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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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pre-pŏn'der-an-çe or Pre-pŏn'der-an-cy, n. p. 1029The state or quality of being preponderant or preponderating; superiority of weight, influence, or power; an outweighing. “The preponderancy of the greater grounds of probability.” Locke. In a few…Pre-pön'der-ant, a. p. 1029Preponderating; outweighing.Pre-pŏn'der-ant-ly, adv. p. 1029In a preponderant manner; in the main; in the greater degree; chiefly.Pre-pŏn'der-āte, v. t. p. 1029To outweigh; to overpower by weight; to have greater weight than. An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center of the balance, will preponderate greater magnitudes. Glanville. 2. To…Pre-pôn'der-āte, v. i. p. 1029To exceed in weight; hence, to incline or descend, as the scale of a balance. That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will not preponderate. Wilkins. 2. To exceed in influence or power…Pre-pŏn'der-ā'ting-ly, adv. p. 1029In a preponderating manner; preponderantly.Pre-pōn'der-ā'tion, n. p. 1029The act or state of preponderating, of outweighing any thing, or of inclining to one side.Pre-pōse', v. t. p. 1029To put before. [Obs.] Fuller.Prēp′o-sĭ′tion, n. p. 1029(Gram.) A particle governing and generally placed before a substantive or pronoun, which is put in an oblique case (in English, in the objective), and expressing a relation of this object to the…Prĕp'o-şĭ'tion-al, a. p. 1029Pertaining to, or having the nature or office of, a preposition.Pre-pŏs'i-tive, a. p. 1029Put before; prefixed; as, a prepositive particle.Pre-pŏs'i-tive, n. p. 1029A word, or particle, put before another word.Pre-pŏs'i-tor, n. p. 1029A scholar appointed by the instructor to inspect other scholars; a monitor. Todd.Pre-pŏs'ĭ-tūre, n. p. 1030The office or place of a provost; a provostship.Pre-pos-sĕss’, v. t. p. 1030To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. Dryden. 2. To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous…Pre-pos-sĕss'ing, a. p. 1030Tending to invite favor; having power to secure the possession of favor, esteem, or love; as, the countenance, address, and manners of a person are sometimes prepossessing on a first acquaintance.Pre-pos-sĕss'ing-ly, adv. p. 1030In a prepossessing manner.Pre-pos-sĕs'sion, n. p. 1030Preoccupation; prior possession. Hammond. 2. Preoccupation of the mind by an opinion, or impression, already formed; preconceived opinion; previous impression, whether favorable or unfavorable; —…Pre-pos-sĕss’or, n. p. 1030One who prepossesses; one who possesses, or occupies, beforehand or previously.Pre-pŏs'ter-oŭs, a. p. 1030Having that first which ought to be last; inverted in order. The method I take may be censured as preposterous, because I treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature.…Pre-pŏs'ter-oŭs-ly, adv. p. 1030In a preposterous manner; in a wrong or inverted order; absurdly; foolishly.Pre-pŏs'ter-oŭs-ness, n. p. 1030The quality or state of being preposterous; wrong order or method; absurdity; inconsistency with nature or reason.Pre-pō'ten-cy, n. p. 1030The quality or condition of being prepotent; superior power; predominance. [Obs.] Browne.Pre-pō'tent, a. p. 1030Very powerful. [Obs.] Plaijère.Pre-prŏp'er-oŭs, a. p. 1030Overhasty; precipitate. [Obs.] “Preproperous passions.” Fuller.Prē'pro-vīde', v. t. p. 1030To provide in anticipation. “The materials preprovided.” Fuller.Prē’pūçe, n. p. 1030(Anat.) A prolongation of the skin of the penis, covering the glans; the foreskin.Pre-pū'tial, a. p. 1030Pertaining to the prepuce or foreskin.Pre-rāph'a-el-ĭsm, n. p. 1030A theory in painting which gives preference to a style that prevailed before the days of