II. Figuratively, so as to cross, thwart, or oppose; in opposition to; contrary to; against; as, athwart our plans. Whatsoever comes athwart his affection. SHAKESPEARE Much Ado about Nothing act ii, sc. 2. Heave him upon your winged thoughts, SHAKESPEARE K. Henry V. act v, chorus, 1. 8. VI-Prepositions Defined and Illustrated BARRING, BATING For the meaning and use of these words, see PARTICIPIAL PREPOSITIONS. BEFORE Before is from the Anglo-Saxon beforan, which is composed of the prefix be-, by, and the adverb foran, from fore, for, before, for. I. Of place or space: 1. Denoting precedence, ahead of; in advance of; preceding; in front of; as, heralds went before the king. I had rather, forsooth, go before you like a man than follow him like a dwarf. SHAKESPEARE Merry Wives of Windsor act iii, sc. 2. Sleep, gentle heavens, before the prow. At evening, on the pavement tessellate Was walking with a stranger from the East. LONGFELLOW Wayside Inn, Azrael in pt. iii, st. 1. 2. Of position, face to face with; in the presence of; in front of; as, the prisoner stood before the court. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. Ps. xcv, 6. As a being with a will, man cannot avoid putting before him certain aims and principles of conduct. BOSANQUET Hist. of Esthetic ch. 10, p. 250. (60) II. Of time: Prior to; anterior to; earlier than; sooner than; as, blossoms come before fruit. Make me feel the wild pulsation that I felt before the strife. TENNYSON Locksley Hall st. 55. This sad affair had chanced about thirty years before the action of our story commences. HAWTHORNE House of Seven Gables ch. 1, p. 27. The shellbark alone drops its leaves before they are tinted in autumn. W. FLAGG Year Among the Trees, The Hickory p. 157. In the summer [1642] before the confederation of the Colonies, the first Commencement of Harvard College was held. PALFREY New England vol. ii, ch. 1, p. 48. Before selection can take place, the fittest must already be in existence. JANET Final Causes tr. by Affleck, bk. i, ch. 7, p. 307. The pilot. was an old Dutch skipper, and had a habit of spitting on his hands before every order he gave, as if the effort was a manual exertion. MACREADY Reminis. ch. 20, p. 237. III. Of various relations: 1. In advance of, as regards development, condition, or attainment; higher than; superior to; formerly, surpassing in rank or eminence. (Compare I., 1.) As Vane was before his age in religion . . . so also he was before his age in politics. P. HOOD Cromwell ch. 18, p. 206. 2. Within the jurisdiction, cognizance, or power of (compare I., 2); demanding action or attention; as, the motion is before the house: sometimes used in solemn invocation, oath, or affirmation; as, before God I affirm. (Compare I., 2.) 3. Driven in front of; moved on by; overcome by; as, the ship sailed before the wind; he carried all before him. How many hopes are like the spider's web, woven in the night, bright in the morning dew, perishing before the first footfall! H. W. BEECHER Norwood ch. 38, p. 351. Sooner or later every intellectual canker disappears before earnest work. TYNDALL Hours of Exercise ch. 5, p. 62. Black brumal clouds driven before furious blasts. R. F. BURTON Lake Regions Cent. Afr. ch. 3, p. 65. 4. In preference to; in comparison with; sooner than; rather than; as, they will die before yielding. Prefer a noble life before a long. SHAKESPEARE Coriolanus act iii, sc. 1. Pay him six thousand and deface the bond: Shall lose a hair through Bassanio's fault SHAKESPEARE Merchant of Venice act iii, sc. 2. As these white robes are soil'd and dark, To yonder shining ground; As this pale taper's earthly spark, To yonder argent round; So shows my soul before the Lamb, My spirit before Thee. TENNYSON Saint Agnes' Eve st. 2. BEHIND Behind is derived from the Anglo Saxon behindan, from the adverb hindan, behind (connected with hind, hinder), plus the prefix be-, by, on, etc. I. Of place or space: 1. At the back of; on the back or farther side of; following after; after: as, stand behind me; he is behind that tree; behind the curtain. This wild assault was soon checked, by grape from two guns planted behind a traverse on the ramparts. W. F. P. NAPIER War in the Peninsula vol. i, bk. v, ch. 2, p. 381. Behind a cloud the moon doth veil her light. R. H. STODDARD The Castle in the Air st. 8. Behind these came two pursuivants at-arms in tabards. HOWARD PYLE Men of Iron ch. 24, p. 224. A. screen or net-work, behind which the dark forms of the natives were seen glancing to and fro. PRESCOTT Mexico vol. i, bk. ii, ch. 4, p. 276. Cuchillo closed behind him the wattle of bamboos that served as a door. MAYNE REID Wood-Rangers ch. 9, p. 67. 2. To or toward the rear of; to, toward, or in the space left by; back of; as, look behind you Look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain. Get thee behind me, Satan. II. Of time: Gen. xix, 17. Matt. xvi, 23. In the time previous to; in time left by; remaining after the death or departure of; as, he left a fortune behind him. Spirits of peace, where are ye? are ye all gone, SHAKESPEARE K. Henry VIII. act iv, sc. 2. But he, whose loss our tears deplore, BRYANT In Memory of William Leggett st. 1. As in the winters left behind, Again our ancient games had place. TENNYSON In Memoriam lxxviii, st. 3. III. Of various relations: 1. From the local idea of supporters standing at one's back, in a position to give aid to or make use of; ready to aid or support; sustaining; supporting; as, he has capital behind him, the administration is behind the movement. which won the late It was not the famous needle-gun Prussian victories, but the intelligence and discipline of the Prussian soldier, the man behind the gun. MATHEWS Words ch. 1, p. 48. And every rustler and thief, every road agent and train robber from the Canadian line to Kansas knows that shotgun and the man behind it. N. Y. World Oct. 4, 1903. |