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Practice. [Obs.] Chaucer.

A guide. [Cuba & Phil. Islands] D. C. Worcester.

An agent or confederate in treachery. [Obs.] Shak.

See Practice.

A practitioner. [Obs.]

One who is engaged in the actual use or exercise of any art or profession, particularly that of law or medicine. Crabbe.

Doing; active. [Obs.] Sylvester. -- Prac"tive*ly, adv. [Obs.] The preacher and the people both, Then practively did thrive. Warner.

To act beforehand; to perform previously.

Previous action.

To contract, engage, or stipulate previously.

A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.

Defending or preserving from disease; preventive. Coxe.

Giving a previous narrative or explanation, as of the plot or personages of a play; introductory. = 32,500 yrs.) Also called brevium, Uranium X2 and UX2.

o draw out or lengthen in time or (rarely) in space; to continue; to prolong; as, to protract an argument; to protract a war.

Prolonged; continued. Protracted meeting,a religious meeting continued for many successive days. [U. S.] -- Pro*tract"ed*ly, adv. -- Pro*tract"ed*ness, n.

A protractor.

Capable of being protracted, or protruded; protrusile.

A drawing out, or continuing; the act of delaying the termination of a thing; prolongation; continuance; delay; as, the protraction of a debate. A protraction only of what is worst in life. Mallock.

wing out or lengthening in time; prolonging; continuing; delaying. He suffered their protractive arts. Dryden.

One who, or that which, protracts, or causes protraction.