in front of something Definition

front
noun

1. The side or part of anything that is furthest forward or nearest to the viewer; the most important side or part, eg the side of a building where the main door is.

Thesaurus: foreground, exterior, frontage, anterior, façade, face, head, breast, obverse, bow; Antonym: posterior, back, rear.
2. Any side of a large or historic building.
3. The part of a vehicle, etc that faces or is closest to, the direction in which it moves.
4. theat.
The auditorium of a theatre, etc. See also front of house.
5. The cover or first pages of a book.
6. A road or promenade in a town that runs beside the sea, or large lake, etc; sea front.
7. In war, particularly when fought on the ground: the area where the soldiers are nearest to the enemy. See also front line.

Example: eastern front
Thesaurus: frontline, no man's land, advance position, line of battle.
8. A matter of concern or interest.

Example: no progress on the job front
9. meteorol.
The boundary between two air masses that have different temperatures, eg a warm front is the leading edge of a mass of warm air. Also compare cold front.
10. An outward appearance.

Thesaurus: false front, mask, disguise, cover-up, window dressing; façade, exterior, facing, display.
11. A name given to some political movements, particularly when a number of organizations come together as a unified force against opponents.

Form: Front (usually)
12. slang
An organization or job used to hide illegal or secret activity.
Example: The corner shop was just a front for drug dealing
13. archaic
The forehead; the face.
Thesaurus: demeanour, expression, face, countenance, bearing, mien, carriage, port, aspect, presence, figure, exterior.

verb fronted, fronting

tr & intr
1. Said of a building: to have its front facing or beside something specified.

Example: The house fronts on to the main road
Thesaurus: face, border, overlook.
2. To be the leader or representative of (a group, etc).
3. To be the presenter of (a radio or television programme).
4. To cover the front of (a building, etc).

Example: The house was fronted with grey stone

adj

1. Relating to, or situated at or in the front.

Thesaurus: leading, head, first, foremost, anterior; Antonym: back, last, least, posterior.
2. phonetics.
Said of a vowel: articulated with the front of the tongue in a forward position.

Derivative: frontless
adj

Idiom: in front

On the forward-facing side.

Ahead.

Idiom: in front of someone or something

At or to a position in advance of them.
Thesaurus: before, preceding, leading, ahead of.

To a place towards which a vehicle, etc is moving.
Example: ran in front of a car

Ahead of them.
Example: pushed in front of her

Facing or confronting them.
Example: stood up in front of an audience

In their presence.
Example: dare not say so in front of my mother

Idiom: out front

colloq
In the audience, from the performer's standpoint.

Idiom: up front

colloq
Said of money: paid before work is done or goods received, etc
Example: Can you pay that up front?

Etymology: 13c: French, from Latin frons, frontis forehead.

Phrasal Verb: front for something

To provide a cover or excuse for an illegal activity, etc.