Chapter CCCXLV: Preface: Pref"ace, v. i (2)

PRESCIOUS Pre"scious (pre"shus), a. [L. praescius; prae before + scius knowing, fr. scire to know.]

Defn: Foreknowing; having foreknowledge; as, prescious of ills. [R.] Dryden.

PRESCRIBE Pre*scribe", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prescribed; p. pr & vb. n. Prescribing.] Etym: [L. praescribere, praescriptum; prae before + scriebe to write. See Scribe.]

1. To lay down authoritatively as a guide, direction, or rule of action; to impose as a peremptory order; to dictate; to appoint; to direct. Prescribe not us our duties. Shak. Let streams prescribe their fountains where to run. Dryden.

2. (Med.)

Defn: To direct, as a remedy to be used by a patient; as, the doctor prescribed quinine.

Syn. -- To appoint; order; command; dictate; ordain; institute; establish.

PRESCRIBE Pre*scribe", v. i.

1. To give directions; to dictate. A forwardness to prescribe to their opinions. Locke.

2. To influence by long use [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

3. (Med.)

Defn: To write or to give medical directions; to indicate remedies; as, to prescribe for a patient in a fever.

4. (Law)

Defn: To claim by prescription; to claim a title to a thing on the ground of immemorial use and enjoyment, that is, by a custom having the force of law.

PRESCRIBER Pre*scrib"er, n.

Defn: One who prescribes.

PRESCRIPT Pre"script, a. Etym: [L. praescriptus, p. p. of praescribere: cf. F. prescrit. See Prescribe.]

Defn: Directed; prescribed. " A prescript from of words." Jer. Taylor.

PRESCRIPT Pre"script, n. Etym: [L. praescriptum: cf. OF. prescript.]

1. Direction; precept; model prescribed. Milton.

2. A medical prescription. [Obs.] Bp. Fell.

PRESCRIPTIBILITY Pre*scrip`ti*bil"i*ty, n

Defn: , The quality or state of being prescriptible. Story.

PRESCRIPTIBLE Pre*scrip"ti*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. prescriptible. ]

Defn: Depending on, or derived from, prescription; proper to be prescribed. Grafton.

PRESCRIPTION Pre*scrip"tion, n. Etym: [F. prescription, L. praescriptio,an inscription, preface, precept, demurrer, prescription (in sense 3), fr. praescribere. See Prescribe.]

1. The act of prescribing, directing, or dictating; direction; precept; also, that which is prescribed.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A direction of a remedy or of remedies for a disease, and the manner of using them; a medical recipe; also, a prescribed remedy.

3. (Law)

Defn: A prescribing for title; the claim of title to a thing by virtue immemorial use and enjoyment; the right or title acquired by possession had during the time and in the manner fixed by law. Bacon. That profound reverence for law and prescription which has long been characteristic of Englishmen. Macaulay.

Note: Prescription differs from custom, which is a local usage, while prescription is personal, annexed to the person only. Prescription only extends to incorporeal rights, such as aright of way, or of common. What the law gives of common rights is not the subject of prescription. Blackstone. Cruise. Kent. In Scotch law, prescription is employed in the sense in which limitation is used in England and America, namely, to express that operation of the lapse of time by which obligations are extinguished or title protected. Sir T. Craig. Erskine.

PRESCRIPTIVE Pre*scrip"tive, a. Etym: [L. praescriptivus of a demurrer or legal exception.] (Law)

Defn: Consisting in, or acquired by, immemorial or long-continued use and enjoyment; as, a prescriptive right of title; pleading the continuance and authority of long custom. The right to be drowsy in protracted toil has become prescriptive. J. M. Mason.

PRESCRIPTIVELY Pre*scrip"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: By prescription.

PRESCUTUM Pre*scu"tum, n.; pl. Prescuta (. Etym: [NL. See Præ-, and Scutum.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The first of the four pieces composing the dorsal part, or tergum, of a thoracic segment of an insect. It is usually small and inconspicuous.

PRESEANCE Pre"se*ance, n. Etym: [F. préséance. See Preside.]

Defn: Priority of place in sitting.[Obs.] Carew.

PRESELECT Pre`se*lect", v. t.

Defn: To select beforehand.

PRESENCE Pres"ence, n. Etym: [F. présence, L. praesentia. See Present.]

1. The state of being present, or of being within sight or call, or at hand; -- opposed to absence.

2. The place in which one is present; the part of space within one's ken, call, influence, etc.; neighborhood without the intervention of anything that forbids intercourse. Wrath shell be no more Thenceforth, but in thy presence joy entire. Milton.

3. Specifically, neighborhood to the person of one of superior of exalted rank; also, presence chamber. In such a presence here to plead my thoughts. Shak. An't please your grace, the two great cardinals. Wait in the presence. Shak.

4. The whole of the personal qualities of an individual; person; personality; especially, the person of a superior, as a sovereign. The Sovran Presence thus replied. Milton.

5. An assembly, especially of person of rank or nobility; noble company. Odmar, of all this presence does contain, Give her your wreath whom you esteem most fair. Dryden.

6. Port, mien; air; personal appearence. "Rather dignity of presence than beauty of aspect." Bacon. A graceful presence bespeaks acceptance. Collier. Presence chamber, or Presence room, the room in which a great personage receives company. Addison." Chambers of presence." Bacon. -- Presence of mind, that state of the mind in which all its faculties are alert, prompt, and acting harmoniously in obedience to the will, enabling one to reach, as it were spontaneously or by intuition, just conclusions in sudden emergencies.

PRESENSATION Pre`sen*sa"tion, n.

Defn: Previous sensation, notion, or idea. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

PRESENSION Pre*sen"sion, n. Etym: [L. praesensio, fr. praesentire to perceive beforehand. See Presentient.]

Defn: Previous perception. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PRESENT Pres"ent, a. Etym: [F. présent, L. praesens,-entis, that is before one, in sight or at hand, p. p. of praeesse to be before; prae before + esse to be. See Essence.]

1. Being at hand, within reach or call, within certain contemplated limits; -- opposed to absent. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. John xiv. 25.

2. Now existing, or in process; begun but not ended; now in view, or under consideration; being at this time; not past or future; as, the present session of Congress; the present state of affairs; the present instance. I'll bring thee to the present business Shak.

3. Not delayed; immediate; instant; coincident. "A present recompense." "A present pardon." Shak. An ambassador . . . desires a present audience. Massinger.

4. Ready; quick in emergency; as a present wit. [R.]

5. Favorably attentive; propitious. [Archaic] To find a god so present to my prayer. Dryden. Present tense (Gram.), the tense or form of a verb which expresses action or being in the present time; as, I am writing, I write, or I do write.

PRESENT Pres"ent, n. Etym: [Cf. F. présent. See Present, a.]

1. Present time; the time being; time in progress now, or at the moment contemplated; as, at this present. Past and present, wound in one. Tennyson.

