Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913 + 1828)

Page 1129

Prefinite

Pre*fi"nite (?), a. [L. praefinitus, p. p.] Prearranged. [Obs.] Set and prefinite time." Holland.

Prefinition

Pref`i*ni"tion (?), n. [L. praefinitio.] Previous limitation. [Obs.] Fotherby.

Prefix

Pre*fix" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prefixed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prefixing.] [L. praefixus, p. p. of praefigere to fix or fasten before; prae before + figere to fix: cf. F. préfix fixed beforehand, determined, préfixer to prefix. See Fix.]

1. To put or fix before, or at the beginning of, another thing; as, to prefix a syllable to a word, or a condition to an agreement.

2. To set or appoint beforehand; to settle or establish antecedently. [Obs.] Prefixed bounds. " Locke.

And now he hath to her prefixt a day. Spenser.

Prefix

Pre"fix (?), n. [Cf. F. préfixe.] That which is prefixed; esp., one or more letters or syllables combined or united with the beginning of a word to modify its signification; as, pre- in prefix, con- in conjure.

Prefixion

Pre*fix"ion (?), n. [Cf. OF. prefixion.] The act of prefixing. [R.] Bailey.

Prefloration

Pre`flo*ra"tion (?), n. [Pref. pre- + L. flos, floris, flower.] (Bot.) æstivation.

Prefoliation

Pre*fo`li*a"tion (?), n. [Pref. pre- + L. folium leaf.] (Bot.) Vernation.

Preform

Pre*form" (), v. t. [L. praeformare. See Pre-, and Form.] To form beforehand, or for special ends. Their natures and preformed faculties. " Shak.

Preformation

Pre`for*ma"tion (?), n. (Biol.) An old theory of the preëxistence of germs. Cf. Embo&icir;tement.

Preformative

Pre*form"a*tive (?), n. A formative letter at the beginning of a word. M. Stuart.

Prefrontal

Pre*fron"tal (?), a. (Anat. & Zoöl.) Situated in front of the frontal bone, or the frontal region of the skull; ectethmoid, as a certain bone in the nasal capsule of many animals, and certain scales of reptiles and fishes. -- n. A prefrontal bone or scale.

Prefulgency

Pre*ful"gen*cy (?), n. [L. praefulgens, p. pr. of praefulgere to shine forth. See Pre-, and Fulgent.] Superior brightness or effulgency. [R.] Barrow.

Pregage

Pre*gage" (), v. t. To preëngage. [Obs.] Fuller.

Preglacial

Pre*gla"cial (?), a. (Geol.) Prior to the glacial or drift period.

Pregnable

Preg"na*ble (?), a, [F. prenable. See Impregnable.] Capable of being entered, taken, or captured; expugnable; as, a pregnable fort. [R.] Cotgrave.

Pregnance

Preg"nance (?), n. Pregnancy. [Obs.] Milton.

Pregnancy

Preg"nan*cy (?), n.

1. The condition of being pregnant; the state of being with young.

2. Figuratively: The quality of being heavy with important contents, issue, significance, etc.; unusual consequence or capacity; fertility. Fuller.

Pregnant

Preg"nant (?), a. [L. praegnans, -antis; prae before + genere, gignere, to beget: cf. F. prégnant. See Gender, 2d Kin.]

1. Being with young, as a female; having conceived; great with young; breeding; teeming; gravid; preparing to bring forth.

2. Heavy with important contents, significance, or issue; full of consequence or results; weighty; as, pregnant replies. A pregnant argument." Prynne. A pregnant brevity."<-- pregnant silence --> E. Everett.

3. Full of promise; abounding in ability, resources, etc.; as, a pregnant youth. [Obs.] Evelyn.

Wherein the pregnant enemy does much. Shak.

Pregnant construction (Rhet.), one in which more is implied than is said; as, the beasts trembled forth from their dens, that is, came forth trembling with fright.

Pregnant

Preg"nant, n. A pregnant woman. [R.] Dunglison.

Pregnant

Preg"nant, a. [F. prenant taking. Cf. Pregnable.] Affording entrance; receptive; yielding; willing; open; prompt. [Obs.] Pregnant to good pity." Shak.

Pregnantly

Preg"nant*ly, adv. In a pregnant manner; fruitfully; significantly.

Pregnantly

Preg"nant*ly, adv. Unresistingly; openly; hence, clearly; evidently. [Obs.] Shak.

Pregravate

Pre"gra*vate (?), v. t. [L. praegravatus, p. p. of praegravare to be heavy upon, fr. praegravis very heavy.] To bear down; to depress. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

Pregravitate

Pre*grav"i*tate (?), v. i. To descend by gravity; to sink. [R.] Boyle.

