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Before vs Up - What's the difference?

before | up |

As a preposition before

is earlier than (in time).

As an adverb before

is at an earlier time.

As a conjunction before

is in advance of the time when.

As a verb up is

to upturn, to turn over.

before

English

Preposition

(English prepositions)
  • Earlier than (in time).
  • * (Jonathan Swift) (1667–1745)
  • Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=We made an odd party before the arrival of the Ten, particularly when the Celebrity dropped in for lunch or dinner.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011, date=November 11, author=Rory Houston, work=RTE Sport
  • , title= Estonia 0-4 Republic of Ireland , passage=Stephen Ward then had to time his tackle excellently to deny Tarmo Kink as the Wolves winger slid the ball out of play before the Estonian could attempt to beat Given.}}
  • In front of in space.
  • * (John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • His angel, who shall go / Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire.
  • *
  • He tried to persuade Cicely to stay away from the ball-room for a fourth dance.she found her mother standing up before the seat on which she had sat all the evening searching anxiously for her with her eyes, and her father by her side.
  • * {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=September-October, author=(Henry Petroski)
  • , magazine=(American Scientist), title= The Evolution of Eyeglasses , passage=The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight.}}
  • Under consideration, judgment, authority of (someone).
  • * (John Ayliffe) (1676-1732)
  • If a suit be begun before an archdeacon
  • In store for, in the future of (someone).
  • * (Thomas Carlyle) (1795-1881)
  • The golden ageis before us.
  • In front of, according to a formal system of ordering items.
  • At a higher or greater position in a ranking.
  • * (Bible), (w) i. 15
  • He that cometh after me is preferred before me.
  • * (Samuel Johnson) (1709-1784)
  • The eldest son is before the younger in succession.

    Synonyms

    * (earlier than in time) by, no later than * (in front of in space) ahead of, in front of * (in front of according to an ordering system) ahead of

    Antonyms

    * (earlier than in time) after, later than * (in front of in space) behind * (in front of according to an ordering system) after

    Adverb

    (-)
  • At an earlier time.
  • * , chapter=12
  • , title= The Mirror and the Lamp , passage=All this was extraordinarily distasteful to Churchill. It was ugly, gross. Never before had he felt such repulsion when the vicar displayed his characteristic bluntness or coarseness of speech. In the present connexion—or rather as a transition from the subject that started their conversation—such talk had been distressingly out of place.}}
  • In advance.
  • At the front end.
  • * 1896 , (Hilaire Belloc), The Bad Child’s Book of Beasts , :
  • When people call this beast to mind,
    They marvel more and more
    At such a (little) tail behind,
    So LARGE a trunk before .

    Synonyms

    * (at an earlier time) previously * (in advance) ahead * (at the front end) in front

    Antonyms

    * (at an earlier time) after * (at the front end) behind

    Derived terms

    * beforehand * beforetime

    Conjunction

    (English Conjunctions)
  • in advance of the time when
  • (informal) rather or sooner than
  • Synonyms

    * (rather than) lest

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8

    up

    English

    (part of speech is dubious for many senses) (wikipedia up)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Away from the centre of the Earth or other planet; in opposite direction to the downward pull of gravity.
  • I looked up and saw the airplane overhead.
  • (intensifier) (Used as an aspect marker to indicate a completed action or state) Thoroughly, completely.
  • I will mix up the puzzle pieces.
    Tear up the contract.
    He really messed up .
    Please type up our monthly report.
  • To or from one's possession or consideration.
  • I picked up some milk on the way home.
    The committee will take up your request.
    She had to give up her driver's license after the accident.
  • North.
  • I will go up to New York to visit my family this weekend.
  • To a higher level of some quantity or notional quantity, such as price, volume, pitch, happiness, etc.
  • Gold has gone up with the uncertainty in the world markets.
    Turn it up , I can barely hear it.
    Listen to your voice go up at the end of a question.
    Cheer up , the weekend's almost here.
  • (rail transport) Traditional term for the direction leading to the principal terminus, towards milepost zero.
  • (sailing) Against the wind or current.
  • (Cartesian graph) In a positive vertical direction.
  • (cricket) Relatively close to the batsman.
  • The bowler pitched the ball up .
  • (hospitality) Without additional ice.
  • Would you like that drink up or on ice?
  • (UK, academia) Towards Cambridge or Oxford.
  • She's going up to read Classics this September.
  • * 1867 , John Timbs, Lives of wits and humourists , p. 125
  • The son of the Dean of Lichfield was only three years older than Steele, who was a lad of only twelve, when at the age of fifteen, Addison went up to Oxford.
  • * 1998 , Rita McWilliams Tullberg, Women at Cambridge , p. 112
  • Others insinuated that women 'crowded up to Cambridge', not for the benefits of a higher education, but because of the proximity of 2,000 young men.
  • * 2002 , Peter Harman, Cambridge Scientific Minds , p. 79
  • A precocious mathematician, Babbage was already well versed in the Continental mathematical notations when he went up to Cambridge.
  • To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, etc.; usually followed by to'' or ''with .
  • I was up to my chin in water.
    A stranger came up and asked me for directions.
  • To or in a state of completion; completely; wholly; quite.
  • Drink up . The pub is closing.
    Can you sum up your research?
    The comet burned up in the atmosphere.
    I need to sew up the hole in this shirt.
  • Aside, so as not to be in use.
  • to lay up''' riches; put '''up your weapons

