Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Prēase, v. t. or i. p. 1023To press; to crowd; to urge. [Obs.] Spenser.Prēase, n. p. 1023Press; crowd. [Obs.] See PRESS.Prēas'ing, a. p. 1023Crowding. [Obs.] Spenser.Pré'as-súr'ançe, n. p. 1023Previous assurance. Coleridge.Pré-au'di-ence, n. p. 1023(Law.) Precedence or rank at the bar among lawyers; right of previous audience. Blackstone.Prēb'end, n. p. 1023The stipend or maintenance granted to a prebendary out of the estate of a cathedral or collegiate church with which he is connected. 2. A prebendary. [Obs.] Bacon. Dignitary prebend, one having…Pre-bĕnd'al, a. p. 1023Pertaining to a prebend; as, a prebendal priest or stall. Chesterfield.Prēb'end-a-ry, n. p. 1023A clergyman attached to a collegiate or cathedral church, who enjoys a prebend in consideration of his officiating at stated times in the church. Hook. ☞ A prebendary differs from a canon in this…Prĕb'end-a-ry-shĭp, n. p. 1023The office of a prebendary; a canonry. Wotton.Prĕb'end-āte, v. t. p. 1023To invest with the office of prebendary; to cause to become a prebendary. [Obs.]Prēb'end-ship, n. p. 1023A prebendaryship. [Obs.]Prē'cant, n. p. 1023One who prays. “Asserting the efficacy of prayer relatively to the pray-er or precant himself.” Coleridge.Pre-cā'ri-ous, a. p. 1023Depending on the will or pleasure of another; held by courtesy; liable to be changed or lost at the pleasure of another. 2. Held by a doubtful tenure; depending on unknown or unforeseen causes or…Pre-cā'ri-oûs-ly, adv. p. 1023At the will or pleasure of others; dependently; by an uncertain tenure; as, he subsists precariously.Pre-cā'ri-oŭs-ness, n. p. 1023The quality or state of being precarious; dependence on the will or pleasure of others, or on unknown events; uncertainty.Pre-cā'tion, n. p. 1023The act of entreating or praying; supplication; entreaty [Obs.] Cotton.Prēc'a-tive or Prēc'a-to-ry, a. p. 1023Suppliant; beseeching. Precatory words (Law), words of recommendation, request, entreaty, wish, or expectation employed in wills, as distinguished from express directions; — in some cases creating a…Pre-cau'tion, n. p. 1023Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good in possession. 2. A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act.Pre-cau'tion, v. t. p. 1023To warn or advise beforehand for preventing mischief or securing good. Locke.Pre-cau'tion-al, a. p. 1023Preventive of mischief; precautionary. Mountagne.Pre-cau'tion-a-ry, a. p. 1023Proceeding from, or containing, previous caution; adapted to prevent mischief or secure good; as, precautionary advice or measures.Pre-cau'tious, a. p. 1023Taking precautions or preventive measures.Pre-cau'tious-ly, adv. p. 1023With precaution.Prē'çe-dā'ne-ous, a. p. 1023Preceding; antecedent; anterior. [Obs.] Hale.Pre-cē'de', v. t. p. 1023To 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…Pre-cēd'ence or Pre-cēd'en-cy, n. p. 1023The act or state of being precedent; a going before; priority in position, rank, or time; as, the precedence of one event to another. 2. The state of going or being before in rank or dignity or the…Pre-cēd'ent, a. p. 1023Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services; a precedent fault of the will. The world, or any part thereof, could not be precedent to the creation of man. Hale. Precedent…Prē'çe-dent, n. p. 1023Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the like kind; authoritative example. Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only. Hooker. 