Chapter 70

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

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

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.

Pret"er*it (?; 277), a. [L. praeteritus, p. p. of praeterire to go or pass by; praeter beyond, by + ire to go: cf. F. prÈtÈrit. See Issue.] [Written also preterite and prÊterite.] 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.

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

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

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

Pre`ter*i"tion (?; 277), n. [L. praeteritio: cf. F. prÈtÈrition.] 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.

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

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

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

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

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

2. (Rhet.) See Preterition.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pre"text (?; 277), n. [F. prÈtexte, 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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Pre*to"ri*an (?), a. [L. praetorians: cf. F. prÈtorien.] 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.

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

||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.

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

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

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

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.

Pret"ty (?), a. [Compar. Prettier (?); superl. Prettiest.] [OE. prati, AS. prÊttig, prÊtig, crafty, sly, akin to prÊt, prÊtt, 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.

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.

Pret"ty*ish, a. Somewhat pretty. Walpole.

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

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

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.

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.

Pre*vail" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prevailed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prevailing.] [F. prÈvaloir, 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 prevailedon 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.

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.

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

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

Prev"a*lence (?), n. [L. praevalentia: cf. F. prÈvalence. 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.

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

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.

Syn. -- Prevailing; predominant; successful; efficacious; powerful. -- Prevalent, Prevailing. What customarily prevails is prevalent; as, a prevalent fashion. What actually prevails is prevailing; as, the prevailing winds are west. Hence, prevailing is the livelier and more pointed word, since it represents a thing in action. It is sometimes the stronger word, since a thing may prevail sufficiently to be called prevalent, and yet require greater strength to make it actually prevailing.

Prev"a*lent"ly, adv. In a prevalent manner. Prior.

Pre*var"i*cate (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prevaricated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prevaricating.] [L. praevaricatus, p. p. of praevaricari to walk crookedly, to collude; prae before + varicare to straddle, fr. varicus straddling, varus bent. See Varicose.] 1. To shift or turn from one side to the other, from the direct course, or from truth; to speak with equivocation; to shuffle; to quibble; as, he prevaricates in his statement.

He prevaricates with his own understanding.

South.

2. (Civil Law) To collude, as where an informer colludes with the defendant, and makes a sham prosecution.

3. (Eng. Law) To undertake a thing falsely and deceitfully, with the purpose of defeating or destroying it.

Syn. -- To evade; equivocate; quibble; shuffle. -- Prevaricate, Evade, Equivocate. One who evades a question ostensibly answers it, but really turns aside to some other point. He who equivocate uses words which have a double meaning, so that in one sense he can claim to have said the truth, though he does in fact deceive, and intends to do it. He who prevaricates talks all round the question, hoping to "dodge" it, and disclose nothing.

Pre*var"i*cate, v. t. To evade by a quibble; to transgress; to pervert. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

Pre*var`i*ca"tion (?), n. [L. praevaricatio: cf. F. prÈvarication.] 1. The act of prevaricating, shuffling, or quibbling, to evade the truth or the disclosure of truth; a deviation from the truth and fair dealing.

The august tribunal of the skies, where no prevarication shall avail.

Cowper.

2. A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.

3. (Law) (a) (Roman Law) The collusion of an informer with the defendant, for the purpose of making a sham prosecution. (b) (Common Law) A false or deceitful seeming to undertake a thing for the purpose of defeating or destroying it. Cowell.

Pre*var"i*ca`tor (?), n. [L. praevaricator: cf. F. prÈvaricateur.] 1. One who prevaricates.

2. (Roman Law) A sham dealer; one who colludes with a defendant in a sham prosecution.

3. One who betrays or abuses a trust. Prynne.

Preve (?), v. i. & i. To prove. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Preve, n. Proof. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Prev"e*nance (?), n. [F. prÈvenance.] (Metaph.) A going before; anticipation in sequence or order. "The law of prevenance is simply the well-known law of phenomenal sequence." Ward.

Prev"e*nan*cy (?), n. The act of anticipating another's wishes, desires, etc., in the way of favor or courtesy; hence, civility; obligingness. [Obs.] Sterne.

Pre*vene" (?), v. t. & i. [F. prÈvenir, L. praevenire. See Prevent.] To come before; to anticipate; hence, to hinder; to prevent. [Obs.] Philips.

Pre*ven"i*ence (?; 106), n. The act of going before; anticipation. [R.]

Pre*ven"i*ent (?), a. [L. praeveniens, p. pr.] Going before; preceding; hence, preventive. "Prevenient grace descending." Milton.

Pre*vent" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prevented; p. pr. & vb. n. Preventing.] [L. praevenire, praeventum; prae before + venire to come. See Come.] 1. To go before; to precede; hence, to go before as a guide; to direct. [Obs.]

We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

1 Thess. iv. 15.

We pray thee that thy grace may always prevent and follow us.

Bk. of Common Prayer.

Then had I come, preventing Sheba's queen.

Prior.

