As a Noun: 1. Things that happened before or recently that help explain what caused an event or situation you are talking about now. As a Verb or Adjective: 1. Of an event, to happen a short time ago in the past. English = (be) recent. As Modifier: 1. Used after time signs and/or at the beginning or end of sign sentences to place the time frame in the recent past. English = recently, just a while ago, just then.