Middle English Dictionary Entry
afōr(e prep.
Entry Info
| Forms | afōr(e prep. |
| Etymology | From adv. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Preceding (in space), ahead of, in advance of; in front of; face to face with, opposite; ~ the wind, driven by the wind, before the wind; ~ (one's) eien, face, the sight, etc.; (b) in or into the presence of; ~ god, in the presence of God; (c) ~ god, in the sight of God, in God's judgment.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.822 : Thegipcienes syhe The fieldes fulle afore here yhe.
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)24a/a : Þe secounde is a þing þat may be seen Isette afore [L contra] þe siȝt.
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)16.45 : [He] feccheth away my floures sumtyme afor [vr. tofore] bothe myn eyhen.
- a1425(?a1400) RRose (Htrn 409)2808 : Hir persone he shall afore hym sette.
- (1447-8) Acc.Yatton in Som.RS 488 : To John Slyette vor makyng of ij banarys, and a clothe afore the tabylle.
- a1450 Parton.(1) (UC C.188)9138 : And forth the sayle a-fore the wynde.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)67/11 : Ponthus putt his hoode afore his eyne.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)191/6 : He tuke a sachell full of sylver & lete fall afor þis pure mans dure.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)89/16 : Thenne afore hym he sawe come rydynge oute of a castel a knyght.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)582/21 : Ye ar kynge Marke that slew my fadir afore myne owne yghen.
- (1472) Acc.St.Edm.Sarum7 : Item j cloth to honge a fore the hye rode.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)28/29 : A parcel of land a-fore the yate of the forseyd chyrch.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)4.73 : Þey bente on a bonet and bare a topte saile, Affor þe wynde fresshely to make a good fare.
- a1500(a1400) Cleges (Adv 19.1.11)184 : He made his wife afore hym goo.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)5 : Þe toode..ȝede vp on þe brest of þe knyȝt, afore þe herte, And ther he fastenyd his iiij feete.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)395/53 : He myght not thoyle afor his face My deth to se.
b
- c1400 PPl.B (LdMisc 581:Kane)5.23 : How pertly afor þe poeple resoun gan to preche.
- c1400 PPl.B (LdMisc 581:Kane)17.300 : Any creature þat is coupable afor [C: by-for] a kynges iustice.
- c1410(c1350) Gamelyn (Hrl 7334)792 : He wolde..Come afore þe iustice to kepen his day.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)43 : If ye wil graunte me a bone þat I shal aske and sewre me to haue it afore alle yowre men.
- (1411) EEWills21/3 : Þat ȝe fulfylle my forseyd wylle, os ȝe wylle answere a-fore god.
- (1415) Will in Bdf.HRS 224 : As ȝe wull answere afore þe high Juge at þe dredful day of dom.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)3562 : Til they be come euen a-for the toun.
- (1422) EEWills51/13 : As they woll aunsuer afor gode.
- (1434-43) Doc.Trade in BRS 782 : Plese yt to your gracious lordship to..graunt..severall wryttes, dyrect severally to the sayd William [Water] and John Shipward, to be afore yowe atte a certeyn day.
- (1435) RParl.4.486b : That alle persones of the astate of Baron..be examyned of their Frehold aforseid afor your Chaunceller and Tresorer.
- (1457) Lin.DDoc.111/2 : I, Thomas hulle..confesse afor yow, Reuerende ffader in god..that I haue yeven ayde..vnto oon Thomas Curteys.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.47/30 : And afore þe streyte Jugge þe rewardis of euerlastyng life fynde þey.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)1168/5 : I shall as to-morne appyere afore you all and before the kynge.
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)27/23 : Thys was confyrmyd a-fore the bysshop of Salysbury.
- a1500(?c1450) Merlin (Cmb Ff.3.11)190 : His name..ought..to be publisshed a-fore eny worthy man.
c
- c1400(c1378) PPl.B (LdMisc 581)12.81 : Þe iewes knewe hemseluen Gultier, as afor god, and gretter in synne Þan þe woman.
2.
Preceding (in time), earlier than, before; before the occurrence or existence of; ~ this (that), prior to this (that) time; ~ the hond, beforehand.
Associated quotations
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)2483 : If he wer now lyues man, afore þis had he come.
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)3.2547 : In Grece afore Cristes feith, I rede..of this matiere thus.
- a1450(?c1421) Lydg.ST (Arun 119)124 : We wol forþ parcel afore [vrr. affore, bifore] Pryme.
- a1425 Adam & E.(3) (Wht)84/18 : I was afore alle creaturis; and eer he was, I was maad.
- (1442) Doc.Ireland in RS 69281 : Also a for thys tyme..he toke þe Priour of Conalle.
- (c1443) Pecock Rule (Mrg M 519)217 : Afore þyn incarnacioun, þyn holy lijf and passioun was not remedie to eny synne.
- a1450 Hayle oure patron (Add 37049)23 : Make vs a-fore our ende Oure synnes to wesche.
- a1450 Gener.(1) (Mrg M 876)377 : Of that he seid afor the hond, My fader alwey soth fond.
- (1453) LRed Bk.Bristol2.204 : The tewesdai afoor the feste of seint Lucie Virgine and Martir.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.48/14 : Diuerse debatis..haue i-be i-mevid afore þese owres.
- c1460 Oseney Reg.118/27 : Afore þe takyng of þe ffrutis of the ffirst ȝere.
- (1467) RParl.in OHS 5858 : Afore the iiijth day of Marche abovesaid.
- (1473) RParl.6.82b : Any Graunte by oure Letters Patentes afore this tyme made.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)5 : And this was a for the Incarnacion of Crist.
- a1500(c1465) SEChron.(Lamb 306)62 : And London sent a for that vC sowdyors for to kepe Calys.
3.
Preceding (in degree), more than, rather than, above, beyond.
Associated quotations
- (1428) EEWills82/12 : Y woll that Symken..woll haue hem A-fore eny othir man.
- c1450 Ponthus (Dgb 185)107/19 : I trast most to theym afor all othre.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)293/9 : At the feste of Pentecoste, in especiall afore other festys in the yere, he wolde nat go that day to mete [etc.].
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)128/1 : [A king must be able]..to deme..afor althynge euynly betwene grete men and Smale.