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se of introducing foreign authority into England, the penalties for which were originally intended to depress the civil power of the pope in the kingdom.

Any commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; esp., a command respecting moral conduct; an injunction; a rule. For precept must be upon precept. Isa. xxviii. 10. No arts are without their precepts. Dryden.

A Roman officer who controlled or superintended a particular command, charge, department, etc.; as, the prefect of the aqueducts; the prefect of a camp, of a fleet, of the city guard, of provisions; the pretorian prefect, who was commander of the troops guarding the emperor's person.

To exercise superintendence; to watch over. Some o'er the public magazines preside. Dryden.

The function or condition of one who presides; superintendence; control and care.

To intend; to design; to plot; to attempt. [Obs.] Such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state. Shak.

] When by miracle God dispensed great gifts to the laity, . . . he gave probation that he intended that all should prophesy and preach. Jer. Taylor.

Management by a proctor, or as by a proctor; hence, control; superintendence; -- in contempt. "The fogging proctorage of money." Milton.

That which is projected or designed; something intended or devised; a scheme; a design; a plan. Vented much policy, and projects deep. Milton. Projects of happiness devised by human reason. Rogers. He entered into the project with his customary ardor. Prescott.

The offer by a party of what he has in view as to an intended business transaction, which, with acceptance, constitutes a contract.

To set before one's self or others as a purpose formed; hence, to purpose; to intend. I propose to relate, in several volumes, the history of the people of New England. Palfrey. To propose to one's self, to intend; to design.

. (b) A judicial writ issued to a person required to attend court, as party, juror, etc., intended to secure him from arrest in coming, staying, and returning.

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.

Effected by, or referable to, divine direction or superintendence; as, the providential contrivance of thing; a providential escape. -- Prov"i*den"tial*ly, adv.

A person who is appointed to superintend, or preside over, something; the chief magistrate in some cities and towns; as, the provost of Edinburgh or of Glasgow, answering to the mayor of other cities; the provost of a college, answering to president; the provost or head of certain collegiate churches.…

Exercising prudence; discretionary; advisory; superintending or executive; as, a prudential committee.

A public notice of intended marriage, required by the laws of some States. [U.S.]

To intend to show; to intend; to mean; to signify; to import; - - often with an object clause or infinitive. They in most grave and solemn wise unfolded Matter which little purported. Rowe.

as an aim, to one's self; to determine upon, as some end or object to be accomplished; to intend; to design; to resolve; - - often followed by an infinitive or dependent clause. Chaucer. Did nothing purpose against the state. Shak. I purpose to write the history of England from the accession of King James the Second do…

One who forms a purpose; one who intends.