Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adverb At or to the front or head.
  • adverb In advance; before.
  • adverb In or into the future; for the future.
  • adverb In an advanced position or a configuration registering the future.
  • adverb At or to a different time; earlier or later.
  • adverb In a forward direction; onward.
  • adverb In the prescribed direction or sequence for normal use.
  • adverb In or into a more advantageous position.
  • idiom (be ahead) To be winning or in a superior position.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In or to the front; in advance; before: as, they walked ahead of us all the way: in nautical language, opposed to astern: as, to lie ahead.
  • Forward; onward; with unrestrained motion or action: as, go ahead (= go on; proceed; push forward or onward; carry out your task or purpose: an idiomatic phrase said to have originated in the United States, and sometimes converted into an adjective: as, a go-ahead person); he pushed ahead with his plans.
  • To move ahead, as in coming to anchor after the sails are furled.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In or to the front; in advance; onward.
  • adverb obsolete Headlong; without restraint.
  • adverb [Colloq] To push on in an enterprise.
  • adverb [Colloq.] To surpass; to get the better of.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In or to the front; in advance; onward.
  • adverb Having progressed more.
  • adverb In the direction one is facing or moving.
  • adverb in the future, preceding

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb at or in the front
  • adverb toward the future; forward in time
  • adverb leading or ahead in a competition
  • adverb to a more advanced or advantageous position
  • adverb in a forward direction
  • adjective having the leading position or higher score in a contest
  • adverb ahead of time; in anticipation
  • adverb to a different or a more advanced time (meaning advanced either toward the present or toward the future)

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

a- +‎ head

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word ahead.

Examples

  • Though sailing blind, still the pilot cries 'Full speed ahead' yahooBuzzArticleHeadline = 'Though sailing blind, still the pilot cries \'Full speed ahead\' '; yahooBuzzArticleSummary =' Article: The crash and oil spill at the Golden Gate Bridge might be the perfect metaphor of Dubya\'s presidency, if there were only a board of pilots to hold Bush accountable. '

    Though sailing blind, still the pilot cries 'Full speed ahead' 2007

  • Donald Tusk is set to lay out his administration's budget plans and other policies for the term ahead in his address Friday, and investors will be watching closely to see how much he intends to consolidate state finances.

    Polish Premier's Speech to Focus on Budget Marynia Kruk 2011

  • Manchester United could go level on points with their neighbours by winning Saturday's home game against Bolton Wanderers, as could Tottenham Hotspur by beating Wolves at White Hart Lane, and Ferguson said it is good for football to see two new teams challenging for the title ahead of the usual threat from Chelsea and Arsenal.

    Manchester City's first half of season was fantastic, says Ferguson 2012

  • And Ive won a title ahead of Kimi Rikknen and his McLaren, and another one ahead of Michael Schumacher.

    Chequered Conflict Maurice Hamilton 2008

  • Britt improvised as she spoke, her mind only a word ahead of her voice.

    The Flower Man Donna Anders 1995

  • She loved the patriarch Joe, calling him "Mr. Kennedy," and, in a phrase ahead of its time, "the tiger mother."

    NYT > Home Page By MAUREEN DOWD 2011

  • In the women's race, Beijing Olympic finalist Jeanette Kwakye took the title ahead of world and European junior champion Jodie Williams, with Asha Philip, the top-ranked Briton before this weekend, disqualified from the semi-finals for a false start.

    WalesOnline - Home WalesOnline 2012

  • The kids are back at school, and attention now turns to the term ahead.

    WalesOnline - Home 2011

  • Tony McCoy has won the Grand National on his 15th attempt at Aintree, riding Don't Push It. In a closely fought race McCoy took the title ahead of Black Apalachi, ridden by Denis O'Regan, and State of Play in third, ridden by Paul Moloney.

    The Latest From www.inthenews.co.uk 2010

  • Tony McCoy has won the Grand National on his 15th attempt at Aintree, riding Don't Push It. In a closely fought race McCoy took the title ahead of Black Apalachi, ridden by Denis O'Regan, and State of Play in third, ridden by Paul Moloney.

    The Latest From www.inthenews.co.uk 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.