Raphael, in which the principal characteristic was a careful and even rigid adherence to natural forms and…Pre-răph'a-el-ĭte, a. p. 1030Pertaining to the style of art before the time of Raphael.Pre-răph’a-el-ite, n. p. 1030One who favors or practices art as it was before Raphael; one who favors or advocates preraphaelism.Pre-rēg'nant, n. p. 1030One who reigns previously; a sovereign predecessor.Prē're-mōte', a. p. 1030More remote in previous time or prior order. In some cases two more links of causation may be introduced; one of them may be termed the pre-remote cause, the other the post-remote effect. Darwin.Prē/re-quīre′, v. t. p. 1030To require previously.Pre-rĕq'ui-sĭte, a. p. 1030Previously required or necessary to any proposed effect or end; as, prerequisite conditions of success.Pre-rĕq'ui-sĭte, n. p. 1030Something that is previously required, or necessary to an end proposed.Prē're-sōlve', v. t. or i. p. 1030To resolve previously. Sir E. Dering.Pre-rŏg'a-tive, n. p. 1030An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; — used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question…Pre-rōg'a-tīved, a. p. 1030Having a prerogative or exclusive privilege. [Rare.] Shak.Pre-rŏg'a-tive-ly, adv. p. 1030By exclusive or peculiar privilege.Prē'sage or Prēs'age, n. p. 1030Something which foreshows a future event; a present fact indicating something to come; prognostic; omen; token. “Joy and shout—presage of victory.” Milton. 2. Power to look into the future, or the…Pre-sāge', v. t. p. 1030To have a presentiment of; to feel beforehand; to forebode. 2. To foretell; to predict; to prophesy; to foreshow; to indicate. If I may trust the flattering eye of Sleep, My dreams presage some…Pre-sāge', v. i. p. 1030To form or utter a prediction. [Rare.] Dryden.Pre-sāge'ful, a. p. 1030Full of presages; containing presages. Tennyson.Pre-sāge'ment, n. p. 1030The act of presaging; a foreboding; foretoken. 2. That which is presaged, anticipated, or foretold; prediction.Pre-sā'ger, n. p. 1030One who presages; a foreteller: a foreshower. Shak.Prēs'by-ōpe, n. p. 1030One who is long-sighted; one who is affected by presbyopia.Prĕs'by-ō'pi-ă, n. p. 1030(Med.) A defect of vision, as in old age, when near objects are seen indistinctly, but distant ones more plainly; — called also presbytia.Prĕs'by-ōp'ie, a. p. 1030Affected by presbyopia; long-sighted.Prĕs'by-ō'py, n. p. 1030The same as PRESBYOPIA.Prēs'by̆te, n. p. 1030One whose vision (like that of many old persons) is confused as to near objects, while those at a greater distance are clearly distinguished. Dunglison.Prĕs'/by-ter, n. p. 1030(Anc. Church.) An elder having authority to instruct and guide in the church. 2. (Church of Eng.) One ordained to the second order in the ministry; — called also priest. I rather term the one sort…Pres-by'ter-al, a. p. 1030Of, or pertaining to, a presbyter or presbytery; presbyterial.Prēs-byt'er-ate, n. p. 1030Presbytery; also, presbytership. Heber.Prĕs'by-ter-ess, n. p. 1030A female presbyter.Pres'by-tê'ri-al or Pres'by-tê'ri-an, a. p. 1030Pertaining to a presbyter, or to ecclesiastical government by presbyters. 2. Consisting of presbyters; as, the government of the church of Scotland is presbyterian.Prēs'by-tē'ri-an, n. p. 1030One who maintains the validity of ordination and government by presbyters. 2. One who belongs to a church governed by presbyters.Pres'by-tē'ri-an-ism, n. p. 1030That form of church government which invests presbyters with all spiritual power, and admits no prelates over them.Prĕs'by-tē'ri-an-ly, adv. p. 1030After the manner, or in accordance with the principles of, a presbyterian, or the presbyterians. [Rare.]Prēs'by-tē'ri-ūm, n. p. 1030(Arch.) That part of a church where divine service is performed; the presbytery. Crabb.