Chapter 63

Prairie chicken (Zoˆl.), any American grouse of the genus Tympanuchus, especially T. Americanus (formerly T. cupido), which inhabits the prairies of the central United States. Applied also to the sharp- tailed grouse. -- Prairie clover (Bot.), any plant of the leguminous genus Petalostemon, having small rosy or white flowers in dense terminal heads or spikes. Several species occur in the prairies of the United States. -- Prairie dock (Bot.), a coarse composite plant (Silphium terebinthaceum) with large rough leaves and yellow flowers, found in the Western prairies. -- Prairie dog (Zoˆl.), a small American rodent (Cynomys Ludovicianus) allied to the marmots. It inhabits the plains west of the Mississippi. The prairie dogs burrow in the ground in large warrens, and have a sharp bark like that of a dog. Called also prairie marmot. -- Prairie grouse. Same as Prairie chicken, above. -- Prairie hare (Zoˆl.), a large long-eared Western hare (Lepus campestris). See Jack rabbit, under 2d Jack. -- Prairie hawk, Prairie falcon (Zoˆl.), a falcon of Western North America (Falco Mexicanus). The upper parts are brown. The tail has transverse bands of white; the under parts, longitudinal streaks and spots of brown. -- Prairie hen. (Zoˆl.) Same as Prairie chicken, above. -- Prairie itch (Med.), an affection of the skin attended with intense itching, which is observed in the Northern and Western United States; -- also called swamp itch, winter itch. -- Prairie marmot. (Zoˆl.) Same as Prairie dog, above. -- Prairie mole (Zoˆl.), a large American mole (Scalops argentatus), native of the Western prairies. -- Prairie pigeon, plover, or snipe (Zoˆl.), the upland plover. See Plover, n., 2. -- Prairie rattlesnake (Zoˆl.), the massasauga. -- Prairie snake (Zoˆl.), a large harmless American snake (Masticophis flavigularis). It is pale yellow, tinged with brown above. -- Prairie squirrel (Zoˆl.), any American ground squirrel of the genus Spermophilus, inhabiting prairies; -- called also gopher. -- Prairie turnip (Bot.), the edible turnip-shaped farinaceous root of a leguminous plant (Psoralea esculenta) of the Upper Missouri region; also, the plant itself. Called also pomme blanche, and pomme de prairie. -- Prairie warbler (Zoˆl.), a bright-colored American warbler (Dendroica discolor). The back is olive yellow, with a group of reddish spots in the middle; the under parts and the parts around the eyes are bright yellow; the sides of the throat and spots along the sides, black; three outer tail feathers partly white. -- Prairie wolf. (Zoˆl.) See Coyote.

Prais"a*ble (?), a. Fit to be praised; praise-worthy; laudable; commendable. Wyclif (2 Tim. ii. 15).

Prais"a*bly, adv. In a praisable manner.

Praise (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Praised (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Praising.] [OE. preisen, OF. preisier, prisier, F. priser, L. pretiare to prize, fr. pretium price. See Price, n., and cf. Appreciate, Praise, n., Prize, v.] 1. To commend; to applaud; to express approbation of; to laud; -- applied to a person or his acts. "I praise well thy wit." Chaucer.

Let her own works praise her in the gates.

Prov. xxxi. 31.

We praise not Hector, though his name, we know, Is great in arms; 't is hard to praise a foe.

Dryden.

2. To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of; -- applied especially to the Divine Being.

Praise ye him, all his angels; praise ye him, all his hosts!

Ps. cxlviii. 2.

3. To value; to appraise. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

Syn. -- To commend; laud; eulogize; celebrate; glorify; magnify. -- To Praise, Applaud, Extol. To praise is to set at high price; to applaud is to greet with clapping; to extol is to bear aloft, to exalt. We may praise in the exercise of calm judgment; we usually applaud from impulse, and on account of some specific act; we extol under the influence of high admiration, and usually in strong, if not extravagant, language.

Praise, n. [OE. preis, OF. preis price, worth, value, estimation. See Praise, v., Price.] 1. Commendation for worth; approval expressed; honor rendered because of excellence or worth; laudation; approbation.

