Search the Dictionary

Of or pertaining to possession, either as a fact or a right; of the nature of possession; as, a possessory interest; a possessory lord. Possessory action or suit (Law), an action to regain or obtain possession of something. See under Petitory.

being conceived or thought of; able to happen; capable of being done; not contrary to the nature of things; -- sometimes used to express extreme improbability; barely able to be, or to come to pass; as, possibly he is honest, as it is possible that Judas meant no wrong. With God all things are possible. Matt. xix. 26.…

Of the nature of a postulate. Sir T. Browne.

my fury upon thee. Ezek. vii. 8. London doth pour out her citizens ! Shak. Wherefore did Nature pour her bounties forth With such a full and unwithdrawing hand Milton.

Of or pertaining to business or to affairs; of the nature of business; practical; material; businesslike in habit or manner. The next day . . . I began to be very pragmatical. Evelyn. We can not always be contemplative, diligent, or pragmatical, abroad; but have need of some delightful intermissions. Milton. Low, pragm…

y, moral crookedness; moral perversion; perverseness; depravity; as, the pravity of human nature. "The pravity of the will." South.

Of the nature of a precedent; having force as an example for imitation; as, precedential transactions. All their actions in that time are not precedential to warrant posterity. Fuller.

Containing or giving precepts; of the nature of precepts; didactic; as, the preceptive parts of the Scriptures. The lesson given us here is preceptive to us. L'Estrange.

Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a preface; introductory to a book, essay, or discourse; as, prefatory remarks. That prefatory addition to the Creed. Dryden.

To form beforehand, or for special ends. "Their natures and preformed faculties. " Shak.

Of or pertaining to a prelude; of the nature of a prelude; introductory. [R.]

Of the nature of a prelude; introductory; indicating that something of a like kind is to follow. "Prelusive drops." Thomson. -- Pre*lu"sive*ly, adv.

or introduces; a preparatory act or measure. I will show what preparations there were in nature for this dissolution. T. Burnet.

Of or pertaining to a preposition; of the nature of a preposition. Early. -- Prep`o*si"tion*al*ly, adv.

ous, because I thus treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature. Woodward.

to be followers of the painters before Raphael. Its adherents advocate careful study from nature, delicacy and minuteness of workmanship, and an exalted and delicate conception of the subject.

Of nature of a presentiment; foreboding. [R.] Coleridge.

The action of a force against some obstacle or opposing force; a force in the nature of a thrust, distributed over a surface, often estimated with reference to the upon a unit's area. Atmospheric pressure, Center of pressure, etc. See under Atmospheric, Center, etc. -- Back pressure (Steam engine), pressure which resi…

l; of earliest origin; as, primordial condition. "The primordial facts of our intelligent nature." Sir W. Hamilton.

Being in its prime. [Obs.] "The youth of primy nature." Shak.