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To utter foolishly; to speak without reason or purpose; to chatter, or babble. What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate, When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate ! Dryden.

Developed more than is natural or usual at a given age; exceeding what is to be expected of one's years; too forward; -- used especially of mental forwardness; as, a precocious child; precocious talents.

The word or words in a proposition which express what is affirmed of the subject.

to the main subject; to offer previously, as something to explain or aid in understanding what follows; especially, to lay down premises or first propositions, on which rest the subsequent reasonings. I premise these particulars that the reader may know that I enter upon it as a very ungrateful task. Addison.…

Premise. Whately. I. Watts

h makes ready, prepares the way, or introduces; a preparatory act or measure. I will show what preparations there were in nature for this dissolution. T. Burnet.

paring the way for anything by previous measures of adaptation; antecedent and adapted to what follows; introductory; preparative; as, a preparatory school; a preparatory condition.

find or represent judicially; as, a grand jury present certain offenses or nuisances, or whatever they think to be public injuries.

suppose. Every man is to be presumed innocent till he is proved to be guilty. Blackstone. What rests but that the mortal sentence pass, . . . Which he presumes already vain and void, Because not yet inflicted Milton.

after, something; -- usually with to. "Countries that pretend to freedom." Swift. For to what fine he would anon pretend, That know I well. Chaucer.

he act of holding out, or offering, to others something false or feigned; presentation of what is deceptive or hypocritical; deception by showing what is unreal and concealing what is real; false show; simulation; as, pretense of illness; under pretense of patriotism; on pretense of revenging Cæsar's death.…

Beyond of different from what is natural, or according to the regular course of things, but not clearly supernatural or miraculous; strange; inexplicable; extraordinary; uncommon; irregular; abnormal; as, a preternatural appearance; a preternatural stillness; a preternatural presentation (in childbirth) or labor. This…

of virtue, of a fashion, or of a disease; the prevalence of a rumor. The duke better knew what kind of argument were of prevalence with him. Clarendon.

A sense of one's own worth, and abhorrence of what is beneath or unworthy of one; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character; dignified bearing; proud delight; -- in a good sense. Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride. Goldsmith. A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote…

A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I. Shak. What was that scream for, I prithee L'Estrange. Prithee, tell me, Dimple-chin. E. C. Stedman.

Concealment of what is said or done. Shak.

One not invested with a public office. [Archaic] What have kings, that privates have not too Shak.

In a probable manner; in likelihood. Distinguish between what may possibly and what will probably be done. L'Estrange.

be transacted; to take place; to occur. [Obs.] He will, after his sour fashion, tell you What hath proceeded worthy note to-day. Shak.

To cause to come; to bring; to attract. [Obs.] What unaccustomed cause procures her hither Shak.