Pre-Examination – Prefinition

Pre-Examination

PRE-EXAMINA'TION, noun Previous examination.

Pre-Examine

PRE-EXAM'INE, verb transitive To examine beforehand.

Pre-Exist

PRE-EXIST', verb intransitive [pre and exist.] To exist beforehand or before something else. It has been believed by many philosophers that the souls of men pre-exist that is, exist before the formation of the body.

Pre-Existence

PRE-EXIST'ENCE, noun Existence previous to something else.

Wisdom declares her antiquity and pre-existence

to all the works of this earth.

1. Existence of the soul before its union with the body, or before the body is formed; a tenet of eastern sages.

Pre-Existent

PRE-EXIST'ENT, adjective Existing beforehand; preceding in existence.

What mortal knows his pre-existent state?

Pre-Existimation

PRE-EXISTIMA'TION, noun Previous esteem. [Not in use.]

Pre-Existing

PRE-EXIST'ING, participle present tense Previously existing.

Pre-Expectation

PRE-EXPECTA'TION, noun Previous expectation.

Preach

PREACH, verb intransitive [Latin proeco, a crier; precor.]

1. To pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a subject, or from a text of Scripture. The word is usually applied to such discourses as are formed from a text of Scripture. This is the modern sense of preach

2. To discourse on the gospel way of salvation and exhort to repentance; to discourse on evangelical truths and exhort to a belief of them and acceptance of the terms of salvation. This was the extemporaneous manner of preaching pursued by Christ and his apostles. Matthew 4:10. Acts 10:14.

PREACH, verb transitive To proclaim; to publish in religious discourses.

What ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the house-tops. Matthew 10:7.

The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. Isaiah 61:1.

1. To inculcate in public discourses.

I have preached righteousness in the great congregations. Psalms 40:9.

He oft to them preach'd

Conversion and repentance.

To preach Christ or Christ crucified, to announce Christ as the only Savior, and his atonement as the only ground of acceptance with God. 1 Corinthians 1:17.

To preach up, to discourse in favor of.

Can they preach up equality of birth?

PREACH, noun A religious discourse. [Not used.]

Preached

PRE'ACHED, participle passive Proclaimed; announced in public discourse; inculcated.

Preacher

PRE'ACHER, noun One who discourses publicly on religious subjects.

1. One that inculcates any thing with earnestness.

No preacher is listened to but time.

Preachership

PRE'ACHERSHIP, noun The office of a preacher. [Not used.]

Preaching

PRE'ACHING, participle present tense Proclaiming; publishing in discourse; inculcating.

PRE'ACHING, noun The act of preaching; a public religious discourse.

Preachman

PRE'ACHMAN, noun A preacher; in contempt.

Preachment

PRE'ACHMENT, noun A discourse or sermon; in contempt; a discourse affectedly solemn.

Preacquaintance

PREACQUA'INTANCE, noun Previous acquaintance or knowledge.

Preacquainted

PREACQUA'INTED, adjective Previously acquainted.

Preadamite

PREAD'AMITE, noun [pre, before, and Adam.]

An inhabitant of the earth that lived before Adam.

Preadamitic

PREADAMIT'IC, adjective Designating what existed before Adam; as fictitious preadamitic periods.

Preadministration

PREADMINISTRA'TION, noun Previous administration.

Preadmonish

PREADMON'ISH, verb transitive To admonish previously.

Preadmonition

PREADMONI'TION, noun Previous warning or admonition.

Preamble

PRE'AMBLE, noun [Latin proe, before, and ambulo, to go.]

1. Something previous; introduction to a discourse or writing.

2. The introductory part of a statute, which states the reasons and intent of the law.

PRE'AMBLE, verb transitive To preface; to introduce with previous remarks.

Preambulary

PREAM'BULARY

PREAM'BULATE, verb intransitive [Latin proe, before, and ambulo, to walk.]

To walk or go before.

Preambulate

PREAM'BULATE, v.i. [L. proe, before, and ambulo, to walk.]

To walk or go before.

Preambulation

PREAMBULA'TION, noun A preamble. [Not in use.]

1. A walking or going before.

Preambulatory

PREAM'BULATORY, adjective Going before; preceding.

Preambulous

PREAM'BULOUS, adjective Previous; introductory. [Not used.]

Preapprehension

PREAPPREHEN'SION, noun [See Apprehend.]

An opinion formed before examination.

Prease

PREASE, noun Press; crowd. [Not used. See Press.]

Preasing

PRE'ASING, participle present tense or adjective Crowding. [Not used.]

Preaudience

PREAU'DIENCE, noun [See Audience.] Precedence or rank at the bar among lawyers; right of previous audience.

Prebend

PREB'END, noun [Latin proebeo, to afford, to allow.]

1. The stipend or maintenance granted out of the estate of a cathedral or collegiate church. Prebends are simple or dignitary; simple, when they are restricted to the revenue only, and dignitary, when they have jurisdiction annexed to them.

