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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 o…

A secret abuse in the exercise of a public office.

A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle. All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of…

In a professional manner or capacity; by profession or calling; in the exercise of one's profession; one employed professionally.

utline or explanation of the order to be pursued, or the subjects embraced, in any public exercise, performance, or entertainment; a preliminary sketch. Programme music (Mus.), descriptive instrumental music which requires an argument or programme to explain the meaning of its several movements.

A trial before the principal performance; a prelude; hence, an introductory essay or exercise. "Domestic prolusions." Thackeray. Her presence was in some measure a restraint on the worthy divine, whose prolusion lasted. Sir W. Scott.

A walk for pleasure, display, or exercise. Burke.

A manifestation of the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures; an event ordained by divine direction. He that hath a numerous family, and many to provide for, needs a greater providence of God. Jer. Taylor.

risdiction; as, the province of Canterbury, or that in which the archbishop of Canterbury exercises ecclesiastical authority.

That which relates to or demands the exercise of, discretion or prudence; -- usually in the pl. Many stanzas, in poetic measures, contain rules relating to common prudentials as well as to religion. I. Watts.

ere of authority; scope; extent. In determining the extent of information required in the exercise of a particular authority, recourse must be had to the objects within the purview of that authority. Madison.

An exercise, or a course of exercises, conducted as a coaching or as an examination. [Cant, U.S.]

t before a proper tribunal, to inquire by what warrant a person or a corporation acts, or exercises certain powers. Blackstone.

The quality or state of being rational; agreement with reason; possession of reason; due exercise of reason; reasonableness. When God has made rationality the common portion of mankind, how came it to be thy inclosure Gov. of Tongue. Well-directed intentions, whose rationalities will never bear a rigid examination. Sir…

To act upon each other; to exercise a reciprocal or a reverse effect, as two or more chemical agents; to act in opposition.

A book containing a selection of extracts for exercises in reading; an elementary book for practice in a language; a reading book.

Due exercise of the reasoning faculty; accordance with, or that which is accordant with and ratified by, the mind rightly exercised; right intellectual judgment; clear and fair deductions from true principles; that which is dictated or supported by the common sense of mankind; right conduct; right; propriety; justice.…

useness; to deprive of keenness; to blunt; to turn back the point of, as a lance used for exercise. But doth rebate and blunt his natural edge. Shak.

thing wasted; to remedy lack or deficiency in; as, food recruits the flesh; fresh air and exercise recruit the spirits. Her cheeks glow the brighter, recruiting their color. Glanvill.

te recital, performance, or season of practice, in preparation for a public exhibition or exercise. Chaucer. In rehearsal of our Lord's Prayer. Hooker. Here's marvelous convenient place for our rehearsal. Shak. Dress rehearsal (Theater), a private preparatory performance of a drama, opera, etc., in costume.…