There are men who always confound the praise of goodness with the practice.

Rambler.

Praise may be expressed by an individual, and thus differs from fame, renown, and celebrity, which are always the expression of the approbation of numbers, or public commendation.

2. Especially, the joyful tribute of gratitude or homage rendered to the Divine Being; the act of glorifying or extolling the Creator; worship, particularly worship by song, distinction from prayer and other acts of worship; as, a service of praise.

3. The object, ground, or reason of praise.

He is thy praise, and he is thy God.

Deut. x.&?;&?;.

Syn. -- Encomium; honor; eulogy; panegyric; plaudit; applause; acclaim; eclat; commendation; laudation.

Praise"ful (?), a. Praiseworthy. [Obs.]

Praise"ful (?), a. Praiseworthy. [Obs.]

Praise"less, a. Without praise or approbation.

Praise"-meet`*ing (?), n. A religious service mainly in song. [Local, U. S.]

Praise"ment (?), n. Appraisement. [Obs.]

Prais"er (?), n. 1. One who praises. "Praisers of men." Sir P. Sidney.

2. An appraiser; a valuator. [Obs.] Sir T. North.

Praise"wor`thi*ly (?), adv. In a praiseworthy manner. Spenser.

Praise"wor`thi*ness, n. The quality or state of being praiseworthy.

Praise"wor`thy (?), a. Worthy of praise or applause; commendable; as, praiseworthy action; he was praiseworthy. Arbuthnot.

Pra"krit (?), n. [Skr. prkta original, natural, usual, common, vulgar.] Any one of the popular dialects descended from, or akin to, Sanskrit; -- in distinction from the Sanskrit, which was used as a literary and learned language when no longer spoken by the people. Pali is one of the Prakrit dialects.

Pra*krit"ic (?), a. Pertaining to Prakrit.

{ Pram (?), Prame (?) }, n. (Naut.) See Praam.

Prance (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pranced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prancing (?).] [OE. prauncen; probably akin to prank, v. t. See Prank.] 1. To spring or bound, as a horse in high mettle.

Now rule thy prancing steed.

Gay.

2. To ride on a prancing horse; to ride in an ostentatious manner.

The insulting tyrant prancing o'er the field.

Addison.

3. To walk or strut about in a pompous, showy manner, or with warlike parade. Swift.

Pran"cer (?), n. A horse which prances.

Then came the captain . . . upon a brave prancer.

Evelyn.

Pran"di*al (?), a. [L. prandium a repast.] Of or pertaining to a repast, especially to dinner.

||Pran"gos (?), n. [From the native name in Afghanistan.] (Bot.) A ||genus of umbelliferous plants, one species of which (P. pabularia), ||found in Thibet, Cashmere, Afghanistan, etc., has been used as fodder ||for cattle. It has decompound leaves with very long narrow divisions, ||and a highly fragrant smell resembling that of new clover hay.

Prank (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pranked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pranking.] [Cf. E. prink, also G. prangen, prunken, to shine, to make a show, Dan. prange, prunke, Sw. prunka, D. pronken.] To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or equip ostentatiously; -- often followed by up; as, to prank up the body. See Prink.

In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank.

Spenser.

Prank, v. i. To make ostentatious show.

White houses prank where once were huts.

M. Arnold.

Prank, n. A gay or sportive action; a ludicrous, merry, or mischievous trick; a caper; a frolic. Spenser.

The harpies . . . played their accustomed pranks.

Sir W. Raleigh.

His pranks have been too broad to bear with.

Shak.

Prank, a. Full of gambols or tricks. [Obs.]

Prank"er (?), n. One who dresses showily; a prinker. "A pranker or a dancer." Burton.

Prank"ish, a. Full of pranks; frolicsome.

Prase (?), n. [L. prasius, fr. Gr. &?; of a leek-green, fr. Gr. &?; a leek: cf. F. prase.] (Min.) A variety of cryptocrystalline of a leek-green color.

Pra"se*o- (?). [Gr. &?; leek-green, green, fr. &?; a leek.] A combining form signifying green; as, praseocobalt, a green variety of cobalt.