2. A prebendary. [Not in use.]

Prebendal

PREBEND'AL, adjective Pertaining to a prebend.

Prebendary

PREB'ENDARY, noun An ecclesiastic who enjoys a prebend; the stipendiary of a cathedral church.

A prebendary differs from a canon in this; the prebendary receives his prebend in consideration of his officiating in the church; the canon merely in consequence of his being received into the cathedral or college.

Prebendaryship

PREB'ENDARYSHIP, noun The office of a prebendary; a canonry.

Precarious

PRECA'RIOUS, adjective [Latin precarius, from precor, to pray or entreat; primarily, depending on request, or on the will of another.

1. Depending on the will or pleasure of another; held by courtesy liable to be changed or lost at the pleasure of another. A privilege depending on another's will is precarious or held by a precarious tenure.

2. Uncertain; held by a doubtful tenure; depending on unknown or unforeseen causes or events. Temporal prosperity is precarious; personal advantages, health, strength and beauty are all precarious depending on a thousand accidents.

We say also, the weather is precarious; a phrase in which we depart not more from the primary sense of the word, than we do in a large part of all the words in the language.

Precariously

PRECA'RIOUSLY, adverb At the will or pleasure of others; dependently; by an uncertain tenure; as, he subsists precariously

Precariousness

PRECA'RIOUSNESS, noun Uncertainty; dependence on the will or pleasure of others, or on unknown events; as the precariousness of life or health.

Precative

PRE'CATIVE

PRE'CATORY, adjective [Latin precor, to pray.] Suppliant; beseeching.

Precatory

PRE'CATORY, a. [L. precor, to pray.] Suppliant; beseeching.

Precaution

PRECAU'TION, noun [Latin precautus, proecaveo; proe, before, and caveo, to take care.] Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good in possession.

PRECAU'TION, verb transitive To warn or advise beforehand for preventing mischief or securing good.

Precautional

PRECAU'TIONAL, adjective Preventive of mischief.

Precautionary

PRECAU'TIONARY, adjective Containing previous caution; as precautionary advice or admonition.

1. Proceeding from previous caution; adapted to prevent mischief or secure good; as precautionary measures.

Precedaneous

PRECEDA'NEOUS, adjective [form precede, Latin proecedo.]

Preceding; antecedent; anterior. [Not used.]

Precede

PRECE'DE, verb transitive [Latin proecedo; proe, before, and cedo, to more.]

1. To go before in the order of time. The corruption of morals precedes the ruin of a state.

2. To go before in rank or importance.

3. To cause something to be before; to make to take place in prior time.

It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration. [Unusual.]

Preceded

PRECE'DED, participle passive Being gone before.

Precedence

PRECE'DENCE

PRECE'DENCY, noun The act or state of going before; priority in time; as the precedence of one event.

1. The state of going or being before in rank or dignity or the place of honor; the right to a more honorable place in public processions, in seats or in the civilities of life. precedence depends on the order of nature or rank established by God himself, as that due to age; or on courtesy, custom or political distinction, as that due to a governor or senator, who, though younger in years, takes rank of a subordinate officer, though older; or it is settled by authority, as in Great Britain. In the latter case, a violation of the right of precedence is actionable.

Precedence went in truck,

And he was competent whose purse was so.

2. The foremost in ceremony.

3. Superiority; superior importance or influence.

Which of the different desires has precedency in determining the will to the next action.

Precedency

PRECE'DENCY, n. The act or state of going before; priority in time; as the precedence of one event. 1. The state of going or being before in rank or dignity or the place of honor; the right to a more honorable place in public processions, in seats or in the civilities of life. Precedence depends on the order of nature or rank established by God himself, as that due to age; or on courtesy, custom or political distinction, as that due to a governor or senator, who, though younger in years, takes rank of a subordinate officer, though older; or it is settled by authority, as in Great Britain. In the latter case, a violation of the right of precedence is actionable. Precedence went in truck, And he was competent whose purse was so.2. The foremost in ceremony.3. Superiority; superior importance or influence. Which of the different desires has precedency in determining the will to the next action.

Precedent

PRECE'DENT, adjective Going before in time; anterior; antecedent; as precedent services; a precedent fault of the will.

The world, or any part thereof, could not be precedent to the creation of man.

A precedent condition, in law, is a condition which must happen or be performed before an estate or some right can vest, and on failure of which the estate or right is defeated.

PREC'EDENT, noun Something done or said, that may serve or be adduced as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the like kind.

Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only.

1. In law, a judicial decision, interlocutory or final, which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; or any proceeding or course of proceedings which may serve for a rule insubsequent cases of a like nature.

Precedented

PREC'EDENTED, adjective Having a precedent; authorized by an example of a like kind.

Precedently

PRECE'DENTLY, adverb Beforehand; antecedently.

Precellence

PRECEL'LENCE, noun Excellence. [Not in use.]

Precentor

PRECEN'TOR, noun [Low Latin proecentor; Latin proe, before, and canto, to sing.] The leader of the choir in a cathedral; called also the chanter or master of the choir.

