PREAMBLE, pr[=e]-am'bl, _n._ preface: introduction, esp. that of an Act of Parliament, giving its reasons and purpose.--_adj._ PREAM'BULARY. [Fr.
_preambule_--L. _prae,_ before, _ambul[=a]re_, to go.]
PREANNOUNCE, pr[=e]-an-nowns', _v.t._ to announce beforehand.
PREAPPOINT, pr[=e]-ap-point', _v.t._ to appoint beforehand.--_n._ PREAPPOINT'MENT, previous appointment.
PREARRANGE, pr[=e]-ar-r[=a]nj', _v.t._ to arrange beforehand.--_n._ PREARRANGE'MENT.
PREASE, pr[=e]s, _v.t._ or _v.i._ (_Spens._) to press, to crowd.--_n._ (_Spens._) a press, a crowd.
PREASSURANCE, pr[=e]-a-sh[=oo]r'ans, _n._ previous assurance.
PRE-AUDIENCE, pr[=e]-aw'di-ens, _n._ right to be heard before another: precedence at the bar among lawyers.
PREBEND, preb'end, _n._ the share of the revenues of a cathedral or collegiate church allowed to a clergyman who officiates in it at stated times.--_adj._ PREB'ENDAL, relating to a prebend.--_ns._ PREB'ENDARY, a resident clergyman who enjoys a prebend, a canon: the honorary holder of a disendowed prebendal stall; PREB'ENDARYSHIP. [L. _praebenda_, a payment from a public source--_praeb[=e]re_, to allow.]
PRECARIOUS, pr[=e]-k[=a]'ri-us, _adj._ uncertain, because depending upon the will of another: held by a doubtful tenure: depending on chance: dangerous, risky.--_adv._ PREC[=A]'RIOUSLY.--_n._ PREC[=A]'RIOUSNESS. [L.
_precarius_--_prec[=a]ri_, to pray.]
PRECATORY, prek'a-t[=o]-ri, _adj._ relating to prayer, supplicatory.--_adj._ PREC'ATIVE (_obs._), suppliant.
PRECAUTION, pr[=e]-kaw'shun, _n._ caution or care beforehand: a preventive measure: something done beforehand to ward off evil or secure good.--_v.t._ to warn or advise beforehand.--_adjs._ PRECAU'TIONAL, PRECAU'TIONARY, containing or proceeding from precaution: taking precaution. [Fr.,--L.
_prae_, before, _cav[=e]re_, to be careful.]
PRECEDE, pre-s[=e]d', _v.t._ to go before in time, rank, or importance.--_v.i._ to be before in time, or place. [Fr. _preceder_--L.
_praeced[)e]re_--_prae_, before, _ced[)e]re_, go.]
PRECEDENCE, pr[=e]-s[=e]'dens, _n._ the act of going before in time: priority: the state of being before in rank: the place of honour: the foremost place in ceremony--also PREC[=E]'DENCY.--_adj._ PREC[=E]'DENT, going before in order of time: anterior.--_n._ PRECEDENT (pres'[=e]dent), a past action which may serve as an example or rule in the future: a parallel case in the past: an established habit or custom.--_adjs._ PREC'EDENTED, having a precedent: warranted by an example; PRECEDEN'TIAL, of the nature of a precedent.--_adv._ PREC[=E]'DENTLY.--_adj._ PREC[=E]'DING, going before in time, rank, &c.: antecedent: previous: former.--ORDER OF PRECEDENCE, the rules which fix the places of persons at a ceremony; PATENT OF PRECEDENCE, a royal grant giving to certain barristers right of superior rank; TAKE PRECEDENCE OF, to have a right to a more honourable place.
[Fr.,--L. _praecedens_, _-entis_, pr.p. of _praeced[)e]re_, to go before.]
PRECENTOR, pre-sen'tor, _n._ he that leads in music: the leader of a choir in a cathedral, &c.: the leader of the psalmody in Scotch churches.--_n._ PRECEN'TORSHIP. [L. _prae_, before, _cantor_, a singer.]
