Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary

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PRATE — PRECISION

PRATE, v.i. To talk much and without weight, or to little purpose; to be loquacious; as the vulgar express it, to run on.

To prate and talk for life and honor,

And make a fool presume to prate of love.

PRATE, v.t. To utter foolishly.

What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate,

When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate?

PRATE, n. Continued talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity.

PRATER, n. One that talks much to little purpose, or on trifling subjects.

PRATIC, PRATIQUE, n. In commerce, primarily, converse; intercourse; the communication between a ship and the port in which she arrives. Hence, a license or permission to hold intercourse and trade with the inhabitants of a place, after having performed quarantine, or upon a certificate that the ship did not come from an infected place; a term used particularly in the south of Europe, where vessels coming from countries infected with contagious diseases, are subjected to quarantine.

PRATING, ppr. Talking much on a trifling subject; talking idly.

PRATINGLY, adv. With much idle talk; with loquacity.

PRATTLE, v.i. [dim. of prate.] To talk much and idly; to be loquacious on trifling subjects.

This word is particularly applied to the talk of children.

PRATTLE, n. Trifling talk; loquacity on trivial subjects.

Mere prattle without practice,

Is all his soldiership.

PRATTLEMENT, n. Prattle.

PRATTLER, n. An idle talker.

PRATTLING, ppr. Talking much on trivial affairs.

PRAVITY, n. [L. pravitas, from pravus, crooked, evil.]

Deviation from right; moral perversion; want of rectitude; corrupt state; as the pravity of human nature; the pravity of the will.

PRAWN, n. A small crustaceous fish of the genus Cancer, with a serrated snout bending upwards.

PRAXIS, n. [L. from the Gr. See Practice.] Use; practice.

1. An example or form to teach practice.

PRAY, v.i. [L. precor; proco; this word belongs to the same family as preach and reproach; Heb. to bless, to reproach; rendered in Job 2:9, to curse; properly, to reproach, to rail at or upbraid. In Latin the word precor signifies to supplicate good or evil, and precis signifies a prayer and a curse. See Imprecate.]

1. To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate.

Pray for them who despitefully use you and persecute you. Matthew 5:44.

2. To petition; to ask, as for a favor; as in application to a legislative body.

3. In worship, to address the Supreme Being with solemnity and reverence, with adoration, confession of sins, supplication for mercy, and thanksgiving for blessings received.

When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:6.

4. I pray, that is, I pray you tell me, or let me know, is a common mode of introducing a question.

PRAY, v.t. To supplicate; to entreat; to urge.

We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5:20.

1. In worship, to supplicate; to implore; to ask with reverence and humility.

Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee. Acts 8:22.

2. To petition. The plaintiff prays judgment of the court.

He that will have the benefit of this act, must pray a prohibition before a sentence in the ecclesiastical court.

3. To ask or intreat in ceremony or form.

Pray my colleague Antonius I may speak with him.

[In most instances, this verb is transitive only by ellipsis. To pray God, is used for to pray to God; to pray a prohibition, is to pray for a prohibition, etc.]

To pray in aid, in law, is to call in for help one who has interest in the cause.

PRAYER, n. In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness.

1. In worship, a solemn address to the Supreme Being, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God’s glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for his mercies and benefits. A prayer however may consist of a single petition, and it may be extemporaneous, written or printed.

2. A formula of church service, or of worship, public or private.

3. Practice of supplication.

As he is famed for mildness, peace and prayer.

4. That part of a memorial or petition to a public body, which specifies the request or thing desired to be done or granted, as distinct from the recital of facts or reasons for the grant. We say, the prayer of the petition is that the petitioner may be discharged from arrest.

PRAYER-BOOK, n. A book containing prayers or the forms of devotion, public or private.

PRAYERFUL, a. Devotional; given to prayer; as a prayerful frame of mind.

1. Using much prayer.

PRAYERFULLY, adv. With much prayer.

PRAYERLESS, a. Not using prayer; habitually neglecting the duty of prayer to God; as a prayerless family.

PRAYERLESSNESS, n. Total or habitual neglect of prayer.

