Middle English Dictionary Entry
afōre adv.
Entry Info
| Forms | afōre adv. Also affore, avore. |
| Etymology | OE on foran |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. aforn.
1.
(a) Forward in space, in front, ahead, in advance; (b) earlier, previously, formerly, before; beforehand; taken ~, anticipate (sth.); faders afore, forefathers; (c) in an earlier part of a book, above.
Associated quotations
a
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17630 : Fro the ffolk thei ȝede a-fore.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)79 : He shulde goo afore and sche after.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)2805 : I shall goo a-fore [Add: affore] and meete With these hethen.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)28/23 : Ponthus went all afore and dide sloo the hardiest that wold abide.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)429 : Ther hed..by example wente a-fore.
- a1475 Lord how (Brog 2.1)p.8 : Evyry day my gyrdylle gothe out avore.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)264 : Gawein..saugh Seigramor that was a-fore in the fronte.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)168/65 : Fast afore wyll I hy radly on a rake.
b
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2044 : So þat þou ous sykerye affore, to help ous in this clos.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)1.973 : Sche with that hirself beweileth Welmore than sche dede afore.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)14.134 : Hewen þat han her hyre afore aren euermore nedy.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)64a/a : But if þu make anticipacion, or take afore [L anticipaueris], þat [etc.].
- (1446) Doc.in Morsbach Origurk.25 : Payng yerely to dame Elizabeth Mauleuerer..the ferme..which the seid sir William afore to hir payed.
- a1475(1450) Scrope DSP (Bod 943)58/33 : He saithe: thinke a-fore [DSPhilos.: before] or þou werk.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)132/8 : He was more in his cursydnes then he was afore.
- (1453) Will York in Sur.Soc.30192 : Moreover yf the mariage stonde concluded, as afore, I will c l. be made of yat.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.16/20 : Þat nowe þe saide church alle þe forsaide possessions..holde..as euer oony other afore best helde hit.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)25/10 : There was made such an ordinaunce afore by Merlyon.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)605/11 : Redempcions or ayene-biyngis of progenitours or fadirs afore.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)5 : Grete lobour [!] þat he hadde on the day Afore made him to slepe hard.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.246 : Her grace was agoo..For þe wrong þat þey wrouȝte to Wisdom affore.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)28/164 : What art thou that thus Tellys afore that shall be?
c
- c1460 Oseney Reg.141/17 : Thabbot of Oseney hath In Grove twey parties..as it is opyn By composicion, the which is afore In the title of 'more Barton'.
- a1475 Bk.Quint.(Sln 73)12/15 : Ȝe may drawe out þe 5 beynge of ech of þe 4 elementis of al þe þing rehersid afore.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)21a/a : In a quadrangle, is [read: if] a lyne is I-drawe from o corner to anoþir corner a foure, it makeþ tweye triangles.
Note: New sense: 'opposite'
Supplemental Materials (draft)
Note: See note under forn- pref.