Part 583

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

4. 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.

Be*fore"hand` (&?;), adv. [Before + hand.] 1. In a state of anticipation ore preoccupation; in advance; -- often followed by with.

Agricola . . . resolves to be beforehand with the danger. Milton.

The last cited author has been beforehand with me. Addison.

2. By way of preparation, or preliminary; previously; aforetime.

They may be taught beforehand the skill of speaking. Hooker.

Be*fore"hand`, a. In comfortable circumstances as regards property; forehanded.

Rich and much beforehand. Bacon.

Be*fore"time` (&?;), adv. Formerly; aforetime.

dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. 2 Kings xiii. 5.

Be*for"tune (&?;), v. t. To befall. [Poetic]

I wish all good befortune you. Shak.

Be*foul" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Befouled (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Befouling.] [Cf. AS. bef&?;lan; pref. be- + f&?;lan to foul. See Foul, a.] 1. To make foul; to soil.

2. To entangle or run against so as to impede motion.

Be*friend" (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Befriended; p. pr. & vb. n. Befriending.] To act as a friend to; to favor; to aid, benefit, or countenance.

By the darkness befriended. Longfellow.

Be*friend"ment (&?;), n. Act of befriending. [R.]

Be*frill" (&?;), v. t. To furnish or deck with a frill.

Be*fringe" (&?;), v. t. To furnish with a fringe; to form a fringe upon; to adorn as with fringe. Fuller.

Be*fud"dle (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Befuddled (&?;)] To becloud and confuse, as with liquor.

Beg (&?;), n. [Turk. beg, pronounced bay. Cf. Bey, Begum.] A title of honor in Turkey and in some other parts of the East; a bey.

Beg (&?;), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Begged (&?;); p. pr. & vb. n. Begging.] [OE. beggen, perh. fr. AS. bedecian (akin to Goth. bedagwa beggar), biddan to ask. (Cf. Bid, v. t.); or cf. beghard, beguin.] 1. To ask earnestly for; to entreat or supplicate for; to beseech.

I do beg your good will in this case. Shak.

Sometimes implying deferential and respectful, rather than earnest, asking; as, I beg your pardon; I beg leave to disagree with you.

2. To ask for as a charity, esp. to ask for habitually or from house to house.