Careful Words

before (v.)

before (adv.)

Sure, he that made us with such large discourse,

Looking before and after, gave us not

That capability and godlike reason

To fust in us unused.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Hamlet. Act iv. Sc. 4.

Some force whole regions, in despite

O' geography, to change their site;

Make former times shake hands with latter,

And that which was before come after.

But those that write in rhyme still make

The one verse for the other's sake;

For one for sense, and one for rhyme,

I think's sufficient at one time.

Samuel Butler (1600-1680): Hudibras. Part ii. Canto i. Line 23.

  Not lost, but gone before.

Mathew Henry (1662-1714): Commentaries. Matthew ii.

  That which comes after ever conforms to that which has gone before.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180 a d): Meditations. iv. 45.

Make haste; the better foot before.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616): King John. Act iv. Sc. 2.

  I will maintain it before the whole world.

Jean Baptiste MolièRe (1622-1673): Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. Act iv. Sc. 5.

Before you could say Jack Robinson.