precede
v.v. to happen, go, or exist before something else in time or order. You use this when one thing comes first and another thing follows it.
v. to come before something in time, order, or rank. Transitive — requires a direct object to establish the sequence.
A short introduction will precede the main presentation.
The heavy storm was preceded by a sudden drop in temperature and a darkening of the sky.
In many historical narratives, a period of intense social unrest is seen to precede the formal declaration of war, serving as a catalyst for the eventual conflict.
From Middle French précéder, from Latin praecēdō, from prae- + cēdō.
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. It is frequently used in the passive voice ('is preceded by').
The dinner preceded before the speech.The dinner preceded the speech.Precede already means 'to come before' — adding the preposition 'before' is redundant.