名 earlier，before，elder generation，ancestor，deceased ；

[例句] 我先挑出了所有通常留到最后的人。 I picked first all the people who usually were left till last.

[例句] 最好先伸展一下僵硬的肌肉。 It is better to stretch the tight muscles first.

take precedence，have priority，prior，underlying，first ；

[例句] 将要做的事情列出来，然后决定其优先顺序。 Make lists of what to do and prioritize your tasks.

[例句] 早申请者将获优先考虑。 Priority will be given to those who apply early.

in advance，beforehand，foreordain，up front ；

[例句] 从出生的那一刻起，王子的命运就已经被预先决定了。 The Prince's destiny was predetermined from the moment of his birth.

[例句] 他们试图预先判定考察团的发现结果。 They tried to prejudge the commission's findings.

go ahead of the rest，start off before the others，beforehand，in advance，antecedence ；

[例句] 我只有让蒂娜和雷切尔一起先行一步。 I'd have to send Tina on ahead with Rachael.

[例句] 让从左边来的车先行。 Give way to traffic coming from the left.

congenital，intrinsic，nature，apriority ；

[例句] 约翰17岁时死于先天性心脏病。 When John was 17, he died of congenital heart disease.

[例句] 凯特琳患有可能致命的先天性心脏畸形。 Caitlin was born with a life-threatening heart abnormality.

vanguard，van，avant-courier，pioneer ；

[例句] 他在巴黎结交先锋人士。 In Paris he made friends among the avant-garde.

[例句] 在某种意义上说,他们起了先锋的作用. In a way they played a vanguard role.

earlier on，in advance ；

[例句] 应该付给经销商一笔先期费用. An initial fee is payable to the franchiser.

[例句] 重点正从简单地对症下药转移到先期预防的方法上来。 The emphasis is swinging away from simply finding cures for illness to ways of preventing illness in the first place.

ancestors，ancestry，forefathers，progenitor，ancestor ；

[例句] 她的中国朋友们说这位女皇是他们值得敬仰的祖先。 Her Chinese friends referred to the Empress as their venerable ancestor.

[例句] 他天生擅长交际：他的祖先曾是封建领主。 Diplomacy was in his blood: his ancestors had been feudal lords.

foreboding，foregleam，omen，portent，aura ；

[例句] 我有了头痛的先兆。 I had the beginnings of a headache.

[例句] 乌云是下雨的明显先兆. Black clouds are an unmistakable sign of coming rain.

in advance，beforehand，prior ；

[例句] 她怎么会事先知道我要出去？ How could she tell beforehand that I was going to go out?

[例句] 这可不是头脑一热作出的决定。我们事先仔细地讨论过。 It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision. We discussed it in detail beforehand.

be in the lead，(take the) lead，in the highest flight，keep ahead，on top ；

[例句] 上半场以21：3领先的法国队有8个达阵得分。 The French, who led 21-3 at half time, scored eight tries.

[例句] 沃里克队在排名中蹿升至第3名，落后领先的埃塞克斯队31分。 Warwicks leap to third in the table, 31 points behind leaders Essex.

pioneer，forerunner，foregoer，harbinger，avant-courier ；

[例句] 杰伦·拉尼尔创造了“虚拟现实”这个词，并成为推动其早期发展的先驱人物。 Jaron Lanier coined the term "virtual reality" and pioneered its early development.

[例句] 大银行是发展这一体系的先驱。 The big banks have been the pacesetters in developing the system.

（先师） teacher，mister ，gentleman，[方] （医生） doctor，Mr. ；

[例句] 亨特先生及他率领的管理小组加入了州长们的队伍。 The governors were joined by Mr Hunter and his management team.

[例句] 马丁先生被人用枪指着从车里带了出来。 Mr Martin was taken out of his car at gunpoint.

（最先） first，in the first place，first of all，above all，firstly ；

[例句] 我们必须首先集中精力治疗毒瘾。 We must concentrate our energies on treating addiction first.

[例句] 首先来看今天的新闻摘要。 First, we have this roundup of the day's news.

before，previously，antecede，anteriority ；

[例句] 允许考虑先前的法律。 It was permissible to take account of antecedent legislation.

[例句] 他把先前检查过的那些口袋又查了一遍，毫无收获。 Uselessly, he checked the same pockets he'd checked before.

ahead，in front，before，formerly，in advance ；

[例句] 我们是先头部队, 大军随后就到. We are the advance detachment. The main forces will be here soon.

[例句] 我们派出一支先头部队. We sent out an advance party of soldiers.

elder generation，ancestors，predecessor ；

[例句] 先辈们的丰碑最能奋勉人心的. The monuments of men's ancestors were the most impressive exhortations.

[例句] 人们失去了他们先辈的朴实,他们应该为此而感到懊丧. One may regret to have lost the simplicity of one's forefathers.

former，original，formerly，originally ；

[例句] 原先苹果酒里的任何杂质在蒸馏后都会凸现出来。 Any faults in the original cider stood out sharply after distillation.

[例句] 这辆轿车比原先的车型短了约40毫米。 The car is some 40mm shorter than its predecessor.

precedent，previous case taken as example，a leading card ；

[例句] 他们深知无论他们的决定是什么，都将开创先例。 They're keenly aware that whatever they decide will set a precedent.

[例句] 难道它不会成为先例吗？难道它不会引发更多类似的问题吗？ Would it not set a precedent? Would it not open the floodgates?

foreknowledge，foresight，forecast，forethought，prescience ；

[例句] 然而, 后知总是比先见容易. However, hindsight is easier than foresight.

[例句] 王又对祭司撒督说, 你不是先见 吗 ? The king also said to Zadok the priest, Aren't you a seer?