PRECEPT, pr[=e]'sept, _n._ rule of action: a commandment: principle, or maxim: (_law_) the written warrant of a magistrate: a mandate.--_adj._ PRECEP'TIAL (_Shak._), consisting of precepts.--_n._ PRECEP'TION (_obs._), a precept.--_adj._ PRECEP'TIVE, containing or giving precepts: directing in moral conduct: didactic.--_n._ PRECEP'TOR, one who delivers precepts: a teacher: an instructor: the head of a school: the head of a preceptory of Knights Templars:--_fem._ PRECEP'TRESS.--_adjs._ PRECEPT[=O]'RIAL; PRECEP'TORY, giving precepts.--_n._ a religious house or college of the Knights Templars. [Fr.,--L. _praeceptum_--_praecip[)e]re_, to take beforehand--_prae_, before, _cap[)e]re_, to take.]
PRECES, pr[=e]'sez, _n.pl._ the alternate responsive petitions, as the versicles and suffrages, between the clergyman and the congregation in liturgical worship. [L., pl. of _prex_, a prayer.]
PRECESSION, pr[=e]-sesh'un, _n._ the act of going before: a moving forward.--_adj._ PRECES'SIONAL.--PRECESSION OF THE EQUINOXES, a slow backward motion of the equinoctial points along the ecliptic, caused by the greater attraction of the sun and moon on the excess of matter at the equator, such that the times at which the sun crosses the equator come at shorter intervals than they would otherwise do.
PRECHRISTIAN, pr[=e]-krist'yan, _adj._ existing before the Christian era.
PRECINCT, pr[=e]'singkt, _n._ limit or boundary of a place: a district or division within certain boundaries: limit of jurisdiction or authority. [L.
_praecinctus_, pa.p. of _praecing[)e]re_--_prae_, before, _cing[)e]re_, to gird.]
PRECIOUS, presh'us, _adj._ of great price or worth: costly: highly esteemed: worthless, contemptible (in irony): fastidious, overnice: (_coll._) considerable: (_B._) valuable because rare.--_adv._ (_coll._) extremely.--_n._ PRECIOS'ITY, fastidiousness, affected overrefinement.--_adv._ PREC'IOUSLY.--_ns._ PREC'IOUS-MET'AL, a metal of great value, as gold or silver; PREC'IOUSNESS; PREC'IOUS-STONE, a stone of value and beauty for ornamentation: a gem or jewel. [O. Fr. _precios_ (Fr.
_precieux_)--L. _pretiosus_--_pretium_, price.]
PRECIPICE, pres'i-pis, _n._ a very steep place: any steep descent: a perpendicular bank or cliff.--_adj._ PRECIP'ITOUS, like a precipice: very steep: hasty: rash.--_adv._ PRECIP'ITOUSLY.--_n._ PRECIP'ITOUSNESS.
[Fr.,--L. _praecipitium_--_praeceps_, _praecipitis_, headlong--_prae_, before, _caput_, _capitis_, the head.]
PRECIPITATE, pr[=e]-sip'i-t[=a]t, _v.t._ to throw head-foremost: to urge with eagerness: to hurry rashly: to hasten: (_chem._) to cause to fall to the bottom, as a substance in solution or suspension.--_v.i._ to fall headlong: to make too great haste.--_adj._ falling, flowing, or rushing headlong: lacking deliberation: overhasty: (_med._) ending soon in death.--_n._ (_chem._) a part of a solution, falling or causing to fall to the bottom.--_n._ PRECIPITABIL'ITY.--_adj._ PRECIP'ITABLE (_chem._), that may be precipitated.--_ns._ PRECIP'ITANCE, PRECIP'ITANCY, quality of being precipitate: haste in resolving or executing a purpose.--_adj._ PRECIP'ITANT, falling headlong: rushing down with too great velocity: hasty: unexpectedly brought on.--_n._ anything that causes part of a solution to fall to the bottom.--_advs._ PRECIP'ITANTLY; PRECIP'IT[=A]TELY, in a precipitate manner: headlong: without due thought.--_n._ PRECIPIT[=A]'TION, act of precipitating: great hurry: rash haste: rapid movement: (_chem._) the process by which any substance is made to separate from another in solution, and fall to the bottom.--_adj._ PRECIP'IT[=A]TIVE.--_n._ PRECIPIT[=A]'TOR, one who, or that which, precipitates or causes precipitation.--PRECIPITATE OINTMENT is of two kinds, _red_ and _white_--the former containing red oxide of mercury, the latter ammoniated mercury. [L. _praecipit[=a]re_, _-[=a]tum_--_praeceps_.]
PReCIS, pr[=a]-s[=e]', _n._ a precise or abridged statement: an abstract: summary. [Fr.]
