Chapter CCCXLIV: Preface: Pref"ace, v. i (1)

Defn: To make a preface. Jer. Taylor.

PREFACER Pref"a*cer, n.

Defn: The writer of a preface.

PREFATORIAL Pref`a*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Prefatory.

PREFATORILY Pref"a*to*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a prefatory manner; by way of preface.

PREFATORY Pref"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a preface; introductory to a book, essay, or discourse; as, prefatory remarks. That prefatory addition to the Creed. Dryden.

PREFECT Pre"fect, n. Etym: [L. praefectus, fr. praefectus, p. p. of praeficere to set over; prae before + facere to make: cf. F. préfet.]

1. A Roman officer who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.; as, the prefect of the aqueducts; the prefect of a camp, of a fleet, of the city guard, of provisions; the pretorian prefect, who was commander of the troops guarding the emperor's person.

2. A superintendent of a department who has control of its police establishment, together with extensive powers of municipal regulation. [France] Brande & C.

3. In the Greek and Roman Catholic churches, a title of certain dignitaries below the rank of bishop. Apostolic prefect (R. C. Ch.), the head of a mission, not of episcopal rank. Shipley.

PREFECTORIAL Pre`fec*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a prefect.

PREFECTSHIP Pre"fect*ship, n.

Defn: The office or jurisdiction of a prefect.

PREFECTURE Pre"fec*ture, n. Etym: [L. praefectura: cf. F. préfecture.]

Defn: The office, position, or jurisdiction of a prefect; also, his official residence.

PREFECUNDATION Pre*fec`un*da"tion, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: A term collectively applied to the changes or conditions preceding fecundation, especially to the changes which the ovum undergoes before fecundation.

PREFECUNDATORY Pre`fe*cun"da*to*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to prefecundation.

PREFER Pre*fer", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preferred; p. pr. & vb. n. Preferring.] Etym: [F. préférer, L. praeferre; prae before + ferre to bear or carry. See 1st Bear.]

1. To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; -- said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc. He spake, and to her hand preferred the bowl. Pope. Presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Shak. Three tongues prefer strange orisons on high. Byron.

2. To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass. [Obs.] "Though maidenhood prefer bigamy." Chaucer.

3. To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general. I would prefer him to a better place. Shak.

4. To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; -- often followed by to, before, or above. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Ps. cxxxvii. 6. Preferred an infamous peace before a most just war. Knolles. Preferred stock, stock which takes a dividend before other capital stock; -- called also preference stock and preferential stock.

Syn. -- To choose; elect. See Choose.

PREFERABILITY Pref`er*a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being preferable; preferableness. J. S. Mill.

PREFERABLE Pref"er*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. préférable.]

Defn: Worthy to be preferred or chosen before something else; more desirable; as, a preferable scheme. Addison.

PREFERABLENESS Pref"er*a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being preferable.

PREFERABLY Pref"er*a*bly, adv.

Defn: In preference; by choice. To choose Plautus preferably to Terence. Dennis.

PREFERENCE Pref"er*ence, n. Etym: [Cf. F. préférence.]

1. The act of Preferring, or the state of being preferred; the setting of one thing before another; precedence; higher estimation; predilection; choice; also, the power or opportunity of choosing; as, to give him his preference. Leave the critics on either side to contend about the preference due to this or that sort of poetry. Dryden. Knowledge of things alone gives a value to our reasonings, and preference of one man's knowledge over another's. Locke.

2. That which is preferred; the object of choice or superior favor; as, which is your preference

PREFERENTIAL Pref`er*en"tial, a.

Defn: Giving, indicating, or having a preference or precedence; as, a preferential claim; preferential shares.

PREFERENTIAL VOTING Preferential voting. (Political Science)

Defn: A system of voting, as at primaries, in which the voters are allowed to indicate on their ballots their preference (usually their first and second choices) between two or more candidates for an office, so that if no candidate receives a majority of first choices the one receiving the greatest number of first and second choices together in nominated or elected.

PREFERMENT Pre*fer"ment, n.

1. The act of choosing, or the state of being chosen; preference. [R.] Natural preferment of the one . . . before the other. Sir T. Browne.

2. The act of preferring, or advancing in dignity or office; the state of being advanced; promotion. Neither royal blandishments nor promises of valuable preferment had been spared. Macaulay.

3. A position or office of honor or profit; as, the preferments of the church.

PREFERRER Pre*fer"rer, n.

Defn: One who prefers.

PREFIDENCE Pref"i*dence, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being prefident. [Obs.] Baxter.

PREFIDENT Pref"i*dent, a. Etym: [Cf. L. praefidens overconfident. See Pre-, and Confident.]

Defn: Trusting beforehand; hence, overconfident. [Obs.] Baxter.

PREFIGURATE Pre*fig"u*rate, v. t. Etym: [L. praefiguratus, p. p. See Prefigure.]

Defn: To prefigure. [R.] Grafton.

PREFIGURATION Pre*fig`u*ra"tion, n. Etym: [L. praefiguratio.]

Defn: The act of prefiguring, or the state of being prefigured. A variety of prophecies and prefigurations. Norris.

PREFIGURATIVE Pre*fig"ur*a*tive, a.

Defn: Showing by prefiguration. "The prefigurative atonement." Bp. Horne.

PREFIGURE Pre*fig"ure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prefigured; p. pr. & vb. n. Prefiguring.] Etym: [F. préfigurer, or L. praefigurare, praefiguratum; prae before + figurare to figure. See Figure, and cf. Prefigurate.]

Defn: To show, suggest, or announce, by antecedent types and similitudes; to foreshadow. "Whom all the various types prefigured." South.

PREFIGUREMENT Pre*fig"ure*ment, n.

Defn: The act of prefiguring; prefiguration; also, that which is prefigured. Carlyle.

PREFINE Pre*fine", v. t. Etym: [L. praefinire; prae before + finire to limit, determine: cf. F. préfiner.]

Defn: To limit beforehand. [Obs.] Knolles.

PREFINITE Pre*fi"nite, a. Etym: [L. praefinitus, p. p.]

Defn: Prearranged. [Obs.] " Set and prefinite time." Holland.

PREFINITION Pref`i*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. praefinitio.]

Defn: Previous limitation. [Obs.] Fotherby.

PREFIX Pre*fix", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prefixed; p. pr. & vb. n. Prefixing.] Etym: [L. praefixus, p. p. of praefigere to fix or fasten before; prae before + figere to fix: cf. F. préfix fixed beforehand, determined, préfixer to prefix. See Fix.]

1. To put or fix before, or at the beginning of, another thing; as, to prefix a syllable to a word, or a condition to an agreement.

2. To set or appoint beforehand; to settle or establish antecedently. [Obs.] " Prefixed bounds. " Locke. And now he hath to her prefixt a day. Spenser.

PREFIX Pre"fix, n. Etym: [Cf. F. préfixe.]

Defn: That which is prefixed; esp., one or more letters or syllables combined or united with the beginning of a word to modify its signification; as, pre- in prefix, con- in conjure.

PREFIXION Pre*fix"ion, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. prefixion.]

Defn: The act of prefixing. [R.] Bailey.

PREFLORATION Pre`flo*ra"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. pre- + L. flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.)

Defn: Æstivation.

PREFOLIATION Pre*fo`li*a"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. pre- + L. folium leaf.] (Bot.)

Defn: Vernation.

PREFORM Pre*form" (, v. t. Etym: [L. praeformare. See Pre-, and Form.]

Defn: To form beforehand, or for special ends. "Their natures and preformed faculties. " Shak.

PREFORMATION Pre`for*ma"tion, n. (Biol.)

Defn: An old theory of the preëxistence of germs. Cf. Emboîtement.

PREFORMATIVE Pre*form"a*tive, n.

Defn: A formative letter at the beginning of a word. M. Stuart.