2. To be beforehand with; to anticipate. [Obs.]

Their ready guilt preventing thy commands.

Pope.

3. To intercept; to hinder; to frustrate; to stop; to thwart. "This vile purpose to prevent." Shak.

Perhaps forestalling night prevented them.

Milton.

Pre*vent", v. i. To come before the usual time. [Obs.]

Strawberries . . . will prevent and come early.

Bacon.

Pre*vent`a*bil"i*ty (?), n. The quality or state of being preventable.

Pre*vent"a*ble (?), a. Capable of being prevented or hindered; as, preventable diseases.

Pre*vent"a*tive (?), n. That which prevents; -- incorrectly used instead of preventive.

Pre*vent"er (?), n. 1. One who goes before; one who forestalls or anticipates another. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. One who prevents or obstructs; a hinderer; that which hinders; as, a preventer of evils or of disease.

3. (Naut.) An auxiliary rope to strengthen a mast.

Preventer bolts, or Preventer plates (Naut.), fixtures connected with preventers to reÎnforce other rigging. -- Preventer stay. (Naut.) Same as Preventer, 3.

Pre*vent"ing*ly, adv. So as to prevent or hinder.

Pre*ven"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. prÈvention.] 1. The act of going, or state of being, before. [Obs.]

The greater the distance, the greater the prevention.

Bacon.

2. Anticipation; esp., anticipation of needs or wishes; hence, precaution; forethought. [Obs.] Hammond. Shak.

3. The act of preventing or hindering; obstruction of action, access, or approach; thwarting. South.

Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention.

Shak.

4. Prejudice; prepossession. [A Gallicism] Dryden.

Pre*ven"tion*al (?), a. Tending to prevent. [Obs.]

Pre*vent"ive (?), a. [Cf. F. prÈventif.] 1. Going before; preceding. [Obs.]

Any previous counsel or preventive understanding.

Cudworth.

2. Tending to defeat or hinder; obviating; preventing the access of; as, a medicine preventive of disease.

Physic is either curative or preventive.

Sir T. Browne.

Preventive service, the duty performed by the armed police in guarding the coast against smuggling. [Eng]

Pre*vent"ive, n. That which prevents, hinders, or obstructs; that which intercepts access; in medicine, something to prevent disease; a prophylactic.

Pre*vent"ive*ly, adv. In a preventive manner.

Pre*ver"te*bral (?), a. (Anat.) Situated immediately in front, or on the ventral side, of the vertebral column; prespinal.

Pre"vi*ous (?), a. [L. praevius going before, leading the way; prae before + via the way. See Voyage.] Going before in time; being or happening before something else; antecedent; prior; as, previous arrangements; a previous illness.

The dull sound . . . previous to the storm, Rolls o'er the muttering earth.

Thomson.

Previous question. (Parliamentary Practice) See under Question, and compare Closure. -- Previous to, before; -- often used adverbially for previously. "Previous to publication." M. Arnold. "A policy . . . his friends had advised previous to 1710." J. H. Newman.

Syn. -- Antecedent; preceding; anterior; prior; foregoing; former.

Pre"vi*ous*ly, adv. Beforehand; antecedently; as, a plan previously formed.

Pre"vi*ous*ness, n. The quality or state of being previous; priority or antecedence in time.

Pre*vise" (?), v. t. [L. praevisus, p. p. of praevidere to foresee; prae before + videre to see. See Vision.] 1. To foresee. [R.]

2. To inform beforehand; to warn. Ld. Lytton.

Pre*vi"sion (?), n. [Cf. F. prÈvision.] Foresight; foreknowledge; prescience. H. Spencer.

Pre*voy"ant (?), a. [F. prÈvoyant.] Foreseeing; prescient. [R.] Mrs. Oliphant.

Pre*warn" (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Prewarned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prewarning.] To warn beforehand; to forewarn. [R.]

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Prey (?), n. [OF. preie, F. proie, L. praeda, probably for praeheda. See Prehensile, and cf. Depredate, Predatory.] Anything, as goods, etc., taken or got by violence; anything taken by force from an enemy in war; spoil; booty; plunder.

And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest.

Num. xxxi. 12.

2. That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be devoured; hence, a person given up as a victim.

The old lion perisheth for lack of prey.

Job iv. ii.

Already sees herself the monster's prey.

Dryden.

3. The act of devouring other creatures; ravage.

Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, . . . lion in prey.

Shak.

Beast of prey, a carnivorous animal; one that feeds on the flesh of other animals.

Prey (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preyed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Preying.] [OF. preier, preer, L. praedari, fr. praeda. See Prey, n.] To take booty; to gather spoil; to ravage; to take food by violence.

More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty.

Shak.

To prey on or upon. (a) To take prey from; to despoil; to pillage; to rob. Shak. (b) To seize as prey; to take for food by violence; to seize and devour. Shak. (c) To wear away gradually; to cause to waste or pine away; as, the trouble preyed upon his mind. Addison.