Pra`se*o*dym"i*um (?), n. [Praseo- + didymium.] (Chem.) An elementary substance, one of the constituents of didymium; -- so called from the green color of its salts. Symbol Ps. Atomic weight 143.6.

Pra"se*o*lite (?), n. [Praseo- + -lite.] (Min.) A variety of altered iolite of a green color and greasy luster.

Pras"i*nous (?), a. [L. prasinus, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; a leek.] Grass-green; clear, lively green, without any mixture. Lindley.

Pra"soid (?), a. [Gr. &?; leek + - oid.] (Min.) Resembling prase.

Prate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prated; p. pr. & vb. n. Prating.] [Akin to LG. & D. praten, Dan. prate, Sw. & Icel. prata.] To talk much and to little purpose; to be loquacious; to speak foolishly; to babble.

To prate and talk for life and honor.

Shak.

And make a fool presume to prate of love.

Dryden.

Prate, v. t. To utter foolishly; to speak without reason or purpose; to chatter, or babble.

What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate, When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate !

Dryden.

Prate, n. [Akin to LG. & D. praat, Sw. prat.] Talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity.

Sick of tops, and poetry, and prate.

Pope.

Prate"ful (?), a. Talkative. [R.] W. Taylor.

Prat"er (?), n. One who prates. Shak.

Prat"ic (?), n. See Pratique.

Pra"tin*cole (?), n. (Zoˆl.) Any bird of the Old World genus Glareola, or family GlareolidÊ, allied to the plovers. They have long, pointed wings and a forked tail.

Prat"ing*ly (?), adv. With idle talk; with loquacity.

Prat"ique (?), n. [F.; cf. It. pratica, Sp. practica. See Practice.] 1. (Com.) Primarily, liberty of converse; intercourse; hence, a certificate, given after compliance with quarantine regulations, permitting a ship to land passengers and crew; -- a term used particularly in the south of Europe.

<! p. 1125 !>

2. Practice; habits. [Obs.] "One of English education and pratique." R. North.

Prat"tle (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prattled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prattling (?).] [Freq. of prate.] To talk much and idly; to prate; hence, to talk lightly and artlessly, like a child; to utter child's talk.

Prat"tle, v. t. To utter as prattle; to babble; as, to prattle treason. Addison.

Prat"tle, n. Trifling or childish tattle; empty talk; loquacity on trivial subjects; prate; babble.

Mere prattle, without practice.

Shak.

Prat"tle*ment (?), n. Prattle. [R.] Jeffrey.

Prat"tler (?), n. One who prattles. Herbert.

Prav"i*ty (?), n. [L. pravitas, from pravus crooked, perverse.] Deterioration; degeneracy; corruption; especially, moral crookedness; moral perversion; perverseness; depravity; as, the pravity of human nature. "The pravity of the will." South.

Prawn (?), n. [OE. prane, of unknown origin; cf. L. perna a sea mussel.] (Zoˆl.) Any one of numerous species of large shrimplike Crustacea having slender legs and long antennÊ. They mostly belong to the genera Pandalus, PalÊmon, PalÊmonetes, and Peneus, and are much used as food. The common English prawn is PalÊmon serratus.

The name is often applied to any large shrimp.

Prax*in"o*scope (?), n. [Gr. &?; action + -scope.] (Opt.) An instrument, similar to the phenakistoscope, for presenting to view, or projecting upon a screen, images the natural motions of real objects.

Prax"is (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to do. See Practice.] 1. Use; practice; especially, exercise or discipline for a specific purpose or object. "The praxis and theory of music." Wood.

2. An example or form of exercise, or a collection of such examples, for practice.

Pray (?), n. & v. See Pry. [Obs.] Spenser.

Pray (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Praying.] [OE. preien, OF. preier, F. prier, L. precari, fr. prex, precis, a prayer, a request; akin to Skr. prach to ask, AS. frignan, frnan, fricgan, G. fragen, Goth. fraÌhnan. Cf. Deprecate, Imprecate, Precarious.] To make request with earnestness or zeal, as for something desired; to make entreaty or supplication; to offer prayer to a deity or divine being as a religious act; specifically, to address the Supreme Being with adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving.

