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.
Pres·tā'tion or Prestation-money, n. p. 1032(O. Eng. Law.) A payment of money; a toll or duty; the rendering of a service. Burrill. Prestation-money, a sum of money paid yearly by archdeacons and other dignitaries to their bishop.Prēs'ter, n. p. 1032A meteor or exhalation formerly supposed to be thrown from the clouds with such violence that by collision it is set on fire. 2. (pl.) The veins of the neck when swollen with excitement.Pres'ter, n. p. 1032A priest. [Obs.]Pres·tēz'zō, n. p. 1032(Mus.) Quickness of movement or execution; rapidity.Pres’ti-dĭg’i-tā’tiōn, n. p. 1032Skill in legerdemain; prestigiation.Pres'ti-dig'i-tā'tor, n. p. 1032One skilled in legerdemain.Prēstige, n. p. 1032Illusion; fascination; charm; imposture. 2. Weight or influence coming from past success; expectation of future achievements founded on those already accomplished; force derived from prior character…Pres·tīg′i·ā′tion, n. p. 1032The playing of legerdemain tricks; a juggling; sleight of hand. [Obs.]Pres·tĭg·i·ā'tor, n. p. 1032A juggler; a conjurer. [Obs.] Henry More.Pres·tig'i·a-to-ry, a. p. 1032Consisting of, or effected by, impostures; juggling. [Obs.]Pres-tig'i-ous, a. p. 1032Practicing tricks; juggling. [Obs.]Prĕs'ti-mo-ny, n. p. 1032(Canon Law.) A fund for the support of a priest, appropriated by the founder, but not erected into any title of benefice, and not subject to the pope or the ordinary, but of which the patron is the…Pres-tis'si-mo, adv. p. 1033Very quickly; with the greatest rapidity.Prést'-môn'ey, n. p. 1033Money paid to men when they enlist into the British service, so called because they hold themselves prest, or ready to march at command. Todd.Près'to, adv. p. 1033Quickly; immediately; in haste; suddenly. Presto, begone, 'tis here again. Swift. 2. (Mus.) Quickly; rapidly:—a direction for a quick, lively movement or performance.Pre-stric'tion, n. p. 1033Dimness, as of sight. [Obs.] Milton.Prést'-sail, n. p. 1033(Naut.) The whole amount of sail that a vessel is capable of carrying.Pre-sŭl'tor, n. p. 1033One who goes before in dancing; a leader in the dance.Pre-süm'a-ble, a. p. 1033Such as may be presumed, or supposed to be true; entitled to belief without examination or direct evidence.Pre-sŭm'a-bly, adv. p. 1033In a presumable manner; by, or according to, presumption.Pre-sūme′, v. t. p. 1033To assume or take beforehand; to obtain in advance of; to undertake. [Rare.] Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve. Milton. 2. To take or suppose to be true, or entitled to belief, without…Pre-sūme′, v. i. p. 1033To suppose or assume something to be, or to be true, on grounds deemed valid, though not amounting to proof; to believe by anticipation; to think; as, we may presume too far. 2. To venture beyond…Pre-süm'er, n. p. 1033One who presumes; also, an arrogant person. Wotton.Pre-sŭm'ing-ly, adv. p. 1033Confidently; arrogantly.Pre-sümption, n. p. 1033The act of believing upon probable evidence, or taking for granted; belief upon incomplete proof; opinion. 2. Ground for presuming; evidence probable, but not conclusive; strong probability; as, the…Pre-sŭmp'tive, a. p. 1033Taken by presumption or previous supposition; grounded on probable evidence. 2. Unreasonably confident; adventuring without reasonable ground to expect success; presumptuous; arrogant. [Rare.]…Pre-sŭmp'tive-ly, adv. p. 1033By presumption, or supposition grounded on probability. Burke.Pre-sŭmp'tŭ-ōŭs, a. p. 1033Full of presumption; presuming; over-confident or venturesome; going beyond bounds of due self-appreciation or modesty; audacious; taking liberties unduly; arrogant; as, a presumptuous commander.…Pre-sŭmp'tŭ-ōŭs-ly, adv. p. 1033In a presumptuous manner; with presumption; arrogantly; insolently. 