Chapter 1201

Pre*par"a*tor (?) , n. [L. praeparator .] One who prepares beforehand, as subjects for dissection, specimens for preservation in collections, etc.

Agassiz.

Preparatory <Xpage=1130>

Pre*par"a*to*ry (?) , a. [L. praeparatorius : cf. F. pr\'82paratoire .] Preparing the way for anything by previous measures of adaptation; antecedent and adapted to what follows; introductory; preparative; as, a preparatory school; a preparatory condition.

Prepare <Xpage=1130>

Pre*pare" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prepare<?/ (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Preparing .] [F. pr\'82parer , L. praeparare ; prae before + parare to make ready. See Pare .]

1. To fit, adapt, or qualify for a particular purpose or condition; to make ready; to put into a state for use or application; as, to prepare ground for seed; to prepare a lesson.

Our souls, not yet prepared for upper light. Dryden.

2. To procure as suitable or necessary; to get ready; to provide; as, to prepare ammunition and provisions for troops; to prepare ships for defence; to prepare an entertainment.

Milton.

That they may prepare a city for habitation. Ps. cvii. 36

Syn. -- To fit; adjust; adapt; qualify; equip; provide; form; make; make; ready.

<page="1131"> Page 1131

Prepare <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pare" (<?/) , v. i. 1. To make all things ready; to put things in order; as, to prepare for a hostile invasion . "Bid them prepare for dinner."

Shak.

2. To make one's self ready; to get ready; to take the necessary previous measures; as, to prepare for death .

Prepare <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pare" , n. Preparation. [Obs.]

Shak.

Prepared <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pared" (?) , a. Made fit or suitable; adapted; ready; as, prepared food; prepared questions. -- Pre*par"ed*ly (#) , adv. Shak. -- Pre*par"ed*ness , n.

Preparer <Xpage=1131>

Pre*par"er (?) , n. One who, or that which, prepares, fits, or makes ready.

Wood.

Prepay <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pay" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prepaid (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Prepaying .] To pay in advance, or beforehand; as, to prepay postage .

Prepayment <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pay"ment (?) , n. Payment in advance.

Prepenial <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pe"ni*al (?) , a. (Anat.) Situated in front of, or anterior to, the penis.

Prepense <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pense" (?) , v. t. [Pref. pre + F. penser to think. See Pansy .] To weigh or consider beforehand; to premeditate. [Obs.]

Spenser. Sir T. Elyot.

Prepense <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pense" , v. i. To deliberate beforehand. [Obs.]

Prepense <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pense" , a. [See Pansy , and cf. Prepense , v. t. ] Devised, contrived, or planned beforehand; preconceived; premeditated; aforethought; -- usually placed after the word it qualifies; as, malice prepense .

This has not arisen from any misrepresentation or error prepense . Southey.

Prepensely <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pense"ly , adv. In a premeditated manner.

Prepollence, Prepollency <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pol"lence (?) , Pre*pol"len*cy (?) , n. [L. praepollentia .] The quality or state of being prepollent; superiority of power; predominance; prevalence. [R.]

Coventry.

Prepollent <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pol"lent (?) , a. [L. praepollens , p. p. of praepollere to surpass in power; prae before + pollere to be powerful.] Having superior influence or power; prevailing; predominant. [R.]

Boyle.

Prepollent <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pol"lent (?) , n. ; pl . Prepollices (#) [NL. See Pre- , Pollex .] (Anat.) An extra first digit, or rudiment of a digit, on the preaxial side of the pollex.

Preponder <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon"der (?) v. t. To preponderate [Obs.]

Preponderance, Preponderancy <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon"der*ance (?) , Pre*pon"der*an*cy (?) , n. [Cf. F. pr\'82pond\'82rance .]

1. The quality or state of being preponderant; superiority or excess of weight, influence, or power, etc.; an outweighing.

The mind should . . . reject or receive proportionably to the preponderancy of the greater grounds of probability. Locke.

In a few weeks he had changed the relative position of all the states in Europe, and had restored the equilibrium which the preponderance of one power had destroyed. Macaulay.

2. (Gun.) The excess of weight of that part of a canon behind the trunnions over that in front of them.

