Chapter 1205

Pre*tend"ant (?) , n. A pretender; a claimant.

Pretended <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tend"ed , a. Making a false appearance; unreal; false; as, pretended friend . -- Pre*tend"ed*ly , adv.

Pretendence <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tend"ence (?) , n. The act of pretending; pretense. [Obs.]

Daniel.

Pretender <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tend"er (?) , n. 1. One who lays claim, or asserts a title (to something); a claimant. Specifically, The pretender (Eng. Hist.) , the son or the grandson of James II., the heir of the royal family of Stuart, who laid claim to the throne of Great Britain, from which the house was excluded by law.

It is the shallow, unimproved intellects that are the confident pretenders to certainty. Glanvill.

2. One who pretends, simulates, or feigns.

Pretendership <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tend"er*ship , n. The character, right, or claim of a pretender.

Swift.

Pretendingly <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tend"ing*ly , adv. As by right or title; arrogantly; presumptuously.

Collier.

Pretense, Pretence <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tense" , Pre*tence (?) , n. [LL. praetensus , for L. praetentus , p. p. of praetendere . See Pretend , and cf. Tension .] 1. The act of laying claim; the claim laid; assumption; pretension.

Spenser.

Primogeniture can not have any pretense to a right of solely inheriting property or power. Locke.

I went to Lambeth with Sir R. Brown's pretense to the wardenship of Merton College, Oxford. Evelyn.

2. The act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging C\'91sar's death.

3. That which is pretended; false, deceptive, or hypocritical show, argument, or reason; pretext; feint.

Let not the Trojans, with a feigned pretense Of proffered peace, delude the Latian prince. Dryden.

4. Intention; design. [Obs.]

A very pretense and purpose of unkindness. Shak.

&hand; See the Note under Offense .

Syn. -- Mask; appearance; color; show; pretext; excuse. -- Pretense , Pretext . A pretense is something held out as real when it is not so, thus falsifying the truth. A pretext is something woven up in order to cover or conceal one's true motives, feelings, or reasons. Pretext is often, but not always, used in a bad sense.

Pretensed <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tensed" (?) , a. Pretended; feigned. [Obs.] -- Pre*tens"ed*ly (#) , adv. [Obs.]

Pretenseful <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tense"ful (?) , a. Abounding in pretenses.

Pretenseless <Xpage=1134>

Pre*tense"less , a. Not having or making pretenses.

Pretension <Xpage=1134>

Pre*ten"sion (?) , n. [Cf. F. pr\'82tention . See Pretend , Tension .] 1. The act of pretending, or laying claim; the act of asserting right or title.

The arrogant pretensions of Glengarry contributed to protract the discussion. Macaulay.

2. A claim made, whether true or false; a right alleged or assumed; a holding out the appearance of possessing a certain character; as, pretensions to scholarship .

This was but an invention and pretension given out by the Spaniards. Bacon.

Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions . L'Estrange.

Pretentative <Xpage=1134>

Pre*ten"ta*tive (?) , a. [Pref. pre- + tentative : cf. L. praetentare to try beforehand.] Fitted for trial beforehand; experimental. [R.]

Sir H. Wotton.

Pretentious <Xpage=1134>

Pre*ten"tious (?) , a. [Cf. F. pr\'82tentieux . See Pretend .] Full of pretension; disposed to lay claim to more than is one's; presuming; assuming. -- Pre*ten"tious*ly , adv. -- Pre*ten"tious*ness , n.

Preter- <Xpage=1134>

Pre"ter- (?) . [L. praeter past, beyond, originally a compar. of prae before. See For , prep .] A prefix signifying past , by , beyond , more than ; as, preter- mission, a permitting to go by; preter natural, beyond or more than is natural. [Written also pr\'91ter .]

Preterhuman <Xpage=1134>

Pre`ter*hu"man (?) , a. [Pref. preter- + human .] More than human.

Preterient <Xpage=1134>

Pre*te"ri*ent (?) , a. [L. praeteriens , p. pr. See Preterit .] Passed through; antecedent; previous; as, preterient states . [R.]

