ante

alternative a.

1. Synonym of before, earlier in time, particularly used in historical dating.

   The wall was built at some time a. 1400.

   Synonyms: before, earlier in time, particularly used in historical dating

plural antes

1. A price or cost, as in up the ante.

   When it came to the more successful contestants, meanwhile, edits of the shows also began to fall heavily on sad backstories – the "sob story", if you will – instilling the idea that singers had to mine trauma from their lives to up the emotional ante, making them seem to be more "worthy" winners.

   2021 September 15, Laura Martin, “How talent shows became TV's most bizarre programmes”, in BBC

   1 more example

   “… There was a man who always painted marble seats and another who did nothing but sheep. So a fellow I knew determined only to paint backs. Men's backs, women's backs, girls' backs and boys backs. … his best known bacchante was described by a critic as all back and no ante, but his backs became famous. …”

   1936, Herbert Adams, chapter 2, in A Word of Six Letters

2. card gamesIn poker and other games, the contribution made by all players to the pot, often before dealing all the cards.

present singular third person antes · participle present anteing · participle past anted · past anted · participle past anteed · past anteed

1. To pay the ante in poker. Often used as ante up.
2. To make an investment in money, effort, or time before knowing one's chances.

plural Antes

1. A surname.