PRAYING, ppr. Asking; supplicating.

PRAYINGLY, adv. With supplication to God.

PRE, an English prefix, is the L. proe, before, probably a contracted word.

PREACH, v.i. [L. proeco, a crier; precor.]

1. To pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a subject, or from a text of Scripture. The word is usually applied to such discourses as are formed from a text of Scripture. This is the modern sense of preach.

2. To discourse on the gospel way of salvation and exhort to repentance; to discourse on evangelical truths and exhort to a belief of them and acceptance of the terms of salvation. This was the extemporaneous manner of preaching pursued by Christ and his apostles. Matthew 4:17, 23; Matthew 10:7; Acts 10:36; Acts 14:7, 21.

PREACH, v.t. To proclaim; to publish in religious discourses.

What ye hear in the ear, that preach ye on the house-tops. Matthew 10:27.

The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek. Isaiah 61:1.

1. To inculcate in public discourses.

I have preached righteousness in the great congregations. Psalm 40:9.

He oft to them preach’d

Conversion and repentance.

To preach Christ or Christ crucified, to announce Christ as the only Savior, and his atonement as the only ground of acceptance with God. 1 Corinthians 1:23.

To preach up, to discourse in favor of.

Can they preach up equality of birth?

PREACH, n. A religious discourse. [Not used.]

PREACHED, pp. Proclaimed; announced in public discourse; inculcated.

PREACHER, n. One who discourses publicly on religious subjects.

1. One that inculcates any thing with earnestness.

No preacher is listened to but time.

PREACHERSHIP, n. The office of a preacher. [Not used.]

PREACHING, ppr. Proclaiming; publishing in discourse; inculcating.

PREACHING, n. The act of preaching; a public religious discourse.

PREACHMAN, n. A preacher; in contempt.

PREACHMENT, n. A discourse or sermon; in contempt; a discourse affectedly solemn.

PREACQUAINTANCE, n. Previous acquaintance or knowledge.

PREACQUAINTED, a. Previously acquainted.

PREADAMITE, n. [pre, before, and Adam.]

An inhabitant of the earth that lived before Adam.

PREADAMITIC, a. Designating what existed before Adam; as fictitious preadamitic periods.

PREADMINISTRATION, n. Previous administration.

PREADMONISH, v.t. To admonish previously.

PREADMONITION, n. Previous warning or admonition.

PREAMBLE, n. [L. proe, before, and ambulo, to go.]

1. Something previous; introduction to a discourse or writing.

2. The introductory part of a statute, which states the reasons and intent of the law.

PREAMBLE, v.t. To preface; to introduce with previous remarks.

PREAMBULARY, PREAMBULOUS, a. Previous; introductory. [Not used.]

PREAMBULATE, v.i. [L. proe, before, and ambulo, to walk.]

To walk or go before.

PREAMBULATION, n. A preamble. [Not in use.]

1. A walking or going before.

PREAMBULATORY, a. Going before; preceding.

PREAPPREHENSION, n. [See Apprehend.]

An opinion formed before examination.

PREASE, n. Press; crowd. [Not used. See Press.]

PREASING, ppr. or a. Crowding. [Not used.]

PREAUDIENCE, n. [See Audience.] Precedence or rank at the bar among lawyers; right of previous audience.

PREBEND, n. [L. proebeo, to afford, to allow.]

1. The stipend or maintenance granted out of the estate of a cathedral or collegiate church. Prebends are simple or dignitary; simple, when they are restricted to the revenue only, and dignitary, when they have jurisdiction annexed to them.

2. A prebendary. [Not in use.]

PREBENDAL, a. Pertaining to a prebend.

PREBENDARY, n. An ecclesiastic who enjoys a prebend; the stipendiary of a cathedral church.

A prebendary differs from a canon in this; the prebendary receives his prebend in consideration of his officiating in the church; the canon merely in consequence of his being received into the cathedral or college.

PREBENDARYSHIP, n. The office of a prebendary; a canonry.

PRECARIOUS, a. [L. precarius, from precor, to pray or entreat; primarily, depending on request, or on the will of another.]

