Chapter LI: Bella (85)

Defn: The act or right of purchasing before others. Specifically: (a) The privilege or prerogative formerly enjoyed by the king of buying provisions for his household in preference to others. [Eng.] (b) The right of an actual settler upon public lands (particularly those of the United States) to purchase a certain portion at a fixed price in preference to all other applicants. Abbott.

PREEMPTIONER Pre*ëmp"tion*er, n.

Defn: One who holds a prior to purchase certain public land. Abbott.

PREEMPTIVE Pre*ëmp"tive, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to preëmption; having power to preëmpt; preëmpting.

PREEMPTOR Pre*ëmpt"or, n. Etym: [Cf. L. praeemptor.]

Defn: One who preëmpts; esp., one who preëmpts public land.

PREEMPTORY Pre*ëmpt"o*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to preëmption.

PREEN Preen, n. Etym: [AS. preón a clasp, bodkin; akin to D. priem punch, bodkin, awl, G. pfriem, Icel. prjonn a knitting needle, pin, Dan. preen a bodkin, punch.]

Defn: A forked tool used by clothiers in dressing cloth.

PREEN Preen, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preened; p. pr. & vb. n. Preening.] Etym: [See Preen, n.; or cf. Prune.]

1. To dress with, or as with, a preen; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers; -- said of birds. Derham.

2. To trim up, as trees. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

PREENGAGE Pre`ën*gage", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preëngaged; p. pr. & vb. n. Preëngaging.]

Defn: To engage by previous contract; to bind or attach previously; to preoccupy. But he was preëngaged by former ties. Dryden.

PREENGAGEMENT Pre`ën*gage"ment, n.

Defn: Prior engagement, obligation, or attachment, as by contract, promise, or affection. My preëngagements to other themes were not unknown to those for whom I was to write. Boyle.

PREERECT Pre`ë*rect", v. t.

Defn: To erect beforehand.

PREES Prees, n.

Defn: Press; throng. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PREESTABLISH Pre`ës*tab"lish, v. t.

Defn: To establish beforehand.

PREESTABLISHMENT Pre`ës*tab"lish*ment, n.

Defn: Settlement beforehand.

PREETERNITY Pre`ë*ter"ni*ty, n.

Defn: Infinite previous duration. [R.] "The world's preëternity." Cudworth.

PREEXAMINATION Pre`ëx*am`i*na"tion, n.

Defn: Previous examination.

PREEXAMINE Pre`ëx*am"ine, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preëxamined; p. pr. & vb. n. Preëxamining.]

Defn: To examine beforehand.

PREEXIST Pre`ëx*ist", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preëxisted; p. pr. & vb. n. Preëxisting.]

Defn: To exist previously; to exist before something else.

PREEXISTENCE Pre`ëx*ist"ence, n.

1. Existence in a former state, or previous to something else. Wisdom declares her antiquity and preëxistence to all the works of this earth. T. Burnet.

2. Existence of the soul before its union with the body; -- a doctrine held by certain philosophers. Addison.

PREEXISTENCY Pre`ëx*ist"en*cy, n.

Defn: Preëxistence. [Obs.]

PREEXISTENT Pre`ëx*ist"ent, a.

Defn: Existing previously; preceding existence; as, a preëxistent state. Pope.

PREEXISTENTISM Pre`ëx*ist"ent*ism, n. (Philos.)

Defn: The theory of a preëxistence of souls before their association with human bodies. Emerson.

PREEXISTIMATION Pre`ëx*is`ti*ma"tion, n.

Defn: Previous esteem or estimation. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PREEXPECTATION Pre*ëx`pec*ta"tion, n.

Defn: Previous expectation.

PREFACE Pref"ace (; 48), n. Etym: [F. préface; cf. Sp. prefacio, prefacion, It. prefazio, prefazione; all fr. L. praefatio, fr. praefari to speak or say beforehand; prae before + fari, fatus, to speak. See Fate.]

1. Something spoken as introductory to a discourse, or written as introductory to a book or essay; a proem; an introduction, or series of preliminary remarks. This superficial tale Is but a preface of her worthy praise. Shak. Heaven's high behest no preface needs. Milton.

2. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: The prelude or introduction to the canon of the Mass. Addis & Arnold. Proper preface (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.), a portion of the communion service, preceding the prayer of consecration, appointed for certain seasons.

Syn. -- Introduction; preliminary; preamble; proem; prelude; prologue.

PREFACE Pref"ace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prefaced; p. pr. & vb. n. Prefacing.]

Defn: To introduce by a preface; to give a preface to; as, to preface a book discourse.