Pregustant

Pre*gus"tant (?), a. [L. praegustans, p. pr. of praegustare to taste beforehand; prae before + gustare to taste.] Tasting beforehand; having a foretaste. [R.] Ed. Rev.

Pregustation

Pre`gus*ta"tion (?), n. The act of tasting beforehand; foretaste. [R.] Dr. Walker (1678).

Prehallux

Pre*hal"lux (?), n. [NL. See Pre-, and Hallux.] (Anat.) An extra first toe, or rudiment of a toe, on the preaxial side of the hallux.

Prehend

Pre*hend" (), v. t. [L. prehendere. See Prehensile.] To lay hold of; to seize. [Obs.] Middleton.

Prehensi-ble

Pre*hen"si-ble (?), a. [Cf. F. préhensible.] Capable of being seized.

Prehensile

Pre*hen"sile (?), a. [L. prehensus, p. p. of prehendere to lay hold of, seize; pre- (equiv. to prae before) + hendere (in comp.), akin to E. get: cf. F. préhensile. See Get, and cf. Prison, Prize, n.]Adapted to seize or grasp; seizing; grasping; as, the prehensile tail of a monkey. Prehension Pre*hen"sion (?), n. [L. prehensio; cf. F. préhension. See Prehensile.] The act of taking hold, seizing, or grasping, as with the hand or other member.

Prehensory

Pre*hen"so*ry (?), a. Adapted to seize or grasp; prehensile.

Prehistoric

Pre`his*tor"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a period before written history begins; as, the prehistoric ages; prehistoric man.

Prehnite

Prehn"ite (?), n. [So called from the German Colonel Prehn, who first found it.] (Min.) A pale green mineral occurring in crystalline aggregates having a botryoidal or mammillary structure, and rarely in distinct crystals. It is a hydrous silicate of alumina and lime.

Prehnitic

Prehn*it"ic (?), a. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, a tetrabasic acid of benzene obtained as a white crystalline substance; -- probably so called from the resemblance of the wartlike crystals to the mammillæ on the surface of prehnite.

Preindesignate

Pre`in*des"ig*nate (?), a. (Logic.) Having no sign expressive of quantity; indefinite. See Predesignate.

Preindispose

Pre*in`dis*pose" () v. t. To render indisposed beforehand. Milman.

Preinstruct

Pre`in*struct" () v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preinstructed; p. pr. & vb. n. Preinstructing.] To instruct previously or beforehand. Dr. H. More.

Preintimation

Pre*in`ti*ma"tion (?) n. Previous intimation; a suggestion beforehand. T. Scott.

Prejudge

Pre*judge" () v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prejudged (); p. pr. & vb. n. Prejudging.] [Pref. pre + judge: cf. F. préjuger. Cf. Prejudicate, Prejudice.] To judge before hearing, or before full and sufficient examination; to decide or sentence by anticipation; to condemn beforehand.

The committee of council hath prejudged the whole case, by calling the united sense of both houses of Parliament a universal clamor." Swift.

Prejudgment

Pre*judg"ment (?), n. The act of prejudging; decision before sufficient examination.

Prejudicacy

Pre*ju"di*ca*cy (?), n. Prejudice; prepossession. [Obs.] Sir. H. Blount.

Prejudical

Pre*ju"di*cal (?), a. Of or pertaining to the determination of some matter not previously decided; as, a prejudical inquiry or action at law.

Prejudicant

Pre*ju"di*cant (?), a. [L. praejudicans, p. pr.] Influenced by prejudice; biased. [R.] With not too hasty and prejudicant ears." Milton.

Prejudicate

Pre*ju"di*cate (?), a. [L. praejudicatus, p. p. of praejudicare to prejudge; prae before + judicare to judge. See Judge.]

1. Formed before due examination. Ignorance and prejudicate opinions." Jer. Taylor.

2. Biased by opinions formed prematurely; prejudiced. Prejudicate readers." Sir T. Browne.

Prejudicate

Pre*ju"di*cate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prejudicated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prejudicating.] [Cf. Prejudge.] To determine beforehand, especially to disadvantage; to prejudge.

Our dearest friend Prejudicates the business. Shak.

Prejudicate

Pre*ju"di*cate, v. i. To prejudge. Sir P. Sidney.

Prejudicately

Pre*ju"di*cate*ly (?), adv. With prejudice.

Prejudication

Pre*ju`di*ca"tion (?), n.

1. The act of prejudicating, or of judging without due examination of facts and evidence; prejudgment.

2. (Rom. Law) (a) A preliminary inquiry and determination about something which belongs to a matter in dispute. (b) A previous treatment and decision of a point; a precedent.

