Pre-cē'de', v. t.

v. t. [imp. & p. p. PRECEDED; p. pr. & vb. n. PRECEDING.] [Lat. præcedere, from præ, before, and cedere, to go, to be in motion; Fr. pré-céder, Pr., Sp., & Pg. præceder, It. præcedere.]

1. To go before in place or order of time; to occur first with relation to any thing. “Harm precedes not sin.” Milton.
2. To go before in rank or importance.
3. To preface; to introduce; — used with by or with before the instrumental object. [Rare.]

It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration. Kent.