PREFRONTAL Pre*fron"tal, a. (Anat. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Situated in front of the frontal bone, or the frontal region of the skull; ectethmoid, as a certain bone in the nasal capsule of many animals, and certain scales of reptiles and fishes. -- n.

Defn: A prefrontal bone or scale.

PREFULGENCY Pre*ful"gen*cy, n. Etym: [L. praefulgens, p. pr. of praefulgere to shine forth. See Pre-, and Fulgent.]

Defn: Superior brightness or effulgency. [R.] Barrow.

PREGAGE Pre*gage" (, v. t.

Defn: To preëngage. [Obs.] Fuller.

PREGLACIAL Pre*gla"cial, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Prior to the glacial or drift period.

PREGNABLE Preg"na*ble, a, Etym: [F. prenable. See Impregnable.]

Defn: Capable of being entered, taken, or captured; expugnable; as, a pregnable fort. [R.] Cotgrave.

PREGNANCE Preg"nance, n.

Defn: Pregnancy. [Obs.] Milton.

PREGNANCY Preg"nan*cy, n.

1. The condition of being pregnant; the state of being with young.

2. Figuratively: The quality of being heavy with important contents, issue, significance, etc.; unusual consequence or capacity; fertility. Fuller.

PREGNANT Preg"nant, a. Etym: [L. praegnans, -antis; prae before + genere, gignere, to beget: cf. F. prégnant. See Gender, 2d Kin.]

1. Being with young, as a female; having conceived; great with young; breeding; teeming; gravid; preparing to bring forth.

2. Heavy with important contents, significance, or issue; full of consequence or results; weighty; as, pregnant replies. " A pregnant argument." Prynne. " A pregnant brevity." E. Everett.

3. Full of promise; abounding in ability, resources, etc.; as, a pregnant youth. [Obs.] Evelyn. Wherein the pregnant enemy does much. Shak. Pregnant construction (Rhet.), one in which more is implied than is said; as, the beasts trembled forth from their dens, that is, came forth trembling with fright.

PREGNANT Preg"nant, n.

Defn: A pregnant woman. [R.] Dunglison.

PREGNANT Preg"nant, a. Etym: [F. prenant taking. Cf. Pregnable.]

Defn: Affording entrance; receptive; yielding; willing; open; prompt. [Obs.] " Pregnant to good pity." Shak.

PREGNANTLY Preg"nant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pregnant manner; fruitfully; significantly.

PREGNANTLY Preg"nant*ly, adv.

Defn: Unresistingly; openly; hence, clearly; evidently. [Obs.] Shak.

PREGRAVATE Pre"gra*vate, v. t. Etym: [L. praegravatus, p. p. of praegravare to be heavy upon, fr. praegravis very heavy.]

Defn: To bear down; to depress. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

PREGRAVITATE Pre*grav"i*tate, v. i.

Defn: To descend by gravity; to sink. [R.] Boyle.

PREGUSTANT Pre*gus"tant, a. Etym: [L. praegustans, p. pr. of praegustare to taste beforehand; prae before + gustare to taste.]

Defn: Tasting beforehand; having a foretaste. [R.] Ed. Rev.

PREGUSTATION Pre`gus*ta"tion, n.

Defn: The act of tasting beforehand; foretaste. [R.] Dr. Walker (1678).

PREHALLUX Pre*hal"lux, n. Etym: [NL. See Pre-, and Hallux.] (Anat.)

Defn: An extra first toe, or rudiment of a toe, on the preaxial side of the hallux.

PREHEND Pre*hend" (, v. t. Etym: [L. prehendere. See Prehensile.]

Defn: To lay hold of; to seize. [Obs.] Middleton.

PREHENSI-BLE Pre*hen"si-ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. préhensible.]

Defn: Capable of being seized.

PREHENSILE Pre*hen"sile, a. Etym: [L. prehensus, p. p. of prehendere to lay hold of, seize; pre- (equiv. to prae before) + hendere (in comp.), akin to E. get: cf. F. préhensile. See Get, and cf. Prison, Prize, n.]

Defn: Adapted to seize or grasp; seizing; grasping; as, the prehensile tail of a monkey.

PREHENSION Pre*hen"sion, n. Etym: [L. prehensio; cf. F. préhension. See Prehensile.]

Defn: The act of taking hold, seizing, or grasping, as with the hand or other member.

PREHENSORY Pre*hen"so*ry, a.

Defn: Adapted to seize or grasp; prehensile.

PREHISTORIC Pre`his*tor"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a period before written history begins; as, the prehistoric ages; prehistoric man.

PREHNITE Prehn"ite, n. Etym: [So called from the German Colonel Prehn, who first found it.] (Min.)

Defn: A pale green mineral occurring in crystalline aggregates having a botryoidal or mammillary structure, and rarely in distinct crystals. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime.

PREHNITIC Prehn*it"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a tetrabasic acid of benzene obtained as a white crystalline substance; -- probably so called from the resemblance of the wartlike crystals to the mammillæ on the surface of prehnite.

PREIGNITION Pre`ig*ni"tion, n. (Engin.)

Defn: Ignition in an internal-combustion engine while the inlet valve is open or before compression is completed.

PREINDESIGNATE Pre`in*des"ig*nate, a. (Logic.)

Defn: Having no sign expressive of quantity; indefinite. See Predesignate.

PREINDISPOSE Pre*in`dis*pose" ( v. t.

Defn: To render indisposed beforehand. Milman.

PREINSTRUCT Pre`in*struct" ( v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preinstructed; p. pr. & vb. n. Preinstructing.]

Defn: To instruct previously or beforehand. Dr. H. More.

PREINTIMATION Pre*in`ti*ma"tion n.

Defn: Previous intimation; a suggestion beforehand. T. Scott.

PREJUDGE Pre*judge" ( v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prejudged (; p. pr. & vb. n. Prejudging.] Etym: [Pref. pre + judge: cf. F. préjuger. Cf. Prejudicate, Prejudice.]

Defn: To judge before hearing, or before full and sufficient examination; to decide or sentence by anticipation; to condemn beforehand. The committee of council hath prejudged the whole case, by calling the united sense of both houses of Parliament" a universal clamor." Swift.

PREJUDGMENT Pre*judg"ment, n.

Defn: The act of prejudging; decision before sufficient examination.

PREJUDICACY Pre*ju"di*ca*cy, n.

Defn: Prejudice; prepossession. [Obs.] Sir. H. Blount.

PREJUDICAL Pre*ju"di*cal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the determination of some matter not previously decided; as, a prejudical inquiry or action at law.

PREJUDICANT Pre*ju"di*cant, a. Etym: [L. praejudicans, p. pr.]

Defn: Influenced by prejudice; biased. [R.] " With not too hasty and prejudicant ears." Milton.

PREJUDICATE Pre*ju"di*cate, a. Etym: [L. praejudicatus, p. p. of praejudicare to prejudge; prae before + judicare to judge. See Judge.]

1. Formed before due examination. "Ignorance and prejudicate opinions." Jer. Taylor.

2. Biased by opinions formed prematurely; prejudiced. "Prejudicate readers." Sir T. Browne.

PREJUDICATE Pre*ju"di*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prejudicated; p. pr. & vb. n. Prejudicating.] Etym: [Cf. Prejudge.]

Defn: To determine beforehand, especially to disadvantage; to prejudge. Our dearest friend Prejudicates the business. Shak.

PREJUDICATE Pre*ju"di*cate, v. i.

Defn: To prejudge. Sir P. Sidney.

PREJUDICATELY Pre*ju"di*cate*ly, adv.

Defn: With prejudice.

PREJUDICATION Pre*ju`di*ca"tion, n.

1. The act of prejudicating, or of judging without due examination of facts and evidence; prejudgment.

2. (Rom. Law) (a) A preliminary inquiry and determination about something which belongs to a matter in dispute. (b) A previous treatment and decision of a point; a precedent.

