Pre- Pre- [ Latin prae , adverb & preposition , before, akin to pro , and to English for , preposition : confer French pré- . See Pro- , and confer Prior .] A prefix denoting priority (of time, place, or rank); as, precede , to go before; pre cursor, a forerunner; pre fix, to fix or place before; pre ëminent eminent before or above others. Pre- is sometimes used intensively, as in pre potent, very potent. [ Written also præ- .]
Pre-Raphaelite Pre-Raph"a·el·ite noun 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.
Preaccusation Pre·ac`cu·sa"tion noun Previous accusation.
Preace Preace v. & noun Press. [ Obsolete]
Spenser.
Preach Preach intransitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Preached ;
present participle & verbal noun Preaching .] [ Middle English
prechen , Old French
preechier , French
prêcher , from Latin
praedicare to cry in public, to proclaim;
prae before +
dicare to make known,
dicere to say; or perhaps from (assumed) Late Latin
praedictare . See
Diction , and confer
Predicate ,
Predict .]
1. To proclaim or publish tidings; specifically, to proclaim the gospel; to discourse publicly on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture; to deliver a sermon. How shall they preach , except they be sent?
Rom. x. 15. From that time Jesus began to preach .
Matt. iv. 17. 2. To give serious advice on morals or religion; to discourse in the manner of a preacher.
Preach Preach transitive verb 1. To proclaim by public discourse; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue. That Cristes gospel truly wolde preche .
Chaucer. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.
Isa. lxi. 1. 2. To inculcate in public discourse; to urge with earnestness by public teaching. "I have
preached righteousness in the great congregation."
Ps. xl. 9. 3. To deliver or pronounce; as, to preach a sermon. 4. To teach or instruct by preaching; to inform by preaching. [ R.] "As ye are
preached ."
Southey. 5. To advise or recommend earnestly. My master preaches patience to him.
Shak. To preach down ,
to oppress, or humiliate by preaching. Tennyson. --
To preach up ,
to exalt by preaching; to preach in support of; as, to preach up equality.
Preach Preach noun [ Confer French
prêche , from
prêcher . See
Preach ,
v. ]
A religious discourse. [ Obsolete]
Hooker.
Preacher Preach"er noun [ Confer Old French
preeschierre ,
prescheur , French
prêcheur , Latin
praedicator .]
1. One who preaches; one who discourses publicly on religious subjects. How shall they hear without a preacher ?
Rom. x. 14. 2. One who inculcates anything with earnestness. No preacher is listened to but Time.
Swift. Preacher bird (Zoology) ,
a toucan.
Preachership Preach"er·ship noun The office of a preacher. "The
preachership of the Rolls."
Macaulay.
Preachify Preach"i·fy intransitive verb [
Preach +
-fy .]
To discourse in the manner of a preacher. [ Colloq.]
Thackeray.
Preaching Preach"ing noun The act of delivering a religious discourse; the art of sermonizing; also, a sermon; a public religious discourse; serious, earnest advice. Milner. Preaching cross ,
a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place. --
Preaching friars .
See Dominican .
Preachman Preach"man noun ;
plural Preachmen A preacher; -- so called in contempt. [ Obsolete]
Howell.
Preachment Preach"ment noun A religious harangue; a sermon; -- used derogatively. Shak.
Preacquaint Pre`ac·quaint" transitive verb To acquaint previously or beforehand. Fielding.
Preacquaintance Pre`ac·quaint"ance noun Previous acquaintance or knowledge. Harris.
Preact Pre·act" transitive verb To act beforehand; to perform previously.
Preaction Pre·ac"tion noun Previous action.
Preadamic Pre`a·dam"ic adjective Prior to Adam.
Preadamite Pre·ad"am·ite noun [ Confer French
préadamite .]
1. An inhabitant of the earth before Adam. 2. One who holds that men existed before Adam.
Preadamitic Pre·ad`am·it"ic adjective Existing or occurring before Adam; preadamic; as, preadamitic periods.
Preadjustment Pre`ad·just"ment noun Previous adjustment.
Preadministration Pre`ad·min`is·tra"tion noun Previous administration. Bp. Pearson.
Preadmission Pre`ad·mis"sion noun Lit., previous admission; specif.
(Engineering) ,
admission, as of steam, to the engine cylinder before the back stroke is completed, thus increasing the cushioning.
Preadmonish Pre`ad·mon"ish transitive verb To admonish previously.
