mindmap root((之前)) preceding usually implies being immediately before in time or in place: the last sentence of the ~ paragraph. antecedent applies to order in time and may suggest a causal or logical relation: study the revolution and its ~ economic conditions. foregoing applies to what has preceded, chiefly in discourse: a restatement of the ~ paragraph. previous implies existing or occurring earlier: a ~ marriage. prior often adds to previous an implication of greater importance: the prices in this catalogue supersede all ~ prices. former implies always a definite comparison or contrast with something that is latter: the ~ name of the company. anterior applies to position before or ahead of, usually in space, sometimes in time or order: the ~ lobe of the brain.