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within a monastery or adjoining a church, as the space within a cloister, the open court before a basilica, etc.

One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.

Among the Jews, the evening before the Sabbath. [Obs.] Mark xv. 42 (Douay ver.)

Beforehand; first. [Obs.] Spenser.

Long, narrow slips of canvas daubed with tar and wound about a rope like a bandage, before it is served; used, also, in mousing on the stayes, etc.

To refrain from exacting as a penalty. I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it. Shak.

In France, before the Revolution of 1789, one of the several principal judicial courts. Parliament heel, the inclination of a ship when made to careen by shifting her cargo or ballast. -- Parliament hinge (Arch.), a hinge with so great a projection from the wall or frame as to allow a door or shutter to swing back fla…

and, and so they parted. Shak. He owned that he had parted from the duke only a few hours before. Macaulay. His precious bag, which he would by no means part from. G. Eliot.

ng among partners; joint possession or interest. Rome, that ne'er knew three lordly heads before, First fell by fatal partnership of power. Rowe. He does possession keep, And is too wise to hazard partnership. Dryden.

r an individual, a firm, or corporation; a litigant. The cause of both parties shall come before the judges. Ex. xxii. 9.

a court of entrance to, or an inclosed space before, a church; hence, a church porch; -- sometimes formerly used as place of meeting, as for lawyers. Chaucer.

C. Ch.), a large wax candle, blessed and placed on the altar on Holy Saturday, or the day before Easter. -- Paschal flower. See Pasque flower, under Pasque.

neral acceptance; to be held or regarded; to circulate; to be current; -- followed by for before a word denoting value or estimation. "Let him pass for a man." Shak. False eloquence passeth only where true is not understood. Felton. This will not pass for a fault in him. Atterbury.

A word to be given before a person is allowed to pass; a watchword; a countersign. Macaulay.

families in ancient history, especially in Biblical and Jewish history to those who lived before the time of Moses.

s. -- Patriarchal dispensation, the divine dispensation under which the patriarchs lived before the law given by Moses.

ember of any of the families constituting the populus Romanus, or body of Roman citizens, before the development of the plebeian order; later, one who, by right of birth or by special privilege conferred, belonged to the nobility.

thering of the people be. Gen. xlix. 10. The ants are a people not strong. Prov. xxx. 25. Before many peoples, and nations, and tongues. Rev. x. 11. Earth's monarchs are her peoples. Whitter . A government of all the people, by all the people, for all the people. T. Parker.

d by. [R.] The upper regions of the air perceive the collection of the matter of tempests before the air here below. Bacon.

To represent; to act; to play; as in drama. Perform a part thou hast not done before. Shak.