And to his goddess pitously he preyde.

Chaucer.

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

Matt. vi. 6.

I pray, or (by ellipsis) Pray, I beg; I request; I entreat you; -- used in asking a question, making a request, introducing a petition, etc.; as, Pray, allow me to go.

I pray, sir. why am I beaten?

Shak.

Syn. -- To entreat; supplicate; beg; implore; invoke; beseech; petition.

Pray, v. t. 1. To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to implore; to beseech.

And as this earl was preyed, so did he.

Chaucer.

We pray you . . . by ye reconciled to God.

2 Cor. v. 20.

2. To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication; to entreat for.

I know not how to pray your patience.

Shak.

3. To effect or accomplish by praying; as, to pray a soul out of purgatory. Milman.

To pray in aid. (Law) (a) To call in as a helper one who has an interest in the cause. Bacon. (b) A phrase often used to signify claiming the benefit of an argument. See under Aid. Mozley & W.

Pray"er (?), n. One who prays; a supplicant.

Prayer (&?;; 277), n. [OE. preiere, OF. preiere, F. priËre, fr. L. precarius obtained by prayer, fr. precari to pray. See Pray, v. i.] 1. The act of praying, or of asking a favor; earnest request or entreaty; hence, a petition or memorial addressed to a court or a legislative body. "Their meek preyere." Chaucer

2. The act of addressing supplication to a divinity, especially to the true God; the offering of adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving to the Supreme Being; as, public prayer; secret prayer.

As he is famed for mildness, peace, and prayer.

Shak.

3. The form of words used in praying; a formula of supplication; an expressed petition; especially, a supplication addressed to God; as, a written or extemporaneous prayer; to repeat one's prayers.

He made those excellent prayers which were published immediately after his death.

Bp. Fell.

Prayer book, a book containing devotional prayers. -- Prayer meeting, a meeting or gathering for prayer to God.

Syn. -- Petition; orison; supplication; entreaty; suit.

Prayer"ful (?), a. Given to prayer; praying much or often; devotional. "The prayerful man." J. S. Blackie. -- Prayer"ful*ly, adv. -- Prayer"ful*ness, n.

Prayer"less (?; 277), a. Not using prayer; habitually neglecting prayer to God; without prayer. "The next time you go prayerless to bed." Baxter.

-- Prayer"less*ly, adv. -- Prayer"less*ness, n.

Pray"ing (?), a. & n. from Pray, v.

Praying insect, locust, or mantis (Zoˆl.), a mantis, especially Mantis religiosa. See Mantis. -- Praying machine, or Praying wheel, a wheel on which prayers are pasted by Buddhist priests, who then put the wheel in rapid revolution. Each turn in supposed to have the efficacy of an oral repetition of all the prayers on the wheel. Sometimes it is moved by a stream.

Pray"ing*ly, adv. With supplication to God.

Pre- (?). [L. prae, adv. & prep., before, akin to pro, and to E. for, prep.: cf. F. prÈ-. See Pro-, and cf. Prior.] A prefix denoting priority (of time, place, or rank); as, precede, to go before; precursor, a forerunner; prefix, to fix or place before; preÎminent eminent before or above others. Pre- is sometimes used intensively, as in prepotent, very potent. [Written also prÊ-.]

Pre*ac`cu*sa"tion (?), n. Previous accusation.

Preace (?), v. & n. Press. [Obs.] Spenser.

Preach (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preached (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Preaching.] [OE. prechen, OF. preechier, F. prÍcher, fr. L. praedicare to cry in public, to proclaim; prae before + dicare to make known, dicere to say; or perhaps from (assumed) LL. praedictare. See Diction, and cf. Predicate, Predict.] 1. To proclaim or publish tidings; specifically, to proclaim the gospel; to discourse publicly on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture; to deliver a sermon.

How shall they preach, except they be sent?

Rom. x. 15.

From that time Jesus began to preach.

Matt. iv. 17.

2. To give serious advice on morals or religion; to discourse in the manner of a preacher.

Preach, v. t. 1. To proclaim by public discourse; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue.

That Cristes gospel truly wolde preche.

Chaucer.

