Ere
Ere (ār or âr; 277) , preposition and adverb
[Anglo-Saxon ar, prep., adv., & conj.; akin to Old Saxon, OFries., & Old High German ēr, German eher, Dutch eer, Icelandic ār, Gothic air. r204. Compare Early, Erst, Or, adv.]
1.
Before; sooner than. [Archaic or Poetic]
Myself was stirring ere the break of day.
Ere sails were spread new oceans to explore.
Sir, come down ere my child die.
2.
Rather than.
I will be thrown into Etna,... ere I will leave her.
Collocations (3)
Ere long , before, shortly. — Shakespeare
Ere now , formerly, heretofore. — Shakespeare
Ere that or Or are , Same as Ere. — Shakespeare
Ere , transitive verb
To plow. [Obs.] See Ear, transitive verb — Chaucer