Precept

PRE'CEPT, noun [Latin proeceptum, from proecipio, to command; proe, before, and capio, to take.]

1. In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct. The ten commandments are so many precepts for the regulation of our moral conduct.

No arts are without their precepts.

2. In law, a command or mandate in writing.

Preceptial

PRECEP'TIAL, adjective Consisting of precepts. [Not in use.]

Preception

PRECEP'TION, noun A precept. [Not in use.]

Preceptive

PRECEP'TIVE, adjective [Latin proeceptivus.] Giving precepts or commands for the regulation of moral conduct; containing precepts; as the preceptive parts of the Scriptures.

1. Directing in moral conduct; giving rules or directions; didactic.

The lesson given us here is preceptive to us.

Preceptive poetry.

Preceptor

PRECEP'TOR, noun [Latin proeceptor. See Precept.]

1. In a general sense, a teacher; an instructor.

2. In a restricted sense, the teacher of a school; sometimes, the principal teacher of an academy or other seminary.

Preceptorial

PRECEPTO'RIAL, adjective Pertaining to a preceptor.

Preceptory

PRECEP'TORY, adjective Giving precepts.

PRECEP'TORY, noun A subordinate religious house where instruction was given.

Precession

PRECES'SION, noun [Latin proecessus, proecedo, to go before.]

1. Literally, the act of going before, but in this sense rarely or never used.

2. In astronomy, the precession of the equinox, is an annual motion of the equinox, or point when the ecliptic intersects the equator, to the westward, amounting to 50 l/2'. This precession was discovered by Hipparchus, a century and a half before the christian era, though it is alleged that the astronomers of India had discovered it long before. At that time, the point of the autumnal equinox was about six degrees to the eastward of the star called spica virginis. In 1750, that is, about nineteen hundred years after, this point was observed to be about 20 deg. 21' westward of that star. Hence it appears that the equinoctial points will make an entire revolution in about 25, 745 years.

Precinct

PRE'CINCT, noun [Latin proecinctus, proecingo, to cencompass; proe and cingo, to surround or gird.]

1. The limit, bound or exterior line encompassing a place; as the precincts of light.

2. Bounds of jurisdiction, or the whole territory comprehended within the limits of authority.

Take the body of A B, if to be found within your precincts.

3. A territorial district or division.

It is to be observed that this word is generally used in the plural, except in the third sense.

In case of non-acceptance [of the collector] the parish or precinct shall proceed to a new choice.

Preciosity

PRECIOSITY, for preciousness or value, not used.

Precious

PRE'CIOUS, adjective [Latin pretiosus, from pretium, price. See Praise.]

1. Of great price; costly; as a precious stone.

2. Of great value or worth; very valuable.

She is more precious than rubies. Proverbs 3:15.

3. Highly valued; much esteemed.

The word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 1 Samuel 3:1.

4. Worthless; in irony and contempt.

Precious metals, gold and silver, so called on account of their value.

Preciously

PRE'CIOUSLY, adverb Valuably; to a great price.

1. Contemptibly; in irony.

Preciousness

PRE'CIOUSNESS, noun Valuableness; great value; high price.

Precipe

PRECIPE, noun pres'ipy. [Latin proecipio. See Precept.]

In law, a writ commanding the defendant to do a certain thing, or to show cause to the contrary; giving him his choice to redress the injury or to stand the suit.

Precipice

PREC'IPICE, noun [Latin proecipitium, from proeceps, headlong; proe, forward, and ceps, for caput, head. See Chief.]

1. Strictly, a falling headlong; hence, a steep descent of land; a fall or descent of land, perpendicular or nearly so.

Where wealth, like fruit, on precipices grew.

2. A steep descent, in general.

In the breaking of the waves there is ever a precipice

Swift down the precipice of time it goes.

Precipient

PRECIP'IENT, adjective [Latin proecipiens. See Precept.]

Commanding; directing.

Precipitability

PRECIPITABIL'ITY, noun [from precipitable.]

The quality or state of being precipitable.

Precipitable

PRECIP'ITABLE, adjective [from Latin proecipito, from proeceps, headlong.]

That may be precipitated or cast to the bottom, as a substance in solution.

Precipitance

PRECIP'ITANCE

PRECIP'ITANT, adjective [Latin proecipitans, proecipito, from proeceps, headlong.]

1. Falling or rushing headlong; rushing down with velocity.

They leave their little lives

Above the clouds, precipitant to earth.

2. Hasty; urged with violent haste.

Should he return, that troop so blithe and bold,

Precipitant in fear, would wing their flight.

3. Rashly hurried or hasty; as precipitant rebellion.

4. Unexpectedly brought on or hastened.

PRECIP'ITANT, noun In chimistry, a liquor, which when poured on a solution, separates what is dissolved and makes it precipitate, or fall to the bottom in a concrete state.

