Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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.