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Preceding; antecedent; previous. [Obs.] Hammond.

h day than the point it would have occupied without the motion of precession, and thus precedes that point continually with reference to the time of transit and motion.

A previous or antecedent condition; a preliminary condition.

Anticipative or antecedent conformity. Coleridge.

One who, or that which, precedes an event, and indicates its approach; a forerunner; a harbinger. Evil thoughts are the invisible, airy precursors of all the storms and tempests of the soul. Buckminster.

One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position, office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position. A prince who was as watchful as his predecessor had been over the interests of the state. Prescott.

; prominent among those who are eminent; superior in excellence; surpassing, or taking precedence of, others; rarely, surpassing others in evil, or in bad qualities; as, preëminent in guilt. In goodness and in power preëminent. Milton.

Preferring, or the state of being preferred; the setting of one thing before another; precedence; higher estimation; predilection; choice; also, the power or opportunity of choosing; as, to give him his preference. Leave the critics on either side to contend about the preference due to this or that sort of poetry. Dry…

Giving, indicating, or having a preference or precedence; as, a preferential claim; preferential shares.

To show, suggest, or announce, by antecedent types and similitudes; to foreshadow. "Whom all the various types prefigured." South.

To set or appoint beforehand; to settle or establish antecedently. [Obs.] " Prefixed bounds. " Locke. And now he hath to her prefixt a day. Spenser.

A previous treatment and decision of a point; a precedent.

That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one's preliminaries the year before entering college.

To serve as prelude to; to precede as introductory. [Music] preluding some great tragedy. Longfellow

A proposition antecedently supposed or proved; something previously stated or assumed as the basis of further argument; a condition; a supposition. The premises observed, Thy will by my performance shall be served. Shak.

A notice or notion which precedes something else in time; previous notion or thought; foreknowledge. Bacon.

Antecedent decree or determination. Shak.

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.

Precedence; preëminence; first rank. [Obs.] Then give me leave to have prerogative. Shak.

Previous sentiment, conception, or opinion; previous apprehension; especially, an antecedent impression or conviction of something unpleasant, distressing, or calamitous, about to happen; anticipation of evil; foreboding.