The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek.

Isa. lxi. 1.

2. To inculcate in public discourse; to urge with earnestness by public teaching. "I have preached righteousness in the great congregation." Ps. xl. 9.

3. To deliver or pronounce; as, to preach a sermon.

4. To teach or instruct by preaching; to inform by preaching. [R.] "As ye are preached." Southey.

5. To advise or recommend earnestly.

My master preaches patience to him.

Shak.

To preach down, to oppress, or humiliate by preaching. Tennyson. -- To preach up, to exalt by preaching; to preach in support of; as, to preach up equality.

Preach, n. [Cf. F. prÍche, fr. prÍcher. See Preach, v.] A religious discourse. [Obs.] Hooker.

Preach"er (?), n. [Cf. OF. preeschierre, prescheur, F. prÍcheur, L. praedicator.] 1. One who preaches; one who discourses publicly on religious subjects.

How shall they hear without a preacher?

Rom. x. 14.

2. One who inculcates anything with earnestness.

No preacher is listened to but Time.

Swift.

Preacher bird (Zoˆl.), a toucan.

Preach"er*ship, n. The office of a preacher. "The preachership of the Rolls." Macaulay.

Preach"i*fy (?), v. i. [Preach + -fy.] To discourse in the manner of a preacher. [Colloq.] Thackeray.

Preach"ing, n. The act of delivering a religious discourse; the art of sermonizing; also, a sermon; a public religious discourse; serious, earnest advice. Milner.

Preaching cross, a cross, sometimes surmounting a pulpit, erected out of doors to designate a preaching place. -- Preaching friars. See Dominican.

Preach"man (?), n.; pl. Preachmen (&?;). A preacher; -- so called in contempt. [Obs.] Howell.

Preach"ment (?), n. A religious harangue; a sermon; -- used derogatively. Shak.

Pre`ac*quaint" (?), v. t. To acquaint previously or beforehand. Fielding.

Pre`ac*quaint"ance (?), n. Previous acquaintance or knowledge. Harris.

Pre*act" (?), v. t. To act beforehand; to perform previously.

Pre*ac"tion (?), n. Previous action.

Pre`a*dam"ic (?), a. Prior to Adam.

Pre*ad"am*ite (?), n. [Cf. F. prÈadamite.] 1. An inhabitant of the earth before Adam.

2. One who holds that men existed before Adam.

Pre*ad`am*it"ic (?), a. Existing or occurring before Adam; preadamic; as, preadamitic periods.

Pre`ad*just"ment (?), n. Previous adjustment.

Pre`ad*min`is*tra"tion (?), n. Previous administration. Bp. Pearson.

Pre`ad*mon"ish, v. t. To admonish previously.

Pre*ad`mo*ni"tion (?), n. Previous warning or admonition; forewarning.

Pre*ad`ver*tise" (?), v. t. To advertise beforehand; to preannounce publicly.

Pre"am`ble (?), n. [LL. praeambulum, from L. praeambulus walking before, fr. praeambulare to walk before; prae before + ambulare to walk: cf. F. prÈambule. See Amble.] A introductory portion; an introduction or preface, as to a book, document, etc.; specifically, the introductory part of a statute, which states the reasons and intent of the law.

Pre"am`ble, v. t. & i. To make a preamble to; to preface; to serve as a preamble. [R.] Feltham. Milton.

Pre*am"bu*la*ry (?), a. [Cf. OF. preambulaire.] Of or pertaining to a preamble; introductory; contained or provided for in a preamble. "A preambulary tax." [R.] Burke.

Pre*am"bu*late (?), v. i. [L. praeambulare. See Preamble.] To walk before. [R.] Jordan.

Pre*am`bu*la"tion (?), n. 1. A walking or going before; precedence. [R.]

2. A preamble. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pre*am"bu*la*to*ry (?), a. Preceding; going before; introductory. [R.]

Simon Magus had preambulatory impieties.

Jer. Taylor.

Pre*am"bu*lous (?), a. [See Preamble, n.] See Perambulatory. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Pre`an*nounce" (?), v. t. To announce beforehand. Coleridge.

