beforehand
Beforehand is when you do or prepare something early, so it's all set and ready to go by the time a certain event happens.
When you hear "I paid for my tickets beforehand", it means the person took care of buying their tickets way before they needed them, usually because they were expecting a lot of people or there might not be any left when the day comes. It's not just about getting things done early; it can also mean thinking ahead and considering what might happen next. For example, "I planned for a backup plan beforehand" means you thought about the possibility that something could go wrong and prepared for it. The word is often used in situations where people need to get ready or prepare for an event, meeting, or even just the future.
How common is "beforehand"?
It has a balanced usage among all categories: speech, fiction, newspapers and academic texts.
adjective
In comfortable circumstances as regards property; forehanded.
adverb
At an earlier or preceding time.
Example: Will it be possible to have access to the room beforehand so that we can set up chairs?
Real examples of "beforehand" in context