Prey"er (?), n. One who, or that which, preys; a plunderer; a waster; a devourer. Hooker.

Prey"ful (?), a. 1. Disposed to take prey. [Obs.]

The preyful brood of savage beasts.

Chapman.

2. Rich in prey. [Obs.] Shak.

||Pre*zyg`a*poph"y*sis (?), n.; pl. Prezygapophyses (#). [NL. See Pre- ||, and Zygapophysis.] (Anat.) An anterior zygapophysis.

Pri"al (?), n. A corruption of pair royal. See under Pair, n.

Pri"an (?), n. [Cornish, clayey ground, from pri clay.] (Mining) A fine, white, somewhat friable clay; also, the ore contained in a mixture of clay and pebbles. [Written also pryan.]

Pri`a*pe"an (?), n. [Cf. L. Priapeius pertaining to Priapus.] (Lat. Pros.) A species of hexameter verse so constructed as to be divisible into two portions of three feet each, having generally a trochee in the first and the fourth foot, and an amphimacer in the third; -- applied also to a regular hexameter verse when so constructed as to be divisible into two portions of three feet each. Andrews.

Pri"a*pism, n. [L. priapismus, Gr. &?;, from Priapus the god of procreation, the penis, Gr. &?;: cf. F. priapisme.] (Med.) More or less permanent erection and rigidity of the penis, with or without sexual desire.

||Pri*ap`u*la"ce*a (?), n. pl. [NL. See Priapism.] (Zoˆl.) A suborder ||of GephyrÊa, having a cylindrical body with a terminal anal opening, ||and usually with one or two caudal gills.

Pric"a*sour (?), n. A hard rider. [Obs.]

Price (?), n. [OE. pris, OF. pris, F. prix, L. pretium; cf. Gr. &?; I sell &?; to buy, Skr. pa&?; to buy, OI. renim I sell. Cf. Appreciate, Depreciate, Interpret, Praise, n. & v., Precious, Prize.] 1. The sum or amount of money at which a thing is valued, or the value which a seller sets on his goods in market; that for which something is bought or sold, or offered for sale; equivalent in money or other means of exchange; current value or rate paid or demanded in market or in barter; cost. "Buy wine and milk without money and without price." Isa. lv. 1.

We can afford no more at such a price.

Shak.

2. Value; estimation; excellence; worth.

Her price is far above rubies.

Prov. xxxi. 10.

New treasures still, of countless price.

Keble.

3. Reward; recompense; as, the price of industry.

'T is the price of toil, The knave deserves it when he tills the soil.

Pope.

Price current, or Price list, a statement or list of the prevailing prices of merchandise, stocks, specie, bills of exchange, etc., published statedly or occasionally.

Price, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Priced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pricing.] 1. To pay the price of. [Obs.]

With thine own blood to price his blood.

Spenser.

2. To set a price on; to value. See Prize.

3. To ask the price of; as, to price eggs. [Colloq.]

Priced (?), a. Rated in price; valued; as, high-priced goods; low-priced labor.

Price"ite (?), n. [From Thomas Price of San Francisco.] (Min.) A hydrous borate of lime, from Oregon.

Price"less, a. 1. Too valuable to admit of being appraised; of inestimable worth; invaluable.

2. Of no value; worthless. [R.] J. Barlow.

Prick (?), n. [AS. prica, pricca, pricu; akin to LG. prick, pricke, D. prik, Dan. prik, prikke, Sw. prick. Cf. Prick, v.] 1. That which pricks, penetrates, or punctures; a sharp and slender thing; a pointed instrument; a goad; a spur, etc.; a point; a skewer.

Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary.

Shak.

It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Acts ix. 5.

2. The act of pricking, or the sensation of being pricked; a sharp, stinging pain; figuratively, remorse. "The pricks of conscience." A. Tucker.

3. A mark made by a pointed instrument; a puncture; a point. Hence: (a) A point or mark on the dial, noting the hour. [Obs.] "The prick of noon." Shak. (b) The point on a target at which an archer aims; the mark; the pin. "They that shooten nearest the prick." Spenser. (c) A mark denoting degree; degree; pitch. [Obs.] "To prick of highest praise forth to advance." Spenser. (d) A mathematical point; -- regularly used in old English translations of Euclid. (e) The footprint of a hare. [Obs.]

4. (Naut.) A small roll; as, a prick of spun yarn; a prick of tobacco.

Prick (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pricked (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pricking.] [AS. prician; akin to LG. pricken, D. prikken, Dan. prikke, Sw. pricka. See Prick, n., and cf. Prink, Prig.] 1. To pierce slightly with a sharp- pointed instrument or substance; to make a puncture in, or to make by puncturing; to drive a fine point into; as, to prick one with a pin, needle, etc.; to prick a card; to prick holes in paper.

2. To fix by the point; to attach or hang by puncturing; as, to prick a knife into a board. Sir I. Newton.

The cooks prick it [a slice] on a prong of iron.

Sandys.