2. pl. (Law)

Defn: Present letters or instrument, as a deed of conveyance, a lease, letter of attorney, or other writing; as in the phrase, " Know all men by these presents," that is, by the writing itself, " per has literas praesentes; " -- in this sense, rarely used in the singular.

3. (Gram.)

Defn: A present tense, or the form of the verb denoting the present tense. At present, at the present time; now. -- For the present, for the tine being; temporarily. -- In present, at once, without delay. [Obs.] "With them, in present, half his kingdom; the rest to follow at his death." Milton.

PRESENT Pre*sent", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Presented; p. pr. & vb. n. Presenting.] Etym: [F. présenter, L. praesentare, fr. praesens, a. See Present, a.]

1. To bring or introduce into the presence of some one, especially of a superior; to introduce formally; to offer for acquaintance; as, to present an envoy to the king; (with the reciprocal pronoun) to come into the presence of a superior. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the lord. Job i. 6

2. To exhibit or offer to view or notice; to lay before one's perception or cognizance; to set forth; to present a fine appearance. Lectorides's memory is ever . . . presenting him with the thoughts of other persons. I. Watts.

3. To pass over, esp. in a ceremonious manner; to give in charge or possession; to deliver; to make over. So ladies in romance assist their knight, Present the spear, and arm him for the fight. Pope.

4. To make a gift of; to bestow; to give, generally in a formal or ceremonious manner; to grant; to confer. My last, least offering, I present thee now. Cowper.

5. Hence: To endow; to bestow a gift upon; to favor, as with a donation; also, to court by gifts. Octavia presented the poet for him admirable elegy on her son Marcellus. Dryden.

6. To present; to personate. [Obs.] Shak.

7. In specific uses; (a) To nominate to an ecclesiastical benefice; to offer to the bishop or ordinary as a candidate for institution. The patron of a church may present his clerk to a parsonage or vicarage; that is, may offer him to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted. Blackstone.

(b) To nominate for support at a public school or other institution . Lamb. (c) To lay before a public body, or an official, for consideration, as before a legislature, a court of judicature, a corporation, etc.; as, to present a memorial, petition, remonstrance, or indictment. (d) To lay before a court as an object of inquiry; to give notice officially of, as a crime of offence; to find or represent judicially; as, a grand jury present certain offenses or nuisances, or whatever they think to be public injuries. (e) To bring an indictment against . [U.S] (f) To aim, point, or direct, as a weapon; as, to present a pistol or the point of a sword to the breast of another. Pesent arms (Mil.), the command in response to which the gun is carried perpendicularly in front of the center of the body, and held there with the left hand grasping it at the lower band, and the right hand grasping the small of the stock, in token of respect, as in saluting a superior officer; also, the position taken at such a command.

PRESENT Pre*sent", v. i. (Med.)

Defn: To appear at the mouth of the uterus so as to be perceptible to the finger in vaginal examination; -- said of a part of an infant during labor.

PRESENT Pres"ent, n. Etym: [F. présent .]

Defn: Anything presented or given; a gift; a donative; as, a Christmas present.

Syn. -- Gift; donation; donative; benefaction. See Gift.

PRESENT Pre*sent", n. (Mil.)

Defn: The position of a soldier in presenting arms; as, to stand at present.

PRESENTABLE Pre*sent"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. présentable.]

1. Capable or admitting of being presented; suitable to be exhibited, represented, or offered; fit to be brought forward or set forth; hence, fitted to be introduced to another, or to go into society; as, ideas that are presentable in simple language; she is not presentable in such a gown.

2. Admitting of the presentation of a clergiman; as, a church presentable. [R.] Ayliffe.

PRESENTANEOUS Pres`en*ta"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. praesentaneus. See Present, a.]

Defn: Ready; quick; immediate in effect; as, presentaneous poison. [Obs.] Harvey.

PRESENTATION Pres`en*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. praesentatio a showing, representation: cf. F. présentation.]

1. The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; a setting forth; an offering; bestowal. Prayers are sometimes a presentation of mere desires. Hooker.

2. Hence,

Defn: exhibition; representation; display; appearance; semblance; show. Under the presentation of the shoots his wit. Shak.

3. That which is presented or given; a present; a gift, as, the picture was a presentation. [R.]

4. (Eccl.)

Defn: The act of offering a clergyman to the bishop or ordinary for institution in a benefice; the right of presenting a clergyman. If the bishop admits the patron's presentation, the clerk so admitted is next to be instituted by him. Blackstone.

5. (Med.)

Defn: The particular position of the child during labor relatively to the passage though which it is to be brought forth; -- specifically designated by the part which first appears at the mouth of the uterus; as, a breech presentation. Presentation copy, a copy of a book, engraving, etc., presented to some one by the author or artist, as a token of regard.

PRESENTATIVE Pre*sent"a*tive, a.

1. (Eccl.)

Defn: Having the right of presentation, or offering a clergyman to the bishop for institution; as, advowsons are presentative, collative, or donative. Blackstone.

2. Admitting the presentation of a clergyman; as, a presentative parsonage. Spelman.

3. (Metaph.)

Defn: Capable of being directly known by, or presented to, the mind; intuitive; directly apprehensible, as objects; capable of apprehending, as faculties. The latter term, presentative faculty, I use . . . in contrast and correlation to a "representative faculty." Sir W. Hamilton.

PRESENTEE Pres`en*tee", n. Etym: [F. présenté, p. p. See Present, v. t. ]

Defn: One to whom something is presented; also, one who is presented; specifically (Eccl.), one presented to benefice. Ayliffe.

PRESENTER Pre*sent"er, n.

Defn: One who presents.

PRESENTIAL Pre*sen"tial, a. Etym: [LL. praesentialis.]

Defn: Implying actual presence; present, immediate. [Obs.] God's mercy is made presential to us. Jer. Taylor. -- Pre*sen"tial*ly, adv. [Obs.]

PRESENTIALITY Pre*sen`ti*al"i*ty, n.

Defn: State of being actually present. [Obs.] South.

PRESENTIATE Pre*sen"ti*ate, v. t.

Defn: To make present. [Obs.]

PRESENTIENT Pre*sen"tient, a. Etym: [L. praesentiens, p. pr. of praesentire to perceive beforehand; prae before + sentire to feel.]

Defn: Feeling or perceiving beforehand.

PRESENTIFIC Pres`en*tif"ic, a. Etym: [L. praesens, -entis, present + facere to make.]

Defn: Making present. [Obs.] -- Pres`en*tif"ic*ly, adv. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

PRESENTIFICAL Pres`en*tif"ic*al, a.

Defn: Presentific. [Obs.]

PRESENTIMENT Pre*sen"ti*ment, n. Etym: [Pref. pre- + sentiment: cf. F. pressentiment. See Presentient.]

Defn: Previous sentiment, conception, or opinion; previous apprehension; especially, an antecedent impression or conviction of something unpleasant, distressing, or calamitous, about to happen; anticipation of evil; foreboding.

PRESENTIMENTAL Pre*sen`ti*men"tal, a.

Defn: Of nature of a presentiment; foreboding. [R.] Coleridge.

