形容詞：在先的、在前的、更重要的、優先的
常見搭配詞：
- prior to something
在…之前、比…還要重要
例句：I will complete the task prior to the deadline.
我會在截止日期前完成工作(任務)。 - give somebody prior notice
事先通知某人
例句：The phone company is required to give you prior notice before disconnecting your service.
電話公司必須在暫停服務之前提前通知你。 - prior knowledge / experience / warning
事先知道 / 之前有經驗 / 事先警告
例句：Prior experience in a similar field is preferred for this job.
有類似領域工作經驗者優先。 - prior agreement / approval / arrangement
事先同意 / 批准 / 安排
例句：The castle can be visited only by prior arrangement.
城堡只能在事先安排的情況下參觀。 - a prior engagement / commitment
事先有約 / 先前的承諾
例句：He had to cancel his plans due to a prior commitment.
由於事先的承諾，他不得不取消他的計劃。
例句：
- The project is prior to any other project.
這個專案比其他任何專案都重要(優先於其他項目)。 - Prior to our meeting, I had never seen him before.
在我們見面之前，我從未見過他。 - I am planning to talk to her prior to the meeting.
我打算在會議前先跟她說一下話。 - The company had prior knowledge of the potential problem.
那公司事先知道有潛在的問題。 - They was unable to attend owing to a prior engagement.
由於事先有約，他們未能出席。 - She has a prior engagement and cannot attend the event.
她事先有約，不能參加活動。 - The prior owner of the house had made several renovations.
房子的前任主人進行了幾次裝修。 - Her son lived with her in the months prior to her death.
在她去世前的幾個月裡，她的兒子一直和她住在一起。 - Senior citizens have a prior claim on funds.
老年人擁有優先獲得補助的權利。
同義詞：
- previous 先前的、以前的 adj. 強調在時間順序上，在當前事件或時間點之前發生或存在。
例句：He had a successful career in his previous job.
他在先前的工作中有一份成功的職業生涯。 - former 之前的、前任的 adj. 之前的人或事物 (在時間或順序上)。
例句：The former president visited the country last year.
前任總統去年訪問了該國。 - earlier 較早的、先前的 adj. 強調在時間或順序上較早發生。
例句：I wish I knew this information earlier.
我希望我早些知道這些資訊。 - preceding 在前的、前面的 adj. 指出在時間、位置或順序上在某事物之前的事物。
例句：The facts mentioned in the preceding paragraph support my argument.
前段提到的事實支持我的論點。 - pre-existing 已存在的、先前存在的 adj. 描述在當前事件或時間點之前就已存在的情況。
例句：She was denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.
由於已有病症，她被拒絕承保。
名詞：小修道院長、修道院副院長、前科、前例
例句：
- The prior of the monastery was known for his strict adherence to the rules.
那修道院院長以嚴格遵守規則而聞名。
衍生字：
- priority 優先考慮的事 n.
- prioritize 確定事情的優先次序 vi. vt.
- prioress 修道院女院長 n.
- priory 小修道院