Prejudicative

Pre*ju"di*ca*tive (?), a. Forming a judgment without due examination; prejudging. Dr. H. More.

Prejudice

Prej"u*dice (?) n. [F. préjudice, L. praejudicium; prae before + judicium judgment. See Prejudicate, Judicial.]

1. Foresight. [Obs.]

Naught might hinder his quick prejudize. Spenser.

2. An opinion or judgment formed without due examination; prejudgment; a leaning toward one side of a question from other considerations than those belonging to it; an unreasonable predilection for, or objection against, anything; especially, an opinion or leaning adverse to anything, without just grounds, or before sufficient knowledge.

Though often misled by prejudice and passion, he was emphatically an honest man. Macaulay.

3. (Law) A bias on the part of judge, juror, or witness which interferes with fairness of judgment.

4. Mischief; hurt; damage; injury; detriment. Locke.

England and France might, through their amity, Breed him some prejudice. Shak.

Syn. -- Prejudgment; prepossession; bias; harm; hurt; damage; detriment; mischief; disadvantage.

Prejudice

Prej"u*dice, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prejudiced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prejudicing (?).] [Cf. F. préjudicier. See Prejudice, n.]1. To cause to have prejudice; to prepossess with opinions formed without due knowledge or examination; to bias the mind of, by hasty and incorrect notions; to give an unreasonable bent to, as to one side or the other of a cause; as, to prejudice a critic or a juryman. Suffer not any beloved study to prejudice your mind so far as to despise all other learning. I. Watts 2. To obstruct or injure by prejudices, or by previous bias of the mind; hence, generally, to hurt; to damage; to injure; to impair; as, to prejudice a good cause. Seek how may prejudice the foe. Shak Prejudicial Prej`u*di"cial (?) a. [L. praejudicialis belonging to a preceding judgment: cf. F. préjudiciel.]

1. Biased, possessed, or blinded by prejudices; as, to look with a prejudicial eye. [Obs.] Holyday.

2. Tending to obstruct or impair; hurtful; injurious; disadvantageous; detrimental. Hooker.

His going away . . . was most prejudicial and most ruinous to the king's affairs. Clarendon.

-- Prej`u*di"cial*ly, adv. -- Prej`u*di"cial*ness, n.

Preknowledge

Pre*knowl"edge (?), n. Prior knowledge.

Prelacy

Prel"a*cy (?) n.; pl. Prelacies (#). [LL. praelatia. See Prelate; cf. Prelaty.]

1. The office or dignity of a prelate; church government by prelates.

Prelacies may be termed the greater benefices. Ayliffe.

2. The order of prelates, taken collectively; the body of ecclesiastical dignitaries. Divers of the reverend prelacy, and other most judicious men." Hooker.

Prelal

Pre"lal (?), a. [L. prelum a press.] Of or pertaining to printing; typographical. [Obs.] Fuller.

Prelate

Prel"ate (?; 48), n. [F. prélat, LL. praelatus, fr. L. praelatus, used as p. p. of praeferre to prefer, but from a different root. See Elate.] A clergyman of a superior order, as an archbishop or a bishop, having authority over the lower clergy; a dignitary of the church. &hand; This word and the words derived from it are often used invidiously, in English ecclesiastical history, by dissenters, respecting the Established Church system.

Hear him but reason in divinity, . . . You would desire the king were made a prelate. Shak.

Prelate

Prel"ate (?), v. i. To act as a prelate. [Obs.]

Right prelating is busy laboring, and not lording. Latimer.

Prelateity

Prel`a*te"i*ty (?), n. Prelacy. [Obs.] Milton.

Prelateship

Prel"ate*ship, n. The office of a prelate. Harmar.

Prelatess

Prel"a*tess (?), n. A woman who is a prelate; the wife of a prelate. Milton.

Prelatial

Pre*la"tial (?), a. Prelatical. Beaconsfield.

Prelatic, Prelatical

Pre*lat"ic (?), Pre*lat"ic*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to prelates or prelacy; as, prelatical authority. Macaulay.
Prelatically
Pre*lat"ic*al*ly, adv. In a prelatical manner; with reference to prelates. Milton.
The last Georgic was a good prelude to the æneis.
Prelation
Pre*la"tion (?), n. [L. praelatio: cf. F. prélation. See Prelate, and cf. Prefer.] The setting of one above another; preference. [R.] Jer. Taylor.
Prelatism
Prel"a*tism (?), n. Prelacy; episcopacy.
Prelatist
Prel"a*tist (?) n. One who supports of advocates prelacy, or the government of the church by prelates; hence, a high-churchman. Hume.
I am an Episcopalian, but not a prelatist. T. Scott.