PRESENTION Pre*sen"tion, n.

Defn: See Presension. [Obs.]

PRESENTIVE Pre*sent"ive, a. (Philol.)

Defn: Bringing a conception or notion directly before the mind; presenting an object to the memory of imagination; -- distinguished from symbolic. How greatly the word "will" is felt to have lost presentive power in the last three centuries. Earle. -- Pre*sent"ive*ly, adv. -- Pre*sent"ive*ness, n.

PRESENTLY Pres"ent*ly, adv.

1. At present; at this time; now. [Obs.] The towns and forts you presently have. Sir P. Sidney.

2. At once; without delay; forthwith; also, less definitely, soon; shortly; before long; after a little while; by and by. Shak. And presently the fig tree withered away. Matt. xxi. 19.

3. With actual presence; actually . [Obs.] His precious body and blood presently three. Bp. Gardiner.

PRESENTMENT Pre*sent"ment, n.

1. The act of presenting, or the state of being presented; presentation. " Upon the heels of my presentment." Shak.

2. Setting forth to view; delineation; appearance; representation; exhibition. Power to cheat the eye with blear illusion, And give it false presentment. Milton.

3. (Law) (a) The notice taken by a grand jury of any offence from their own knowledge or observation, without any bill of indictment laid before them, as, the presentment of a nuisance, a libel, or the like; also, an inquisition of office and indictment by a grand jury; an official accusation presented to a tribunal by the grand jury in an indictment, or the act of offering an indictment; also, the indictment itself. (b) The official notice (formerly required to be given in court) of the surrender of a copyhold estate. Blackstone. Presentment of a bill of exchange, the offering of a bill to the drawee for acceptance, or to the acceptor for payment. See Bill of exchange, under Bill.

Mozley & W.

PRESENTNESS Pres"ent*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being present; presence. [Obs.] "Presentness of mind in danger." Clarendon.

PRESENTOIR Pres`en*toir", n. Etym: [Formed after analogy of French.]

Defn: An ornamental tray, dish, or the like, used as a salver.

PRESENT VALUE; PRESENT WORTH Pres"ent value or worth (of money payable at a future date).

Defn: The principal which, drawing interest at a given rate, will amount to the given sum at the date on which this is to be paid; thus, interest being at 6%, the present value of $106 due one year hence is $100.

PRESERVABLE Pre*serv"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being preserved; admitting of preservation.

PRESERVATION Pres`er*va"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. préservation.]

Defn: The act or process of preserving, or keeping safe; the state of being preserved, or kept from injury, destruction, or decay; security; safety; as, preservation of life, fruit, game, etc.; a picture in good preservation. Give us particulars of thy preservation. Shak.

PRESERVATIVE Pre*serv"a*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. préservatif.]

Defn: Having the power or quality of preserving; tending to preserve, or to keep from injury, decay, etc.

PRESERVATIVE Pre*serv"a*tive, n.

Defn: That which preserves, or has the power of preserving; a presevative agent. To wear tablets as preservatives against the plague. Bacon.

PRESERVATORY Pre*serv"a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Preservative. Bp. Hall.

PRESERVATORY Pre*serv"a*to*ry, n.; pl. Preservatories (.

1. A preservative. [Obs.] Whitlock.

2. A room, or apparatus, in which perishable things, as fruit, vegetables, etc., can be preserved without decay.

PRESERVE Pre*serve", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preserved; p. pr. & vb. n. Preserving.] Etym: [F. préserver, from L. prae before + servare to save, preserve; cf. L. praeservare to observe beforehand. See Serve.]

1. To keep or save from injury or destruction; to guard or defend from evil, harm, danger, etc.; to protect. O Lord, thou preserved man and beast. Ps. xxxvi. 6. Now, good angels preserve the king. Shak.

2. To save from decay by the use of some preservative substance, as sugar, salt, etc.; to season and prepare for remaining in a good state, as fruits, meat, etc.; as, to preserve peaches or grapes. You can not preserve it from tainting. Shak.

3. To maintain throughout; to keep intact; as, to preserve appearances; to preserve silence. To preserve game, to protect it from extermination.

Syn. -- To keep; save; secure; uphold; sustain; defend; spare; protect; guard; shield. See Keep.

PRESERVE Pre*serve", v. i.

1. To make preserves. Shak.

2. To protect game for purposes of sport.

PRESERVE Pre*serve", n.

1. That which is preserved; fruit, etc., seasoned and kept by suitable preparation; esp., fruit cooked with sugar; -- commonly in the plural.

2. A place in which game, fish, etc., are preserved for purposes of sport, or for food.

PRESERVER Pre*serv"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, preserves, saves, or defends, from destruction, injury, or decay; esp., one who saves the life or character of another. Shak.

2. One who makes preserves of fruit. Game preserver. See under Game.

PRESHOW Pre*show", v. t.

Defn: To foreshow.

PRESIDE Pre*side", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Presided; p. pr. & vb. n. Presiding.] Etym: [L. praesidere; prae before + sedere to sit: cf. F. présider. See Sit.]

1. To be set, or to sit, in the place of authority; to occupy the place of president, chairman, moderator, director, etc.; to direct, control, and regulate, as chief officer; as, to preside at a public meeting; to preside over the senate.

2. To exercise superintendence; to watch over. Some o'er the public magazines preside. Dryden.

PRESIDENCE Pres"i*dence, n.

Defn: See Presidency. [Obs.]

PRESIDENCY Pres"i*den*cy, n.; pl. Presidencies. Etym: [Cf. F. présidence.]

1. The function or condition of one who presides; superintendence; control and care.

2. The office of president; as, Washington was elected to the presidency.

3. The term during which a president holds his office; as, during the presidency of Madison.

4. One of the three great divisions of British India, the Bengal, Madras, and Bombay Presidencies, each of which had a council of which its governor was president.

PRESIDENT Pres"i*dent, n.

Defn: Precedent. [Obs.] Bacon.

PRESIDENT Pres"i*dent, a.

Defn: Occupying the first rank or chief place; having the highest authority; presiding. [R.] His angels president In every province. Milton.

PRESIDENT Pres"i*dent, n. Etym: [F. président, L. praesidens, -entis, p. pr. of praesidere. See Preside.]

1. One who is elected or appointed to preside; a presiding officer, as of a legislative body. Specifically: (a) The chief officer of a corporation, company, institution, society, or the like. (b) The chief executive officer of the government in certain republics; as, the president of the United States.

2. A protector; a guardian; a presiding genius. [Obs.] Just Apollo, president of verse. Waller.

PRESIDENTIAL Pres`i*den"tial, a.

1. Presiding or watching over. "Presidential angels." Glanvill.

2. Of or pertaining to a president; as, the presidential chair; a presidential election.

PRESIDENTSHIP Pres"i*dent*ship, n.

Defn: The office and dignity of president; presidency. Hooker.

PRESIDER Pre*sid"er, n.

Defn: One who presides.

