의미: before

의미·내용상 after와 대조를 이루는 부사·전치사·접속사로서 중요한 기능어의 하나이다. ago는 부사로서 시간 영역에만, front는 명사로서 공간 영역에만 국한해서 쓰이는데 대하여 before는 세 가지 품사의 기능을 다하면서 시간·공간 등 구체적 영역과 순위·대비 등 추상적 영역에까지 폭 넓게 쓰인다.

be·fore〔bifɔː

before 관용구

age before beauty

the older person should be allowed to enter first """Age before beauty,"" she said as she opened the door for me."

before long

soon.

calm before the storm

(See the calm before the storm)

cart before the horse

(See the cart before the horse)

cast pearls before swine

waste something on someone who won

count your chickens before they hatch

depend heavily on plans, spend money that you have not received "Politicians have learned not to ""count their chickens"" before the election."

don't count your chickens before they hatch

do not expect all plans to be successful, wait until you get the final results """Look at the sales I'm going to make this month - over 50!"" ""Don't count your chickens... ."""

morning after (the night before)

a hangover He

pride goeth before a fall

you lose self-respect before you do an evil deed Is this saying in the Bible? Pride goeth before a fall.

put the cart before the horse

do things in the wrong order I think that he is putting the cart before the horse by talking about fixing up the house before he even buys it.

the calm before the storm

the quiet time just before anger or an attack The enemy is planning an attack. This is the calm before the storm.

the cart before the horse

backwards, back to front Having dessert before dinner is putting the cart before the horse.

think twice before

Idiom(s): think twice (before doing sth)

Theme: CONSIDER

to consider carefully whether one should do something; to be cautious about doing something.
• You should think twice before quitting your job.
• That's a serious decision, and you should certainly think twice.

Pride goes before a fall

Idiom(s): Pride goes before a fall

Theme: ARROGANCE

a saying meaning that someone who behaves in an arrogant or vain way is likely to suffer misfortune. (From the Bible.)
• Bert was so busy admiring his reflection in a shop window that he stepped in a puddle. Pride goes before a fall.
• Jean was boasting about how well she thought she'd done on her final exams, but she failed them all. You know what they say. Pride goes before a fall.

not to cross a bridge before one comes to it

Idiom(s): not to cross a bridge before one comes to it

Theme: ANXIETY - ANTICIPATION

not to worry excessively about something before it happens. (Note the variations in the examples.)
• There is no sense in crossing that bridge before you come to it.
• She's always crossing bridges before coming to them. She needs to learn to relax.

morning after the night before

Idiom(s): morning after (the night before)

Theme: HANGOVER

the morning after a night spent drinking, when one has a hangover.
• Oh, I've got a headache. Talk about the morning after the night before!
• It looked like a case of the morning after the night before, and Frank asked for some aspirin.

cry before one is hurt

Idiom(s): cry before one is hurt

Theme: COMPLAINT

to cry or complain before one is injured.
• Bill always cries before he's hurt.
• There is no point in crying before one is hurt.

count one's chickens before they hatch

Idiom(s): count one's chickens before they hatch

Theme: COUNTING

to plan how to utilize good results of something before those results have occurred. (Frequently used in the negative.)
• You're way ahead of yourself Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
• You may be disappointed if you count your chickens before they hatch.

cast one's pearls before swine

Idiom(s): cast (one's) pearls before swine

Theme: WASTE

to waste something good on someone who doesn't care about it. (From a biblical quotation.)
• To sing for them is to cast pearls before swine.
• To serve them French cuisine is like casting one's pearls before swine.

before you know it

Idiom(s): before you know it

Theme: SOON

almost immediately.
• I'll be there before you know it.
• If you keep spending money like that, you'll be broke before you know it.

before you can say Jack Robinson

Idiom(s): before you can say Jack Robinson

Theme: SOON

almost immediately. (Often found in children's stories.)
• And before you could say Jack Robinson, the bird flew away.
• I'll catch a plane and be there before you can say Jack Robinson.

Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

You must not be too confident that something will be successful.

It is always darkest before the dawn

The most difficult time is just before a problem is solved.

Learn to walk before you run.

Don't rush into doing something until you know how to do it.

Look before you leap.

Consider possible consequences before taking action.

Pride comes before a fall.

Don't be too self-confident or proud; something may happen to make you look foolish.

