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beforehand

beforehand

100 2.7
Earlier than a planned time or event
  • adverb
  • /bɪˈfɔːrhænd/
translation icon : de antemano
  • It's important to study beforehand if you want to do well on the exam.
  • prepare beforehand
  • know beforehand
  • agree beforehand

Don't was it done beforehand or was it done after?

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Examples

  • If you do go, be sure and eat beforehand.

  • So, I mean, I knew beforehand, but still, I'm sure now.

  • So I had game design experience beforehand, so I came in.

  • And I know Mark told me beforehand that he had.

  • I mean, meet up beforehand and go there together?

  • "I suppose I should have thought beforehand about how things might look."

    Fiction book (1998)
  • You should have thought about this beforehand.

  • So jump in, but just know beforehand that having a strong mathematics background helps.

  • Community members are asked by teachers beforehand to provide positive feedback and words of encouragement.

    Academic text (2001)
  • For this, you need to know beforehand if your undertone is warm or cool.

Synonyms

ahead
vsbeforehand
1.0

Before a certain time in order to be ready

is the basic time before meaning without the planning or forward motion nuance
in advance
vsbeforehand
278 1.8

Before something happens or someone needs it

is the same time meaning but in a single adverb form
ahead of time
vsbeforehand
76 2.3

Earlier than planned or expected

is the general before time sense not limited to being sooner than planned
preliminarily
vsbeforehand
3 6.3

Before the main action as a first step

refers to simple prior timing rather than preparatory introductory steps
earlier
vsbeforehand
1 1.0

Happening before something else in time

focuses on being before a particular event rather than comparative timing

Antonyms

574 1.0

At a later time than something else

How Early

in advance
278 1.8
beforehand
100 2.7
previously
625 1.1
earlier
1 1.0

Surface Forms

beforehand positive

Morphology

beforehand = hand (transparent) = before + hand

The meaning 'in advance' is directly derived from 'before' + 'hand', so learners knowing 'before' can infer the adverbial sense. [Postprocessing: moved 'before' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

The word beforehand is made of before ('earlier') and hand ('hand'). Think of putting something into your hand before you need it so it is ready, and that's why beforehand means 'in advance'.