Preterimperfect <Xpage=1134>

Pre`ter*im*per"fect (?) , a. & n. [Pref. preter- + imperfect .] (Gram.) Old name of the tense also called imperfect .

Preterist <Xpage=1134>

Pret"er*ist (?) , n. [Pref. preter- + -ist .] 1. One whose chief interest is in the past; one who regards the past with most pleasure or favor.

2. (Theol.) One who believes the prophecies of the Apocalypse to have been already fulfilled.

Farrar.

Preterit <Xpage=1134>

Pret"er*it (?; 277) , a. [L. praeteritus , p. p. of praeterire to go or pass by; praeter beyond, by + ire to go: cf. F. pr\'82t\'82rit . See Issue .] [Written also preterite and pr\'91terite .] 1. (Gram.) Past; -- applied to a tense which expresses an action or state as past.

2. Belonging wholly to the past; passed by. [R.]

Things and persons as thoroughly preterite as Romulus or Numa. Lowell.

Preterit <Xpage=1134>

Pret"er*it , n. (Gram.) The preterit; also, a word in the preterit tense.

Preterite <Xpage=1134>

Pret"er*ite (?) , a. & n. Same as Preterit .

Preteriteness <Xpage=1134>

Pret"er*ite*ness , n. Same as Preteritness .

Preterition <Xpage=1134>

Pre`ter*i"tion (?; 277) , n. [L. praeteritio : cf. F. pr\'82t\'82rition .] 1. The act of passing, or going past; the state of being past.

Bp. Hall.

2. (Rhet.) A figure by which, in pretending to pass over anything, a summary mention of it is made; as, "I will not say, he is valiant, he is learned, he is just ." Called also paraleipsis .

3. (Law) The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs who is entitled to a portion.

Bouvier.

Preteritive <Xpage=1134>

Pre*ter"i*tive (?) , a. (Gram.) Used only or chiefly in the preterit or past tenses, as certain verbs.

Preteritness <Xpage=1134>

Pret"er*it*ness (?) , n. The quality or state of being past.

Bentley. Lowell.

Preterlapsed <Xpage=1134>

Pre`ter*lapsed" (?) , a. [L. praeterlapsus , p. p. of praeterlabi to glide by. See Preter- , Lapse .] Past; as, preterlapsed ages . [R.]

Glanvill.

Preterlegal <Xpage=1134>

Pre`ter*le"gal (?) , a. [Pref. preter- + legal .] Exceeding the limits of law. [R.]

<page="1135"> Page 1135

Pretermission <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*mis"sion (?) , n. [L. praetermissio . See Pretermit .] 1. The act of passing by or omitting; omission.

Milton.

2. (Rhet.) See Preterition .

Pretermit <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*mit" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pretermitted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Pretermitting .] [L. praetermittere , praetermissum ; praeter beyond + mittere to send. See Mission .] To pass by; to omit; to disregard.

Bacon.

Preternatural <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*nat"u*ral (?; 135) , a. [Pref. preter + natural .] Beyond of different from what is natural, or according to the regular course of things, but not clearly supernatural or miraculous; strange; inexplicable; extraordinary; uncommon; irregular; abnormal; as, a preternatural appearance; a preternatural stillness; a preternatural presentation (in childbirth) or labor.

This vile and preternatural temper of mind. South.

Syn. -- See Supernatural .

Preternaturalism <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ism (?) , n. The state of being preternatural; a preternatural condition.

Preternaturality <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*nat`u*ral"i*ty (?) , n. Preternaturalness. [R.]

Dr. John Smith.

Preternaturally <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ly (?; 135) , adv. In a preternatural manner or degree.

Bacon.

Preternaturalness <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ness , n. The quality or state of being preternatural.

Preterperfect <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*per"fect (?) , a. & n. [Pref. preter- + perfect .] (Gram.) Old name of the tense also called preterit .

Preterpluperfect <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*plu"per`fect (?) , a. & n. [Pref. preter- + pluperfect .] (Gram.) Old name of the tense also called pluperfect .

Pretertiary <Xpage=1135>

Pre*ter"ti*a*ry (?) , a. (Geol.) Earlier than Tertiary.

