ahead of preposition
1 : in, at, or to a place before (someone or something)
▪ She got ahead of me. ▪ Someone was standing in the road just a few yards (up) ahead of us. ▪ They went on ahead of us and by now are several miles ahead of us. 2 : in the future for (someone or something)
▪ We have some hard work ahead of us. 3 : having a lead or advantage over (a competitor)
▪ The polls show that he is ahead of the other candidates. ▪ The company is working hard to stay one step ahead of the competition. ▪ They were trailing us by 5 points earlier in the game, but now they're ahead of us by 7. 4 a : better than (something)
▪ The company's earnings are (way/far) ahead of forecasts. [=are (much) better than they were expected to be]
b : in a more advanced position than (someone or something)
▪ He was a year ahead of me in school. [=he finished school a year before I did] ◊If you are ahead of your time or if your ideas, creations, etc., are ahead of their time, you are too advanced or modern to be understood or appreciated during the time when you live or work.
▪ As a poet, he was ahead of his time. His poems, now regarded as classics, were unpopular when he wrote them. 5 : at an earlier time than (someone or something) : sooner than (someone or something)
▪ They arrived at the party a few minutes ahead of [=before] us. ▪ They're hoping to work out an agreement well ahead of [=before] the deadline. ▪ She prepared most of the food ahead of time. [=beforehand] ▪ It looks like we can finish the project ahead of schedule. [=earlier than planned]
▪ She got ahead of me. ▪ Someone was standing in the road just a few yards (up) ahead of us. ▪ They went on ahead of us and by now are several miles ahead of us.
▪ We have some hard work ahead of us.
▪ The polls show that he is ahead of the other candidates. ▪ The company is working hard to stay one step ahead of the competition. ▪ They were trailing us by 5 points earlier in the game, but now they're ahead of us by 7.
▪ The company's earnings are (way/far) ahead of forecasts. [=are (much) better than they were expected to be]
b : in a more advanced position than (someone or something)
▪ He was a year ahead of me in school. [=he finished school a year before I did] ◊If you are ahead of your time or if your ideas, creations, etc., are ahead of their time, you are too advanced or modern to be understood or appreciated during the time when you live or work.
▪ As a poet, he was ahead of his time. His poems, now regarded as classics, were unpopular when he wrote them.
▪ They arrived at the party a few minutes ahead of [=before] us. ▪ They're hoping to work out an agreement well ahead of [=before] the deadline. ▪ She prepared most of the food ahead of time. [=beforehand] ▪ It looks like we can finish the project ahead of schedule. [=earlier than planned]
