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That which is learned or taught by an express effort; instruction derived from precept, experience, observation, or deduction; a precept; a doctrine; as, to take or give a lesson in drawing." A smooth and pleasing lesson." Milton. Emprinteth well this lesson in your mind. Chaucer.

an infinitive, or by after or for. I long to see you. Rom. i. 11. I have longed after thy precepts. Ps. cxix. 40. I have longed for thy salvation. Ps. cxix. 174. Nicomedes, longing for herrings, was supplied with fresh ones . . . at a great distance from the sea. Arbuthnot.

An official or authoritative command; an order or injunction; a commission; a judicial precept. This dream all-powerful Juno; I bear Her mighty mandates, and her words you hear. Dryden.

Containing a command; preceptive; directory.

A precept or warrant granted by a justice for committing to prison a party charged with crime; a warrant of commitment to prison. Burrill.

The art of memory; a system of precepts and rules intended to assist the memory; artificial memory.

The religion, or doctrines and precepts, of Mohammed, contained in the Koran; Islamism.

The written precept of a superior in a religious order or congregation to a subject. Canonical obedience. See under Canonical. -- Passive obedience. See under Passive.

cly; not in private; without secrecy. How grossly and openly do many of us contradict the precepts of the gospel by our ungodliness! Tillotson.

A command; a mandate; a precept; a direction. Upon this new fright, an order was made by both houses for disarming all the papists in England. Clarendon.

ed by the sheriff to assist the authorities in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. Blackstone.

enter upon, or to bring within one's power or occupancy. -- Writ of possession (Law), a precept directing a sheriff to put a person in peaceable possession of property recovered in ejectment or writ of entry.

See Præcipe, and Precept.

Direction; precept; model prescribed. Milton.

The act of prescribing, directing, or dictating; direction; precept; also, that which is prescribed.

or management or government; prescription; a regulating principle; a governing direction; precept; law; as, the regulations of a society or a school. Regulation sword, cap, uniform, etc. (Mil.), a sword, cap, uniform, etc., of the kind or quality prescribed by the official regulations.

Specifically, conformity in faith and life to the precepts inculcated in the Bible, respecting the conduct of life and duty toward God and man; the Christian faith and practice. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Washington. Religion will attend you . . . as pl…

The rendering back or delivery of writ, precept, or execution, to the proper officer or court.

Legally required to be returned, delivered, given, or rendered; as, a writ or precept returnable at a certain day; a verdict returnable to the court.

The act of performing divine or solemn service, as established by law, precept, or custom; a formal act of religion or other solemn duty; a solemn observance; a ceremony; as, the rites of freemasonry. He looked with indifference on rites, names, and forms of ecclesiastical polity. Macaulay.