Preadmonition Pre·ad`mo·ni"tion noun Previous warning or admonition; forewarning.
Preadvertise Pre·ad`ver·tise" transitive verb To advertise beforehand; to preannounce publicly.
Preamble Pre"am`ble noun [ Late Latin
praeambulum , from Latin
praeambulus walking before, from
praeambulare to walk before;
prae before +
ambulare to walk: confer French
préambule . See
Amble .]
A introductory portion; an introduction or preface, as to a book, document, etc.; specifically, the introductory part of a statute, which states the reasons and intent of the law.
Preamble Pre"am`ble transitive verb & i. To make a preamble to; to preface; to serve as a preamble. [ R.]
Feltham. Milton.
Preambulary Pre·am"bu·la·ry adjective [ Confer Old French
preambulaire .]
Of or pertaining to a preamble; introductory; contained or provided for in a preamble. "A
preambulary tax." [ R.]
Burke.
Preambulate Pre·am"bu·late intransitive verb [ Latin
praeambulare . See
Preamble .]
To walk before. [ R.]
Jordan.
Preambulation Pre·am`bu·la"tion noun 1. A walking or going before; precedence. [ R.]
2. A preamble. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Preambulatory Pre·am"bu·la·to·ry adjective Preceding; going before; introductory. [ R.]
Simon Magus had preambulatory impieties.
Jer. Taylor.
Preambulous Pre·am"bu·lous adjective [ See
Preamble ,
noun ]
See Perambulatory . [ R.]
Sir T. Browne.
Preannounce Pre`an·nounce" transitive verb To announce beforehand. Coleridge.
Preantenultimate Pre·an`te·nul"ti·mate adjective Being or indicating the fourth syllable from the end of a word, or that before the antepenult.
Preaortic Pre`a·or"tic adjective (Anat.) In front, or on the ventral side, of the aorta.
Preappoint Pre`ap·point" transitive verb To appoint previously, or beforehand. Carlyle.
Preappointment Pre`ap·point"ment noun Previous appointment.
Preapprehension Pre·ap`pre·hen"sion noun An apprehension or opinion formed before examination or knowledge. [ R.]
Sir T. Browne.
Prearm Pre·arm" transitive verb To forearm. [ R.]
Prearrange Pre`ar·range" transitive verb To arrange beforehand.
Prease Prease transitive verb & i. To press; to crowd. [ Obsolete] --
noun A press; a crowd. [ Obsolete]
Spenser.
Preassurance Pre`as·sur"ance noun Previous assurance. Coleridge.
Preataxic Pre`a·tax"ic adjective (Medicine) Occurring before the symptom ataxia has developed; -- applied to the early symptoms of locomotor ataxia.
Preaudience Pre·au"di·ence noun (Eng. Law) Precedence of rank at the bar among lawyers. Blackstone.
Preaxial Pre·ax"i·al adjective (Anat.) Situated in front of any transverse axis in the body of an animal; anterior; cephalic; esp., in front, or on the anterior, or cephalic (that is, radial or tibial) side of the axis of a limb.
Prebend Preb"end (prĕb"ĕnd)
noun [ French
prébende (cf. Italian & Spanish
prebenda ), from Latin
praebenda , from Latin
praebere to hold forth, afford, contr. from
praehibere ;
prae before +
habere to have, hold. See
Habit , and confer
Provender .]
1. A payment or stipend; esp., the stipend or maintenance granted to a prebendary out of the estate of a cathedral or collegiate church with which he is connected. See Note under Benefice . 2. A prebendary. [ Obsolete]
Bacon. Dignitary prebend ,
one having jurisdiction annexed to it. --
Simple prebend ,
one without jurisdiction.
Prebendal Pre·ben"dal (pre*bĕn"d
a l)
adjective Of or pertaining to a prebend; holding a prebend; as, a prebendal priest or stall. Chesterfield.
Prebendary Preb"en·da·ry (prĕb"ĕn*da*rȳ)
noun [ Late Latin
praebendarius : confer French
prébendaire . See
Prebend .]
1. A clergyman attached to a collegiate or cathedral church who enjoys a prebend in consideration of his officiating at stated times in the church. See Note under Benefice , noun , 3. Hook. 2. A prebendaryship. [ Obsolete]
Bailey.
Prebendaryship Preb"en·da·ry·ship noun The office of a prebendary.
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