afo
9.9
Before now or before a particular event
- adverb
- Archaic
:
antes
- The village had traditions that were handed down afo, shaping the customs still observed today.
Examples
-
People often speak of the world afo, when things were simpler and life moved at a different pace.
-
In the days when knights roamed the land, battles were fought for honor and glory, a time many now refer to as afo.
-
There is the belief that the sun's rays and moon's beams can cause "hot" illnesses called ezziz and afo, hence the emphasis upon protective enveloping, rather than exposure of the body.
Academic text (1999)
Synonyms
previously
vsafo
625
1.1
At an earlier time than now or the time mentioned
is archaic or dialectal rather than neutral modern usage
1
9.9
Used in old language to mean in front of someone or before a time
is used mainly for earlier times rather than indicating physical position
9.9
Happening long ago
is used in older speech rather than regular contemporary talk
9.9
At an earlier time, often long ago
is archaic or dialectal, not the standard modern expression
9.9
From earlier times and no longer used to talk about people or things
focuses on former existence rather than general past time reference
Surface Forms
afo positive
Etymology
The word afo is an old short form of afore meaning 'before', so it means 'earlier' or 'before now'.