PRESIDIAL; PRESIDIARY Pre*sid"i*al, Pre*sid"i*a*ry, a. Etym: [L. praesidialis and praesidiarius, fr. praesidium a presiding over, defense, guard. See Preside.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a garrison; having a garrison. There are three presidial castles in this city. Howell.

PRESIDIARY Pre*sid"i*a*ry, n. Etym: [L. praesidiarium.]

Defn: A guard. [Obs.] "Heavenly presidiaries." Bp. Hall.

PRESIDING Pre*sid"ing,

Defn: a. & n. from Preside. Presiding elder. See under 2d Elder.

PRESIDIO Pre*si"di*o, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A place of defense; a fortress; a garrison; a fortress; a garrison or guardhouse.

PRESIGNIFICATION Pre*sig`ni*fi*ca"tion, n. [praesignificatio. See Presignify.]

Defn: The act of signifying or showing beforehand.

PRESIGNIFY Pre*sig"ni*fy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Presignified; imp. & p. p. Presignifying.] Etym: [L. praesignificare; prae before + significare to signify.]

Defn: To intimate or signify beforehand; to presage.

PRESPHENOID Pre*sphe"noid, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the sphenoid bone; of or pertaining to the anterior part of the sphenoid bone (i. e., the presphenoid bone). Presphenoid bone (Anat.), the anterior part of the body of the sphenoid bone in front of the basisphenoid. It is usually a separate bone in the young or fetus, but becomes a part of the sphenoid in the adult.

PRESPHENOID Pre*sphe"noid, n. (Anat.)

Defn: The presphenoid bone.

PRESPHENOIDAL Pre`sphe*noid"al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the presphenoid bone; presphenoid.

PRESPINAL Pre*spi"nal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Prevertebral.

PRESS Press, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An East Indian insectivore (Tupaia ferruginea). It is arboreal in its habits, and has a bushy tail. The fur is soft, and varies from rusty red to maroon and to brownish black.

PRESS Press, v. t. Etym: [Corrupt. fr. prest ready money advanced, a loan; hence, earnest money given soldiers on entering service. See Prest, n.]

Defn: To force into service, particularly into naval service; to impress. To peaceful peasant to the wars is pressed. Dryden.

PRESS Press, n. Etym: [For prest, confused with press.]

Defn: A commission to force men into public service, particularly into the navy. I have misused the king's press. Shak. Press gang, or Pressgang, a detachment of seamen under the command of an officer empowered to force men into the naval service. See Impress gang, under Impress. -- Press money, money paid to a man enlisted into public service. See Prest money, under Prest, a.

PRESS Press, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pressing.] Etym: [F. presser, fr. L. pressare to press, fr. premere, pressum, to press. Cf. Print, v.]

1. To urge, or act upon, with force, as weight; to act upon by pushing or thrusting, in distinction from pulling; to crowd or compel by a gradual and continued exertion; to bear upon; to squeeze; to compress; as, we press the ground with the feet when we walk; we press the couch on which we repose; we press substances with the hands, fingers, or arms; we are pressed in a crowd. Good measure, pressed down, and shaken together. Luke vi. 38.

2. To squeeze, in order to extract the juice or contents of; to squeeze out, or express, from something. From sweet kernels pressed, She tempers dulcet creams. Milton. And I took the grapes, and pressed them into Pharaoh's cup, and I gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. Gen. xl. 11.

3. To squeeze in or with suitable instruments or apparatus, in order to compact, make dense, or smooth; as, to press cotton bales, paper, etc.; to smooth by ironing; as, to press clothes.

4. To embrace closely; to hug. Leucothoe shook at these alarms, And pressed Palemon closer in her arms. Pope.

5. To oppress; to bear hard upon. Press not a falling man too far. Shak.

6. To straiten; to distress; as, to be pressed with want or hunger.

7. To exercise very powerful or irresistible influence upon or over; to constrain; to force; to compel. Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ. Acts xviii. 5.

8. To try to force (something upon some one); to urge or inculcate with earnestness or importunity; to enforce; as, to press divine truth on an audience. He pressed a letter upon me within this hour. Dryden. Be sure to press upon him every motive. Addison.

9. To drive with violence; to hurry; to urge on; to ply hard; as, to press a horse in a race. The posts . . . went cut, being hastened and pressed on, by the king's commandment. Esther viii. 14.

Note: Press differs from drive and strike in usually denoting a slow or continued application of force; whereas drive and strike denote a sudden impulse of force. Pressed brick. See under Brick.

PRESS Press, v. i.

1. To exert pressure; to bear heavily; to push, crowd, or urge with steady force.

2. To move on with urging and crowding; to make one's way with violence or effort; to bear onward forcibly; to crowd; to throng; to encroach. They pressed upon him for to touch him. Mark iii. 10.

3. To urge with vehemence or importunity; to exert a strong or compelling influence; as, an argument presses upon the judgment.

PRESS Press, n. Etym: [F. presse. See 4th Press.]

1. An apparatus or machine by which any substance or body is pressed, squeezed, stamped, or shaped, or by which an impression of a body is taken; sometimes, the place or building containing a press or presses.

Note: Presses are differently constructed for various purposes in the arts, their specific uses being commonly designated; as, a cotton press, a wine press, a cider press, a copying press, etc. See Drill press.

2. Specifically, a printing press.

3. The art or business of printing and publishing; hence, printed publications, taken collectively, more especially newspapers or the persons employed in writing for them; as, a free press is a blessing, a licentious press is a curse.

4. An upright case or closet for the safe keeping of articles; as, a clothes press. Shak.

5. The act of pressing or thronging forward. In their throng and press to that last hold. Shak.

6. Urgent demands of business or affairs; urgency; as, a press of engagements.

7. A multitude of individuals crowded together; They could not come nigh unto him for the press. Mark ii. 4. Cylinder press, a printing press in which the impression is produced by a revolving cylinder under which the form passes; also, one in which the form of type or plates is curved around a cylinder, instead of resting on a flat bed. Hydrostatic press. See under Hydrostatic. -- Liberty of the press, the free right of publishing books, pamphlets, or papers, without previous restraint or censorship, subject only to punishment for libelous, seditious, or morally pernicious matters. -- Press bed, a bed that may be folded, and inclosed, in a press or closet. Boswell. -- Press of sail, (Naut.), as much sail as the state of the wind will permit.

PRESSBOARD Press"board`, n.

Defn: A kind of highly sized rag paper or board, sometimes containing a small admixture of wood pulp; -- so called because used originally, as now, in presses for pressing and finishing knit underwear.

PRESS CAKE Press cake.

Defn: A cake of compressed substance, as: in gunpowder manufacture, the cake resulting from compressing the meal powder; in the treatment of coal tar, the pressed product at various stages of the process; or, in beet-sugar manufacture, the vegetable residue after the sugar juice has been expressed.

PRESSER Press"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, presses. Presser bar, or Presser wheel (Knitting machine), a bar or wheel which closes the barbs of the needles to enable the loops of the yarn to pass over them. -- Presser foot, the part of a sewing machine which rests on the cloth and presses it down upon the table of the machine.

