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-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.Prĕs'by-ter-shĭp, n. p. 1030The office or station of a presbyter.Prĕs'by-ter-y, n. p. 1030A body of elders in the Christian church. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 1 Tim. iv. 14. 2. (Presbyterian…Pres-byt'i-ā, n. p. 1030(Med.) The state of being long-sighted; presbyopy.Pres-byt'ic, a. p. 1030Affected by presbytia; presbyopic.Prē′ sci-ence, n. p. 1030Knowledge of events before they take place; foresight. Of things of the most accidental and mutable nature, God's prescience is certain. South.Prē'sci-ent, a. p. 1030Having knowledge of events before they take place; foreknowing. Who taught the nations of the field and wood, Prescient, the tides or tempests to withstand? Pope.Pre-scĭnd′, v. t. p. 1030To cut off; to abstract. [Obs.] Norris. 2. (Metaph.) To consider by a separate act of attention or analysis. We may, indeed, be said to prescind, but not to abstract. Thus, let A, B, C, be three…