come before

US /kʌm bɪˈfɔːr/

UK /kʌm bɪˈfɔːr/

1.

to be more important than something else

:

•

Safety should always come before speed.

•

His family will always come before his career.

:

precede outrank take precedence over be more important than take priority over

2.

to happen or exist earlier than something else

:

•

The invention of the wheel came before written language.

•

In the alphabet, 'B' comes before 'C'.

:

precede antedate go before

:

before come come in comely come by come in for come into