Prelatize
Prel"a*tize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prelatized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prelatizing (?).] To bring under the influence of prelacy. Palfrey.
Prelatize
Prel"a*tize, v. i. To uphold or encourage prelacy; to exercise prelatical functions.
An episcopacy that began then to prelatize. Milton.

Prelatry
Prel"a*try (?), n. Prelaty; prelacy. [Obs.]
Prelature; 135, Prelatureship
Prel"a*ture (?; 135), Prel"a*ture*ship, n. [F. prélature, or LL. praelatura.] The state or dignity of a prelate; prelacy. Milman.
Prelaty
Prel"a*ty (?), n. Prelacy. [Obs.] Milton.
Prelect
Pre*lect" (?) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prelected; p. pr. & vb. n. Prelecting.] [L. praelectus, p. p. of praelegere to read before. See Pre-, and Lection.] To read publicly, as a lecture or discourse.
Prelect
Pre*lect", v. i. To discourse publicly; to lecture.
Spitting . . . was publicly prelected upon. De. Quincey.

To prelect upon the military art. Bp. Horsley.

Prelection
Pre*lec"tion (?), n. [L. praelectio.] A lecture or discourse read in public or to a select company. The prelections of Faber." Sir M. Hale.
Prelector
Pre*lec"tor (?), n. [L. praelector.] A reader of lectures or discourses; a lecturer. Sheldon.
Prelibation
Pre`li*ba"tion (?), n. [L. praelibatio, fr. praelibare to taste beforehand: cf. F. prelibation.]
1. A. tasting beforehand, or by anticipation; a foretaste; as, a prelibation of heavenly bliss.
2. A pouring out, or libation, before tasting.
Preliminarily
Pre*lim"i*na*ri*ly (?), adv. In a preliminary manner.
Preliminary
Pre*lim"i*na*ry (?), a. [Pref. pre + L. liminaris belonging to a threshold, fr. limen, liminis, threshold, entrance: cf. F. préliminaire. Cf. Limit.] Introductory; previous; preceding the main discourse or business; prefatory; as, preliminary observations to a discourse or book; preliminary articles to a treaty; preliminary measures; preliminary examinations. Syn. -- Introductory; preparatory; prefatory; proemial; previous; prior; precedent; antecedent.
Preliminary
Pre*lim"i*na*ry, n.; pl. Preliminaries (). That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one's preliminaries the year before entering college. Syn. -- Introduction; preface; prelude.
Prelimit
Pre*lim"it (?), v. t. To limit previously. [R.]
Prelook
Pre*look", v. i. To look forward. [Obs.] Surrey.
Prelude
Pre"lude (?), n. [F. prélude (cf. It. preludio, LL. praeludium), fr. L. prae before + ludus play. See Prelude, v. t.] An introductory performance, preceding and preparing for the principal matter; a preliminary part, movement, strain, etc.; especially (Mus.), a strain introducing the theme or chief subject; a movement introductory to a fugue, yet independent; -- with recent composers often synonymous with overture.
The last Georgic was a good prelude to the ænis Addison.

The cause is more than the prelude, the effect is more than the sequel, of the fact. Whewell.
Syn. -- Preface; introduction; preliminary; preamble; forerunner; harbinger; precursor.
Prelude
Pre*lude" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preluded; p. pr. & vb. n. Preluding.] [L. praeludere, praelusum; prae before + ludere to play: cf. F. préluder. See Ludicrous.] To play an introduction or prelude; to give a prefatory performance; to serve as prelude.
The musicians preluded on their instruments. Sir. W. Scott.

We are preluding too largely, and must come at once to the point. Jeffrey.

Prelude
Pre*lude", v. t.
1. To introduce with a previous performance; to play or perform a prelude to; as, to prelude a concert with a lively air.
2. To serve as prelude to; to precede as introductory.
[Music] preluding some great tragedy. Longfellow

Preluder
Pre*lud"er (?), n. One who, or that which, preludes; one who plays a prelude. Mason.
Preludial
Pre*lud"i*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to a prelude; of the nature of a prelude; introductory. [R.]
Preludious
Pre*lud"i*ous (?) a. Preludial. [R.] Dr. H. More.
Prelumbar
Pre*lum"bar (?), a. (Anat.) Situated immediately in front of the loins;- applied to the dorsal part of the abdomen.
Prelusive
Pre*lu"sive (?), a. [See Prelude.] Of the nature of a prelude; introductory; indicating that something of a like kind is to follow. Prelusive drops." Thomson. --Pre*lu"sive*ly, adv.
Prelusorily
Pre*lu"so*ri*ly (?), adv. In a prelusory way.
Prelusory
Pre*lu"so*ry (?), a. Introductory; prelusive. Bacon.