PRESSGANG Press"gang`, n.

Defn: See Press gang, under Press.

PRESSING Press"ing, a.

Defn: Urgent; exacting; importunate; as, a pressing necessity. -- Press"ing*ly, adv.

PRESSION Pres"sion, n. Etym: [L. pressio: cf. F. pression. See 4th Press.]

1. The act of pressing; pressure. Sir I. Newton.

2. (Cartesian Philos.)

Defn: An endeavor to move.

PRESSIROSTER Pres`si*ros"ter, n. Etym: [L. presssus pressed (p. p. of premere) + rostrum beak: cf. F. pressirostre. See 4th Press.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a tribe of wading birds (Pressirostres) including those which have a compressed beak, as the plovers.

PRESSIROSTRAL Pres`si*ros"tral, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pressirosters.

PRESSITANT Pres"si*tant, a. Etym: [See 4th Press.]

Defn: Gravitating; heavy. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

PRESSIVE Pres"sive, a.

Defn: Pressing; urgent; also, oppressive; as, pressive taxation. [R.] Bp. Hall.

PRESSLY Press"ly, adv.

Defn: Closely; concisely. [Obs.]

PRESSMAN Press"man, n.; pl. Pressmen (.

1. One who manages, or attends to, a press, esp. a printing press.

2. One who presses clothes; as, a tailor's pressman.

PRESSMAN Press"man, n. Etym: [See 2d Press.]

Defn: One of a press gang, who aids in forcing men into the naval service; also, one forced into the service.

PRESSOR Press"or, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: Causing, or giving rise to, pressure or to an increase of pressure; as, pressor nerve fibers, stimulation of which excites the vasomotor center, thus causing a stronger contraction of the arteries and consequently an increase of the arterial blood pressure; -- opposed to depressor. Landois & Stirling.

PRESSPACK Press"pack`, v. t.

Defn: To pack, or prepare for packing, by means of a press.

PRESS PROOF Press proof. (Print.) (a) The last proof for correction before sending to press. (b) A proof taken on a press, esp. to show impression, margins, color, etc.

PRESS REVISE Press revise. (Print.)

Defn: A proof for final revision.

PRESSURAGE Pres"sur*age, n. Etym: [F.]

1. Pressure.

2. The juice of the grape extracted by the press; also, a fee paid for the use of a wine press.

PRESSURE Pres"sure (; 138), n. Etym: [OF., fr. L. pressura, fr. premere. See 4th Press.]

1. The act of pressing, or the condition of being pressed; compression; a squeezing; a crushing; as, a pressure of the hand.

2. A contrasting force or impulse of any kind; as, the pressure of poverty; the pressure of taxes; the pressure of motives on the mind; the pressure of civilization. Where the pressure of danger was not felt. Macaulay.

3. Affliction; distress; grievance. My people's pressures are grievous. Eikon Basilike. In the midst of his great troubles and pressures. Atterbury.

4. Urgency; as, the pressure of business.

5. Impression; stamp; character impressed. All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past. Shak.

6. (Mech.)

Defn: The action of a force against some obstacle or opposing force; a force in the nature of a thrust, distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference to the upon a unit's area. Atmospheric pressure, Center of pressure, etc. See under Atmospheric, Center, etc. -- Back pressure (Steam engine), pressure which resists the motion of the piston, as the pressure of exhaust steam which does not find free outlet. -- Fluid pressure, pressure like that exerted by a fluid. It is a thrust which is normal and equally intense in all directions around a point. Rankine. -- Pressure gauge, a gauge for indicating fluid pressure; a manometer.

PRESSURE WIRES Pressure wires. (Elec.)

Defn: Wires leading from various points of an electric system to a central station, where a voltmeter indicates the potential of the system at those points.

PRESSWORK Press"work`, n.

Defn: The art of printing from the surface of type, plates, or engravings in relief, by means of a press; the work so done. MacKellar.

PRESS WORK 5. Usually Press work. The work of a press agent. [Chiefly Theat. Cant]

PREST Prest,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Press.

PREST Prest, a. Etym: [OF. prest, F. prêt, fr. L. praestus ready. Cf. Presto.]

1. Ready; prompt; prepared. [Obs.] All prest to such battle he was. R. of Gloucester.

2. Neat; tidy; proper. [Obs.] Tusser. Prest money, money formerly paid to men when they enlisted into the British service; -- so called because it bound those that received it to be ready for service when called upon.

PREST Prest, n. Etym: [OF. prest, F. prêt, fr. OF. prester to lend, F. prêter, fr. L. praestare to stand before, to become surety for, to fulfill, offer, supply; prae before + stare to stand. See Pre-, and Stand, and cf. Press to force into service.]

1. Ready money; a loan of money. [Obs.] Requiring of the city a prest of six thousand marks. Bacon.

2. (Law)

Defn: A duty in money formerly paid by the sheriff on his account in the exchequer, or for money left or remaining in his hands. Cowell.

PREST Prest, v. t.

Defn: To give as a loan; to lend. [Obs.] Sums of money . . . prested out in loan. E. Hall.

PRESTABLE Prest"a*ble, a.

Defn: Payable. [Scot.]

PRESTATION Pres*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. praestatio a performing, paying, fr. praestare: cf. F. prestation.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A payment of money; a toll or duty; also, the rendering of a service. Burrill.

Prestation money, a sum of money paid yearly by archdeacons and other dignitaries to their bishop.

PRESTER Pres"ter, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr.

1. A meteor or exhalation formerly supposed to be thrown from the clouds with such violence that by collision it is set on fire. [Obs.]

2. pl.

Defn: One of the veins of the neck when swollen with anger or other excitement. [Obs.]

PRESTER Pres"ter, n. Etym: [OF. prestre. See Priest.]

Defn: A priest or presbyter; as, Prester John. [Obs.]

PRESTERNUM Pre*ster"num, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: The anterior segment of the sternum; the manubrium. -- Pre*ster"nal, a.

PRESTIDIGITAL Pres`ti*dig"i*tal, a.

Defn: Nimble-fingered; having fingers fit for prestidigitation, or juggling. [R.] "His prestidigital hand." Charles Reade.

PRESTIDIGITATION Pres`ti*dig`i*ta"tion, n.

Defn: Legerdemain; sleight of hand; juggling.

PRESTIDIGITATOR Pres`ti*dig"i*ta`tor, n. Etym: [L. praesto ready + digitus finger: cf. F. prestidigitateur.]

Defn: One skilled in legerdemain or sleight of hand; a juggler.

PRESTIGE Pres"tige, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. praestigum delusion, illusion, praestigae deceptions, jugglers' tricks, prob. fr. prae before + the root of stinguere to extinguish, originally, to prick. See Stick, v.]

1. Delusion; illusion; trick. [Obs.] The sophisms of infidelity, and the prestiges of imposture. Bp. Warburton.

2. Weight or influence derived from past success; expectation of future achievements founded on those already accomplished; force or charm derived from acknowledged character or reputation. "The prestige of his name must go for something." Sir G. C. Lewis.

