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PREP
（时间上）在…之前，早于
If something happens before a particular date, time, or event, it happens earlier than that date, time, or event.
例句
Annie was born a few weeks before Christmas...
安妮出生在圣诞节前几周。
Before World War II, women were not recruited as intelligence officers...
在第二次世界大战之前，女性不能当情报人员。
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PREP
在（做某事）之前
If you do one thing before doing something else, you do it earlier than the other thing.
例句
He spent his early life in Sri Lanka before moving to England...
在移居英格兰之前，他早年是在斯里兰卡度过的。
Before leaving, he went into his office to fill in the daily time sheet.
离开前，他到自己的办公室填写了日常考勤表。
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ADV
在（某时间或某事）以前
You use before when you are talking about time. For example, if something happened the day before a particular date or event, it happened during the previous day.
例句
The war had ended only a month or so before.
战争大约一个月前才刚刚结束。
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CONJ-SUBORD
在（他人做某事）之前
If you do something before someone else can do something, you do it when they have not yet done it.
例句
Before Gallacher could catch up with the ball, Nadlovu had beaten him to it.
加拉赫还没来得及追上球，纳德洛武就已经抢先一步触到球了。
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ADV
以前；以往；过去
If someone has done something before, they have done it on a previous occasion. If someone has not done something before, they have never done it.
例句
I've been here before...
我以前来过这儿。
I had met Professor Lown before...
我以前见过劳恩教授。
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CONJ-SUBORD
（直到…）才；（过了…）才
If there is a period of time or if several things are done before something happens, it takes that amount of time or effort for this thing to happen.
例句
It was some time before the door opened in response to his ring.
他按完门铃后过了一会儿门才打开。
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CONJ-SUBORD
（必须先具备某一条件）才能；在…之前（必须具备某一条件）
If a particular situation has to happen before something else happens, this situation must happen or exist in order for the other thing to happen.
例句
There was additional work to be done before all the troops would be ready.
在全军准备就绪之前，还有一些杂事必须处理。
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PREP
（方位）在…前面，在…面前
If someone is before something, they are in front of it.
例句
They drove through a tall iron gate and stopped before a large white villa.
他们开车穿过一个大铁门，在一栋白色的大别墅前面停了下来。
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PREP
（所经位置）在…前面
If you tell someone that one place is a certain distance before another, you mean that they will come to the first place first.
例句
The turn is about two kilometres before the roundabout.
拐弯就在环岛前面约2公里处。
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PREP
面对…（回答质询）
If you appear or come before an official person or group, you go there and answer questions.
例句
The Governor will appear before the committee next Tuesday.
下周二，州长将接受委员会的质询。
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PREP
当着…的面；在…注视之下
If something happens before a particular person or group, it is seen by or happens while this person or this group is present.
例句
The game followed a colourful opening ceremony before a crowd of seventy-four thousand.
绚丽多彩的开幕式过后，这场比赛在74,000名观众的瞩目之下开始了。
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PREP
摆在…面前；使面对；使面临
If you have something such as a journey, a task, or a stage of your life before you, you must do it or live through it in the future.
例句
Everyone in the room knew it was the single hardest task before them...
房间里所有人都清楚，摆在他们面前的是最为艰巨的任务。
I saw before me an idyllic life.
展现在我眼前的是充满诗情画意的生活。
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PREP
（重要性）超过；比…重要
When you want to say that one person or thing is more important than another, you can say that they come before the other person or thing.
例句
Her husband, her children, and the Church came before her needs.
丈夫、孩子和教会都比她本人的需求重要。