1. Depending on the will or pleasure of another; held by courtesy liable to be changed or lost at the pleasure of another. A privilege depending on another’s will is precarious, or held by a precarious tenure.

2. Uncertain; held by a doubtful tenure; depending on unknown or unforeseen causes or events. Temporal prosperity is precarious; personal advantages, health, strength and beauty are all precarious, depending on a thousand accidents.

We say also, the weather is precarious; a phrase in which we depart not more from the primary sense of the word, than we do in a large part of all the words in the language.

PRECARIOUSLY, adv. At the will or pleasure of others; dependently; by an uncertain tenure; as, he subsists precariously.

PRECARIOUSNESS, n. Uncertainty; dependence on the will or pleasure of others, or on unknown events; as the precariousness of life or health.

PRECATIVE, PRECATORY, a. [L. precor, to pray.] Suppliant; beseeching.

PRECAUTION, n. [L. precautus, proecaveo; proe, before, and caveo, to take care.] Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good in possession.

PRECAUTION, v.t. To warn or advise beforehand for preventing mischief or securing good.

PRECAUTIONAL, a. Preventive of mischief.

PRECAUTIONARY, a. Containing previous caution; as precautionary advice or admonition.

1. Proceeding from previous caution; adapted to prevent mischief or secure good; as precautionary measures.

PRECEDANEOUS, a. [form precede, L. proecedo.]

Preceding; antecedent; anterior. [Not used.]

PRECEDE, v.t. [L. proecedo; proe, before, and cedo, to more.]

1. To go before in the order of time. The corruption of morals precedes the ruin of a state.

2. To go before in rank or importance.

3. To cause something to be before; to make to take place in prior time.

It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration. [Unusual.]

PRECEDED, pp. Being gone before.

PRECEDENCE, PRECEDENCY, n. The act or state of going before; priority in time; as the precedence of one event.

1. The state of going or being before in rank or dignity or the place of honor; the right to a more honorable place in public processions, in seats or in the civilities of life. Precedence depends on the order of nature or rank established by God himself, as that due to age; or on courtesy, custom or political distinction, as that due to a governor or senator, who, though younger in years, takes rank of a subordinate officer, though older; or it is settled by authority, as in Great Britain. In the latter case, a violation of the right of precedence is actionable.

Precedence went in truck,

And he was competent whose purse was so.

2. The foremost in ceremony.

3. Superiority; superior importance or influence.

Which of the different desires has precedency in determining the will to the next action.

PRECEDENT, a. Going before in time; anterior; antecedent; as precedent services; a precedent fault of the will.

The world, or any part thereof, could not be precedent to the creation of man.

A precedent condition, in law, is a condition which must happen or be performed before an estate or some right can vest, and on failure of which the estate or right is defeated.

PRECEDENT, n. Something done or said, that may serve or be adduced as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the like kind.

Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only.

1. In law, a judicial decision, interlocutory or final, which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; or any proceeding or course of proceedings which may serve for a rule insubsequent cases of a like nature.

PRECEDENTED, a. Having a precedent; authorized by an example of a like kind.

PRECEDENTLY, adv. Beforehand; antecedently.

PRECELLENCE, n. Excellence. [Not in use.]

PRECENTOR, n. [Low L. proecentor; L. proe, before, and canto, to sing.] The leader of the choir in a cathedral; called also the chanter or master of the choir.

PRECEPT, n. [L. proeceptum, from proecipio, to command; proe, before, and capio, to take.]

1. In a general sense, any commandment or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; but applied particularly to commands respecting moral conduct. The ten commandments are so many precepts for the regulation of our moral conduct.

No arts are without their precepts.

2. In law, a command or mandate in writing.

PRECEPTIAL, a. Consisting of precepts. [Not in use.]

PRECEPTION, n. A precept. [Not in use.]

PRECEPTIVE, a. [L. proeceptivus.] Giving precepts or commands for the regulation of moral conduct; containing precepts; as the preceptive parts of the Scriptures.

1. Directing in moral conduct; giving rules or directions; didactic.

The lesson given us here is preceptive to us.

Preceptive poetry.

