"afore" definition, meaning, and origin

Adverb

Before, temporally.
- Stephano: He's in his fit now ; and doe's not talke after the wiſeſt ; hee ſhall taſte of my Bottle : if hee haue neuer drunke wine afore, it will goe neere to remoue his Fit :[…] - 1610–1611 (date written), William...
- A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well. - 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter...
Before, in front, spatially.
- He sees the soldiers, with their red coats lighted up by the torches carried afore, closing in round him. - 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter III, in Great Expectations […], volume I, London: Chapman...
1. (nautical) In the fore part of a ship.

From Middle English afore, aforn, from Old English onforan or ætforan; equivalent to a- + fore.

In advance of the time when; before.
- Now the hand of the Lord was vpon mee in the euening, afore hee that was escaped came, and had opened my mouth vntill hee came to mee in the morning, and my mouth was opened, and I was no more dumbe. - 1611, The Holy...

Before; in advance of the time of.
- He said he was jealous, and craved something to ease his care. 'It's but a small thing I ask,' says he, 'but it will make me a happy man, and nothing ever shall come atween us. Tryst wi' me for Beltane's E'en on the...
- "Oh aye!" his face lit up with a smile. "I mind that! Where was that?" "That was us when we all worked in the shop, afore the War." "Oh aye …?" he frowned. "Who …?" She took the photograph back from him and reached...
Before; situated geographically or metaphorically in front of.