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The production of two or more embryos in one seed, due either to the existence and fertilization of more than one embryonic sac or to the origination of embryos outside of the embryonic sac.

Lacking due deliberation or care; hurried; said or done before the time; as, a precipitate measure. "The rapidity of our too precipitate course." Landor.

give him his preference. Leave the critics on either side to contend about the preference due to this or that sort of poetry. Dryden. Knowledge of things alone gives a value to our reasonings, and preference of one man's knowledge over another's. Locke.

Formed before due examination. "Ignorance and prejudicate opinions." Jer. Taylor.

The act of prejudicating, or of judging without due examination of facts and evidence; prejudgment.

Forming a judgment without due examination; prejudging. Dr. H. More.

An opinion or judgment formed without due examination; prejudgment; a leaning toward one side of a question from other considerations than those belonging to it; an unreasonable predilection for, or objection against, anything; especially, an opinion or leaning adverse to anything, without just grounds, or before suffi…

usiness; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one's preliminaries the year before entering college.

Arriving or received without due authentication or evidence; as, a premature report. -- Pre`ma*ture"ly, adv. -- Pre`ma*ture"ness, n.

A defect of vision consequent upon advancing age. It is due to rigidity of the crystalline lens, which producepresbytia.

e date on which this is to be paid; thus, interest being at 6%, the present value of $106 due one year hence is $100.

roduct at various stages of the process; or, in beet-sugar manufacture, the vegetable residue after the sugar juice has been expressed.

The act of venturing beyond due beyond due bounds; an overstepping of the bounds of reverence, respect, or courtesy; forward, overconfident, or arrogant opinion or conduct; presumptuousness; arrogance; effrontery. Thy son I killed for his presumption. Shak. I had the presumption to dedicate to you a very unfinished pie…

n of red pimples, attended with intense itching and tingling of the parts affected. It is due to inflammation of the sweat glands, and is often brought on by overheating the skin in hot weather. -- Prickly pear (Bot.), a name given to several plants of the cactaceous genus Opuntia, American plants consisting of fleshy…

. -- Primary amputation (Surg.), an amputation for injury performed as soon as the shock due to the injury has passed away, and before symptoms of inflammation supervene. -- Primary axis (Bot.), the main stalk which bears a whole cluster of flowers. -- Primary colors. See under Color. -- Primary meeting, a meeting…

l; primary. [Obs.] "The primer English kings." Drayton. Primer fine (O. Eng. Law), a fine due to the king on the writ or commencement of a suit by fine. Blackstone. -- Primer seizin (Feudal Law), the right of the king, when a tenant in capite died seized of a knight's fee, to receive of the heir, if of full age, one y…

Primogeniture. [Obs.] The primogenitive and due of birth. Shak.

The act of treating with abuse or disrespect, or with undue publicity, or lack of delicacy. 'T were profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love. Donne.

Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue. 1 Tim. i. 9.

A memorandum of a sale, and time when payment is due, given to the purchaser at a sale of goods.