PRECISE, pr[=e]-s[=i]s', _adj._ definite: exact: not vague: just of the right amount or measure: adhering too much to rule: excessively nice, punctilious, prim.--_adv._ PRECISE'LY.--_ns._ PRECISE'NESS; PRECI'SIAN, an over-precise person: a formalist: a puritan; PRECI'SIANISM; PRECI'SIANIST, PRECI'SIONIST, a precisian; PRECI'SION, quality of being precise: exactness: accuracy.--_v.t._ PRECI'SIONISE, to make precise.--_adj._ PREC[=I]'SIVE, cutting off: pertaining to precision. [Fr. _precis_--L.
_praecisus_, pa.p. of _praecid[)e]re_--_prae_, before, _caed[)e]re_, to cut.]
PRECLASSICAL, pr[=e]-klas'i-kal, _adj._ previous to the classical time or usage.
PRECLUDE, pr[=e]-klud', _v.t._ to shut out beforehand: to hinder by anticipation: to keep back: to prevent from taking place.--_n._ PRECL[=U]'SION, act of precluding or hindering: state of being precluded.--_adj._ PRECL[=U]'SIVE, tending to preclude: hindering beforehand.--_adv._ PRECL[=U]'SIVELY. [L. _praeclud[)e]re_, _-clusum_--_prae_, before, _claud[)e]re_, to shut.]
PRECOCIOUS, pr[=e]-k[=o]'shus, _adj._ having the mind developed very early, or too early: premature: forward: (_bot._) appearing before the leaves.--_adv._ PREC[=O]'CIOUSLY.--_ns._ PREC[=O]'CIOUSNESS, PRECOC'ITY, state or quality of being precocious: too early ripeness of the mind. [L.
_praecox_, _praecocis_--_prae_, before, _coqu[)e]re_, to cook.]
PRECOGNITION, pr[=e]-kog-nish'un, _n._ cognition, knowledge, or examination beforehand: (_Scots law_) an examination of witnesses as to whether there is ground for prosecution.--_v.t._ PRECOGNOSCE (pr[=e]-kog-nos'), to examine witnesses beforehand: to take a precognition.
PRECOMPOSE, pr[=e]-kom-p[=o]z', _v.t._ to compose beforehand.
PRECONCEIVE, pr[=e]-kon-s[=e]v', _v.t._ to conceive or form a notion of before having actual knowledge.--_ns._ PRECONCEIT', a preconceived notion; PRECONCEP'TION, act of preconceiving: previous opinion formed without actual knowledge.
PRECONCERT, pr[=e]-kon-s[.e]rt', _v.t._ to settle beforehand.--_n._ PRECON'CERT, a previous arrangement.--_adv._ PRECONCERT'EDLY.--_n._ PRECONCERT'EDNESS.
PRECONDEMN, pr[=e]-kon-dem', _v.t._ to condemn beforehand.--_n._ PRECONDEMN[=A]'TION.
PRECONDITION, pr[=e]-kon-dish'un, _n._ a previous condition.
PRECONFORM, pr[=e]-kon-form', _v.t._ and _v.i._ to conform in anticipation.--_n._ PRECONFOR'MITY.
PRECONISE, pr[=e]'kon-[=i]z, _v.t._ to call upon or summon publicly: to confirm officially, of the pope.--_n._ PRECONIS[=A]'TION. [Fr.,--L.
_praeco_, a herald.]
PRECONSCIOUS, pr[=e]-kon'shus, _adj._ pertaining to a state prior to consciousness.
PRECONSENT, pr[=e]-kon-sent', _n._ a previous consent.
PRECONSIGN, pr[=e]-kon-s[=i]n', _v.t._ to consign beforehand.
PRECONSTITUTE, pr[=e]-kon'sti-t[=u]t, _v.t._ to constitute beforehand.
PRECONSUME, pr[=e]-kon-s[=u]m', _v.t._ to consume beforehand.
PRECONTEMPORANEOUS, pr[=e]-kon-tem-p[=o]-r[=a]'n[=e]-us, _adj._ prior to what is contemporaneous.
PRECONTRACT, pr[=e]-kon-trakt', _v.t._ to contract beforehand: to betroth previously.--_n._ PRECON'TRACT, a previous contract or betrothal.
PRECONTRIVE, pr[=e]-kon-tr[=i]v', _v.t._ and _v.i._ to contrive beforehand.
PRECORDIAL, PRaeCORDIAL, pr[=e]-kor'di-al, _adj._ situated in front of the heart.