Ere (?), v. t. To plow. [Obs.] See Ear, v. t.
Chaucer.
Ere (ār or âr; 277), prep. &
adv. [AS. &aemacr;r, prep., adv., & conj.; akin to OS., OFries., & OHG. ēr, G. eher, D. eer, Icel. ār, Goth. air. √204. Cf. Early, Erst, Or, adv.]
1.
Before; sooner than. [Archaic or Poetic]
Myself was stirring ere the break of
day.
Shak.
Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore.
Dryden.
Sir, come down ere my child die.
John iv.
49. 2. Rather than.
I will be thrown into Etna, . . . ere I will leave
her.
Shak. Ere long, before, shortly.
Shak. -- Ere now,
formerly, heretofore. Shak. -- Ere that, ∧ Or are. Same as Ere. Shak.
Hear it pronounced