ahead

a|head [ ə`hed ] function word ***

Ahead is used in the following ways:

as an adverb:

I could see the end of the tunnel ahead.

in the preposition phrase ahead of:

We have some difficult problems ahead of us.

1. ) in front of you

a ) used for saying that something is in front of you, in the direction you are going or looking:

There's a motel just a few miles ahead.

His attention was firmly fixed on the road ahead.

ahead of: The car ahead of us stopped suddenly.

up ahead (=not far in front): We're almost there! That's the place up ahead.

b ) moving, pointing, or looking toward a place in front of you:

Francesca was staring ahead into the darkness.

straight ahead: Instead of turning left, he drove straight ahead toward the river.

c ) moving in front of someone and in the same direction:

She walked ahead of him along the corridor.

2. ) in the future

a ) used when saying what will happen in the future:

ahead of: We have a busy day ahead of us.

a young woman with a brilliant career ahead of her

days/weeks/years etc. ahead: Where will the money come from in the years ahead?

b ) look/think/plan ahead to think about the future or plan for the future:

Looking ahead to next summer, where would you like to go?

=> LIE1

3. ) before

a ) before a time or event:

ahead of: There will be an inspection of the track ahead of tomorrow's race.

ahead of time: If you had warned me ahead of time, I wouldn't have gone.

b ) starting to go somewhere a little before someone and arriving there before them:

You go on ahead and tell them we're coming.

I'll send my luggage on ahead.

c ) used for saying how much earlier the clocks in one place show a particular time than in another:

New York is three hours ahead of Los Angeles.

d ) used for saying that someone finishes a race before someone else:

ahead of: David finished ahead of me in last year's Grand Prix.

e ) ahead of time/schedule at an earlier time than was planned or arranged:

The train had left five minutes ahead of time.

Mexico announced its intention of repaying the loan ahead of schedule.

4. ) having made more progress

a ) used for saying that someone has made more progress than someone else, or more progress than expected:

The Russians were now ahead of them in space research.

Some of these children are two years ahead in reading skills.

b ) used for saying that a particular idea, product, invention, etc. is more advanced than others:

The technology was far ahead of anything available in the West.

ahead of someone's/something's time (=too modern to be accepted or understood): As a writer, Sterne was ahead of his time.

c ) get ahead to make progress in your work and become successful:

If you want to get ahead in politics, you have to look confident.

5. ) having won more points, votes, etc. used for saying that someone is achieving more success in a competition, election, etc. than someone else:

ahead of: Eagles are already ten points ahead of their nearest rivals.

Opinion polls show Jacobson pulling ahead of Rodgers.

well ahead (=winning easily): At the end of Round 8, Tyson was well ahead.

get/keep/stay ahead (of the game)

to react quickly so that you gain/keep an advantage:

Our industries have to keep ahead of the game in world trade.

=> GO AHEAD