Pretervection <Xpage=1135>

Pre`ter*vec"tion (?) , n. [L. praetervectio , fr. praetervehere to carry beyond. See Invection .] The act of carrying past or beyond. [R.]

Abp. Potter.

Pretex <Xpage=1135>

Pre*tex" (?) , v. t. [L. praetexere . See Pretext .] To frame; to devise; to disguise or excuse; hence, to pretend; to declare falsely. [Obs.]

Pretext <Xpage=1135>

Pre"text (?; 277) , n. [F. pr\'82texte , L. praetextum , fr. praetextus , p. p. of praetexere to weave before, allege as an excuse; prae before + texere to weave. See Text .] Ostensible reason or motive assigned or assumed as a color or cover for the real reason or motive; pretense; disguise.

They suck the blood of those they depend on, under a pretext of service and kindness. L'Estrange.

With how much or how little pretext of reason. Dr. H. More.

Syn. -- Pretense; excuse; semblance; disguise; appearance. See Pretense .

Pretexture <Xpage=1135>

Pre*tex"ture (?; 135) , n. A pretext. [Obs.]

Pretibial <Xpage=1135>

Pre*tib"i*al (?) , a. (Anat.) Situated in front of the tibia.

Pretor <Xpage=1135>

Pre"tor (?) , n. [L. praetor , for praeitor , fr. praeire to go before; prae before + ire to go. See Issue .] 1. (Rom. Antiq.) A civil officer or magistrate among the ancient Romans.

&hand; Originally the pretor was a kind of third consul; but at an early period two pretors were appointed, the first of whom ( praetor urbanus ) was a kind of mayor or city judge; the other ( praetor peregrinus ) was a judge of cases in which one or both of the parties were foreigners. Still later, the number of pretors, or judges, was further increased.

2. Hence, a mayor or magistrate. [R.]

Dryden.

Pretorial <Xpage=1135>

Pre*to"ri*al (?) , a. Pretorian.

Burke.

Pretorian <Xpage=1135>

Pre*to"ri*an (?) , a. [L. praetorians : cf. F. pr\'82torien .] Of or pertaining to a pretor or magistrate; judicial; exercised by, or belonging to, a pretor; as, pretorian power or authority .

Pretorian bands &or; guards , &or; Pretorians (Rom. Hist.) , the emperor's bodyguards, instituted by the Emperor Augustus in nine cohorts of 1,000 men each. -- Pretorian gate (Rom. Antiq.) , that one of the four gates in a camp which lay next the enemy.

Brande & C.

Pretorian <Xpage=1135>

Pre*to"ri*an , n. A soldier of the pretorian guard.

Pretorium <Xpage=1135>

Pre*to"ri*um (?) , n. [L. praetorium , fr. praetor .] 1. The general's tent in a Roman camp; hence, a council of war, because held in the general's tent.

2. The official residence of a governor of a province; hence, a place; a splendid country seat.

Pretorship <Xpage=1135>

Pre"tor*ship (?) , n. The office or dignity of a pretor.

J. Warton

Pretorture <Xpage=1135>

Pre*tor"ture (?; 135) , v. t. To torture beforehand.

Fuller.

Prettily <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ti*ly (?) , adv. In a pretty manner.

Prettiness <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ti*ness , n. The quality or state of being pretty; -- used sometimes in a disparaging sense.

A style . . . without sententious pretension or antithetical prettiness . Jeffrey.

Pretty <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ty (?) , a. [ Compar. Prettier (?) ; superl. Prettiest .] [OE. prati , AS. pr\'91ttig , pr\'91tig , crafty, sly, akin to pr\'91t , pr\'91tt , deceit, trickery, Icel. prettugr tricky, prettr a trick; probably fr. Latin, perhaps through Celtic; cf. W. praith act, deed, practice, LL. practica execution, practice, plot. See Practice .] 1. Pleasing by delicacy or grace; attracting, but not striking or impressing; of a pleasing and attractive form a color; having slight or diminutive beauty; neat or elegant without elevation or grandeur; pleasingly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem.

