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Indicating the antecedent cause or occasion of an action; the motive or inducement accompanying and prompting to an act or state; the reason of anything; that on account of which a thing is or is done. With fiery eyes sparkling for very wrath. Shak. How to choose dogs for scent or speed. Waller. Now, for so many glorio…

front; being or coming first, in time, place, order, or importance; preceding; anterior; antecedent; earlier; forward; -- opposed to Ant: back or Ant: behind; as, the fore part of a garment; the fore part of the day; the fore and of a wagon. The free will of the subject is preserved, while it is directed by the fore p…

An antecedent or premonitory gleam; a dawning light. The foregleams of wisdom. Whittier.

Preceding in order of time; antecedent; previous; prior; earlier; hence, ancient; long past. For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age. Job. viii. 8. The latter and former rain. Hosea vi. 3.

Having the same relative proportion or value, as the two antecedents or the two consequents of a proportion.

The antecedent of the ferment pepsin. A substance contained in the form of granules in the peptic cells of the gastric glands. It is readily convertible into pepsin. Also called propepsin.

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

Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services. Shak. "A precedent injury." Bacon. Condition precedent (Law), a condition which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a right.

Beforehand; antecedently.

A previous or antecedent condition; a preliminary condition.

Anticipative or antecedent conformity. Coleridge.

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 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.

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.

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.

To suppose beforehand; to imply as antecedent; to take for granted; to assume; as, creation presupposes a creator. Each [kind of knowledge] presupposes many necessary things learned in other sciences, and known beforehand. Hooker.

The act of presupposing; an antecedent implication; presumption.

Passed through; antecedent; previous; as, preterient states. [R.]