Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRE-POS'TER-OUS, a. [L. præposterus; præ, before, and posterus, latter.]

1. Literally, having that first which ought to be last; inverted in order. The method take maybe censured as preposterous, because I treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature. – Woodward.
2. Perverted; wrong; absurd; contrary to nature or reason; not adapted to the end; as, a republican government in the hands of females, is preposterous. To draw general conclusions from particular facts, is preposterous reasoning. – Bacon. Woodward.
3. Foolish; absurd; applied to persons. – Shak.