Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pre-çip'i-tāte, v. t. p. 1024To throw headlong; to cast down from a steep declivity, or precipice, or height. She and her horse had been precipitated to the pebbled region of the river. W. Irving. 2. To urge or press with…Pre-cip'i-tāte, v. i. p. 1024To fall headlong. 2. To hasten without preparation. Bacon. 3. To fall to the bottom of a vessel, as sediment, or any substance in solution. Bacon.Pre-cip'i-tate, a. p. 1024Falling, flowing, or rushing, with steep descent. Precipitate the furious torrent flows. Prior. 2. Headlong; over-hasty; rashly hasty; as, the king was too precipitate in declaring war. 3. Lacking…Pre-cip'i-tate, n. p. 1024(Chem.) A substance which, having been dissolved, is again separated from its solvent, and thrown to the bottom of the vessel, by pouring in another liquor. Red precipitate, the red oxide or…Pre-cĭp'i-tate-ly, adv. p. 1024In a precipitate manner; headlong; hasty.Pre-cĭp/ĭ-tā'tion, n. p. 1024The act of precipitating, or the state of being precipitated. “In peril of precipitation from off the rock.” Shak. 2. A falling, flowing, or rushing down with violence and rapidity. “The hurry…Pre-cĭp'ĭ-tā'tor, n. p. 1024One who precipitates, or urges on with vehemence or rashness. Hammond.Prēc'i-pī'tious, a. p. 1024Precipitous. [Obs.]Pre-cip'i-tous, a. p. 1024Very steep; as, a precipitous cliff or mountain. “Hills as steep as they could be, without being precipitous.” W. Scott. 2. Headlong; directly or rapidly descending; as, a precipitous fall. 3. Hasty…Pre-cip'i-toŭs-ly, adv. p. 1024With steep descent; in violent haste.Pre-cip'i-tōus-ness, n. p. 1024Steepness of descent. 2. Rash haste. Hammond.Précis, n. p. 1024A precise or abridged statement or view; hence, an abstract; summary. “Containing, in the moderate compass of two folio pages, the précis of a supplementary quarto manuscript.” W. Scott.Pre-cise’, a. p. 1024Not loose, vague, uncertain, or equivocal, either in thought or expression; having determinate limitations; definite; exact; nice; as, precise rules of morality. The law in this point is precise.…Pre-cise'ly, adv. p. 1024In a precise manner; with exact conformity to truth or rules; nicely; accurately. When more of these orders than one are to be set in several stories, there must be an exquisite care to place the…Pre'ciṣe'ness, n. p. 1025The quality of being precise; rigid nicety; exactness; accuracy; as, the preciseness of words or expressions. I will distinguish the cases; though give me leave, in handling them, not to sever them…Pre·cis’ian, n. p. 1025One who limits or restrains. [Obs.] Shak. 2. An over-precise person; one rigidly or ceremoniously exact in the observance of rules; a formalist. The most dissolute cavaliers stood aghast at the…Pre·ci'sian-ism, n. p. 1025The quality of being a precisian; the act or conduct of a precisian; excessive exactness; superstitious rigor. Milton.Pre-cĭs'ĭ-an-ist, n. p. 1025A very precise person.Pre·ci'sion, n. p. 1025The quality of being precise; exact limitation; exactness; accuracy. Syn. — Preciseness; exactness; accuracy; nicety. — PRECISION, PRECISENESS. Precision denotes a strict conformity to rule as…Pre·ci′sive, a. p. 1025Exactly limiting; producing precision or accuracy; as, precisive abstraction. [Obs.] Watts.Pre-clūde′, v. t. p. 1025To shut up or shut out; to stop. [Rare.] The valves preclude the blood from entering the veins. Darwin. 