This is the prettiest lowborn lass that ever Ran on the greensward. Shak.

2. Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune . "Wavering a pretty while."

Evelyn.

3. Affectedly nice; foppish; -- used in an ill sense.

The pretty gentleman is the most complaisant in the world. Spectator.

4. Mean; despicable; contemptible; -- used ironically; as, a pretty trick; a pretty fellow.

5. Stout; strong and brave; intrepid; valiant. [Scot.]

[He] observed they were pretty men, meaning not handsome. Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- Elegant; neat; fine. See Handsome .

Pretty <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ty (?) , adv. In some degree; moderately; considerably; rather; almost; -- less emphatic than very ; as, I am pretty sure of the fact; pretty cold weather.

Pretty plainly professes himself a sincere Christian. Atterbury.

Prettyish <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ty*ish , a. Somewhat pretty.

Walpole.

Prettyism <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ty*ism (?) , n. Affectation of a pretty style, manner, etc. [R.]

Ed. Rev.

Pretty-spoken <Xpage=1135>

Pret"ty-spo`ken (?) , a. Spoken or speaking prettily. [Colloq.]

Pretypify <Xpage=1135>

Pre*typ"i*fy (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pretypified (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Pretypifying .] To prefigure; to exhibit previously in a type.

Bp. Pearson.

Pretzel <Xpage=1135>

Pret"zel (?) , n. [G. pretzel , bretzel . Cf. Bretzel .] A kind of German biscuit or cake in the form of a twisted ring, salted on the outside.

Prevail <Xpage=1135>

Pre*vail" (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Prevailed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Prevailing .] [F. pr\'82valoir , OF. prevaleir , L. praevalere ; prae before + valere to be strong, able, or worth. See Valiant .] 1. To overcome; to gain the victory or superiority; to gain the advantage; to have the upper hand, or the mastery; to succeed; -- sometimes with over or against .

When Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed , and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed . Ex. xvii. 11.

So David prevailed over the Philistine. 1 Sam. xvii. 50.

This kingdom could never prevail against the united power of England . Swift.

2. To be in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day .

This custom makes the short-sighted bigots, and the warier skeptics, as far as it prevails . Locke.

3. To persuade or induce; -- with on , upon , or with ; as, I prevailed on him to wait .

He was prevailed with to restrain the Earl. Clarendon.

Prevail upon some judicious friend to be your constant hearer, and allow him the utmost freedom. Swift.

Prevailing <Xpage=1135>

Pre*vail"ing , a. 1. Having superior force or influence; efficacious; persuasive.

Shak.

Saints shall assist thee with prevailing prayers. Rowe.

2. Predominant; prevalent; most general; as, the prevailing disease of a climate; a prevailing opinion.

Syn. See Prevalent .

Prevailingly <Xpage=1135>

Pre*vail"ing*ly , adv. So as to prevail.

Prevailment <Xpage=1135>

Pre*vail"ment (?) , n. Prevalence; superior influence; efficacy. [Obs.]

Shak.

Prevalence <Xpage=1135>

Prev"a*lence (?) , n. [L. praevalentia : cf. F. pr\'82valence . See Prevail .] The quality or condition of being prevalent; superior strength, force, or influence; general existence, reception, or practice; wide extension; as, the prevalence of virtue, of a fashion, or of a disease; the prevalence of a rumor.

The duke better knew what kind of argument were of prevalence with him. Clarendon.

Prevalency <Xpage=1135>

Prev"a*len*cy (?) , n. See Prevalence .

Prevalent <Xpage=1135>

Prev"a*lent (?) , a. [L. praevalens , -entis , p. pr. of praevalere . See Prevail .] 1. Gaining advantage or superiority; having superior force, influence, or efficacy; prevailing; predominant; successful; victorious.

Brennus told the Roman embassadors, that prevalent arms were as good as any title. Sir W. Raleigh.

2. Most generally received or current; most widely adopted or practiced; also, generally or extensively existing; widespread; prevailing; as, a prevalent observance; prevalent disease.

This was the most received and prevalent opinion. Woodward.