Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRE-AD-MIN-IS-TRA'TION, n.

Previous administration. – Pearson.

PRE-AD-MON'ISH, v.t.

To admonish previously.

PRE-AD-MON'ISH-ED, pp.

Previously admonished.

PRE-AD-MON'ISH-ING, ppr.

Admonishing beforehand.

PRE-AD-MO-NI'TION, n.

Previous warning or admonition.

PRE'AM-BLE, n. [It. preambolo; Sp. preambulo; Fr. préambule; L. præ, before, and ambulo, to go.]

1. Something previous introduction to a discourse or writing.
2. The introductory part of a statute, which states the reasons and intent of the law. – Encyc. Dryden.

PRE'AM-BLE, v.t.

To preface; to introduce with previous remarks. – Feltham.

PRE-AM'BLED, pp.

Introduced with previous remarks.

PRE-AM'BU-LA-RY, or PRE-AM'BU-LOUS, a.

Previous; introductory. [Not used.] – Brown.

PRE-AM'BU-LATE, v.i. [L. præ, before, and ambulo, to walk.]

To walk or go before. – Jordan.

PRE-AM-BU-LA'TION, n.

1. A preamble. [Not in use.] – Chaucer.
2. A walking or going before.

PRE-AM'BU-LA-TO-RY, a.

Going before; preceding. – Taylor.

PRE-AP-POINT', v.t.

To appoint previously.

PRE-AP-POINT'MENT, n.

Previous appointment. – Tucker.

PRE-AP-PRE-HEN'SION, n. [See Apprehend.]

An opinion formed before examination. – Brown.

PREASE, a.

Press; crowd. [Not used. See Press.] – Chapman.

PREAS'ING, ppr. [or adj.]

Crowding. [Not used.] – Spenser.

PRE-AS-SUR'ANCE, n.

Previous assurance. – Coleridge.

PRE-AU'DI-ENCE, n. [See Audience.]

Precedence or rank at the bar among lawyers; right of previous audience. – Blackstone.

PREB'END, n. [It. prebenda, prebend, provision; Sp. prebenda; Fr. prebende, from L. præbeo, to afford, to allow.]

1. The stipend or maintenance granted out of the estate of a cathedral or collegiate church. Prebends are simple or dignitary; simple, when they are restricted to the revenue only; and dignitary, when they have jurisdiction annexed to them. – Encyc.
2. A prebendary. [Not in use.] – Bacon.

PREB'END-AL, a.

Pertaining to a prebend. – Chesterfield.

PREB'END-A-RY, n. [Fr. prebendier.]

An ecclesiastic who enjoys a prebend; the stipendiary of a cathedral church. Swift. A prebendary differs from a canon in this; the prebendary receives his prebend in consideration of his officiating in the church; the canon merely in consequence of his being received into the cathedral or college. – Encyc.

PREB'END-A-RY-SHIP, n.

The office of a prebendary; a canonry. – Wotton.

PRE-CA'RI-OUS, a. [L. precarius, from precor, to pray or entreat; primarily, depending on request, or on the will of another.]

1. Depending on the will or pleasure of another; held by courtesy; liable to be changed or lost at the pleasure of another. A privilege depending on another's will is precarious, or held by a precarious tenure. – Addison.
2. Uncertain; held by a doubtful tenure; depending on unknown or unforeseen causes or events. Temporal prosperity is precarious; personal advantages, health, strength and beauty, are all precarious, depending on a thousand accidents. – Rogers. We say also, the weather is precarious; a phrase in which we depart not more from the primary sense of the word, than we do in a large part of all the words in the language.

PRE-CA'RI-OUS-LY, adv.

At the will or pleasure of others; dependently; by an uncertain tenure; as, he subsists precariously. – Lesley. Pope.