Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Pre-cŭrse', n. p. 1025A forerunning. [Obs.] Shak.Pre-cŭr'sive, a. p. 1025Preceding and leading to, or introductory; forerunning; precursory. J. Taylor.Pre-cûr'sor, n. p. 1025A forerunner; a harbinger; one who, or that which, precedes an event, and indicates its approach. Evil thoughts are the invisible, airy precursors of all the storms and tempests of the soul.…Pre-cŭr'so-ry, a. p. 1025Preceding as the harbinger; forerunning; indicating something to follow; as, precursory symptoms of a fever.Pre-cŭr'so-ry, n. p. 1025An introduction. [Obs.]Pre-dā'cean, n. p. 1025A carnivorous animal. Kirby.Pre-dā'ceōus, a. p. 1025Living by prey; predatory. Derham.Prē'dal, a. p. 1025Pertaining to prey; plundering; predatory. Boyle.Prē-dāte′, v. t. p. 1025To date by anticipation; to affix an earlier than the actual date; to antedate; as, a predated letter.Pre-dā'tion, n. p. 1025A pillaging or plundering. [Obs.] J. Hall.Prēd'a-to-ri-ly, adv. p. 1025In a predatory manner.Prēd'a-to-ry, a. p. 1025Characterized by plundering; practicing rapine; plundering; pillaging; as, a predatory excursion; a predatory party. A predatory war commenced. Macaulay. 2. Hungry; ravenous; as, predatory spirits or…Prēde, v. i. p. 1025To take prey; to prey. [Obs.] Holland.Prē'de-cāy, n. p. 1025Premature or previous decay.Prē'de-cēase', v. t. p. 1025To die sooner than. “If children predecease progenitors.” Sheat.