PRESTIGIATION Pres*tig`i*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. praestigiare to deceive by juggling tricks, fr. praestigae. See Prestige.]

Defn: Legerdemain; prestidigitation. [Obs.]

PRESTIGIATOR Pres*tig"i*a`tor, n. Etym: [L. praestigiator.]

Defn: A juggler; prestidigitator. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

PRESTIGIATORY Pres*tig"i*a*to*ry, a.

Defn: Consisting of impostures; juggling. [Obs.] Barrow.

PRESTIGIOUS Pres*tig"i*ous, a. Etym: [L. praestigiosus.]

Defn: Practicing tricks; juggling. [Obs.] Cotton Mather.

PRESTIMONY Pres"ti*mo*ny, n. Etym: [LL. praestimonium, fr. L. praestare to furnish, supply: cf. F. prestimonie. See Prest, n.] (Canon Law)

Defn: A fund for the support of a priest, without the title of a benefice. The patron in the collator.

PRESTISSIMO Pres*tis"si*mo, adv. Etym: [It., superl. of presto.] (Mus.)

Defn: Very quickly; with great rapidity.

PRESTO Pres"to, adv. Etym: [It. or Sp. presto quick, quickly. See Prest, a.]

1. Quickly; immediately; in haste; suddenly. Presto! begone! 'tis here again. Swift.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: Quickly; rapidly; -- a direction for a quick, lively movement or performance; quicker than allegro, or any rate of time except prestissimo.

PRESTRICTION Pre*stric"tion, n. Etym: [L. praestrictio a binding fast, fr. praestringere. See Pre-, and Stringent.]

Defn: Obstruction, dimness, or defect of sight. [Obs.] Milton.

PRESULTOR Pre*sul"tor, n. Etym: [L. praesultor; prae before + salire to dance.]

Defn: A leader in the dance. [R.]

PRESUMABLE Pre*sum"a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. présumable.]

Defn: Such as may be presumed or supposed to be true; that seems entitled to belief without direct evidence.

PRESUMABLY Pre*sum"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a presumable manner; by, or according to, presumption.

PRESUME Pre*sume", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Presumed; p. pr. & vb. n. Presuming.] Etym: [F. présumer, L. praesumere, praesumptum; prae before + sumere to take. See Assume, Redeem.]

1. To assume or take beforehand; esp., to do or undertake without leave or authority previously obtained. Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner Shak. Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve. Milton.

2. To take or suppose to be true, or entitled to belief, without examination or proof, or on the strength of probability; to take for granted; to infer; to suppose. Every man is to be presumed innocent till he is proved to be guilty. Blackstone. What rests but that the mortal sentence pass, . . . Which he presumes already vain and void, Because not yet inflicted Milton.

PRESUME Pre*sume", v. i.

1. To suppose or assume something to be, or to be true, on grounds deemed valid, though not amounting to proof; to believe by anticipation; to infer; as, we may presume too far.

2. To venture, go, or act, by an assumption of leave or authority not granted; to go beyond what is warranted by the circumstances of the case; to venture beyond license; to take liberties; -- often with on or upon before the ground of confidence. Do not presume too much upon my love. Shak. This man presumes upon his parts. Locke.

PRESUMEDLY Pre*sum"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: By presumption.

PRESUMER Pre*sum"er, n.

Defn: One who presumes; also, an arrogant person. Sir H. Wotton.

PRESUMINGLY Pre*sum"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: Confidently; arrogantly.

PRESUMPTION Pre*sump"tion, n. Etym: [L. praesumptio: cf. F. présomption, OF. also presumpcion. See Presume.]

1. The act of presuming, or believing upon probable evidence; the act of assuming or taking for granted; belief upon incomplete proof.

2. Ground for presuming; evidence probable, but not conclusive; strong probability; reasonable supposition; as, the presumption is that an event has taken place.

3. That which is presumed or assumed; that which is supposed or believed to be real or true, on evidence that is probable but not conclusive. "In contradiction to these very plausible presumptions." De Quincey.

4. The act of venturing beyond due beyond due bounds; an overstepping of the bounds of reverence, respect, or courtesy; forward, overconfident, or arrogant opinion or conduct; presumptuousness; arrogance; effrontery. Thy son I killed for his presumption. Shak. I had the presumption to dedicate to you a very unfinished piece. Dryden. Conclusive presumption. See under Conclusive. -- Presumption of fact (Law), an argument of a fact from a fact; an inference as to the existence of one fact not certainly known, from the existence of some other fact known or proved, founded on a previous experience of their connection; supposition of the truth or real existence of something, without direct or positive proof of the fact, but grounded on circumstantial or probable evidence which entitles it to belief. Burrill. Best. Wharton. -- Presumption of law (Law), a postulate applied in advance to all cases of a particular class; e. g., the presumption of innocence and of regularity of records. Such a presumption is rebuttable or irrebuttable.

PRESUMPTIVE Pre*sump"tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. présomptif.]

1. Based on presumption or probability; grounded on probable evidence; probable; as, presumptive proof.

2. Presumptuous; arrogant. [R.] Sir T. Browne. Presumptive evidence (Law), that which is derived from circumstances which necessarily or usually attend a fact, as distinct from direct evidence or positive proof; indirect or circumstantial evidence. "Presumptive evidence of felony should be cautiously admitted." Blackstone. The distinction, however, between direct and presumptive (or circumstantial) evidence is now generally abandoned; all evidence being now more or less direct and more or less presumptive. -- Presumptive heir. See Heir presumptive, under Heir.

PRESUMPTIVELY Pre*sump"tive*ly, adv.

Defn: By presumption, or supposition grounded or probability; presumably.

PRESUMPTUOUS Pre*sump"tu*ous, a. Etym: [L. praesumptuosus: cf. F. présomptueux, OF. also presumptuous. See Presumption.]

1. Full of presumption; presuming; overconfident or venturesome; audacious; rash; taking liberties unduly; arrogant; insolent; as, a presumptuous commander; presumptuous conduct. A class of presumptuous men, whom age has not made cautious, nor adversity wise. Buckminster.

2. Founded on presumption; as, a presumptuous idea. "False, presumptuous hope." Milton.

3. Done with hold design, rash confidence, or in violation of known duty; willful. "Keep back the servant also from presumptuous sins." Ps. xix. 13.

Syn. -- Overconfident; foolhardy; rash; presuming; forward; arrogant; insolent.

PRESUMPTUOUSLY Pre*sump"tu*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a presumptuous manner; arrogantly.

PRESUMPTUOUSNESS Pre*sump"tu*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being presumptuous.

PRESUPPOSAL Pre`sup*pos"al, n.

Defn: Presupposition. [R.] "Presupposal of knowledge." Hooker.

PRESUPPOSE Pre`sup*pose", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Presupposed; p. pr. & vb. n. Presupposing.] Etym: [Pref. pre- + suppose: cf. F. présupposer.]