PREJUDICATIVE Pre*ju"di*ca*tive, a.

Defn: Forming a judgment without due examination; prejudging. Dr. H. More.

PREJUDICE Prej"u*dice n. Etym: [F. préjudice, L. praejudicium; prae before + judicium judgment. See Prejudicate, Judicial.]

1. Foresight. [Obs.] Naught might hinder his quick prejudize. Spenser.

2. An opinion or judgment formed without due examination; prejudgment; a leaning toward one side of a question from other considerations than those belonging to it; an unreasonable predilection for, or objection against, anything; especially, an opinion or leaning adverse to anything, without just grounds, or before sufficient knowledge. Though often misled by prejudice and passion, he was emphatically an honest man. Macaulay.

3. (Law)

Defn: A bias on the part of judge, juror, or witness which interferes with fairness of judgment.

4. Mischief; hurt; damage; injury; detriment. Locke. England and France might, through their amity, Breed him some prejudice. Shak.

Syn. -- Prejudgment; prepossession; bias; harm; hurt; damage; detriment; mischief; disadvantage.

PREJUDICE Prej"u*dice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prejudiced; p. pr. & vb. n. Prejudicing.] Etym: [Cf. F. préjudicier. See Prejudice, n.]

1. To cause to have prejudice; to prepossess with opinions formed without due knowledge or examination; to bias the mind of, by hasty and incorrect notions; to give an unreasonable bent to, as to one side or the other of a cause; as, to prejudice a critic or a juryman. Suffer not any beloved study to prejudice your mind so far as to despise all other learning. I. Watts

2. To obstruct or injure by prejudices, or by previous bias of the mind; hence, generally, to hurt; to damage; to injure; to impair; as, to prejudice a good cause. Seek how may prejudice the foe. Shak

PREJUDICIAL Prej`u*di"cial a. Etym: [L. praejudicialis belonging to a preceding judgment: cf. F. préjudiciel.]

1. Biased, possessed, or blinded by prejudices; as, to look with a prejudicial eye. [Obs.] Holyday.

2. Tending to obstruct or impair; hurtful; injurious; disadvantageous; detrimental. Hooker. His going away . . . was most prejudicial and most ruinous to the king's affairs. Clarendon. -- Prej`u*di"cial*ly, adv. -- Prej`u*di"cial*ness, n.

PREKNOWLEDGE Pre*knowl"edge, n.

Defn: Prior knowledge.

PRELACY Prel"a*cy n.; pl. Prelacies. Etym: [LL. praelatia. See Prelate; cf. Prelaty.]

1. The office or dignity of a prelate; church government by prelates. Prelacies may be termed the greater benefices. Ayliffe.

2. The order of prelates, taken collectively; the body of ecclesiastical dignitaries. "Divers of the reverend prelacy, and other most judicious men." Hooker.

PRELAL Pre"lal, a. Etym: [L. prelum a press.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to printing; typographical. [Obs.] Fuller.

PRELATE Prel"ate (; 48), n. Etym: [F. prélat, LL. praelatus, fr. L. praelatus, used as p. p. of praeferre to prefer, but from a different root. See Elate.]

Defn: A clergyman of a superior order, as an archbishop or a bishop, having authority over the lower clergy; a dignitary of the church.

Note: This word and the words derived from it are often used invidiously, in English ecclesiastical history, by dissenters, respecting the Established Church system. Hear him but reason in divinity, . . . You would desire the king were made a prelate. Shak.

PRELATE Prel"ate, v. i.

Defn: To act as a prelate. [Obs.] Right prelating is busy laboring, and not lording. Latimer.

PRELATEITY Prel`a*te"i*ty, n.

Defn: Prelacy. [Obs.] Milton.

PRELATESHIP Prel"ate*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a prelate. Harmar.

PRELATESS Prel"a*tess, n.

Defn: A woman who is a prelate; the wife of a prelate. Milton.

PRELATIAL Pre*la"tial, a.

Defn: Prelatical. Beaconsfield.

PRELATIC; PRELATICAL Pre*lat"ic, Pre*lat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to prelates or prelacy; as, prelatical authority. Macaulay.

PRELATICALLY Pre*lat"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a prelatical manner; with reference to prelates. Milton. The last Georgic was a good prelude to the Æneis.

PRELATION Pre*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. praelatio: cf. F. prélation. See Prelate, and cf. Prefer.]

Defn: The setting of one above another; preference. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

PRELATISM Prel"a*tism, n.

Defn: Prelacy; episcopacy.

PRELATIST Prel"a*tist n.

Defn: One who supports of advocates prelacy, or the government of the church by prelates; hence, a high-churchman. Hume. I am an Episcopalian, but not a prelatist. T. Scott.

PRELATIZE Prel"a*tize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prelatized; p. pr. & vb. n. Prelatizing.]

Defn: To bring under the influence of prelacy. Palfrey.

PRELATIZE Prel"a*tize, v. i.

Defn: To uphold or encourage prelacy; to exercise prelatical functions. An episcopacy that began then to prelatize. Milton.

PRELATRY Prel"a*try, n.

Defn: Prelaty; prelacy. [Obs.]

PRELATURE; PRELATURESHIP Prel"a*ture, Prel"a*ture*ship, n. Etym: [F. prélature, or LL. praelatura.]

Defn: The state or dignity of a prelate; prelacy. Milman.

PRELATY Prel"a*ty, n.

Defn: Prelacy. [Obs.] Milton.

PRELECT Pre*lect" v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prelected; p. pr. & vb. n. Prelecting.] Etym: [L. praelectus, p. p. of praelegere to read before. See Pre-, and Lection.]

Defn: To read publicly, as a lecture or discourse.

PRELECT Pre*lect", v. i.

Defn: To discourse publicly; to lecture. Spitting . . . was publicly prelected upon. De. Quincey. To prelect upon the military art. Bp. Horsley.

PRELECTION Pre*lec"tion, n. Etym: [L. praelectio.]

Defn: A lecture or discourse read in public or to a select company. "The prelections of Faber." Sir M. Hale.

PRELECTOR Pre*lec"tor, n. Etym: [L. praelector.]

Defn: A reader of lectures or discourses; a lecturer. Sheldon.

PRELIBATION Pre`li*ba"tion, n. Etym: [L. praelibatio, fr. praelibare to taste beforehand: cf. F. prelibation.]

1. A. tasting beforehand, or by anticipation; a foretaste; as, a prelibation of heavenly bliss.

2. A pouring out, or libation, before tasting.

PRELIMINARILY Pre*lim"i*na*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a preliminary manner.

PRELIMINARY Pre*lim"i*na*ry, a. Etym: [Pref. pre + L. liminaris belonging to a threshold, fr. limen, liminis, threshold, entrance: cf. F. préliminaire. Cf. Limit.]

Defn: Introductory; previous; preceding the main discourse or business; prefatory; as, preliminary observations to a discourse or book; preliminary articles to a treaty; preliminary measures; preliminary examinations.

Syn. -- Introductory; preparatory; prefatory; proemial; previous; prior; precedent; antecedent.

PRELIMINARY Pre*lim"i*na*ry, n.; pl. Preliminaries (.

Defn: That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one's preliminaries the year before entering college.

Syn. -- Introduction; preface; prelude.

PRELIMIT Pre*lim"it, v. t.

Defn: To limit previously. [R.]

PRELOOK Pre*look", v. i.

Defn: To look forward. [Obs.] Surrey.

PRELUDE Pre"lude, n. Etym: [F. prélude (cf. It. preludio, LL. praeludium), fr. L. prae before + ludus play. See Prelude, v. t.]