Precipitant

PRECIP'ITANT, a. [L. proecipitans, proecipito, from proeceps, headlong.] 1. Falling or rushing headlong; rushing down with velocity. They leave their little lives Above the clouds, precipitant to earth.2. Hasty; urged with violent haste. Should he return, that troop so blithe and bold, Precipitant in fear, would wing their flight.3. Rashly hurried or hasty; as precipitant rebellion.4. Unexpectedly brought on or hastened. PRECIP'ITANT, n. In chimistry, a liquor, which when poured on a solution, separates what is dissolved and makes it precipitate, or fall to the bottom in a concrete state.

Precipitantly

PRECIP'ITANTLY, adverb With great haste; with rash unadvised haste; with tumultuous hurry.

Precipitate

PRECIP'ITATE, verb transitive [Latin proecipito, from proeceps, headlong. See Precipice.]

1. To throw headlong; as, he precipitated himself from a rock.

2. To urge or press with eagerness or violence; as, to precipitate a flight.

3. To hasten.

Short intermittent and swift recurrent pains do precipitate patients into consumptions.

4. To hurry blindly or rashly.

If they be daring, it may precipitate their designs and prove dangerous.

5. To throw to the bottom of a vessel; as a substance in solution.

All metals may be precipitated by alkaline salts.

PRECIP'ITATE, verb intransitive To fall headlong.

1. To fall to the bottom of a vessel, as sediment, or any substance in solution.

2. To hasten without preparation.

PRECIP'ITATE, adjective Falling, flowing or rushing with steep descent.

Precipitate the furious torrent flows.

1. Headlong; over hasty; rashly hasty; as, the king was too precipitate in declaring war.

2. Adopted with haste or without due deliberation; hasty; as a precipitate measure.

3. Hasty; violent; terminating speedily in death; as a precipitate case of disease.

PRECIP'ITATE, noun A substance which, having been dissolved, is again separated from its solvent and thrown to the bottom of the vessel by pouring another liquor upon it.

Precipitate per se,

Red precipitate the red oxyd or peroxyd of mercury.

Precipitated

PRECIP'ITATED, participle passive Hurried; hastened rashly; thrown headlong.

Precipitately

PRECIP'ITATELY, adverb Headlong; with steep descent.

1. Hastily; with rash haste; without due caution. Neither praise nor censure precipitately

Precipitating

PRECIP'ITATING, participle present tense Throwing headlong; hurrying; hastening rashly.

Precipitation

PRECIPITA'TION, noun [Latin proecipitatio.]

1. The act of throwing headlong.

2. A falling, flowing or rushing down with violence and rapidity.

The hurry, precipitation and rapid motion of the water.

3. Great hurry; rash, tumultuous haste; rapid movement.

The precipitation of inexperience is often restrained by shame.

4. The act or operation of throwing to the bottom of a vessel any substance held in solution by its menstruum. precipitation is often effected by a double elective attraction.

Precipitator

PRECIP'ITATOR, noun One that urges on with vehemence or rashness.

Precipitous

PRECIP'ITOUS, adjective [Latin proeceps.] Very steep; as a precipitous cliff or mountain.

1. Headlong; directly or rapidly descending; as a precipitous fall.

2. Hasty; rash; heady.

Advice unsafe, precipitous and bold.

Precipitously

PRECIP'ITOUSLY, adverb With steep descent; in violent haste.

Precipitousness

PRECIP'ITOUSNESS, noun Steepness of descent.

1. Rash haste.

Preciptancy

PRECIP'TANCY, noun [from precipitant.] Headlong hurry; rash haste; haste in resolving, forming an opinion or executing a purpose without due deliberation.

Hurried on by the precipitance of youth.

Rashness and precipitance of judgment.

1. Hurry; great haste in going.

Precise

PRECI'SE, adjective [Latin proecisus, from proecido, to cut off; proe and coedo; literally, cut or pared away, that is, pared to smoothness or exactness.]

1. Exact; nice; definite; having determinate limitations; not loose, vague, uncertain or equivocal; as precise rules of morality; precise directions for life and conduct.

The law in this point is precise

For the hour precise

Exacts our parting.

2. Formal; superstitiously exact; excessively nice; punctilious in conduct or ceremony.

Precisely

PRECI'SELY, adverb Exactly; nicely; accurately; in exact conformity to truth or to a model. The ideas are precisely expressed. The time of an eclipse may be precisely determined by calculation.

When more of these orders than one are to be set in several stories, there must be an exquisite care to place the columns precisely one over another.

1. With excess of formality; with scrupulous exactness or punctiliousness in behavior or ceremony.

Preciseness

PRECI'SENESS, noun Exactness; rigid nicety; as the preciseness of words or expressions.

I will distinguish the cases; though give me leave, in handling them, not to sever them with too much preciseness

1. Excessive regard to forms or rules; rigid formality.

Precisian

PRECI'SIAN, noun s as z. One that limits or restrains.

1. One who is rigidly or ceremoniously exact in the observance of rules.

Precisianism

PRECI'SIANISM, noun Excessive exactness; superstitious rigor.

[These two words are, I believe, little used, or not at all.]