Defn: To suppose beforehand; to imply as antecedent; to take for granted; to assume; as, creation presupposes a creator. Each [kind of knowledge] presupposes many necessary things learned in other sciences, and known beforehand. Hooker.

PRESUPPOSITION Pre*sup`po*si"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. pre- + supposition: cf. F. présupposition.]

1. The act of presupposing; an antecedent implication; presumption.

2. That which is presupposed; a previous supposition or surmise.

PRESURMISE Pre`sur*mise", n.

Defn: A surmise previously formed. Shak.

PRESYSTOLIC Pre`sys*tol"ic, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: Preceding the systole or contraction of the heart; as, the presystolic friction sound.

PRETEMPORAL Pre*tem"po*ral, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the temporal bone.

PRETENCE; PRETENCEFUL; PRETENCELESS Pre*tence", n., Pre*tence"ful, a., Pre*tence"*less, a.

Defn: See Pretense, Pretenseful, Pretenseless.

PRETEND Pre*tend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pretended; p. pr. & vb. n. Pretending.] Etym: [OE. pretenden to lay claim to, F. prétendre, L. praetendere, praetentum, to stretch forward, pretend, simulate, assert; prae before + tendere to stretch. See Tend, v. t. ]

1. To lay a claim to; to allege a title to; to claim. Chiefs shall be grudged the part which they pretend. Dryden.

2. To hold before, or put forward, as a cloak or disguise for something else; to exhibit as a veil for something hidden. [R.] Lest that too heavenly form, pretended To hellish falsehood, snare them. Milton.

3. To hold out, or represent, falsely; to put forward, or offer, as true or real (something untrue or unreal); to show hypocritically, or for the purpose of deceiving; to simulate; to feign; as, to pretend friendship. This let him know, Lest, willfully transgressing, he pretend Surprisal. Milton.

4. To intend; to design; to plot; to attempt. [Obs.] Such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state. Shak.

5. To hold before one; to extend. [Obs.] "His target always over her pretended." Spenser.

PRETEND Pre*tend", v. i.

1. To put in, or make, a claim, truly or falsely; to allege a title; to lay claim to, or strive after, something; -- usually with to. "Countries that pretend to freedom." Swift. For to what fine he would anon pretend, That know I well. Chaucer.

2. To hold out the appearance of being, possessing, or performing; to profess; to make believe; to feign; to sham; as, to pretend to be asleep. "[He] pretended to drink the waters." Macaulay.

PRETENDANT Pre*tend"ant, n.

Defn: A pretender; a claimant.

PRETENDED Pre*tend"ed, a.

Defn: Making a false appearance; unreal; false; as, pretended friend. -- Pre*tend"ed*ly, adv.

PRETENDENCE Pre*tend"ence, n.

Defn: The act of pretending; pretense. [Obs.] Daniel.

PRETENDER Pre*tend"er, n.

1. One who lays claim, or asserts a title (to something); a claimant. Specifically,

Defn: The pretender (Eng. Hist.), the son or the grandson of James II., the heir of the royal family of Stuart, who laid claim to the throne of Great Britain, from which the house was excluded by law. It is the shallow, unimproved intellects that are the confident pretenders to certainty. Glanvill.

2. One who pretends, simulates, or feigns.

PRETENDERSHIP Pre*tend"er*ship, n.

Defn: The character, right, or claim of a pretender. Swift.

PRETENDINGLY Pre*tend"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: As by right or title; arrogantly; presumptuously. Collier.

PRETENSE; PRETENCE Pre*tense", Pre*tence, n. Etym: [LL. praetensus, for L. praetentus, p. p. of praetendere. See Pretend, and cf. Tension.]

1. The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension. Spenser. Primogeniture can not have any pretense to a right of solely inheriting property or power. Locke. I went to Lambeth with Sir R. Brown's pretense to the wardenship of Merton College, Oxford. Evelyn.

2. The act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging Cæsar's death.

3. That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint. Let not the Trojans, with a feigned pretense Of proffered peace, delude the Latian prince. Dryden.

4. Intention; design. [Obs.] A very pretense and purpose of unkindness. Shak.

Note: See the Note under Offense.

Syn. -- Mask; appearance; color; show; pretext; excuse. -- Pretense, Pretext. A pretense is something held out as real when it is not so, thus falsifying the truth. A pretext is something woven up in order to cover or conceal one's true motives, feelings, or reasons. Pretext is often, but not always, used in a bad sense.

PRETENSED Pre*tensed", a.

Defn: Pretended; feigned. [Obs.] -- Pre*tens"ed*ly, adv. [Obs.]

PRETENSEFUL Pre*tense"ful, a.

Defn: Abounding in pretenses.

PRETENSELESS Pre*tense"less, a.

Defn: Not having or making pretenses.

PRETENSION Pre*ten"sion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. prétention. See Pretend, Tension.]

1. The act of pretending, or laying claim; the act of asserting right or title. The arrogant pretensions of Glengarry contributed to protract the discussion. Macaulay.

2. A claim made, whether true or false; a right alleged or assumed; a holding out the appearance of possessing a certain character; as, pretensions to scholarship. This was but an invention and pretension given out by the Spaniards. Bacon. Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions. L'Estrange.

PRETENTATIVE Pre*ten"ta*tive, a. Etym: [Pref. pre- + tentative: cf. L. praetentare to try beforehand.]

Defn: Fitted for trial beforehand; experimental. [R.] Sir H. Wotton.

PRETENTIOUS Pre*ten"tious, a. Etym: [Cf. F. prétentieux. See Pretend.]

Defn: Full of pretension; disposed to lay claim to more than is one's; presuming; assuming. -- Pre*ten"tious*ly, adv. -- Pre*ten"tious*ness, n.

PRETER- Pre"ter-. Etym: [L. praeter past, beyond, originally a compar. of prae before. See For, prep.]

Defn: A prefix signifying past, by, beyond, more than; as, preter- mission, a permitting to go by; preternatural, beyond or more than is natural. [Written also præter.]

PRETERHUMAN Pre`ter*hu"man, a. Etym: [Pref. preter- + human.]

Defn: More than human.

PRETERIENT Pre*te"ri*ent, a. Etym: [L. praeteriens, p. pr. See Preterit.]

Defn: Passed through; antecedent; previous; as, preterient states. [R.]

PRETERIMPERFECT Pre`ter*im*per"fect, a. & n. Etym: [Pref. preter- + imperfect.] (Gram.)

Defn: Old name of the tense also called imperfect.

PRETERIST Pret"er*ist, n. Etym: [Pref. preter- + -ist.]

1. One whose chief interest is in the past; one who regards the past with most pleasure or favor.

2. (Theol.)

Defn: One who believes the prophecies of the Apocalypse to have been already fulfilled. Farrar.

PRETERIT Pret"er*it, a. Etym: [L. praeteritus, p. p. of praeterire to go or pass by; praeter beyond, by + ire to go: cf. F. prétérit. See Issue.] [Written also preterite and præterite.]