Defn: An introductory performance, preceding and preparing for the principal matter; a preliminary part, movement, strain, etc.; especially (Mus.), a strain introducing the theme or chief subject; a movement introductory to a fugue, yet independent; -- with recent composers often synonymous with overture. The last Georgic was a good prelude to the Ænis Addison. The cause is more than the prelude, the effect is more than the sequel, of the fact. Whewell.

Syn. -- Preface; introduction; preliminary; preamble; forerunner; harbinger; precursor.

PRELUDE Pre*lude", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Preluding.] Etym: [L. praeludere, praelusum; prae before + ludere to play: cf. F. préluder. See Ludicrous.]

Defn: To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance; to serve as prelude. The musicians preluded on their instruments. Sir. W. Scott. We are preluding too largely, and must come at once to the point. Jeffrey.

PRELUDE Pre*lude", v. t.

1. To introduce with a previous performance; to play or perform a prelude to; as, to prelude a concert with a lively air.

2. To serve as prelude to; to precede as introductory. [Music] preluding some great tragedy. Longfellow

PRELUDER Pre*lud"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, preludes; one who plays a prelude. Mason.

PRELUDIAL Pre*lud"i*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a prelude; of the nature of a prelude; introductory. [R.]

PRELUDIOUS Pre*lud"i*ous a.

Defn: Preludial. [R.] Dr. H. More.

PRELUMBAR Pre*lum"bar, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated immediately in front of the loins;- applied to the dorsal part of the abdomen.

PRELUSIVE Pre*lu"sive, a. Etym: [See Prelude.]

Defn: Of the nature of a prelude; introductory; indicating that something of a like kind is to follow. "Prelusive drops." Thomson. -- Pre*lu"sive*ly, adv.

PRELUSORILY Pre*lu"so*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a prelusory way.

PRELUSORY Pre*lu"so*ry, a.

Defn: Introductory; prelusive. Bacon.

PREMATURE Pre`ma*ture", a. Etym: [L. praematurus; prae before + maturus ripe. See Mature.]

1. Mature or ripe before the proper time; as, the premature fruits of a hotbed.

2. Happening, arriving, existing, or performed before the proper or usual time; adopted too soon; too early; untimely; as, a premature fall of snow; a premature birth; a premature opinion; premature decay.

3. Arriving or received without due authentication or evidence; as, a premature report. -- Pre`ma*ture"ly, adv. -- Pre`ma*ture"ness, n.

PREMATURITY Pre`ma*tu"ri*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. prématurité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being premature; early, or untimely, ripeness; as, the prematurity of genius.

PREMAXILLA Pre"max*il"la n.; pl. Premaxillæ. Etym: [NL. See Pre-, and Maxilla.] (Anat.)

Defn: A bone on either side of the middle line between the nose and mouth, forming the anterior part of each half of the upper jawbone; the intermaxilla. In man the premaxillæ become united and form the incisor part of the maxillary bone.

PREMAXILLARY Pre*max"il*la*ry, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the maxillary bones; pertaining to the premaxillæ; intermaxillary. -- n.

Defn: A premaxilla.

PREMEDIATE Pre*me"di*ate, v. t.

Defn: To advocate. [R.]

PREMEDITATE Pre*med"i*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Premeditated (-ta`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Premeditating.] Etym: [L. praemeditatus, p. p. of praemeditari; prae before + meditari to meditate. See Meditate.]

Defn: To think on, and revolve in the mind, beforehand; to contrive and design previously; as, to premeditate robbery. With words premeditated thus he said. Dryden.

PREMEDITATE Pre*med"i*tate, v. i.

Defn: To think, consider, deliberate, or revolve in the mind, beforehand.

PREMEDITATE Pre*med"i*tate, a. Etym: [L. praemeditatus, p. p.]

Defn: Premeditated; deliberate. [Archaic] Bp. Burnet.

PREMEDITATELY Pre*med"i*tate*ly, adv.

Defn: With premeditation. Burke.

PREMEDITATION Pre*med`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. praemeditatio: cf. F. préméditation.]

Defn: The act of meditating or contriving beforehand; previous deliberation; forethought.

PREMERIT Pre*mer"it, v. t.

Defn: To merit or deserve beforehand. [Obs.] Eikon Basi

PREMIAL; PREMIANT Pre"mi*al, Pre"mi*ant, a. Etym: [L. praemialis. See Premium.]

Defn: Serving to reward; rewarding. [R.] Baxter.

PREMICES Prem"i*ces, n. pl. Etym: [F. prémices, L. primitiae. See Primitia.]

Defn: First fruits. [Obs.] Dryden.

PREMIER Pre"mi*er, a. Etym: [F. premier, fr. L. primarius of the first rank, principal, fr. primus the first. See Primary, Prime, a.]

1. First; chief; principal; as, the premier place; premier minister. Camden. Swift.

2. Most ancient; -- said of the peer bearing the oldest title of his degree.

PREMIER Pre"mi*er, n.

Defn: The first minister of state; the prime minister.

PREMIERE Pre*mière", a. fem. [F., prop. fem. of premier first. See Premier, a.]

Defn: First; chief; as, a première danseuse. -- n. fem.; pl. -mières (F. pre*myâr"). (a) The leading woman of a group, esp. in a theatrical cast. (b) A first performance, as of a play; a first night.

PREMIERSHIP Pre"mi*er*ship, n.

Defn: The office of the premier.

PREMILLENNIAL Pre`mil*len"ni*al, a

Defn: , Previous to the millennium.

PREMIOUS Pre"mi*ous, a. Etym: [L. praemiosus, fr. praemium a premium.]

Defn: Rich in gifts. [R.] Clarke.

PREMISE Prem"ise, n.; pl. Premises (. [Written also, less properly, premiss.] Etym: [F. prémisse, fr. L. praemissus, p. p. of praemittere to send before; prae before + mittere to send. See Mission.]

1. A proposition antecedently supposed or proved; something previously stated or assumed as the basis of further argument; a condition; a supposition. The premises observed, Thy will by my performance shall be served. Shak.

2. (Logic)

Defn: Either of the first two propositions of a syllogism, from which the conclusion is drawn.

Note: "All sinners deserve punishment: A B is a sinner." These propositions, which are the premises, being true or admitted, the conclusion follows, that A B deserves punishment. While the premises stand firm, it is impossible to shake the conclusion. Dr. H. More.

3. pl. (Law)

Defn: Matters previously stated or set forth; esp., that part in the beginning of a deed, the office of which is to express the grantor and grantee, and the land or thing granted or conveyed, and all that precedes the habendum; the thing demised or granted.

4. pl.

Defn: A piece of real estate; a building and its adjuncts; as, to lease premises; to trespass on another's premises.

PREMISE Pre*mise", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Premised; p. pr. & vb. n. Premising.] Etym: [From L. praemissus, p. p., or E. premise, n. See Premise, n.]

1. To send before the time, or beforehand; hence, to cause to be before something else; to employ previously. [Obs.] The premised flames of the last day. Shak. If venesection and a cathartic be premised. E. Darwin.

2. To set forth beforehand, or as introductory to the main subject; to offer previously, as something to explain or aid in understanding what follows; especially, to lay down premises or first propositions, on which rest the subsequent reasonings. I premise these particulars that the reader may know that I enter upon it as a very ungrateful task. Addison.

PREMISE Pre*mise", v. i.

Defn: To make a premise; to set forth something as a premise. Swift.

PREMISS Prem"iss, n.

Defn: Premise. Whately. I. Watts

PREMIT Pre*mit", v. t.

Defn: To premise. [Obs.] Donne.

PREMIUM Pre"mi*um, n.; pl. Premiums. Etym: [L. praemium, originally, what one has got before or better than others; prae before + emere to take, buy. See Redeem.]

