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In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed... No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.
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1828 Noah Webster Dictionary
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1828.mshaffer.comWord [before]

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before

BEFO'RE, prep. [be and fore, that is by fore, near the fore part.]

1. In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons.

2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect.

Abraham bowed before the people of the land. Gen.23.

Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord. Micah 6.

3. In sight of; as before the face.

4. In the presence of, noting cognizance of jurisdiction.

5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice.

The world was all before them.

My land is before thee. Gen.20.

6. In front of any object; as before the house; before the fire.

7. Preceding in time.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray. Ps.119.

Before Abraham was, I am. John 8.

Here the preposition has a sentence following for an object.

8. In preference to.

And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Gen.48.

Poverty is desirable before torments.

9. Superior; preceding in dignity.

He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. John l.

10. Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order; as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession.

11. Previous to; in previous order; in order to.

Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.

12. Before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.

BEFO'RE, adv. In time preceding.

You tell me what I knew before.

1. In time preceding, to the present, or to this time; hitherto; as, tumults then arose which before were unknown.

2. Further onward in place, in progress, or in front.

Reaching forth to those things which are before. Phil.3.

3. In front; on the fore part.

The battle was before and behind. 2 Chron.13.

In some of the examples of the use of before, which Johnson places under the adverb, the word is a preposition governing a sentence; as, "Before the hills appeared." This is the real construction,however overlooked or misunderstood.




Evolution (or devolution) of this word [before]

1828 Webster1844 Webster1913 Webster

BEFO'RE, prep. [be and fore, that is by fore, near the fore part.]

1. In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons.

2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect.

Abraham bowed before the people of the land. Gen.23.

Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord. Micah 6.

3. In sight of; as before the face.

4. In the presence of, noting cognizance of jurisdiction.

5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice.

The world was all before them.

My land is before thee. Gen.20.

6. In front of any object; as before the house; before the fire.

7. Preceding in time.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray. Ps.119.

Before Abraham was, I am. John 8.

Here the preposition has a sentence following for an object.

8. In preference to.

And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Gen.48.

Poverty is desirable before torments.

9. Superior; preceding in dignity.

He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. John l.

10. Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order; as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession.

11. Previous to; in previous order; in order to.

Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.

12. Before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.

BEFO'RE, adv. In time preceding.

You tell me what I knew before.

1. In time preceding, to the present, or to this time; hitherto; as, tumults then arose which before were unknown.

2. Further onward in place, in progress, or in front.

Reaching forth to those things which are before. Phil.3.

3. In front; on the fore part.

The battle was before and behind. 2 Chron.13.

In some of the examples of the use of before, which Johnson places under the adverb, the word is a preposition governing a sentence; as, "Before the hills appeared." This is the real construction,however overlooked or misunderstood.


BE-FORE', adv.

  1. In time preceding. You tell me what I knew before. – Dryden.
  2. In time preceding, to the present, or to this time; hitherto; as, tumults then arose which before were unknown.
  3. Further onward in place, in progress, or in front. Reaching forth to those things which are before. – Phil. iii.
  4. In front; on the fore part. The battle was before and behind. – 2 Chron. xiii. In some of the examples of the use of before, which Johnson places under the adverb, the word is a preposition governing a sentence; as, “Before the hills appeared.” This is the real construction, however overlooked or misunderstood.

BE-FORE', prep. [be and fore, that is, by fore, near the fore part. Sax. before, or beforan, retained by Chaucer in beforn.]

  1. In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons. – Milton.
  2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect. Abraham bowed before the people of the land. – Gen. xxiii. Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord? – Micah vi.
  3. In sight of; as, before the face.
  4. In the presence of, noting cognizance, or jurisdiction. Both parties shall come before the judge. – Ex. xxii.
  5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice. The world was all before them. – Milton. My land is before thee. – Gen. xx.
  6. In front of any object; as, before the house, before the fire.
  7. Preceding in time. Before I was afflicted, I went astray. – Ps. cxix. Before Abraham was, I am. – John viii. Here the preposition has a sentence following for an object.
  8. In preference to. And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. – Gen. xlviii. Poverty is desirable before torments. – Taylor.
  9. Superior; preceding in dignity. He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. – John i.
  10. Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order; as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession.
  11. Previous to; in previous order; in order to. Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary. – Swift. [See No. 7.]
  12. Before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.

Be*fore"
  1. In front of; preceding in space; ahead of; as, to stand before the fire; before the house.

    His angel, who shall go
    Before them in a cloud and pillar of fire.
    Milton.

  2. On the fore part; in front, or in the direction of the front; -- opposed to in the rear.

    The battle was before and behind.
    2 Chron. xiii. 14.

  3. Preceding in time; earlier than; previously to; anterior to the time when; -- sometimes with the additional idea of purpose; in order that.

    Before Abraham was, I am.
    John viii. 58.

    Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.
    Swift.

    * Formerly before, in this sense, was followed by that. "Before that Philip called thee . . . I saw thee." John i. 48.

  4. In advance.

    "I come before to tell you." Shak.
  5. An advance of; farther onward, in place or time.

    The golden age . . . is before us.
    Carlyle.

  6. In time past; previously; already.

    You tell me, mother, what I knew before.
    Dryden.

  7. Prior or preceding in dignity, order, rank, right, or worth; rather than.

    He that cometh after me is preferred before me.
    John i. 15.

    The eldest son is before the younger in succession.
    Johnson.

  8. Earlier; sooner than; until then.

    When the butt is out, we will drink water; not a drop before.
    Shak.