Pre*an`te*nul"ti*mate (?), a. Being or indicating the fourth syllable from the end of a word, or that before the antepenult.

Pre`a*or"tic (?), a. (Anat.) In front, or on the ventral side, of the aorta.

Pre`ap*point" (?), v. t. To appoint previously, or beforehand. Carlyle.

Pre`ap*point"ment (?), n. Previous appointment.

Pre*ap`pre*hen"sion (?), n. An apprehension or opinion formed before examination or knowledge. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Pre*arm" (?), v. t. To forearm. [R.]

Pre`ar*range" (?), v. t. To arrange beforehand.

Prease (?), v. t. & i. To press; to crowd. [Obs.] -- n. A press; a crowd. [Obs.] Spenser.

Pre`as*sur"ance (?), n. Previous assurance. Coleridge.

Pre`a*tax"ic (?), a. (Med.) Occurring before the symptom ataxia has developed; -- applied to the early symptoms of locomotor ataxia.

Pre*au"di*ence (?), n. (Eng. Law) Precedence of rank at the bar among lawyers. Blackstone.

Pre*ax"i*al (?), a. (Anat.) Situated in front of any transverse axis in the body of an animal; anterior; cephalic; esp., in front, or on the anterior, or cephalic (that is, radial or tibial) side of the axis of a limb.

Preb"end (prb"nd), n. [F. prÈbende (cf. It. & Sp. prebenda), from L. praebenda, from L. praebere to hold forth, afford, contr. fr. praehibere; prae before + habere to have, hold. See Habit, and cf. Provender.] 1. A payment or stipend; esp., the stipend or maintenance granted to a prebendary out of the estate of a cathedral or collegiate church with which he is connected. See Note under Benefice.

2. A prebendary. [Obs.] Bacon.

Dignitary prebend, one having jurisdiction annexed to it. -- Simple prebend, one without jurisdiction.

Pre*ben"dal (pr*bn"dal), a. Of or pertaining to a prebend; holding a prebend; as, a prebendal priest or stall. Chesterfield.

Preb"en*da*ry (prb"n*d*r), n. [LL. praebendarius: cf. F. prÈbendaire. See Prebend.] 1. A clergyman attached to a collegiate or cathedral church who enjoys a prebend in consideration of his officiating at stated times in the church. See Note under Benefice, n., 3. Hook.

2. A prebendaryship. [Obs.] Bailey.

Preb"en*da*ry*ship, n. The office of a prebendary.

Preb"en*date (?), v. t. [LL. praebendatus, p. p. of praebendari.] To invest with the office of prebendary; to present to a prebend. [Obs.] Grafton.

Preb"end*ship (?), n. A prebendaryship. [Obs.] Foxe.

Pre*bron"chi*al (?), a. (Anat.) Situated in front of the bronchus; -- applied especially to an air sac on either side of the esophagus of birds.

Pre*cal"cu*late (?), v. t. To calculate or determine beforehand; to prearrange. Masson.

Pre"cant (?), n. [L. precans, -antis, p. pr. of precari to pray.] One who prays. [R.] Coleridge.

Pre*ca"ri*ous (?), a. [L. precarius obtained by begging or prayer, depending on request or on the will of another, fr. precari to pray, beg. See Pray.] 1. Depending on the will or pleasure of another; held by courtesy; liable to be changed or lost at the pleasure of another; as, precarious privileges. Addison.

2. Held by a doubtful tenure; depending on unknown causes or events; exposed to constant risk; not to be depended on for certainty or stability; uncertain; as, a precarious state of health; precarious fortunes. "Intervals of partial and precarious liberty." Macaulay.

Syn. -- Uncertain; unsettled; unsteady; doubtful; dubious; equivocal. -- Precarious, Uncertain. Precarious in stronger than uncertain. Derived originally from the Latin precari, it first signified "granted to entreaty," and, hence, "wholly dependent on the will of another." Thus it came to express the highest species of uncertainty, and is applied to such things as depend wholly on future casualties.

-- Pre*ca"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Pre*ca"ri*ous*ness, n.

Pre*ca"tion (?), n. [L. precatio.] The act of praying; supplication; entreaty. Cotton.