Precision

PRECI'SION, noun s as z. [Latin proecisio.] Exact limitation; exactness; accuracy. precision in the use of words is a prime excellence in discourse; it is indispensable in controversy, in legal instruments and in mathematical calculations. Neither perspicuity nor precision should be sacrificed to ornament.

Precisive

PRECI'SIVE, adjective Exactly limiting by separating what is not relative to the purpose; as precisive abstraction.

Preclude

PRECLU'DE, verb transitive [Latin proecludo; proe, before, and cludo, claudo, to shut.]

1. To prevent from entering by previously shutting the passage, or by any previous measures; hence, to hinder from access, possession or enjoyment. Sin, by its very nature, precludes the sinner from heaven; it precludes the enjoyment of God's favor; or it precludes the favor of God.

The valves preclude the blood from entering the veins.

2. To prevent from happening or taking place.

Precluded

PRECLU'DED, participle passive Hindered from entering or enjoyment; debarred from something by previous obstacles.

Precluding

PRECLU'DING, participle present tense Shutting out; preventing from access or possession or from having place.

Preclusion

PRECLU'SION, noun s as z. The act of shutting out or preventing from access or possession; the state of being prevented from entering, possession or enjoyment.

Preclusive

PRECLU'SIVE, adjective Shutting out, or tending to preclude; hindering by previous obstacles.

Preclusively

PRECLU'SIVELY, adverb With hinderance by anticipation.

Precocious

PRECO'CIOUS, adjective [Latin proecox; proe, before, and coquo, to cook or prepare.]

1. Ripe before the proper or natural time; as precocious trees.

2. Premature.

Precociousness

PRECO'CIOUSNESS

PRECOC'ITY, noun Rapid growth and ripeness before the usual time; prematureness.

I cannot learn that he gave, in his youth, any evidence of that precocity which sometimes distinguishes uncommon genius.

Precocity

PRECOC'ITY, n. Rapid growth and ripeness before the usual time; prematureness. I cannot learn that he gave, in his youth, any evidence of that precocity which sometimes distinguishes uncommon genius.

Precogitate

PRECOG'ITATE, verb transitive [Latin proecogito; proe and cogito.]

To consider or contrive beforehand. [Little used.]

Precogitation

PRECOGITA'TION, noun Previous thought or consideration.

Precognita

PRECOGNITA. [See Proecognita.]

Precognition

PRECOGNI'TION, noun [Latin proe, before, and cognitio, knowledge.]

1. Previous knowledge; antecedent examination.

2. In Scots law, an examination of witnesses to a criminal act, before a judge, justice of the peace or sheriff, before the prosecution of the offender, in order to know whether there is ground of trial, and to enable the prosecutor to set forth the facts in the libel.

Precompose

PRECOMPO'SE, verb transitive [See compose.] To compose beforehand.

Precomposed

PRECOMPO'SED, participle passive Composed beforehand.

Precomposing

PRECOMPO'SING, participle present tense Composing beforehand.

Preconceit

PRECONCE'IT, noun [See Preconceive.] An opinion or notion previously formed.

Preconceive

PRECONCE'IVE, verb transitive [Latin proe, before, and concipio, to conceive.]

To form a conception or opinion beforehand; to form a previous notion or idea.

In a dead plain, the way seems the longer, because the eye has preconceived it shorter than the truth.

Preconceived

PRECONCE'IVED, participle passive Conceived beforehand; previously formed; as preconceived opinions; preconceived ends or purposes.

Preconceiving

PRECONCE'IVING, participle present tense Conceiving or forming beforehand.

Preconception

PRECONCEP'TION, noun Conception or opinion previously formed.

Preconcert

PRECONCERT', verb transitive [pre and concert.]

To concert beforehand; to settle by previous agreement.

Preconcerted

PRECONCERT'ED, participle passive Previously concerted or settled.

Preconcerting

PRECONCERT'ING, participle present tense Contriving and settling beforehand.

Preconization

PRECONIZA'TION, noun [Latin proeconium, from proeco, a crier.

A publishing by proclamation, or a proclamation. [Not used.]

Preconsign

PRECONSIGN, verb transitive [pre and consign.]

To consign beforehand; to make a previous consignment of.

Preconstitute

PRECON'STITUTE, verb transitive [pre and constitute.]

To constitute or establish beforehand.

Preconstituted

PRECON'STITUTED, participle passive Previously established.

Preconstituting

PRECON'STITUTING, participle present tense Constituting beforehand.

Precontract

PRECON'TRACT, noun [pre and contract.]

A contract previous to another.

PRECONTRACT', verb transitive To contract or stipulate previously.

PRECONTRACT', verb intransitive To make a previous contract or agreement.

Precontracted

PRECONTRACT'ED, participle passive Previously contracted or stipulated; previously engaged by contract; as a woman precontracted to another man.

Precontracting

PRECONTRACT'ING, participle present tense Stipulating or covenanting beforehand.

Precurse

PRECURSE, noun precurs'. [Latin proecursus, proecurro; proe and curro, to run.] A forerunning. [Not used.]

