ahead

[uh-hed] /əˈhɛd/
adverb
1.
in or to the front; in advance of; before:
Walk ahead of us.
2.
in a forward direction; onward; forward:
The line of cars moved ahead slowly.
3.
into or for the future:
Plan ahead.
4.
so as to register a later time:
to set the clock ahead.
5.
at or to a different time, either earlier or later:
to push a deadline ahead one day from Tuesday to Monday; to push a deadline ahead one day from Tuesday to Wednesday.
6.
onward toward success; to a more advantageous position; upward in station:
There's a young man who is sure to get ahead.
Idioms
7.
ahead of,
  1. in front of; before:
    He ran ahead of me.
  2. superior to; beyond:
    materially ahead of other countries.
  3. in advance of; at an earlier time than:
    We got there ahead of the other guests.
8.
be ahead,
  1. to be winning:
    Our team is ahead by two runs.
  2. to be in a position of advantage; be benefiting:
    His score in mathematics is poor, but he's ahead in foreign languages.
Origin
1590-1600; a-1 + head
Examples from the web for ahead
  • They say that while volatility increases at the beginning of a crisis, it is unreliable as a leading indicator of trouble ahead.
  • We think society moves forward, generation after generation, ahead and ahead and ahead.
  • Remembering that at present, and doubtless long ahead, a certain humility would well become us.
  • Obviously this list is far ahead of the public inclination.
  • Prepare ahead of time when faced with social events.
  • The rapidly shifting landscape makes it tough to keep up with change and innovation, let alone stay ahead of the curve.
  • Using humor in your job talk can be risky, but if it comes naturally to you, go ahead and be funny.
  • For example, the decoding of the human genome promises major improvements in health care in the years ahead.
  • Money from both sources will ensure that the project has the resources to move ahead while additional funding is secured.
  • But the reports were ahead of the official records by two weeks.
British Dictionary definitions for ahead

ahead

/əˈhɛd/
adjective
1.
(postpositive) in front; in advance
adverb
2.
at or in the front; in advance; before
3.
onwards; forwards: go straight ahead
4.
ahead of
  1. in front of; at a further advanced position than
  2. (stock exchange) in anticipation of: the share price rose ahead of the annual figures
5.
(informal) be ahead, to have an advantage; be winning: to be ahead on points
6.
get ahead, to advance or attain success
Word Origin and History for ahead
adv.

1620s, "at the head, in front," from a- "on" (see a- (1)) + head (n.). Originally nautical. To be ahead of (one's) time attested by 1837.

Slang definitions & phrases for ahead

ahead

Related Terms

come out ahead, straight-ahead


Related Abbreviations for ahead

AHEAD

Association on Higher Education and Disability
Idioms and Phrases with ahead

ahead

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