2. A preceding…Prĕc'e-dent-ed, a. p. 1024Having a precedent; authorized by an example of a like kind.Prē'ce-dēn'tial, a. p. 1024Of the nature of a precedent; having force as an example for imitation; as, precedential transactions. Wherefore all their actions in that time are not precedential to warrant posterity. Fuller.Præ-cēd'ent-ly, adv. p. 1024Beforehand; antecedently.Pre-cēl', v. t. p. 1024To surpass; to excel. [Obs.]Pre-cĕl'lençe or Pre-cĕl'len-cy, n. p. 1024Excellence. [Obs.] Sheldon.Pre-cĕn’tor, n. p. 1024A leader of music; a directing singer; as, (a.) The leader of the choir in a cathedral;—called also the chanter or master of the choir. Hook. (b.) The leader of the congregation in the psalmody of…Pre-cĕn’tor-ship, n. p. 1024The employment or office of a precentor.Prĕ'cept, n. p. 1024Any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; especially, a command respecting moral conduct; an injunction; a direction to be followed. No arts are without their precepts.…Pre-cĕp'tial, a. p. 1024Consisting of precepts. [Obs.] Shak.Pre-cĕp'tion, n. p. 1024A precept. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Pre-cep'tive, a. p. 1024Giving precepts or commands for the regulation of moral conduct; containing precepts; as, the preceptive parts of the Scriptures. 2. Directing in moral conduct; of the nature of precepts; didactic.…Pre-cĕp'tor, n. p. 1024A teacher; an instructor; the head of a school; a principal teacher. 2. The head of a preceptory, among the Knights Templars.Prē'cep-tō'ri-al, a. p. 1024Pertaining to a preceptor.Præ-cĕp'to-ry, a. p. 1024Giving precepts; preceptive. Anderson.Pre-cep'to-ry, n. p. 1024A religious house of the Knights Templars, subordinate to the temple or principal house of the order at London, under the government of an eminent knight. It usually stood on a manor or estate…Pre-cep'tress, n. p. 1024A female teacher.Pre-cĕs'sion, n. p. 1024The act of going before, or forward. Luni-solar precession, that part of the precession which depends on the sun and moon alone.—Planetary precession, that part which depends on the action of the…Pre-çĕs'sion-al, a. p. 1024Belonging to precession; as, the precessional movement of the equinoxes.Pre-çĕs'sor, n. p. 1024A predecessor. [Obs.] Fuller.Prĕ'çi-dā'ne-oŭs, a. p. 1024Cut off before. [Obs.]Prē'çinct, n. p. 1024The limit, or exterior line encompassing a place; boundary; confine; limit of jurisdiction or authority. “The precincts of light.” Milton. 2. A district within certain boundaries; a minor territorial…Prĕ'ci-ŏs'i-ty, n. p. 1024Preciousness; value. [Obs.] Browne.Prĕ'ciŏŭs, a. p. 1024Of great price; costly; as, a precious stone. 2. Of great value or worth; very valuable; highly esteemed. She is more precious than rubies. Prov. iii. 15. Many things which are most precious are…Pré'ciōüs-ly, adv. p. 1024Valuably; to a great price. 2. Contemptibly;—in irony.Prē'cioüs-ness, n. p. 1024Valuableness; great value; high price. Wilkins.Pré'çi-píçe, n. p. 1024A sudden or headlong fall. [Obs.] “Whose precipice they suspected.” Fuller. 2. Hence, a headlong descent; a very steep, perpendicular, or overhanging place; an abrupt declivity. “Where wealth, like…Pre-cĭp'i-ent, a. p. 1024Commanding; directing.Pre-çip'i-ta-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1024The quality or state of being precipitable.Pre-cip'i-ta-ble, a. p. 1024Capable of being precipitated or cast to the bottom, as a substance in solution.Pre-çip'i-tan-çe or Pre-çip'i-tan-cy, n. p. 1024The quality of being precipitant or precipitate; headlong hurry; haste in resolving, forming an opinion, or executing a purpose; precipitation. “Hurried on by the precipitance of youth.” Swift.…Pre-çip'i-tant, a. p. 1024Falling or rushing headlong; rushing down with velocity. They leave their little lives Above the clouds, precipitant to earth. Philips. 2. Urged with violent haste; hasty. Should he return, that…Pre-çip'i-tant, n. p. 1024(Chem.) A liquor which, when poured on a solution, separates what is dissolved, and makes it precipitate, or fall to the bottom, in a concrete state.