1. A reward or recompense; a prize to be won by being before another, or others, in a competition; reward or prize to be adjudged; a bounty; as, a premium for good behavior or scholarship, for discoveries, etc. To think it not the necessity, but the premium and privilege of life, to eat and sleep without any regard to glory. Burke. The law that obliges parishes to support the poor offers a premium for the encouragement of idleness. Franklin.

2. Something offered or given for the loan of money; bonus; -- sometimes synonymous with interest, but generally signifying a sum in addition to the capital. People were tempted to lend, by great premiums and large interest. Swift.

3. A sum of money paid to underwriters for insurance, or for undertaking to indemnify for losses of any kind.

4. A sum in advance of, or in addition to, the nominal or par value of anything; as, gold was at a premium; he sold his stock at a premium.

PREMOLAR Pre*mo"lar, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the molar teeth. --n.

Defn: An anterior molar tooth which has replaced a deciduous molar. See Tooth.

PREMONISH Pre*mon"ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Premonished; p. pr. & vb. n. Premonishing.] Etym: [Pref. pre- + monish: cf. L. praemonere.]

Defn: To forewarn; to admonish beforehand. [R.] Herrick. To teach, and to premonish. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

PREMONISHMENT Pre*mon"ish*ment, n.

Defn: Previous warning or admonition; forewarning. Sir H. Wotton.

PREMONITION Pre`mo*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. praemonitio. See Premonish.]

Defn: Previous warning, notice, or information; forewarning; as, a premonition of danger.

PREMONITOR Pre*mon"i*tor, n. Etym: [L. praemonitor.]

Defn: One who, or that which, gives premonition.

PREMONITORY Pre*mon"i*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. praemonitorius.]

Defn: Giving previous warning or notice; as, premonitory symptoms of disease. -- Pre*mon"i*to*ri*ly, adv.

PREMONSTRANT Pre*mon"strant, n.

Defn: A Premonstratensian.

PREMONSTRATE Pre*mon"strate, v. t. Etym: [L. praemonstratus, p. p. of praemonstrare; prae before + monstrate to show.]

Defn: To show beforehand; to foreshow. [R.] Herbert.

PREMONSTRATENSIAN Pre*mon`stra*ten"sian, n. Etym: [F.prémontré, fr. Prémontré, fr. L. pratum monstratum.] (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: One of a religious order of regular canons founded by St. Norbert at Prémontré, in France, in 1119. The members of the order are called also White Canons, Norbertines, and Premonstrants.

PREMONSTRATION Pre`mon*stra"tion, n. Etym: [L. praemonstratio.]

Defn: A showing beforehand; foreshowing.

PREMONSTRATOR Pre*mon"stra*tor, n. Etym: [L. praemonstrator.]

Defn: One who, or that which, premonstrates. [R.]

PREMORSE Pre*morse", a. Etym: [L. praemorsus, p. p. of praemordere to bite off; prae before + mordere to bite.]

Defn: Terminated abruptly, or as it bitten off. Premorse root or leaves (Bot.), such as have an abrupt, ragged, and irregular termination, as if bitten off short.

PREMOSAIC Pre`mo*sa"ic a.

Defn: Relating to the time before Moses; as, premosaic history.

PREMOTION Pre*mo"tion n. Etym: [Pref. pre- + motion.]

Defn: Previous motion or excitement to action.

PREMUNIRE Prem`u*ni"re, n. (Law)

Defn: See Præmunire.

PREMUNITE Prem`u*nite", v. t. Etym: [L. praemunitus, p. p. of praemunire to fortify in front; prae before + munire to fortify.]

Defn: To fortify beforehand; to guard against objection. [Obs.] Fotherby.

PREMUNITION Pre`mu*ni"tion, n. Etym: [L. praemunitio: cf. F. prémunition.]

Defn: The act of fortifying or guarding against objections. [Obs.]

PREMUNITORY Pre*mu"ni*to*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a premunire; as, a premunitory process.

PRENASAL Pre*na"sal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the nose, or in front of the nasal chambers.

PRENATAL Pre*na"tal, a.

Defn: Being or happening before birth.

PRENDER Pren"der, n. Etym: [F. prendre to take, fr. L. prehendere to take.] (Law)

Defn: The power or right of taking a thing before it is offered. Burrill.

PRENOMEN Pre*no"men, n.

Defn: See Prænomen.

PRENOMINAL Pre*nom"i*nal, a.

Defn: Serving as a prefix in a compound name. Sir T. Browne.

PRENOMINATE Pre*nom"i*nate a. Etym: [L. praenominatus, p. p. of praenominare to give the prenomen to, to prenominate, fr. praenomen prenomen.]

Defn: Forenamed; named beforehand. [R.] "Prenominate crimes." Shak.

PRENOMINATE Pre*nom"i*nate, v. t.

Defn: To forename; to name beforehand; to tell by name beforehand. Shak.

PRENOMINATION Pre*nom`i*na*tion, n.

Defn: The act of prenominating; privilege of being named first. Sir T. Browne.

PRENOSTIC Pre*nos"tic, n. Etym: [L. praenoscere to foreknow; prae before + noscere, notum, to know.]

Defn: A prognostic; an omen. [Obs.] Gower.

PRENOTE Pre*note", v. t. Etym: [L. praenotare; prae before + notare to note.]

Defn: To note or designate beforehand. Foxe.

PRENOTION Pre*no"tion n. Etym: [L. praenotio: cf. F. prénotion. See Prenostic.]

Defn: A notice or notion which precedes something else in time; previous notion or thought; foreknowledge. Bacon.

PRENSATION Pren*sa"tion, n. Etym: [L. prensatio, from prensare, prehensare, v. freq. from prehendere to seize.]

Defn: The act of seizing with violence. [Obs.] Barrow .

PRENTICE Pren"tice, n. Etym: [Aphetic form of apprentice.]

Defn: An apprentice. [Obs. or Colloq.] Piers Plowman. "My accuser is my prentice." Shak.

PRENTICEHOOD Pren"tice*hood (, n.

Defn: Apprenticehood. [Obs.] This jolly prentice with his master bode Till he was out nigh of his prenticehood. Chaucer.

PRENTICESHIP Pren"tice*ship, n.

Defn: Apprenticeship. [Obs. or Colloq.] He served a prenticeship who sets up shop. Pope.

PRENUNCIATION Pre*nun`ci*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. praenunciatio, fr. praenunciare to announce beforehand. See Pre-, and Announce.]

Defn: The act of announcing or proclaiming beforehand. [Obs.]

PRENUNCIOUS Pre*nun"cious, a. Etym: [L. praenuncius.]

Defn: Announcing beforehand; presaging. [Obs.] Blount.

PREOBLONGATA Pre*ob`lon*ga"ta, n. Etym: [NL. See Pre-, and Oblongata.] (Anat.)

Defn: The anterior part of the medulla oblongata. B. G. Wilder.

PREOBTAIN Pre`ob*tain", v. t.

Defn: To obtain beforehand.

PREOCCUPANCY Pre*oc"cu*pan*cy, n. Etym: [See Preoccupate.]

Defn: The act or right of taking possession before another; as, the preoccupancy of wild land.

PREOCCUPATE Pre*oc"cu*pate, v. t. Etym: [L. praeoccupatus, p. p. of praeoccupare to preoccupy. See Preoccupy.]

1. To anticipate; to take before. [Obs.] "Fear preoccupateth it [death]." Bacon.

2. To prepossess; to prejudice. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

PREOCCUPATION Pre*oc`cu*pa"tion, n. Etym: [L. praeoccupatio: cf. F. préoccupation.]

1. The act of preoccupying, or taking possession of beforehand; the state of being preoccupied; prepossession.

2. Anticipation of objections. [R.] South.

PREOCCUPY Pre*oc"cu*py, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preoccupied (-pid); p. pr. & vb. n. Preoccupying.] Etym: [Cf. F. préoccuper. See Preoccupate, Occupy.]

