • 1611 King James Bible (Authorised Version); Ezekiel 33:22
      Now the hand of the LORD was upon me in the evening, afore he that was escaped came; and had opened my mouth ...

Related terms


Middle English

Alternative forms

Adverb

afore

  1. before; afore

Preposition

afore

  1. before; afore: in advance of the time of
    • c. 1370–1450, Laurence de Premierfait, Des cas des nobles hommes et femmes, as quoted in Lydgate's Fall of Princes (1923, The Carnegie Institution of Washington):
      Affor tyme thei wer but bestiall,
      Till thei to resoun be lawes wer constreyned,
      Vndir discrecioun bi statutis naturall
  2. before; afore: situated geographically or metaphorically in front of
    • 1399, Rich. Redeless IV, 72
      and somme were so ffers
      at ffrist come,
      that they bente on a bonet,
      and bare a topte saile
      affor the wynde ffresshely,
      to make a good ffare

Conjunction

afore

  1. before; afore: in advance of the time when

Scots

Adverb

afore (not comparable)

  1. before

Preposition

afore

  1. before

Spanish

Verb

afore

  1. Formal second-person singular (usted) imperative form of aforar.
  2. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of aforar.
  3. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of aforar.
  4. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of aforar.