Preponderant <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon"der*ant (?) a. [L. praeponderans , -antis : cf. F. pr\'82pond\'82rant . See Preponderate .] Preponderating; outweighing; overbalancing; -- used literally and figuratively; as, a preponderant weight; of preponderant importance. -- Pre*pon"der*ant*ly , adv.

Preponderate <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon"der*ate (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Preponderated (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Preponderating .] [L. praeponderatus , p. p. of praeponderare ; prae before + ponderare to weigh, fr., pondus , ponderis , a weight. See Ponder .]

1. To outweigh; to overpower by weight; to exceed in weight; to overbalance.

An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center of the balance, will preponderate greater magnitudes. Glanvill.

2. To overpower by stronger or moral power.

3. To cause to prefer; to incline; to decide. [Obs.]

The desire to spare Christian blood preponderates him for peace. Fuller.

Preponderate <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon"der*ate , v. i. To exceed in weight; hence, to incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; figuratively, to exceed in influence, power, etc.; hence; to incline to one side; as, the affirmative side preponderated .

That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will not preponderate . Bp. Wilkins.

Preponderatingly <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon"der*a`ting*ly (?) , adv. In a preponderating manner; preponderantly.

Preponderation <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pon`der*a"tion (?) , n. [L. praeponderatio .] The act or state of preponderating; preponderance; as, a preponderation of reasons .

I. Watts.

Prepose <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pose" (?) , v. t. [F. pr\'82poser ; pref. pr\'82- (L. prae before) + poser . See Pose .] To place or set before; to prefix. [Obs.]

Fuller.

Preposition <Xpage=1131>

Prep`o*si"tion (?) , n. [L. praepositio , fr. praeponere to place before; prae before + ponere to put, place: cf. F. pr\'82position . See Position , and cf. Provost .]

1. (Gram.) A word employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word; a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word; -- so called because usually placed before the word with which it is phrased; as, a bridge of iron; he comes from town; it is good for food; he escaped by running.

2. A proposition; an exposition; a discourse. [Obs.]

He made a long preposition and oration. Fabyan.

Prepositional <Xpage=1131>

Prep`o*si"tion*al (?) a. [Cf. F. pr\'82positionnel .] Of or pertaining to a preposition; of the nature of a preposition. Early . -- Prep`o*si"tion*al*ly , adv.

Prepositive <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pos"i*tive (?) , a. [L. praepositivus : cf. F. pr\'82positif .] (Gram.) Put before; prefixed; as, a prepositive particle . -- n. A prepositive word.

Tooke.

Prepositor <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pos"i*tor (?) , n. [NL.] A scholar appointed to inspect other scholars; a monitor.

Todd.

Prepositure <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pos"i*ture (?) , n. [L. praepositura . See Preposition , and cf. Provost .] The office or dignity of a provost; a provostship.

Lowth.

Prepossess <Xpage=1131>

Pre`pos*sess" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prepossessed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Prepossessing .]

1. To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of.

Dryden.

2. To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset.

It created him enemies, and prepossessed the lord general. Evelyn.

Prepossessing <Xpage=1131>

Pre`pos*sess"ing (?) , a. Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence, favor, esteem, or love; attractive; as, a prepossessing manner . -- Pre`pos*sess"ing*ly , adv.

Prepossession <Xpage=1131>

Pre`pos*ses"sion (?) , n.

1. Preoccupation; prior possession.

Hammond.

2. Preoccupation of the mind by an opinion, or impression, already formed; preconceived opinion; previous impression; bias; -- generally, but not always, used in a favorable sense; as, the prepossessions of childhood . "The prejudices and prepossessions of the country."

Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- Bent; bias; inclination; preoccupancy; prejudgment. See Bent .

Prepossessor <Xpage=1131>

Pre`*pos*sess"or (?) , n. One who possesses, or occupies, previously.

R. Brady.

Preposterous <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pos"ter*ous (?) a. [L. praeposterus ; prae before + posterus coming after, latter. See Posterior .]

1. Having that first which ought to be last; inverted in order. [Obs.]

The method I take may be censured as preposterous , because I thus treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature. Woodward.