Before the ink is dry

If people make an agreement or contract and then the situation changes very quickly, it changes before the ink is dry.

Don't catch your chickens before they're hatched

This means that you should wait until you know whether something has produced the results you desire, rather than acting beforehand. ('Don't count your chickens until they've hatched' is an alternative.)

Look before you leap

This idiom means that you should think carefully about the possible results or consequences before doing something.

Put the carriage before the horse

If you put the carriage before the horse, you try to do things in the wrong order.

Putting the cart before the horse

When you put the cart before the horse, you are doing something the wrong way round.

Quiet before the Storm

When you know that something is about to go horribly wrong, but hasn't just yet, then you are in the quiet before the storm.

Run before you can walk

If someone tries to run before they can walk, they try to do something requiring a high level of knowledge before they have learned the basics.

Tears before bedtime

(UK) This idiom is used when something seems certain to go wrong or cause trouble.

Zigged before you zagged

If you did things in the wrong order, you zigged before you zagged.

the lull before the storm

a quiet time before a busy or difficult time: "It's going to get very busy on Thursday. Today and tomorrow are just the lull before the storm."

Coming events cast their shadows before.

There are often early indications of future happenings.

The darkest hour is that before the dawn.

When things seem at their worst, they may just begin to improve.

before long|before|long

adv. phr. In a short time; without much delay; in a little while, soon. Class will be over before long. We were tired of waiting and hoped the bus would come before long.

before one can say Jack Robinson|Jack|Jack Robinso

adv. cl., informal Very quickly; suddenly.

An overused phrase. Before I could say Jack Robinson, the boy was gone.
Compare: IN A FLASH, RIGHT AWAY.

before you know it|before

adv. phr. Sooner than one would expect. Don't despair; we'll be finished with this work before you know it!

cast pearls before swine|cast|cast one's pearls be

n. phr., literary To waste good acts or valuable things on someone who won't understand or be thankful for them, just as pigs won't appreciate pearls.

Often used in negative sentences. I won't waste good advice on John any more because he never listens to it. I won't cast pearls before swine.

count one's chickens before they're hatched|chicke

v. phr., informal To depend on getting a profit or gain before you have it; make plans that suppose something will happen; be too sure that something will happen. Usually used in negative sentences. When Jim said that he would be made captain of the team, John told him not to count his chickens before they were hatched. Maybe some of your customers won't pay, and then where will you be? Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.

cross a bridge before one comes to it|bridge|cross

v. phr. To worry about future events or trouble before they happen.

Usually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb. "Can I be a soldier when I grow up, Mother?" asked Johnny. "Don't cross that bridge until you come to it," said his mother.
Compare: BORROW TROUBLE.

crow before one is out of the woods|crow|out of th

v. phr. To be glad or brag before you are safe from danger or trouble.

Usually used in negative sentences, often as a proverb, "Don't crow before you are out of the woods." John thought his team would win because the game was almost over, but he didn't want to crow before they were out of the woods. Often used in a short form, "out of the woods". Mary nearly died during the operation, and she is not out of the woods yet.

cry before one is hurt|cry|holler|holler before on

v. phr., informal To complain when there is no reason for it; become upset because you are worried or afraid.

Used in negative sentences. When Billy went to the barber, he began to cry before the barber cut his hair and his father told him not to cry before he was hurt.

Often used as a proverb. John was worried because he would soon have a new boss. His mother said, "Don't cry before you're hurt!"
Synonym: BORROW TROUBLE.

to put the cart before the horse|cart|cart before

n. phr., informal Things in wrong order; something backwards or mixed up.

An overused expression. Usually used with "put" but sometimes with "get" or "have". When the salesman wanted money for goods he hadn't delivered, I told him he was putting the cart before the horse. To get married first and then get a job is getting the cart before the horse.

before

before
In addition to the idioms beginning with before, also see cart before the horse, put the; cast pearls before swine; look before you leap.
* * *
- before long
- before the wind
- before you can say Jack Robinson
- before you know it

before the wind

before the wind
Driven ahead, hurried, as in The bikers are moving before the wind, so it's hard to tell who will come in first. The literal meaning of this term is nautical, referring to a ship sailing in the same direction as the wind and being propelled forward. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1800s.

cart before the horse, put the

cart before the horse, put the
Reverse the proper order of things or events, as in Don't put the cart before the horse and give away the punch line. This expression has been used since antiquity but was first recorded in English in 1520.