beforehand

Definitions

before + hand, frozen into an adverb. The image is of acting 'before the hand' is needed — being ready ahead of time. Its opposite-in-spirit cousin is offhand, 'off the top of the hand,' meaning with no preparation at all.

Why It Means This

Beforehand is one of a small group of hand-adverbs (with offhand and shorthand) where hand fixes a position in time or manner rather than naming the body part. Here it locates an action 'before the hand acts,' i.e. ahead of the event. It is almost always used after a verb: book beforehand, warn me beforehand.

Common Collocations

• 1.plan beforehand提前计划
• 2.prepare beforehand提前准备
• 3.arrange beforehand提前安排
• 4.know beforehand事先知道

Example Sentences

• 1.

  If you want a table, it's best to book beforehand.

• 2.

  She had read the report beforehand, so she was ready.

• 3.

  Let me know beforehand if you can't make it.