2. Contrary to nature or reason; not adapted to the end; utterly and glaringly foolish; unreasonably absurd; perverted. "Most preposterous conclusions."

Shak.

Preposterous ass, that never read so far! Shak.

Syn. -- Absurd; perverted; wrong; irrational; foolish; monstrous. See Absurd .

-- Pre*pos"ter*ous*ly , adv. - Pre*pos"ter*ous*ness , n.

Prepostor <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pos"tor (?) n. See Prepositor .

Prepotency <Xpage=1131>

Pre*po"ten*cy (?) , n. [L. praepotentia : cf. F. pr\'82potence .]

1. The quality or condition of being prepotent; predominance. [Obs.]

Sir T. Browne.

2. (Biol.) The capacity, on the part of one of the parents, as compared with the other, to transmit more than his or her own share of characteristics to their offspring.

Prepotent <Xpage=1131>

Pre*po"tent (?) a. [L. praepotens . See Pre- , and Potent .]

1. Very powerful; superior in force, influence, or authority; predominant.

Plaifere.

2. (Biol.) Characterized by prepotency.

Darwin.

Preprovide <Xpage=1131>

Pre`pro*vide" (?) , v. t. To provide beforehand. "The materials preprovided ."

Fuller.

Prepubic <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pu"bic (?) , a. (Anat.) Situated in front of, or anterior to, the pubis; pertaining to the prepubis.

Prepubis <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pu"bis (?) , n. [NL. See Pre- , and Pubis .] (Anat.) A bone or cartilage, of some animals, situated in the middle line in front of the pubic bones.

Prepuce <Xpage=1131>

Pre"puce (?) , n. [F. pr\'82puce , L. praeputium .] (Anat.) The foreskin.

Preputial <Xpage=1131>

Pre*pu"tial (?) , a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the prepuce.

Preraphaelism, Preraphaelitism <Xpage=1131>

Pre*raph"a*el*ism (?) , Pre*raph"a*el*i`tism (?) , n. (Fine Arts) The doctrine or practice of a school of modern painters who profess to be followers of the painters before Raphael. Its adherents advocate careful study from nature, delicacy and minuteness of workmanship, and an exalted and delicate conception of the subject.

Preraphaelite <Xpage=1131>

Pre*raph"a*el*ite (?) , a. Of or pertaining to the style called preraphaelitism; as, a preraphaelite figure; a preraphaelite landscape.

Ruskin.

Preraphaelite <Xpage=1131>

Pre*raph"a*el*ite , n. One who favors or practices art as it was before Raphael; one who favors or advocates preraphaelitism.

Preregnant <Xpage=1131>

Pre*reg"nant (?) , n. One who reigns before another; a sovereign predecessor. [R.]

Warner.

Preremote <Xpage=1131>

Pre`re*mote (?) a. More remote in previous time or prior order.

In some cases two more links of causation may be introduced; one of them may be termed the preremote cause, the other the postremote effect. E. Darwin.

Prerequire <Xpage=1131>

Pre`re*quire" (?) , v. t. To require beforehand.

Some things are prerequired of us. Bp. Hall.

Prerequisite <Xpage=1131>

Pre*req"ui*site (?) , a. Previously required; necessary as a preliminary to any proposed effect or end; as, prerequisite conditions of success .

Prerequisite <Xpage=1131>

Pre*req"ui*site , n. Something previously required, or necessary to an end or effect proposed.

The necessary prerequisites of freedom. Goldsmith.

Preresolve <Xpage=1131>

Pre`re*solve" (?) , v. t. & i. [ imp. & p. p. Preresolved (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Preresolving .] To resolve beforehand; to predetermine.

Sir E. Dering.

Prerogative <Xpage=1131>

Pre*rog"a*tive (?) , n. [F. pr\'82rogative , from L. praerogativa precedence in voting, preference, privilege, fr. praerogativus that is asked before others for his opinion, that votes before or first, fr. praerogare to ask before another; prae before + rogare to ask. See Rogation .]