Precursor

PRECURS'OR, noun [Latin proecursor, supra.] A forerunner; a harbinger; he or that which precedes an event and indicates its approach; as Jove's lightnings, the precursors of thunder.

A cloud in the southwest, in winter, is often the precursor of a snow storm. A hazy atmosphere in the west, at sunset, is often the precursor of a cloudy or of a rainy day.

Evil thoughts are the invisible, airy precursors of all the storms and tempests of the soul.

Precursory

PRECURS'ORY, adjective Preceding as the harbinger; indicating something to follow; as precursory symptoms of a fever.

PRECURS'ORY, noun An introduction. [Not used.]

Predaceous

PREDA'CEOUS, adjective [Latin proedaceus, from proeda, prey, spoil.]

Living by prey.

Predal

PRE'DAL, adjective [Latin proeda, prey.] Pertaining to prey.

1. Practicing plunder.

Predatory

PRED'ATORY, adjective [Latin proedatorius, from proeda, prey.]

1. Plundering; pillaging; characterized by plundering; practicing rapine; as a predatory war; a predatory excursion; a predatory party.

2. Hungry; ravenous; as predatory spirits or appetite. [Hardly allowable.]

Predecease

PREDECE'ASE, verb intransitive [pre and decease.] To die before.

Predeceased

PREDECE'ASED, adjective Dead before.

Predecessor

PREDECES'SOR, noun [Latin proe and decedo, to depart.] A person who has preceded another in the same office. The king, the president, the judge, or the magistrate, follows the steps of his predecessor or he does not imitate the example of his predecessors. It is distinguished from ancestor, who is of the same blood; but it may perhaps be sometimes used for it.

Predesign

PREDESIGN, verb transitive To design or purpose beforehand; to predetermine.

Predesigned

PREDESIGNED, participle passive Purposed or determined previously.

Predesigning

PREDESIGNING, participle present tense Designing previously.

Predestinarian

PREDESTINA'RIAN, noun [See Predestinate.]

One that believes in the doctrine of predestination.

Predestinate

PREDES'TINATE, adjective Predestinated; foreordained.

PREDES'TINATE, verb transitive [Latin proedestino; proe and destino, to appoint.

To predetermine or foreordain; to appoint or ordain beforehand by an unchangeable purpose.

Whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son. Romans 8:29.

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself. Ephesians 1:5.

Predestinated

PREDES'TINATED, participle passive Predetermined; foreordained; decreed.

Predestinating

PREDES'TINATING, participle present tense Foreordaining; decreeing; appointing beforehand by an unchangeable purpose.

1. Holding predestination.

And pricks up his predestinating ears.

Predestination

PREDESTINA'TION, noun The act of decreeing or foreordaining events; the decree of God by which he hath, from eternity, unchangeably appointed or determined whatever comes to pass. It is used particularly in theology to denote the preordination of men to everlasting happiness or misery.

Predestination is a part of the unchangeable plan of the divine government; or in other words, the unchangeable purpose of an unchangeable God.

Predestinator

PREDES'TINATOR, noun Properly, one that foreordains.

1. One that holds to predestination.

Predestine

PREDES'TINE, verb transitive To decree beforehand; to foreordain.

And bid predestined empires rise and fall.

Predeterminate

PREDETERM'INATE, adjective Determined beforehand; as the predeterminate counsel of God.

Predetermination

PREDETERMINA'TION, noun [See Predetermine.]

1. Previous determination; purpose formed beforehand; as the predetermination of God's will.

2. Premotion; that concurrence of God which determines men in their actions.

Predetermine

PREDETERM'INE, verb transitive [pre and determine.]

1. To determine beforehand; to settle in purpose or counsel.

If God foresees events, he must have predetermined them.

2. To doom by previous decree.

Predial

PRE'DIAL, adjective [Latin proedium, a farm or estate.]

1. Consisting of land or farms; real estate.

2. Attached to land or farms; as predial slaves.

3. Growing or issuing from land; as predial tithes.

Predicability

PREDICABIL'ITY, noun [from predicable.] The quality of being predicable, or capable of being affirmed of something, or attributed to something.

Predicable

PRED'ICABLE, adjective [Latin proedicabilis, from proedico, to affirm; proe and dico, to say.] That may be affirmed of something; that may be attributed to. Animal is predicable of man. Intelligence is not predicable of plants. More or less is not predicable of a circle or of a square. Whiteness is not predicable of time.

PRED'ICABLE, noun One of the five things which can be affirmed of any thing. Genus, species, difference, property, and accident are the five predicables.

Predicament

PREDIC'AMENT, noun [Latin proedicamentum, from proedico, to affirm.]

1. In logic, a category; a series or order of all the predicates or attributes contained under any genus. The school philosophers distribute all the objects of our thoughts and ideas into genera or classes, which the Greeks call categories, and the Latins predicaments. Aristotle made ten categories, viz. substance, quantity, quality, relation, action, passion, time, place, situation and habit.