1. To take possession of before another; as, to preoccupy a country not before held.

2. To prepossess; to engage, occupy, or engross the attention of, beforehand; hence, to prejudice. I Think it more respectful to the reader to leave something to reflections than to preoccupy his judgment. Arbuthnot.

PREOCULAR Pre*oc"u*lar, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Placed just in front of the eyes, as the antennæ of certain insects. -- n.

Defn: One of the scales just in front of the eye of a reptile or fish.

PREOMINATE Pre*om"i*nate, v. t.

Defn: To ominate beforehand; to portend. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PREOPERCULAR Pre`o*per"cu*lar, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the operculum; pertaining to the preoperculum. -- n.

Defn: The preoperculum.

PREOPERCULUM Pre`o*per"cu*lum, n Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: The anterior opercular bone in fishes.

PREOPINION Pre`o*pin"ion, n.

Defn: Opinion previously formed; prepossession; prejudice. Sir T. Browne.

PREOPTION Pre*op"tion, n.

Defn: Right of first choice.

PREORAL Pre*o"ral, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of, or anterior to, the mouth; as, preoral bands.

PREORBITAL Pre*or"bit*al

Defn: a. (Anat.) Situated in front or the orbit.

PREORDAIN Pre`or*dain", v. t. Etym: [Pref. pre + ordain: cf. L. praeordinare.]

Defn: To ordain or appoint beforehand: to predetermine: to foreordain. Milton.

PREORDER Pre*or"der, v. t.

Defn: To order to arrange beforehand; to foreordain. Sir W. Hamilton.

PREORDINANCE Pre*or"di*nance, n.

Defn: Antecedent decree or determination. Shak.

PREORDINATE Pre*or"di*nate, a. Etym: [L. praeordinatus, p. p. See Preordain.]

Defn: Preordained. [R.] Sir T. Elyot.

PREORDINATION Pre*or`di*na"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. préordination.]

Defn: The act of foreordaining: previous determination. "The preordination of God." Bale.

PREPARABLE Pre*par"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being prepared. "Medicine preparable by art." Boyle.

PREPARATION Prep`a*ra"tion, n. Etym: [F. préparation, L. praeparatio. See Prepare.]

1. The act of preparing or fitting beforehand for a particular purpose, use, service, or condition; previous arrangement or adaptation; a making ready; as, the preparation of land for a crop of wheat; the preparation of troops for a campaign.

2. The state of being prepared or made ready; preparedness; readiness; fitness; as, a nation in good preparation for war.

3. That which makes ready, prepares the way, or introduces; a preparatory act or measure. I will show what preparations there were in nature for this dissolution. T. Burnet.

4. That which is prepared, made, or compounded by a certain process or for a particular purpose; a combination. Specifically: (a) Any medicinal substance fitted for use. (b) Anything treated for preservation or examination as a specimen. (c) Something prepared for use in cookery. I wish the chemists had been more sparing who magnify their preparations. Sir T. Browne. In the preparations of cookery, the most volatile parts of vegetables are destroyed. Arbuthnot.

5. An army or fleet. [Obs.] Shak.

6. (Mus.)

Defn: The holding over of a note from one chord into the next chord, where it forms a temporary discord, until resolved in the chord that follows; the anticipation of a discordant note in the preceding concord, so that the ear is prepared for the shock. See Suspension.

7. Accomplishment; qualification. [Obs.] Shak.

PREPARATIVE Pre*par"a*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. préparatif.]

Defn: Tending to prepare or make ready; having the power of preparing, qualifying, or fitting; preparatory. Laborious quest of knowledge preparative to this work. South.

PREPARATIVE Pre*par"a*tive, n.

1. That which has the power of preparing, or previously fitting for a purpose; that which prepares. "A preparative unto sermons." Hooker.

2. That which is done in the way of preparation. "Necessary preparatives for our voyage." Dryden.

PREPARATIVELY Pre*par"a*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: By way of preparation.

PREPARATOR Pre*par"a*tor, n. Etym: [L. praeparator.]

Defn: One who prepares beforehand, as subjects for dissection, specimens for preservation in collections, etc. Agassiz.

PREPARATORY Pre*par"a*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. praeparatorius: cf. F. préparatoire.]

Defn: Preparing the way for anything by previous measures of adaptation; antecedent and adapted to what follows; introductory; preparative; as, a preparatory school; a preparatory condition.

PREPARE Pre*pare", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prepare; p. pr. & vb. n. Preparing.] Etym: [F. préparer, L. praeparare; prae before + parare to make ready. See Pare.]

1. To fit, adapt, or qualify for a particular purpose or condition; to make ready; to put into a state for use or application; as, to prepare ground for seed; to prepare a lesson. Our souls, not yet prepared for upper light. Dryden.

2. To procure as suitable or necessary; to get ready; to provide; as, to prepare ammunition and provisions for troops; to prepare ships for defence; to prepare an entertainment. Milton. That they may prepare a city for habitation. Ps. cvii. 36

Syn. -- To fit; adjust; adapt; qualify; equip; provide; form; make; make; ready.

PREPARE Pre*pare" (, v. i.

1. To make all things ready; to put things in order; as, to prepare for a hostile invasion. "Bid them prepare for dinner." Shak.

2. To make one's self ready; to get ready; to take the necessary previous measures; as, to prepare for death.

PREPARE Pre*pare", n.

Defn: Preparation. [Obs.] Shak.

PREPARED Pre*pared", a.

Defn: Made fit or suitable; adapted; ready; as, prepared food; prepared questions. -- Pre*par"ed*ly, adv. Shak. -- Pre*par"ed*ness, n.

PREPARER Pre*par"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, prepares, fits, or makes ready. Wood.

PREPAY Pre*pay", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prepaid; p. pr. & vb. n. Prepaying.]

Defn: To pay in advance, or beforehand; as, to prepay postage.

PREPAYMENT Pre*pay"ment, n.

Defn: Payment in advance.

PREPENIAL Pre*pe"ni*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of, or anterior to, the penis.

PREPENSE Pre*pense", v. t. Etym: [Pref. pre + F. penser to think. See Pansy.]

Defn: To weigh or consider beforehand; to premeditate. [Obs.] Spenser. Sir T. Elyot.

PREPENSE Pre*pense", v. i.

Defn: To deliberate beforehand. [Obs.]

PREPENSE Pre*pense", a. Etym: [See Pansy, and cf. Prepense, v. t.]

Defn: Devised, contrived, or planned beforehand; preconceived; premeditated; aforethought; -- usually placed after the word it qualifies; as, malice prepense. This has not arisen from any misrepresentation or error prepense. Southey.

PREPENSELY Pre*pense"ly, adv.

Defn: In a premeditated manner.

PREPOLLENCE; PREPOLLENCY Pre*pol"lence, Pre*pol"len*cy, n. Etym: [L. praepollentia.]

Defn: The quality or state of being prepollent; superiority of power; predominance; prevalence. [R.] Coventry.

PREPOLLENT Pre*pol"lent, a. Etym: [L. praepollens, p. p. of praepollere to surpass in power; prae before + pollere to be powerful.]

Defn: Having superior influence or power; prevailing; predominant. [R.] Boyle.

PREPOLLENT Pre*pol"lent, n.; pl. Prepollices Etym: [NL. See Pre-, Pollex.] (Anat.)

Defn: An extra first digit, or rudiment of a digit, on the preaxial side of the pollex.

PREPONDER Pre*pon"der v. t.

Defn: To preponderate [Obs.]

PREPONDERANCE; PREPONDERANCY Pre*pon"der*ance, Pre*pon"der*an*cy, n. Etym: [Cf. F. prépondérance.]

1. The quality or state of being preponderant; superiority or excess of weight, influence, or power, etc.; an outweighing. The mind should . . . reject or receive proportionably to the preponderancy of the greater grounds of probability. Locke. In a few weeks he had changed the relative position of all the states in Europe, and had restored the equilibrium which the preponderance of one power had destroyed. Macaulay.