PRECEPTOR, n. [L. proeceptor. See Precept.]

1. In a general sense, a teacher; an instructor.

2. In a restricted sense, the teacher of a school; sometimes, the principal teacher of an academy or other seminary.

PRECEPTORIAL, a. Pertaining to a preceptor.

PRECEPTORY, a. Giving precepts.

PRECEPTORY, n. A subordinate religious house where instruction was given.

PRECESSION, n. [L. proecessus, proecedo, to go before.]

1. Literally, the act of going before, but in this sense rarely or never used.

2. In astronomy, the precession of the equinox, is an annual motion of the equinox, or point when the ecliptic intersects the equator, to the westward, amounting to 50 1/2". This precession was discovered by Hipparchus, a century and a half before the christian era, though it is alleged that the astronomers of India had discovered it long before. At that time, the point of the autumnal equinox was about six degrees to the eastward of the star called spica virginis. In 1750, that is, about nineteen hundred years after, this point was observed to be about 20 deg. 21’ westward of that star. Hence it appears that the equinoctial points will make an entire revolution in about 25,745 years.

PRECINCT, n. [L. proecinctus, proecingo, to cencompass; proe and cingo, to surround or gird.]

1. The limit, bound or exterior line encompassing a place; as the precincts of light.

2. Bounds of jurisdiction, or the whole territory comprehended within the limits of authority.

Take the body of A B, if to be found within your precincts.

3. A territorial district or division.

It is to be observed that this word is generally used in the plural, except in the third sense.

In case of non-acceptance [of the collector] the parish or precinct shall proceed to a new choice.

PRECIOSITY, for preciousness or value, not used.

PRECIOUS, a. [L. pretiosus, from pretium, price. See Praise.]

1. Of great price; costly; as a precious stone.

2. Of great value or worth; very valuable.

She is more precious than rubies. Proverbs 3:15.

3. Highly valued; much esteemed.

The word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. 1 Samuel 3:1.

4. Worthless; in irony and contempt.

Precious metals, gold and silver, so called on account of their value.

PRECIOUSLY, adv. Valuably; to a great price.

1. Contemptibly; in irony.

PRECIOUSNESS, n. Valuableness; great value; high price.

PRECIPE, n. pres’ipy. [L. proecipio. See Precept.]

In law, a writ commanding the defendant to do a certain thing, or to show cause to the contrary; giving him his choice to redress the injury or to stand the suit.

PRECIPICE, n. [L. proecipitium, from proeceps, headlong; proe, forward, and ceps, for caput, head. See Chief.]

1. Strictly, a falling headlong; hence, a steep descent of land; a fall or descent of land, perpendicular or nearly so.

Where wealth, like fruit, on precipices grew.

2. A steep descent, in general.

In the breaking of the waves there is ever a precipice.

Swift down the precipice of time it goes.

PRECIPIENT, a. [L. proecipiens. See Precept.]

Commanding; directing.

PRECIPITABILITY, n. [from precipitable.]

The quality or state of being precipitable.

PRECIPITABLE, a. [from L. proecipito, from proeceps, headlong.]

That may be precipitated or cast to the bottom, as a substance in solution.

PRECIPITANCE, PRECIPTANCY, n. [from precipitant.] Headlong hurry; rash haste; haste in resolving, forming an opinion or executing a purpose without due deliberation.

Hurried on by the precipitance of youth.

Rashness and precipitance of judgment.

1. Hurry; great haste in going.

PRECIPITANT, a. [L. proecipitans, proecipito, from proeceps, headlong.]

1. Falling or rushing headlong; rushing down with velocity.

They leave their little lives

Above the clouds, precipitant to earth.

2. Hasty; urged with violent haste.

Should he return, that troop so blithe and bold,

Precipitant in fear, would wing their flight.

3. Rashly hurried or hasty; as precipitant rebellion.

4. Unexpectedly brought on or hastened.

PRECIPITANT, n. In chimistry, a liquor, which when poured on a solution, separates what is dissolved and makes it precipitate, or fall to the bottom in a concrete state.

PRECIPITANTLY, adv. With great haste; with rash unadvised haste; with tumultuous hurry.

PRECIPITATE, v.t. [L. proecipito, from proeceps, headlong. See Precipice.]

1. To throw headlong; as, he precipitated himself from a rock.

2. To urge or press with eagerness or violence; as, to precipitate a flight.

3. To hasten.

Short intermittent and swift recurrent pains do precipitate patients into consumptions.

4. To hurry blindly or rashly.

If they be daring, it may precipitate their designs and prove dangerous.

5. To throw to the bottom of a vessel; as a substance in solution.

All metals may be precipitated by alkaline salts.

PRECIPITATE, v.i. To fall headlong.

1. To fall to the bottom of a vessel, as sediment, or any substance in solution.

2. To hasten without preparation.

PRECIPITATE, a. Falling, flowing or rushing with steep descent.

Precipitate the furious torrent flows.

1. Headlong; over hasty; rashly hasty; as, the king was too precipitate in declaring war.

2. Adopted with haste or without due deliberation; hasty; as a precipitate measure.

3. Hasty; violent; terminating speedily in death; as a precipitate case of disease.

PRECIPITATE, n. A substance which, having been dissolved, is again separated from its solvent and thrown to the bottom of the vessel by pouring another liquor upon it.

Precipitate per se,

Red precipitate, the red oxyd or peroxyd of mercury.

PRECIPITATED, pp. Hurried; hastened rashly; thrown headlong.

PRECIPITATELY, adv. Headlong; with steep descent.

1. Hastily; with rash haste; without due caution. Neither praise nor censure precipitately.

PRECIPITATING, ppr. Throwing headlong; hurrying; hastening rashly.

PRECIPITATION, n. [L. proecipitatio.]

1. The act of throwing headlong.

2. A falling, flowing or rushing down with violence and rapidity.

The hurry, precipitation and rapid motion of the water.

3. Great hurry; rash, tumultuous haste; rapid movement.

The precipitation of inexperience is often restrained by shame.

4. The act or operation of throwing to the bottom of a vessel any substance held in solution by its menstruum. Precipitation is often effected by a double elective attraction.

PRECIPITATOR, n. One that urges on with vehemence or rashness.

PRECIPITOUS, a. [L. proeceps.] Very steep; as a precipitous cliff or mountain.

1. Headlong; directly or rapidly descending; as a precipitous fall.

2. Hasty; rash; heady.

Advice unsafe, precipitous and bold.

PRECIPITOUSLY, adv. With steep descent; in violent haste.

PRECIPITOUSNESS, n. Steepness of descent.

1. Rash haste.

PRECISE, a. [L. proecisus, from proecido, to cut off; proe and coedo; literally, cut or pared away, that is, pared to smoothness or exactness.]

1. Exact; nice; definite; having determinate limitations; not loose, vague, uncertain or equivocal; as precise rules of morality; precise directions for life and conduct.

The law in this point is precise.

For the hour precise

Exacts our parting.

2. Formal; superstitiously exact; excessively nice; punctilious in conduct or ceremony.

PRECISELY, adv. Exactly; nicely; accurately; in exact conformity to truth or to a model. The ideas are precisely expressed. The time of an eclipse may be precisely determined by calculation.

When more of these orders than one are to be set in several stories, there must be an exquisite care to place the columns precisely one over another.

1. With excess of formality; with scrupulous exactness or punctiliousness in behavior or ceremony.

PRECISENESS, n. Exactness; rigid nicety; as the preciseness of words or expressions.

I will distinguish the cases; though give me leave, in handling them, not to sever them with too much preciseness.

1. Excessive regard to forms or rules; rigid formality.

PRECISIAN, n. s as z. One that limits or restrains.

1. One who is rigidly or ceremoniously exact in the observance of rules.

PRECISIANISM, n. Excessive exactness; superstitious rigor.

[These two words are, I believe, little used, or not at all.]

PRECISION, n. s as z. [L. proecisio.] Exact limitation; exactness; accuracy. Precision in the use of words is a prime excellence in discourse; it is indispensable in controversy, in legal instruments and in mathematical calculations. Neither perspicuity nor precision should be sacrificed to ornament.