2. Class or kind described by any definite marks; hence, condition; particular situation or state.

We say, the country is in a singular predicament

Predicamental

PREDICAMENT'AL, adjective Pertaining to a predicament.

Predicant

PRED'ICANT, noun [Latin proedicans, proedico.]

One that affirms any thing.

Predicate

PRED'ICATE, verb transitive [Latin proedico; proe and dico, to say.]

To affirm one thing of another; as, to predicate whiteness of snow. Reason may be predicated of man.

PRED'ICATE, verb intransitive To affirm; to comprise an affirmation.

PRED'ICATE, noun In logic, that which, in a proposition, is affirmed or denied of the subject. In these propositions, 'paper is white.' 'ink is not white, ' whiteness is the predicate affirmed of paper, and denied of ink.

Predication

PREDICA'TION, noun [Latin proedicatio.] Affirmation of something, or the act of affirming one thing of another.

Predicatory

PRED'ICATORY, adjective Affirmative; positive.

Predict

PREDICT', verb transitive [Latin proedictus, proedico; proe, before, and dico, to tell.] To foretell; to tell beforehand something that is to happen. Moses predicted the dispersion of the Israelites. Christ predicted the destruction of Jerusalem.

Predicted

PREDICT'ED, participle passive Foretold; told before the event.

Predicting

PREDICT'ING, participle present tense Foretelling.

Prediction

PREDIC'TION, noun [Latin proedictio.] A foretelling; a previous declaration of a future event; prophecy. The fulfillment of the predictions of the prophets is considered to be a strong argument in favor of the divine origin of the Scriptures.

Predictive

PREDICT'IVE, adjective Foretelling; prophetic.

Predictor

PREDICT'OR, noun A foreteller; one who prophesies.

Predigestion

PREDIGES'TION, noun [pre and digestion.] Too hasty digestion.

Predigestion fills the body with crudities.

Predilection

PREDILEC'TION, noun [Latin proe, before, and dilectus, dilito, to love.]

A previous liking; a prepossession of mind in favor of something.

Predisponent

PREDISPO'NENT, noun That which predisposes.

Predispose

PREDISPO'SE, verb transitive s as z. [pre and dispose.]

1. To incline beforehand; to give a previous disposition to; as, to predispose the mind or temper to friendship.

2. To fit or adapt previously; as, debility predisposes the body to disease.

Predisposed

PREDISPO'SED, participle passive Previously inclined or adapted.

Predisposing

PREDISPO'SING, participle present tense Inclining or adapting beforehand.

1. adjective Tending or able to give predisposition or liableness; as the predisposing causes of disease.

Predisposition

PREDISPOSI'TION, noun Previous inclination or propensity to any thing; applied to the mind.

1. Previous fitness or adaptation to any change, impression or purpose; applied to matter; as the predisposition of the body to disease; the predisposition of the seasons to generate diseases.

Predominance

PREDOM'INANCE

PREDOM'INANCY, noun [See Predominant.]

1. Prevalence over others; superiority in strength, power, influence or authority; ascendancy; as the predominance of a red color in a body of various colors; the predominance of love or anger among the passions; the predominance of self-interest over all other considerations; the predominance of imperial authority in the confederacy.

2. In astrology, the superior influence of a planet.

Predominancy

PREDOM'INANCY, n. [See Predominant.] 1. Prevalence over others; superiority in strength, power, influence or authority; ascendancy; as the predominance of a red color in a body of various colors; the predominance of love or anger among the passions; the predominance of self-interest over all other considerations; the predominance of imperial authority in the confederacy.2. In astrology, the superior influence of a planet.

Predominant

PREDOM'INANT, adjective [Latin proe and dominans, dominor, to rule.]

Prevalent over others; superior in strength, influence or authority; ascendant; ruling; controlling; as a predominant color; predominant beauty or excellence; a predominant passion.

Those helps--were predominant in the king's mind.

Foul subornation is predominant

Predominantly

PREDOM'INANTLY, adverb With superior strength or influence.

Predominate

PREDOM'INATE, verb intransitive [Latin proe, before, and dominor, to rule, from dominus, lord.] To prevail; to surpass in strength, influence or authority; to be superior; to have controlling influence. In some persons, the love of money predominates over all other passions; in others, ambition or the love of fame predominates; in most men, self-interest predominates over patriotism and philanthropy.

So much did love t'her executed lord

Predominate in this fair lady's heart.

The rays reflected least obliquely may predominate over the rest.

PREDOM'INATE, verb transitive To rule over.

Predominating

PREDOM'INATING, participle present tense Having superior strength or influence; ruling; controlling.

Predomination

PREDOMINA'TION, noun Superior strength or influence.

Preen

PREEN, noun A forked instrument used by clothiers in dressing cloth.

PREEN, verb transitive To clean, compose and dress the feathers, as fowls, to enable them to glide more easily through the air or water. For this purpose they are furnished with two glands on their rump, which secrete an oily substance into a bag, from which they draw it with the bill and spread it over their feathers.