2. In bold defiance of conscience, or violation of known duty; as, to sin presumptuously.Pre-sŭmp'tū-ous-ness, n. p. 1033The quality of being presumptuous, or rashly confident; irreverent boldness or forwardness; arrogance.Prē/sup-pōz'al, n. p. 1033Supposal previously formed; presupposition. Hooker.Prē'sup-pōze', v. t. p. 1033To suppose as previous; to imply as antecedent; to take for granted; to presume; to assume. Each kind of knowledge presupposes many necessary things learned in other sciences, and known beforehand.…Pre-sŭp'po-sĭ'tion, n. p. 1033The act of presupposing; supposition or antecedent implication; presumption. 2. That which is presupposed; previous supposition or surmise.Pré/sur-mīse', n. p. 1033A surmise previously formed. Shak.Pre-tĕnce', n. p. 1033See PRETENSE.Pre-tēnd', v. t. p. 1033To hold before one; to thrust forward; to extend. [Obs. and rare.] “His target always over her pretended.” Spencer. 2. Hence, to put forth; to practice; to plot; to intend. [Obs.] “I'll give her…Pre-tĕnd’, v. i. p. 1033To put in a claim, truly or falsely; to allege a title; to lay claim; to strive after something; — usually with to. “Countries that pretend to freedom.” Swift.Pre-tĕnd'ant, n. p. 1033A pretender; a claimant. Milman.Pre-tĕnd'ed-ly, adv. p. 1033By false appearance or representation.Pre-tēnd'ence, n. p. 1033The act of pretending; pretence. [Obs.] Daniel.Pre-tēnd'er, n. p. 1033One who pretends, simulates, or feigns; one who lays claim. 2. (Eng. Hist.) The heir of the royal family of Stuart, who laid claim to the crown of Great Britain, but was excluded by law. Burnet.Pre-tĕnd′er-shĭp, n. p. 1033The right or claim of the pretender. Swift.Pre-tĕnd'ing-ly, adv. p. 1033Arrogantly; presumptuously.Pre-tēnse' or Pre-tēnce', n. p. 1033The act of holding out or offering to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; false show; simulation; — sometimes preceded by on; as, on pretense of…Pre-tĕnsed’, a. p. 1033Pretended; feigned; as, a pretensed right to land. [Obs.]Pre-tĕns'ed-ly, adv. p. 1033Pretendedly. [Obs.] Drant.Pre-tēnse'ful, a. p. 1033Abounding in pretenses.Pre-tĕn'sion, n. p. 1033The act of pretending or holding forth; or that which is pretended; pretext; fictitious show; deception; cheat. [Obs.] This was but an invention and pretension given out by the Spaniards. Bacon. 2.…Pre-tēnse'less, a. p. 1033Not having or making pretenses.Pre-tĕnt'a-tive, a. p. 1033Capable of being previously tried or attempted. [Rare.] Wotton.Pre-tĕn'tiōus, a. p. 1033Full of pretension; disposed to lay claim to more than is one's due; presuming; assuming. [Recent.]Pre-tĕn'tious-ly, adv. p. 1033In a pretentious manner.Pre-tĕn’tious-ness, n. p. 1033The quality of being pretentious.Prē'ter p. 1033A prefix, from the Lat. præter, used in the composition of some English words, and having the signification of past, beyond: hence, beside, more.Pré'ter-hū'man, a. p. 1033More than human; superhuman.Pre-tē'ri-ent, a. p. 1033Passed through; previous.Prē'ter-im-pēr'fect, a. p. 1033(Gram.) Not absolutely or distinctly past; an epithet designating the tense which expresses action or being not perfectly past, and which is more usually called the imperfect tense.Prĕt'er-ist, n. p. 1033One whose chief interest is in the past; one who regards the past with most pleasure or favor. 2. (Theol.) One who believes the prophecies of the Apocalypse to have been already fulfilled.Pré't'er-it or Pré'ter-it, a. p. 1033Past;—applied to the tense in grammar which expresses an action or being perfectly past or finished, often that which is just past or completed, but without a specification of time, and which is…Prĕt'er-it or Prē'ter-it, n. p. 1033(Gram.) The past or perfect tense.