tofore

English

Alternative forms

• toforne (14th – 16th centuries)

Etymology

From Middle English tofore, toforn, from Old English tōforan (“in front of”), from tō (“to”) + foran (“front, fore-part”, n.), dative case of fora (“front”). Compare Dutch tevoren (“previously”), German zuvor (“before, previously”). More at to, fore.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /təˈfɔː(ɹ)/

Preposition

tofore

1. (obsolete) Before.

Derived terms

• heretofore, theretofore, wheretofore

Adverb

tofore (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Before, previously.
   • 1592, William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus:

     Farewell, Lavinia, my noble sister ; O would thou wert as thou tofore hast been!

Conjunction

tofore

1. (obsolete) Before.

Anagrams

• foetor, footer, fœtor, refoot

Middle English

Alternative forms

• (adverb and preposition): toforen, tofor, toforon, toforn, toforne, toforan, toffor, toffore, tofforn, toforowe, tofour, tovor, tovore, tovoren, tefor, tefore, teforen
• (conjunction): toforn, tofor, to-fore, to-forn, to-for

Etymology

From Old English tōforan; equivalent to to- +‎ fore.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /toːˈfɔːr(ə)/, /toːˈfɔːr(ə)n/, /tɔ-/, /tə-/

Adverb

tofore

1. In front, ahead; in the first position in a sequence.
2. At a prior time; beforehand, earlier.
3. (in texts) Found above; found in a prior section.

Descendants

• English: tofore (obsolete)

References

• “tofore(n, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 10 April 2018.

Preposition

tofore

1. In front of.
2. Closer than something (with reference to the speaker).
3. In the presence of; before.
4. Earlier than; prior to.
5. To a degree greater than; more so than.

Descendants

• English: tofore (obsolete)

References

• “tofore(n, prep.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 10 April 2018.

Conjunction

tofore

1. Indicates that the antecedent clause occurred before the consequent clause in time.
   • 1470–1485 (date produced), Thomas Malory, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [Le Morte Darthur], (please specify the book number), by William Caxton], published 31 July 1485, →OCLC; republished as H Oskar Sommer, editor, Le Morte Darthur , London: David Nutt, , 1889, →OCLC:

     Never sith myght he be heled, ne nought shal tofore we come to hym.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Usage notes

• As a conjunction, tofore is often paired with þat.

References

• “tofore, conj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 10 April 2018.

Ternate

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):

Verb

tofore

1. (intransitive) to tremble

Conjugation

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001) A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh