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Mature or ripe before the proper time; as, the premature fruits of a hotbed.

To miscarry; to bring forth young prematurely.

Brought forth prematurely.

A drug or an agent that causes premature delivery.

The act of giving premature birth; particularly, the expulsion of the human fetus prematurely, or before it is capable of sustaining life; miscarriage.

Produced by abortion; born prematurely; as, an abortive child. [R.]

r introduce beforehand, or before the proper or normal time; to cause to occur earlier or prematurely; as, the advocate has anticipated a part of his argument.

A premature explosion in the cylinder of a gas or oil engine during the exhaust or the compression stroke, tending to drive the piston in a direction reverse to that in which it should travel; also, an explosion in the exhaust passages of such ah engine.

To bring forth prematurely; to slink. Thy she-goats have not cast their young. Gen. xxi. 38.

That which is cast or brought forth prematurely; an abortion. Sir T. Browne.

A disease affecting grapes, esp. in California, manifested by the premature dropping of the fruit.

An incubator for sickly infants, esp. those prematurely born.

es of old age; feeble; worn out. "Beggary or decrepit age." Milton. Already decrepit with premature old age. Motley.

The accomplishing of any purpose violently, precipitately, prematurely, or with unusual expedition.

A state of advance beyond the usual degree; prematureness; precocity; as, the forwardnessof spring or of corn; the forwardness of a pupil. He had such a dexterous proclivity, as his teachers were fain to restrain his forwardness. Sir H. Wotton.

et the cock of (a firearm) at the first notch. To go off halfcocked. (a) To be discharged prematurely, or with the trigger at half cock; -- said of a firearm. (b) To do or say something without due thought or care. [Colloq. or Low]

Premature; untimely; too early; as, an immature death. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

mmencement; initiation. Bacon. Marked with vivacity of inception, apathy of progress, and prematureness of decay. Rawle.

The act of bringing forth before the time; premature birth.

Ripe or mature before the proper or natural time; early or prematurely ripe or developed; as, precocious trees. [R.] Sir T. Browne.