    Antonyms

    * (away from the centre of the Earth) down * (louder) down * (higher in pitch) down * (towards the principal terminus) down

    Derived terms

    * all it's cracked up to be * back up * backup * bottoms up * bottom-up * blow up * break up * buck up * build up * burn up * clog up * cloud up * clean up * clear up * close up * crack up * cut up * double up * dress up * dry up * eat up * finish up * gang up * gang up on * go up * kick up * knock up * lash up * let up * look up * lookup * muck up * one-up * one-upmanship * open up * polish up * run up * runner up * runup * shake up * shoot up * show up * shut up * stir up * stop up * turn up * up a tree * up to * up to it * upon * upper * uppity * upto * upward * upwards * walkup * wet up * work up * write up

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Toward the top of.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.}}
  • Toward the center, source, or main point of reference; toward the end at which something is attached.
  • Further along (in any direction).
  • From south to north of
  • * 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/nyregion/new-jersey-continues-to-cope-with-hurricane-sandy.html?hp]," New York Times (retrieved 31 October 2012):
  • Though the storm raged up the East Coast, it has become increasingly apparent that New Jersey took the brunt of it.

    Antonyms

    * (toward the top of) down

    Derived terms

    * give up * pick up * put up * ring up * take up * throw up * up a creek * up someone's alley

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Awake.
  • I can’t believe it’s 3 a.m. and you’re still up .
  • Finished, to an end
  • Time is up !
  • In a good mood.
  • I’m feeling up today.
  • Willing; ready.
  • If you are up for a trip, let’s go.
  • Next in a sequence.
  • Smith is up to bat.
  • Happening; new.
  • What is up with that project at headquarters?
  • Facing upwards; facing toward the top.
  • Put the notebook face up on the table.
    Take a break and put your feet up .
  • Larger, greater in quantity.
  • Sales are up from last quarter.
  • Standing.
  • Get up and give her your seat.
  • On a higher level.
  • * 1925 , Walter Anthony and Tom Reed (titles), , silent movie
  • The Phantom! The Phantom is up from the cellars again!’
  • Available; made public.
  • The new notices are up as of last Tuesday.
  • Well-informed; current.
  • I’m not up on the latest news. What’s going on?
  • (computing) Functional; working.
  • Is the server back up ?
  • (of a railway line or train) Traveling towards a major terminus.
  • The London train is on the up line.
  • Headed, or designated to go, upward, as an escalator, stairway, elevator etc.
  • (bar tending) Chilled and strained into a stemmed glass.
  • A Cosmopolitan is typically served up .
  • (slang) Erect.
  • (of the Sun or Moon) Above the horizon, in the sky (i.e. during daytime or night-time)
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • I have said I was still in darkness, yet it was not the blackness of the last night; and looking up into the inside of the tomb above, I could see the faintest line of light at one corner, which showed the sun was up .
  • (slang, graffiti) well-known; renowned
  • * 1996 , Matthew Busby Hunt, The Sociolinguistics of Tagging and Chicano Gang Graffiti (page 71)
  • Being "up" means having numerous graffiti in the tagging landscape.
  • * 2009 , Gregory J. Snyder, Graffiti Lives: Beyond the Tag in New York's Urban Underground (pages 16-40)
  • Graffiti writers want their names seen by writers and others so that they will be famous. Therefore writers are very serious about any opportunity to “get up'.” The throw-up became one of the fundamental techniques for getting ' up , and thereby gaining recognition and fame.
  • * 2011 , Adam Melnyk, Visual Orgasm: The Early Years of Canadian Graffiti
  • From his great rooftop pieces, selected for high visibility, to his sneaky tags and fun loving stickers, he most certainly knows how to get up .

    Antonyms

    * (facing upwards) down * (on a higher level) down * down * (traveling towards a major terminus) down

    Derived terms

    * know which end is up * up and running * up for grabs * upside * upside down

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (uncountable) The direction opposed to the pull of gravity.
  • Up is a good way to go.
  • (countable) A positive thing.
  • I hate almost everything about my job. The only up is that it's so close to home.
  • An upstairs room of a two story house.
  • She lives in a two-up two-down.

    Usage notes

    * Up is not commonly used as object of a preposition.

    Antonyms

    * (direction opposed to the pull of gravity) down

    Derived terms

    * ups and downs

    Verb

    (upp)
  • (colloquial) To increase or raise.
  • If we up the volume, we'll be able to make out the details.
    We upped anchor and sailed away.
  • *
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=December 10 , author=Marc Higginson , title=Bolton 1 - 2 Aston Villa , work=BBC Sport citation , passage=After a dreadful performance in the opening 45 minutes, they upped their game after the break and might have taken at least a point from the match.}}
  • (colloquial) To promote.
  • It wasn’t long before they upped him to Vice President.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • To act suddenly, usually with another verb.
  • He just upped and quit.
    He upped and punched that guy.
  • * 1991 , (Michael Jackson),
  • And she didn't leave a letter, she just upped and ran away.

    Synonyms

    * (increase) turn up

    Derived terms

    * up and * up and go * up and leave * up the ante * up the game

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8

    Statistics

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