1. (Gram.)

Defn: Past; -- applied to a tense which expresses an action or state as past.

2. Belonging wholly to the past; passed by. [R.] Things and persons as thoroughly preterite as Romulus or Numa. Lowell.

PRETERIT Pret"er*it, n. (Gram.)

Defn: The preterit; also, a word in the preterit tense.

PRETERITE Pret"er*ite, a. & n.

Defn: Same as Preterit.

PRETERITENESS Pret"er*ite*ness, n.

Defn: Same as Preteritness.

PRETERITION Pre`ter*i"tion, n. Etym: [L. praeteritio: cf. F. prétérition.]

1. The act of passing, or going past; the state of being past. Bp. Hall.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure by which, in pretending to pass over anything, a summary mention of it is made; as, "I will not say, he is valiant, he is learned, he is just." Called also paraleipsis.

3. (Law)

Defn: The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs who is entitled to a portion. Bouvier.

PRETERITIVE Pre*ter"i*tive, a. (Gram.)

Defn: Used only or chiefly in the preterit or past tenses, as certain verbs.

PRETERITNESS Pret"er*it*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being past. Bentley. Lowell.

PRETERLAPSED Pre`ter*lapsed", a. Etym: [L. praeterlapsus, p. p. of praeterlabi to glide by. See Preter-, Lapse.]

Defn: Past; as, preterlapsed ages. [R.] Glanvill.

PRETERLEGAL Pre`ter*le"gal, a. Etym: [Pref. preter- + legal.]

Defn: Exceeding the limits of law. [R.]

PRETERMISSION Pre`ter*mis"sion, n. Etym: [L. praetermissio. See Pretermit.]

1. The act of passing by or omitting; omission. Milton.

2. (Rhet.)

Defn: See Preterition.

PRETERMIT Pre`ter*mit", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pretermitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Pretermitting.] Etym: [L. praetermittere, praetermissum; praeter beyond + mittere to send. See Mission.]

Defn: To pass by; to omit; to disregard. Bacon.

PRETERNATURAL Pre`ter*nat"u*ral, a. Etym: [Pref. preter + natural.]

Defn: Beyond of different from what is natural, or according to the regular course of things, but not clearly supernatural or miraculous; strange; inexplicable; extraordinary; uncommon; irregular; abnormal; as, a preternatural appearance; a preternatural stillness; a preternatural presentation (in childbirth) or labor. This vile and preternatural temper of mind. South.

Syn. -- See Supernatural.

PRETERNATURALISM Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ism, n.

Defn: The state of being preternatural; a preternatural condition.

PRETERNATURALITY Pre`ter*nat`u*ral"i*ty, n.

Defn: Preternaturalness. [R.] Dr. John Smith.

PRETERNATURALLY Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ly, adv.

Defn: In a preternatural manner or degree. Bacon.

PRETERNATURALNESS Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being preternatural.

PRETERPERFECT Pre`ter*per"fect, a. & n. Etym: [Pref. preter- + perfect.] (Gram.)

Defn: Old name of the tense also called preterit.

PRETERPLUPERFECT Pre`ter*plu"per`fect, a. & n. Etym: [Pref. preter- + pluperfect.] (Gram.)

Defn: Old name of the tense also called pluperfect.

PRETERTIARY Pre*ter"ti*a*ry, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Earlier than Tertiary.

PRETERVECTION Pre`ter*vec"tion, n. Etym: [L. praetervectio, fr. praetervehere to carry beyond. See Invection.]

Defn: The act of carrying past or beyond. [R.] Abp. Potter.

PRETEX Pre*tex", v. t. Etym: [L. praetexere. See Pretext.]

Defn: To frame; to devise; to disguise or excuse; hence, to pretend; to declare falsely. [Obs.]

PRETEXT Pre"text, n. Etym: [F. prétexte, L. praetextum, fr. praetextus, p. p. of praetexere to weave before, allege as an excuse; prae before + texere to weave. See Text.]

Defn: Ostensible reason or motive assigned or assumed as a color or cover for the real reason or motive; pretense; disguise. They suck the blood of those they depend on, under a pretext of service and kindness. L'Estrange. With how much or how little pretext of reason. Dr. H. More.

Syn. -- Pretense; excuse; semblance; disguise; appearance. See Pretense.

PRETEXTURE Pre*tex"ture, n.

Defn: A pretext. [Obs.]

PRETIBIAL Pre*tib"i*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the tibia.

PRETOR Pre"tor, n. Etym: [L. praetor, for praeitor, fr. praeire to go before; prae before + ire to go. See Issue.]

1. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A civil officer or magistrate among the ancient Romans.

Note: Originally the pretor was a kind of third consul; but at an early period two pretors were appointed, the first of whom (praetor urbanus) was a kind of mayor or city judge; the other (praetor peregrinus) was a judge of cases in which one or both of the parties were foreigners. Still later, the number of pretors, or judges, was further increased.

2. Hence, a mayor or magistrate. [R.] Dryden.

PRETORIAL Pre*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Pretorian. Burke.

PRETORIAN Pre*to"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. praetorians: cf. F. prétorien.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a pretor or magistrate; judicial; exercised by, or belonging to, a pretor; as, pretorian power or authority. Pretorian bands or guards, or Pretorians (Rom. Hist.), the emperor's bodyguards, instituted by the Emperor Augustus in nine cohorts of 1,000 men each. -- Pretorian gate (Rom. Antiq.), that one of the four gates in a camp which lay next the enemy. Brande & C.

PRETORIAN Pre*to"ri*an, n.

Defn: A soldier of the pretorian guard.

PRETORIUM Pre*to"ri*um, n. Etym: [L. praetorium, fr. praetor.]

1. The general's tent in a Roman camp; hence, a council of war, because held in the general's tent.

2. The official residence of a governor of a province; hence, a place; a splendid country seat.

PRETORSHIP Pre"tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office or dignity of a pretor. J. Warton

PRETORTURE Pre*tor"ture, v. t.

Defn: To torture beforehand. Fuller.

PRETTILY Pret"ti*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pretty manner.

PRETTINESS Pret"ti*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being pretty; -- used sometimes in a disparaging sense. A style . . . without sententious pretension or antithetical prettiness. Jeffrey.

PRETTY Pret"ty, a. [Compar. Prettier; superl. Prettiest.] Etym: [OE. prati, AS. prættig, prætig, crafty, sly, akin to præt, prætt, deceit, trickery, Icel. prettugr tricky, prettr a trick; probably fr. Latin, perhaps through Celtic; cf. W. praith act, deed, practice, LL. practica execution, practice, plot. See Practice.]

1. Pleasing by delicacy or grace; attracting, but not striking or impressing; of a pleasing and attractive form a color; having slight or diminutive beauty; neat or elegant without elevation or grandeur; pleasingly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem. This is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever Ran on the greensward. Shak.

2. Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune. "Wavering a pretty while." Evelyn.

3. Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense. The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant in the world. Spectator.