Prelude noun [ French prélude (cf. Italian preludio , Late Latin praeludium ), from Latin prae before + ludus play. See Prelude , transitive verb ] 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 intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Preluded ; present participle & verbal noun Preluding .] [ Latin praeludere , praelusum ; prae before + ludere to play: confer French préluder . See Ludicrous .] 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 transitive verb
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 noun One who, or that which, preludes; one who plays a prelude. Mason.

Preludial adjective Of or pertaining to a prelude; of the nature of a prelude; introductory. [ R.]

Preludious adjective Preludial. [ R.] Dr. H. More.

Prelumbar adjective (Anat.) Situated immediately in front of the loins; -- applied to the dorsal part of the abdomen.

Prelusive adjective [ See Prelude .] Of the nature of a prelude; introductory; indicating that something of a like kind is to follow. " Prelusive drops." Thomson. -- Pre*lu"sive*ly , adverb

Prelusorily adverb In a prelusory way.

Prelusory adjective Introductory; prelusive. Bacon.

Premature adjective [ Latin 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 , adverb -- Pre`ma*ture"ness , noun

Prematurity noun [ Confer French prématurité .] The quality or state of being premature; early, or untimely, ripeness; as, the prematurity of genius.

Premaxilla noun ; plural Premaxillæ . [ New Latin See Pre- , and Maxilla .] (Anat.) 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 adjective (Anat.) Situated in front of the maxillary bones; pertaining to the premaxillæ; intermaxillary. -- noun A premaxilla.

Premediate transitive verb To advocate. [ R.]

Premeditate transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Premeditated (-tā`t?d); present participle & verbal noun Premeditating .] [ Latin praemeditatus , past participle of praemeditari ; prae before + meditari to meditate. See Meditate .] 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 intransitive verb To think, consider, deliberate, or revolve in the mind, beforehand.

Premeditate adjective [ Latin praemeditatus , past participle ] Premeditated; deliberate. [ Archaic] Bp. Burnet.

Premeditately adverb With premeditation. Burke.

Premeditation noun [ Latin praemeditatio : confer French préméditation .] The act of meditating or contriving beforehand; previous deliberation; forethought.

Premerit transitive verb To merit or deserve beforehand. [ Obsolete] Eikon Basi......ke.

Premial, Premiant adjective [ Latin praemialis . See Premium .] Serving to reward; rewarding. [ R.] Baxter.

Premices noun plural [ French prémices , Latin primitiae . See Primitia .] First fruits. [ Obsolete] Dryden.

Premier adjective [ French premier , from Latin primarius of the first rank, principal, from primus the first. See Primary , Prime , adjective ]
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 noun The first minister of state; the prime minister.

Première adjective fem. [ French, prop. fem. of premier first. See Premier , adjective ] First; chief; as, a première danseuse. -- noun fem. ; plural - mières ( F. pr e *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 noun The office of the premier.

Premillennial adjective Previous to the millennium.

Premious adjective [ Latin praemiosus , from praemium a premium.] Rich in gifts. [ R.] Clarke.

Premise noun ; plural Premises [ Written also, less properly, premiss .] [ French prémisse , from Latin praemissus , past participle 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) Either of the first two propositions of a syllogism, from which the conclusion is drawn.

"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. plural (Law) 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. plural A piece of real estate; a building and its adjuncts; as, to lease premises ; to trespass on another's premises .

Premise transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Premised ; present participle & verbal noun Premising .] [ From Latin praemissus , past participle , or English premise , noun See Premise , noun ]
1. To send before the time, or beforehand; hence, to cause to be before something else; to employ previously. [ Obsolete]

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 intransitive verb To make a premise; to set forth something as a premise. Swift.

Premiss noun Premise. Whately. I. Watts

Premit transitive verb To premise. [ Obsolete] Donne.

Premium noun ; plural Premiums . [ Latin 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 adjective (Anat.) Situated in front of the molar teeth. -- noun An anterior molar tooth which has replaced a deciduous molar. See Tooth .

Premonish transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Premonished ; present participle & verbal noun Premonishing .] [ Prefix pre- + monish : confer Latin praemonere .] To forewarn; to admonish beforehand. [ R.] Herrick.

To teach, and to premonish .

Bk. of Com. Prayer.

Premonishment noun Previous warning or admonition; forewarning. Sir H. Wotton.

Premonition noun [ Latin praemonitio . See Premonish .] Previous warning, notice, or information; forewarning; as, a premonition of danger.

Premonitor noun [ Latin praemonitor .] One who, or that which, gives premonition.

Premonitory adjective [ Latin praemonitorius .] Giving previous warning or notice; as, premonitory symptoms of disease. -- Pre*mon"i*to*ri*ly adverb

Premonstrant noun A Premonstratensian.

Premonstrate transitive verb [ Latin praemonstratus , past participle of praemonstrare ; prae before + monstrate to show.] To show beforehand; to foreshow. [ R.] Herbert.

Premonstratensian noun [ French prémontré , from Prémontré , from Latin pratum monstratum .] (R. C. Ch.) 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 noun [ Latin praemonstratio .] A showing beforehand; foreshowing.

Premonstrator noun [ Latin praemonstrator .] One who, or that which, premonstrates. [ R.]

Premorse adjective [ Latin praemorsus , past participle of praemordere to bite off; prae before + mordere to bite.] Terminated abruptly, or as it bitten off.

Premorse root or leaves (Botany) , such as have an abrupt, ragged, and irregular termination, as if bitten off short.

Premosaic adjective Relating to the time before Moses; as, premosaic history.

Premotion noun [ Prefix pre- + motion .] Previous motion or excitement to action.

Premunire noun (Law) See Præmunire .

Premunite transitive verb [ Latin praemunitus , past participle of praemunire to fortify in front; prae before + munire to fortify.] To fortify beforehand; to guard against objection. [ Obsolete] Fotherby.

Premunition noun [ Latin praemunitio : confer French prémunition .] The act of fortifying or guarding against objections. [ Obsolete]