2. To shut out by anticipative action; to prevent by necessary consequence or implication; to…Pre·clu'sion, n. p. 1025The act of precluding, or the state of being precluded; a shutting out.Pre-clu'sive, a. p. 1025Shutting out. 2. Precluding, or tending to preclude; hindering by previous obstacles. Burke.Pre·clu'sive-ly, adv. p. 1025In a preclusive manner.Pre-cōce', a. p. 1025Precocious. [Obs.] “Divers forward and precoce youths.” Evelyn.Pre-cō'cioŭs, a. p. 1025Ripe before the proper or natural time; early or prematurely ripe or developed; as, precocious trees. [Rare.] Browne. 2. Having the faculties developed more than is natural or usual at a given age…Pre-cō'cioŭs-ly, adv. p. 1025In a precocious manner; with premature ripeness or forwardness.Pre-cō'cioŭs-ness or Pre-cŏç'i-ty, n. p. 1025The quality or state of being precocious; untimely ripeness; premature development; prematureness. I can not learn that he gave, in his youth, any evidence of that precocity which sometimes…Pre-cō'e-tā'ne-an, n. p. 1025One belonging to age or time previous to that of another; one who lives before another. [Obs. and rare.] Fuller.Pre-cŏg'-i-tāte, v. t. p. 1025To consider or contrive beforehand. [Rare.] Sherwood.Pre-cŏg/i-tā'tion, n. p. 1025Previous thought or consideration. Bailey.Prē-cŏg'nĭ-tă, n. pl. p. 1025See PRÆCOGNITA.Prĕc-og-ni'tion, n. p. 1025Previous cognition; antecedent knowledge or examination. Fotherby. 2. (Scotch Practice.) A preliminary examination of a criminal case, and the circumstances attending it, to ascertain whether there…Prē'col-lē'ction, n. p. 1025A collection previously made.Prē'com-pōse',, v. t. p. 1025To compose beforehand. Johnson.Pré/con-çeit’, n. p. 1025A previous conceit or conception; an opinion or notion previously formed. Hooker.Prē'con-cēive', v. t. p. 1025To conceive previously; to form in the mind beforehand; to form a previous notion or idea of. In a dead plain the way seems the longer, because the eye has preconceived it shorter than the truth.…Prē/con-cēp'tion, n. p. 1025The act of preconceiving; conception or opinion previously formed.Prē/con-cĕrt’, v. t. p. 1025To concert beforehand; to settle by previous agreement.Pre-cōn'cert, n. p. 1025Something concerted beforehand; a previous agreement.Prē'con-cērt'ed-ly, adv. p. 1025By preconcert.Prē'con-cĕrt'ed-ness, n. p. 1025The quality or condition of being preconcerted. “The preconcertedness of Bolingbroke’s scheme.” Coleridge.Prē/con-cĕr'tion, n. p. 1025The act of preconcerting; preconcert. Dwight.Prē'con-dĕmn', v. t. p. 1025To condemn beforehand.Prē-cōn'dem-nā'tion, n. p. 1025Previous condemnation.Prē'con-dī'tion, n. p. 1025A previous or antecedent condition; a preliminary.Prē'con-fōrmed', a. p. 1025Previously conformed; conformed by way of anticipation. De Quincey.Prē'con-fōrm'i-ty, n. p. 1025Previous or anticipative conformity. Coleridge.Pre-cōn'i-zāte, v. t. p. 1025To proclaim; to publish; also, to summon; to call. [Obs.]Prē-cōn'i-zā'tion, n. p. 1025A publishing by proclamation, or a proclamation. [Obs.]Pre-cŏn'quer, v. t. p. 1025To conquer beforehand.Prē'con-sĕnt', n. p. 1025A previous consent. Southey.Prē'con-sīgn', v. t. p. 1025To consign beforehand; to make a previous consignment of.Prē'con-sŏl'i-dā'ted, a. p. 1025Consolidated beforehand.Prē-cōn'sti-tūte, v. t. p. 1025To constitute or establish beforehand.Prē-cōn'tract, n. p. 1025A contract previous to another. Shak.Prē'con-trāct', v. t. p. 1025To contract or stipulate previously.Prē'con-trāct', v. i. p. 1025To make a previous contract or agreement. Ayliffe.Prē'con-trīve', v. t. p. 1025To contrive previously.Pre-côr'di-al or Pre-côr'di'al, a. p. 1025Pertaining to the præcordia, or parts before the heart.