2. (Gun.)

Defn: The excess of weight of that part of a canon behind the trunnions over that in front of them.

PREPONDERANT Pre*pon"der*ant a. Etym: [L. praeponderans, -antis: cf. F. prépondérant. See Preponderate.]

Defn: Preponderating; outweighing; overbalancing; -- used literally and figuratively; as, a preponderant weight; of preponderant importance. -- Pre*pon"der*ant*ly, adv.

PREPONDERATE Pre*pon"der*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preponderated; p. pr. & vb. n. Preponderating.] Etym: [L. praeponderatus, p. p. of praeponderare; prae before + ponderare to weigh, fr., pondus, ponderis, a weight. See Ponder.]

1. To outweigh; to overpower by weight; to exceed in weight; to overbalance. An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center of the balance, will preponderate greater magnitudes. Glanvill.

2. To overpower by stronger or moral power.

3. To cause to prefer; to incline; to decide. [Obs.] The desire to spare Christian blood preponderates him for peace. Fuller.

PREPONDERATE Pre*pon"der*ate, v. i.

Defn: To exceed in weight; hence, to incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; figuratively, to exceed in influence, power, etc.; hence; to incline to one side; as, the affirmative side preponderated. That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will not preponderate. Bp. Wilkins.

PREPONDERATINGLY Pre*pon"der*a`ting*ly, adv.

Defn: In a preponderating manner; preponderantly.

PREPONDERATION Pre*pon`der*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. praeponderatio.]

Defn: The act or state of preponderating; preponderance; as, a preponderation of reasons. I. Watts.

PREPOSE Pre*pose", v. t. Etym: [F. préposer; pref. pré- (L. prae before) + poser. See Pose.]

Defn: To place or set before; to prefix. [Obs.] Fuller.

PREPOSITION Prep`o*si"tion, n. Etym: [L. praepositio, fr. praeponere to place before; prae before + ponere to put, place: cf. F. préposition. See Position, and cf. Provost.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: A word employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word; a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word; -- so called because usually placed before the word with which it is phrased; as, a bridge of iron; he comes from town; it is good for food; he escaped by running.

2. A proposition; an exposition; a discourse. [Obs.] He made a long preposition and oration. Fabyan.

PREPOSITIONAL Prep`o*si"tion*al a. Etym: [Cf. F. prépositionnel.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a preposition; of the nature of a preposition. Early. -- Prep`o*si"tion*al*ly, adv.

PREPOSITIVE Pre*pos"i*tive, a. Etym: [L. praepositivus: cf. F. prépositif.] (Gram.)

Defn: Put before; prefixed; as, a prepositive particle. -- n.

Defn: A prepositive word. Tooke.

PREPOSITOR Pre*pos"i*tor, n. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: A scholar appointed to inspect other scholars; a monitor. Todd.

PREPOSITURE Pre*pos"i*ture, n. Etym: [L. praepositura. See Preposition, and cf. Provost.]

Defn: The office or dignity of a provost; a provostship. Lowth.

PREPOSSESS Pre`pos*sess", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prepossessed; p. pr. & vb. n. Prepossessing.]

1. To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. Dryden.

2. To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset. It created him enemies, and prepossessed the lord general. Evelyn.

PREPOSSESSING Pre`pos*sess"ing, a.

Defn: Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence, favor, esteem, or love; attractive; as, a prepossessing manner. -- Pre`pos*sess"ing*ly, adv.

PREPOSSESSION Pre`pos*ses"sion, n.

1. Preoccupation; prior possession. Hammond.

2. Preoccupation of the mind by an opinion, or impression, already formed; preconceived opinion; previous impression; bias; -- generally, but not always, used in a favorable sense; as, the prepossessions of childhood. "The prejudices and prepossessions of the country." Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- Bent; bias; inclination; preoccupancy; prejudgment. See Bent.

PREPOSSESSOR Pre`*pos*sess"or, n.

Defn: One who possesses, or occupies, previously. R. Brady.

PREPOSTEROUS Pre*pos"ter*ous a.Etym: [L. praeposterus; prae before + posterus coming after, latter. See Posterior.]

1. Having that first which ought to be last; inverted in order. [Obs.] The method I take may be censured as preposterous, because I thus treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature. Woodward.

2. Contrary to nature or reason; not adapted to the end; utterly and glaringly foolish; unreasonably absurd; perverted. "Most preposterous conclusions." Shak. Preposterous ass, that never read so far! Shak.

Syn. -- Absurd; perverted; wrong; irrational; foolish; monstrous. See Absurd. -- Pre*pos"ter*ous*ly, adv. -Pre*pos"ter*ous*ness, n.

PREPOSTOR Pre*pos"tor n.

Defn: See Prepositor.

PREPOTENCY Pre*po"ten*cy, n. Etym: [L. praepotentia: cf. F. prépotence.]

1. The quality or condition of being prepotent; predominance. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The capacity, on the part of one of the parents, as compared with the other, to transmit more than his or her own share of characteristics to their offspring.

PREPOTENT Pre*po"tent a. Etym: [L. praepotens. See Pre-, and Potent.]

1. Very powerful; superior in force, influence, or authority; predominant. Plaifere.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Characterized by prepotency. Darwin.

PREPROVIDE Pre`pro*vide", v. t.

Defn: To provide beforehand. "The materials preprovided." Fuller.

PREPUBIC Pre*pu"bic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of, or anterior to, the pubis; pertaining to the prepubis.

PREPUBIS Pre*pu"bis, n. Etym: [NL. See Pre-, and Pubis.] (Anat.)

Defn: A bone or cartilage, of some animals, situated in the middle line in front of the pubic bones.

PREPUCE Pre"puce, n. Etym: [F. prépuce, L. praeputium.] (Anat.)

Defn: The foreskin.

PREPUTIAL Pre*pu"tial, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the prepuce.

PRERAPHAELISM; PRERAPHAELITISM Pre*raph"a*el*ism, Pre*raph"a*el*i`tism, n. (Fine Arts)

Defn: The doctrine or practice of a school of modern painters who profess to be followers of the painters before Raphael. Its adherents advocate careful study from nature, delicacy and minuteness of workmanship, and an exalted and delicate conception of the subject.

PRERAPHAELITE Pre*raph"a*el*ite, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the style called preraphaelitism; as, a preraphaelite figure; a preraphaelite landscape. Ruskin.

PRERAPHAELITE Pre*raph"a*el*ite, n.

Defn: One who favors or practices art as it was before Raphael; one who favors or advocates preraphaelitism.

PRE-RAPHAELITE Pre-Raph"a*el*ite, n.

Defn: Popularly, any modern artist thought to be a would-be restorer of early ideas or methods, as one of the German painters often called Nazarenes, or one who paints and draws with extreme minuteness of detail.

PREREGNANT Pre*reg"nant, n.

Defn: One who reigns before another; a sovereign predecessor. [R.] Warner.

PREREMOTE Pre`re*mote a.

Defn: More remote in previous time or prior order. In some cases two more links of causation may be introduced; one of them may be termed the preremote cause, the other the postremote effect. E. Darwin.

PREREQUIRE Pre`re*quire", v. t.

Defn: To require beforehand. Some things are prerequired of us. Bp. Hall.

PREREQUISITE Pre*req"ui*site, a.

Defn: Previously required; necessary as a preliminary to any proposed effect or end; as, prerequisite conditions of success.

PREREQUISITE Pre*req"ui*site, n.

Defn: Something previously required, or necessary to an end or effect proposed. The necessary prerequisites of freedom. Goldsmith.

PRERESOLVE Pre`re*solve", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Preresolved; p. pr. & vb. n. Preresolving.]