    * Before is often used in self-explaining compounds; as, before-cited, before-mentioned; beforesaid.

  9. In presence or sight of; face to face with; facing.

    Abraham bowed down himself before the people.
    Gen. xxiii. 12.

    Wherewith shall I come before the Lord?
    Micah vi. 6.

  10. Under the cognizance or jurisdiction of.

    If a suit be begun before an archdeacon.
    Ayliffe.

  11. Open for; free of access to; in the power of.

    The world was all before them where to choose.
    Milton.

    Before the mast (Naut.), as a common sailor, -- because the sailors live in the forecastle, forward of the foremast. -- Before the wind (Naut.), in the direction of the wind and by its impulse; having the wind aft.

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Before

BEFO'RE, preposition [be and fore, that is by fore, near the fore part.]

1. In front; on the side with the face, at any distance; used of persons.

2. In presence of, with the idea of power, authority, respect.

Abraham bowed before the people of the land. Genesis 23:3.

Wherewithal shall I come before the Lord. Micah 6:1.

3. In sight of; as before the face.

4. In the presence of, noting cognizance of jurisdiction.

5. In the power of, noting the right or ability to choose or possess; free to the choice.

The world was all before them.

My land is before thee. Genesis 20:15.

6. In front of any object; as before the house; before the fire.

7. Preceding in time.

Before I was afflicted, I went astray. Psalms 119:30.

Before Abraham was, I am. John 8:58.

Here the preposition has a sentence following for an object.

8. In preference to.

And he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Gen 48.

Poverty is desirable before torments.

9. Superior; preceding in dignity.

He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. John Latin

10. Prior to; having prior right; preceding in order; as, the eldest son is before the younger in succession.

11. Previous to; in previous order; in order to.

Before this treatise can become of use, two points are necessary.

12. before the wind, is to move in the direction of the wind by its impulse.

BEFO'RE, adverb In time preceding.

You tell me what I knew before

1. In time preceding, to the present, or to this time; hitherto; as, tumults then arose which before were unknown.

2. Further onward in place, in progress, or in front.

Reaching forth to those things which are before Philippians 3:13.

3. In front; on the fore part.

The battle was before and behind. 2 Chronicles 13:13.

In some of the examples of the use of before which Johnson places under the adverb, the word is a preposition governing a sentence; as, 'Before the hills appeared.' This is the real construction, however overlooked or misunderstood.

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The definitions are linked to my 1611KJV Bible and I want the pure definition of a word, not today's redefined words.

— Denise

Word of the Day

importance

IMPORT'ANCE, n.

1. Weight; consequence; a bearing on some interest; that quality of any thing by which it may affect a measure, interest or result. The education of youth is of great importance to a free government. A religious education is of infinite importance to every human being.

2. Weight or consequence in the scale of being.

Thy own importance know.

Nor bound thy narrow views to things below.

3. Weight or consequence in self-estimation.

He believes himself a man of importance.

4. Thing implied; matter; subject; importunity. [In these senses, obsolete.]

Random Word

possess

POSSESS', v.t. [L. possessus, possideo, a compound of po, a Russian preposition, perhaps by, and sedeo, to sit; to sit in or on.

1. To have the just and legal title, ownership or property of a thing; to own; to hold the title of, as the rightful proprietor, or to hold both the title and the thing. A man may possess the farm which he cultivates,or he may possess an estate in a foreign country, not in his own occupation. He may possess many farms which are occupied by tenants. In this as in other cases, the original sense of the word is enlarged, the holding or tenure being applied to the title or right, as well as to the thing itself.

2. To hold; to occupy without title or ownership.

I raise up the Chaldeans, to possess the dwelling-places that are not theirs. Hab.1.

Neither said any of them that aught of the things which he possessed was his own. Acts.4.

3. To have; to occupy. The love of the world usually possesses the heart.

4. To seize; to gain; to obtain the occupation of.

The English marched towards the river Eske, intending to possess a hill called Under-Eske.

5. To have power over; as an invisible agent or spirit.

Luke 8.

Beware what spirit rages in your breast;

For ten inspired, ten thousand are possess'd.

6. To affect by some power.

Let not your ears despise my tongue,

Which shall possess them with the heaviest sound

That ever yet they heard.

To possess of, or with, more properly to possess of, is to give possession, command or occupancy.

Of fortune's favor long possess'd

This possesses us of the most valuable blessing of human life, friendship.

To possess one's self of, to take or gain possession or command; to make one's self master of.

We possessed ourselves of the kingdom of Naples.

To possess with, to furnish or fill with something permanent; or to be retained.

It is of unspeakable advantage to possess our minds with an habitual good intention.

If they are possessed with honest minds.

Noah's 1828 Dictionary

First dictionary of the American Language!

Noah Webster, the Father of American Christian education, wrote the first American dictionary and established a system of rules to govern spelling, grammar, and reading. This master linguist understood the power of words, their definitions, and the need for precise word usage in communication to maintain independence. Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions.

This standard reference tool will greatly assist students of all ages in their studies.

No other dictionary compares with the Webster's 1828 dictionary. The English language has changed again and again and in many instances has become corrupt. The American Dictionary of the English Language is based upon God's written word, for Noah Webster used the Bible as the foundation for his definitions. This standard reference tool will greatly assist students of all ages in their studies. From American History to literature, from science to the Word of God, this dictionary is a necessity. For homeschoolers as well as avid Bible students it is easy, fast, and sophisticated.


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