1. An exclusive or peculiar privilege; prior and indefeasible right; fundamental and essential possession; -- used generally of an official and hereditary right which may be asserted without question, and for the exercise of which there is no responsibility or accountability as to the fact and the manner of its exercise.

The two faculties that are the prerogative of man -- the powers of abstraction and imagination. I. Taylor.

An unconstitutional exercise of his prerogative . Macaulay.

2. Precedence; pre\'89minence; first rank. [Obs.]

Then give me leave to have prerogative . Shak.

&hand; The term came into general use in the conflicts between the Crown and Parliaments of Great Britain, especially in the time of the Stuarts.

Prerogative Court (Eng. Law) , a court which formerly had authority in the matter of wills and administrations, where the deceased left bona notabilia , or effects of the value of five pounds, in two or more different dioceses. Blackstone . -- Prerogative office , the office in which wills proved in the Prerogative Court were registered.

Syn. -- Privilege; right. See Privilege .

Prerogatived <Xpage=1131>

Pre*rog"a*tived (?) , a. Endowed with a prerogative, or exclusive privilege. [R.]

Shak.

Prerogatively <Xpage=1131>

Pre*rog"a*tive*ly (?) , adv. By prerogative.

Presage <Xpage=1131>

Pre"sage (?) , n. [F. pr\'82sage , L. praesagium , from praesagire . See Presage , v. t. ]

1. Something which foreshows or portends a future event; a prognostic; an omen; an augury. "Joy and shout -- presage of victory."

Milton.

2. Power to look the future, or the exercise of that power; foreknowledge; presentiment.

If there be aught of presage in the mind. Milton.

Syn. -- Prognostic; omen; token; sign; presentiment.

Presage <Xpage=1131>

Pre*sage" (?) v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Presaged (-s&amac;jd") ; p. pr. & vb. n. Presaging . ] [F. pr\'82sager , L. praesagire : prae before + sagire to perceive acutely or sharply. See Sagacious .]

1. To have a presentiment of; to feel beforehand; to foreknow.

2. To foretell; to predict; to foreshow; to indicate.

My dreams presage some joyful news at hand. Shak.

Presage <Xpage=1131>

Pre*sage" , v. i. To form or utter a prediction; -- sometimes used with of .

Dryden.

Presageful <Xpage=1131>

Pre*sage"ful (?) a. Full of presages; ominous.

Dark in the glass of some presageful mood. Tennyson.

Presagement <Xpage=1131>

Pre*sage"ment (?) , n.

1. The act or art of presaging; a foreboding. [R.]

Sir T. Browne.

2. That which is presaged, or foretold. [R.] "Ominous presagement before his end. "

Sir H. Wotton.

Presager <Xpage=1131>

Pre*sa"ger (?) n. One who, or that which, presages; a foreteller; a foreboder.

Shak.

Presagious <Xpage=1131>

Pre*sa"gious (?) , a. Foreboding; ominous. [Obs.]

Presbyope <Xpage=1131>

Pres"by*ope (?) , n. (Med.) One who has presbyopia; a farsighted person.

Presbyopia <Xpage=1131>

Pres`by*o"pi*a (?) [NL., from Gr. <?/ old, n., an old man + <?/, <?/, the eye.] (Med.) A defect of vision consequent upon advancing age. It is due to rigidity of the crystalline lens, which produce<?/ difficulty of accommodation and recession of the near point of vision, so that objects very near the eyes can not be seen distinctly without the use of convex glasses. Called also presbytia .

Presbyopic <Xpage=1131>

Pres`by*op"ic (?) a. Affected by presbyopia; also, remedying presbyopia; farsighted.

Presbyopy <Xpage=1131>

Pres"by*o`py (?) n. [Cf. F. presbyopie .] See Presbyopia .

Presbyte <Xpage=1131>

Pres"byte (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ an old man.] Same as Presbyope .

Presbyter <Xpage=1131>

Pres"by*ter (?) , n. [L. an elder, fr. Gr. <?/. See Priest .]

1. An elder in the early Christian church. See 2d Citation under Bishop , n. , 1.

2. (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.) One ordained to the second order in the ministry; -- called also priest .

I rather term the one sort presbyter than priest. Hooker.