Defn: To resolve beforehand; to predetermine. Sir E. Dering.

PREROGATIVE Pre*rog"a*tive, n. Etym: [F. prérogative, from L. praerogativa precedence in voting, preference, privilege, fr. praerogativus that is asked before others for his opinion, that votes before or first, fr. praerogare to ask before another; prae before + rogare to ask. See Rogation.]

1. An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; -- used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question, and for the exercise of which there is no responsibility or accountability as to the fact and the manner of its exercise. The two faculties that are the prerogative of man -- the powers of abstraction and imagination. I. Taylor. An unconstitutional exercise of his prerogative. Macaulay.

2. Precedence; preëminence; first rank. [Obs.] Then give me leave to have prerogative. Shak.

Note: The term came into general use in the conflicts between the Crown and Parliaments of Great Britain, especially in the time of the Stuarts. Prerogative Court (Eng. Law), a court which formerly had authority in the matter of wills and administrations, where the deceased left bona notabilia, or effects of the value of five pounds, in two or more different dioceses. Blackstone. -- Prerogative office, the office in which wills proved in the Prerogative Court were registered.

Syn. -- Privilege; right. See Privilege.

PREROGATIVED Pre*rog"a*tived, a.

Defn: Endowed with a prerogative, or exclusive privilege. [R.] Shak.

PREROGATIVELY Pre*rog"a*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: By prerogative.

PRESAGE Pre"sage, n. Etym: [F. présage, L. praesagium, from praesagire. See Presage, v. t. ]

1. Something which foreshows or portends a future event; a prognostic; an omen; an augury. "Joy and shout -- presage of victory." Milton.

2. Power to look the future, or the exercise of that power; foreknowledge; presentiment. If there be aught of presage in the mind. Milton.

Syn. -- Prognostic; omen; token; sign; presentiment.

PRESAGE Pre*sage" v. t. [imp. & p. p. Presaged (-sajd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Presaging. ] Etym: [F. présager, L. praesagire: prae before + sagire to perceive acutely or sharply. See Sagacious.]

1. To have a presentiment of; to feel beforehand; to foreknow.

2. To foretell; to predict; to foreshow; to indicate. My dreams presage some joyful news at hand. Shak.

PRESAGE Pre*sage", v. i.

Defn: To form or utter a prediction; -- sometimes used with of. Dryden.

PRESAGEFUL Pre*sage"ful a.

Defn: Full of presages; ominous. Dark in the glass of some presageful mood. Tennyson.

PRESAGEMENT Pre*sage"ment, n.

1. The act or art of presaging; a foreboding. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

2. That which is presaged, or foretold. [R.] "Ominous presagement before his end. " Sir H. Wotton.

PRESAGER Pre*sa"ger n.

Defn: One who, or that which, presages; a foreteller; a foreboder. Shak.

PRESAGIOUS Pre*sa"gious, a.

Defn: Foreboding; ominous. [Obs.]

PRESBYOPE Pres"by*ope, n. (Med.)

Defn: One who has presbyopia; a farsighted person.

PRESBYOPIA Pres`by*o"pi*a Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A defect of vision consequent upon advancing age. It is due to rigidity of the crystalline lens, which producepresbytia.

PRESBYOPIC Pres`by*op"ic a.

Defn: Affected by presbyopia; also, remedying presbyopia; farsighted.

PRESBYOPY Pres"by*o`py n. Etym: [Cf. F. presbyopie.]

Defn: See Presbyopia.

PRESBYTE Pres"byte, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Same as Presbyope.

PRESBYTER Pres"by*ter, n. Etym: [L. an elder, fr. Gr. Priest.]

1. An elder in the early Christian church. See 2d Citation under Bishop, n., 1.

2. (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.)

Defn: One ordained to the second order in the ministry; -- called also priest. I rather term the one sort presbyter than priest. Hooker. New presbyter is but old priest writ large. Milton.

3. (Presbyterian Ch.)

Defn: A member of a presbytery whether lay or clerical.

4. A Presbyterian. [Obs.] Hudibras.

PRESBYTERAL Pres*byt"er*al a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a presbyter or presbytery; presbyterial.

PRESBYTERATE Pres*byt"er*ate n. Etym: [L. presbyteratus: cf. F. presbytérat.]

Defn: A presbytery; also, presbytership. Heber.

PRESBYTERESS Pres"by*ter*ess, n.

Defn: A female presbyter. Bale.

PRESBYTERIAL Pres`by*te"ri*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. presbytéral.]

Defn: Presbyterian. "Presbyterial government." Milton.

PRESBYTERIAN Pres`by*te"ri*an, a. Etym: [Cf. F. presbytérien.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a presbyter, or to ecclesiastical government by presbyters; relating to those who uphold church government by presbyters; also, to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of a communion so governed.

PRESBYTERIAN Pres`by*te"ri*an, n. Etym: [Cf. F. presbytérien.]

Defn: One who maintains the validity of ordination and government by presbyters; a member of the Presbyterian church. Reformed Presbyterians. See Cameronian.

PRESBYTERIANISM Pres`by*te"ri*an*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. presbytérianisme.]

Defn: That form of church government which invests presbyters with all spiritual power, and admits no prelates over them; also, the faith and polity of the Presbyterian churches, taken collectively.

PRESBYTERIUM Pres`by*te"ri*um, n. Etym: [L.] (Arch.)

Defn: Same as Presbytery, 4.

PRESBYTERSHIP Pres"by*ter*ship, n.

Defn: The office or station of a presbyter; presbyterate.

PRESBYTERY Pres"by*ter*y, n.; pl. Presbyteries. Etym: [L. presbyterium, Gr. Presbyter, and cf. Presbyterium.]

1. A body of elders in the early Christian church.

2. (Presbyterian Ch.)

Defn: A judicatory consisting of all the ministers within a certain district, and one layman, who is a ruling elder, from each parish or church, commissioned to represent the church in conjunction with the pastor. This body has a general jurisdiction over the churches under its care, and next below the provincial synod in authority.

3. The Presbyterian religion of polity. [R.] Tatler.

4. (a) (Arch.) That part of the church reserved for the officiating priest. (b) The residence of a priest or clergyman. Gwilt.

PRESBYTIA Pres*byt"i*a n. Etym: [NL. See Presbyte.] (Med.)

Defn: Presbyopia.

PRESBYTIC Pres*byt"ic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Same as Presbyopic.

PRESBYTISM Pres"byt*ism, n.

Defn: Presbyopia.

PRESCAPULA Pre*scap"u*la, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: The part of the scapula in front of, or above, the spine, or mesoscapula.

PRESCAPULAR Pre*scap"u*lar, a.

Defn: (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the prescapula; supraspinous.

PRESCIENCE Pre"sci*ence n. Etym: [F. prescience, L. praescientia. See Prescient.]

Defn: Knowledge of events before they take place; foresight. God's certain prescience of the volitions of moral agents. J. Edwards.

PRESCIENT Presci*ent, a. Etym: [L. praesciens, -entis, p. pr. of praescire to foreknow; prae before + scire to know: cf. F. prescient. See Science.]

Defn: Having knowledge of coming events; foreseeing; conscious beforehand. Pope. Henry . . . had shown himself sensible, and almost prescient, of this event. Bacon.

PRESCIENTLY Pre"sci*ent*ly, adv.

Defn: With presciense or foresight.

PRESCIND Pre*scind", v. t. Etym: [L. praescindere to cut off in front; prae before + scindere to cut asunder: cf. F. prescinder.]

1. To cut off; to abstract. [Obs.] Norris.

2. (Metaph.)

Defn: To consider by a separate act of attention or analysis. Sir W. Hamilton.

PRESCINDENT Pre*scind"ent, a. Etym: [L. praescius; prae before + scius knowing, fr. scire to know.]

Defn: Cutting off; abstracting. [R.] Cheyne.