Preening

PREE'NING, participle present tense Cleaning and composing the feathers, as fowls.

Preface

PREF'ACE, noun [Latin proefatio; proe, before, and for, fari, fatus, to speak.] Something spoken as introductory to a discourse, or written as introductory to a book or essay, intended to inform the hearer or reader of the main design, or in general, of whatever is necessary to the understanding of the discourse, book or essay; a poem; an introduction or series of preliminary remarks.

PREF'ACE, verb transitive To introduce by preliminary remarks; as, to preface a book or discourse. The advocate prefaced his argument with a history of the case.

1. To face; to cover; a ludicrous sense.

Not prefacing old rags with plush.

PREF'ACE, verb intransitive To say something introductory.

Prefaced

PREF'ACED, participle passive Introduced with preliminary observations.

Prefacer

PREF'ACER, noun The writer of a preface.

Prefacing

PREF'ACING, participle present tense Introducing with preliminary remarks.

Prefatory

PREF'ATORY, adjective Pertaining to a preface; introductory to a book, essay or discourse.

Prefect

PRE'FECT, noun [Latin proefectus; proe, before, and factus, made; but directly from proeficior, proefectus.]

1. In ancient Rome, a chief magistrate who governed a city or province in the absence of the king, consuls or emperor.

2. A governor, commander, chief magistrate or superintendent.

Prefectship

PRE'FECTSHIP

PRE'FECTURE, noun The office of a chief magistrate, commander or viceroy.

1. Jurisdiction of a perfect.

Prefecture

PRE'FECTURE, n. The office of a chief magistrate, commander or viceroy. 1. Jurisdiction of a perfect.

Prefer

PREFER', verb transitive [Latin proefero; proe, before, and fero, to bear or carry.]

1. Literally, to bear or carry in advance, in the mind, affections or choice; hence, to regard more than another; to honor or esteem above another.

It is sometimes followed by above, before, or to.

If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Psalms 137:6.

He that cometh after me, is preferred before me. John 1:1.

2. To advance, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; as, to prefer one to a bishopric; to prefer an officer to the rank of general.

3. To offer; to present; to exhibit; usually with solemnity, or to a public body. It is our privilege to enjoy the right of preferring petitions to rulers for redress of wrongs.

My vows and prayers to thee preferred.

PREFER a bill against all kings and parliaments since the conquest.

4. To offer or present ceremoniously, or in ordinary familiar language.

He spake, and to her hand preferr'd the bowl.

[This is allowable, at least in poetry, though not usual.]

Preferable

PREF'ERABLE, adjective Worthy to be preferred or chosen before something else; more eligible; more desirable. Virtue is far preferable to vice, even for its pleasures in this life.

1. More excellent; of better quality; as, Madeira wine is preferable to claret.

Preferableness

PREF'ERABLENESS, noun The quality or state of being preferable.

Preferably

PREF'ERABLY, adverb In preference; in such a manner as to prefer one thing to another.

How comes he to choose Plautus preferably to Terance?

Preference

PREF'ERENCE, noun The act of preferring one thing before another; estimation of one thing above another; choice of one thing rather than another.

Leave the critics on either side to contend about the preference due to this or that sort of poetry.

It has to, above, before, or over, before the thing postponed. All men give the preference to Homer as an epic poet. The human body has the preference above or before those of brutes.

The knowledge of things alone gives a value to our reasonings, and preference of one man's knowledge over another's.

Preferment

PREFER'MENT, noun Advancement to a higher office, dignity or station. Change of manners and even of character often follows preferment A profligate life should be considered a disqualification for preferment no less than want of ability.

1. Superior place or office. All preferments should be given to competent men.

2. Preference. [Not used.

Preferred

PREFER'RED, participle passive Regarded above others; elevated in station.

Preferrer

PREFER'RER, noun One who prefers.

Preferring

PREFER'RING, participle present tense Regarding above others; advancing to a higher station; offering; presenting.

Prefigurate

PREFIG'URATE, verb transitive [See Prefigure.] To show by antecedent representation. [Little used.]

Prefiguration

PREFIGURA'TION, noun Antecedent representation by similitude.

A variety of prophecies and prefigurations had their punctual accomplishment in the author of this institution.

Prefigurative

PREFIG'URATIVE, adjective Showing by previous figures, types of similitude. The sacrifice of the paschal lamb was prefigurative of the death of Christ.

Prefigure

PREFIG'URE, verb transitive [Latin proe, before, and figuro, to fashion.]

To exhibit by antecedent representation, or by types and similitude.

In the Old Testament, things are prefigured, which are performed in the New.

Prefigured

PREFIG'URED, participle passive Exhibited by antecedent signs, types or similitude.

Prefiguring

PREFIG'URING, participle present tense Showing antecedently by similitude.

Prefine

PREFI'NE, verb transitive [Latin proefinio; proe, before, and finio, to limit; finis, limit.] To limit beforehand. [Little used.]

Prefinition

PREFINI'TION, noun Previous limitation. [Little used.]