Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRE-CA'RI-OUS-NESS, n.

Uncertainty; dependence on the will or pleasure of others, or unknown events; as, the precariousness of life or health.

PRE'CA-TIVE, or PRE'CA-TO-RY, a. [L. precor, to pray.]

Suppliant; beseeching. – Harris. Hopkins.

PRE-CAU'TION, n. [Fr. from L. precautus, præcaveo; præ, before, and caveo, to take care.]

Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good in possession. – Addison.

PRE-CAU'TION, v.t.

To warn or advise beforehand for preventing mischief or securing good. – Locke.

PRE-CAU'TION-AL, a.

Preventive of mischief. – Montague.

PRE-CAU'TION-A-RY, a.

1. Containing previous caution; as, precautionary advice or admonition.
2. Proceeding from previous caution; adapted to prevent mischief or secure good; as, precautionary measures.

PRE-CAU'TION-ED, pp.

Warned beforehand.

PRE-CAU'TION-ING, ppr.

Previously advising.

PRE-CAU'TIOUS, a.

Taking precautions or preventive measures.

PRE-CAU'TIOUS-LY, adv.

With precaution.

PRE-CE-DA'NE-OUS, a. [from precede, L. præcedo.]

Preceding; antecedent; anterior. [Not used.] – Hale.

PRE-CEDE', v.t. [L. præcedo; præ, before, and cedo, to move.]

1. To go before in the order of time. The corruption of morals precedes the ruin of a state.
2. To go before in rank or importance.
3. To cause something to go before; to make to take place in prior time. It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration. [Unusual.] – Kent.

PRE-CED'ED, pp.

Being gone before.

PRE-CED'ENCE, or PRE-CED'EN-CY, n.

1. The act or state of going before; priority in time; as, the precedence of one event to another.
2. The state of going or being before in rank or dignity or the place of honor; the right to a more honorable place in public processions, in seats or in the civilities of life. Precedence depends on the order of nature or rank established by God himself, as that due to age; or on courtesy, custom or political distinction, as that due to a governor or senator, who, though younger in years, takes rank of a subordinate officer, though older; or it is settled by authority, as in Great Britain. In the latter case, a violation of the right of precedence is actionable. Precedence went in truck, / And he was competent whose purse was so. – Cowper.
3. The foremost in ceremony. – Milton.
4. Superiority; superior importance or influence. Which of the different desires has precedency in determining the will to the next action. – Locke.

PRE-CE'DENT, a.

Going before in time; anterior; antecedent; as, precedent services; a precedent fault of the will. The world, or any part thereof, could not be precedent to the creation of man. – Hale. A precedent condition, in law, is a condition which must happen or be performed before an estate or some right can vest, and on failure of which the estate or right is defeated. – Blackstone.

PREC'E-DENT, n.

1. Something done or said, that may serve or be adduced as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the like kind. Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only. – Hooker.
2. In law, a judicial decision, interlocutory or final, which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; or any proceeding or course of proceedings which may serve for a rule in subsequent cases of a like nature.

PREC'E-DENT-ED, a.

Having a precedent; authorized by an example of a like kind.

PRE-CE'DENT-LY, adv.

Beforehand; antecedently.

PRE-CED'ING, ppr.

Going before in time, rank or importance.

PRE-CEL'LENCE, n.

Excellence. [Not in use.] – Sheldon.

PRE-CEN'TOR, n. [Low L. præcentor; Fr. precenteur; It. precentore; L. præ, before, and canto, to sing.]

The leader of the choir in a cathedral; called also the chanter or master of the choir. – Encyc.

PRE'CEPT, n. [Fr. precepte; Sp. precepto; It. precetto; L. præceptum, from præcipio, to command; præ, before, and capio, to take.]

1. In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct. The ten commandments are so many precepts for the regulation of our moral conduct. No arts are without their precepts. – Dryden.
2. In law, a command or mandate in writing. – Encyc.

PRE-CEP'TIAL, a.

Consisting of precepts. [Not in use.] – Shak.

PRE-CEP'TION, n.

A precept. [Not in use.] – Hall.

PRE-CEP'TIVE, a. [L. præceptivus.]

1. Giving precepts or commands for the regulation of moral conduct; containing precepts; as, the preceptive parts of the Scriptures.
2. Directing in moral conduct; giving rules or directions; didactic. The lesson given us here is preceptive to us. – L'Estrange. Preceptive poetry. – Encyc.