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. Psa 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inelegant, and superseded by before. 4.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.
afore adverb or conjunction or prepositionEtymology: Middle English, from Old English onforan, from
on + foran before — more at beforeDate: before
12th century
chiefly dialectbefore
Afore \A*fore"\, adv. [OE. afore, aforn, AS. onforan or
[ae]tforan; pref. a- + fore.]
1. Before. [Obs.]
If he have never drunk wine afore. --Shak.
2. (Naut.) In the fore part of a vessel.
Afore \A*fore"\, prep.
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.
AFORE
a-for': Archaic for "before" of time, or "formerly"; frequently occurs as
compound, as in "aforetime," "aforehand," etc.; in the New Testament most
commonly for the Greek prefix, pro, in compound words (Ro 1:2; 15:4);
at other times, for Greek adverb pote, "at some time," "once" (Joh 9:13;
1Pe 3:5; Col 3:7).
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