Thomas Davidson

“ Prēscrip′tive, consisting in, or acquired by, custom or long-continued use: customary.—Prescriptive title, a title established by right of prescription. [L. præscribĕre, -scriptum—præ, before, scribĕre, to write.]
Presee, prē-sē′, v.t. to foresee.
Presence, prez′ens, n. state of being present—opp. of Absence: situation near or within sight, &c., companionship: approach face to face: nearness to the person of a superior: an assembly of great persons: mien: personal appearance: an apparition: calmness, readiness, as of mind: (Shak.) ”

“ Prēserv′er. [Fr. préserver—L. præ, beforehand, servāre, to preserve.]
Preses, prē′sēz, n. (Scot.) a president or chairman.
Preside, prē-zīd′, v.i. to direct or control, esp. at a meeting: to superintend.—ns. Pres′idency, the office of a president, or his dignity, term of office, jurisdiction, or residence: a division of British India, as the Presidency of Bengal; Pres′ident, one who presides over a meeting: a chairman: the chief officer of a college, institution, &c.: an officer elected from time to time, as chief ruler of a republic—also adj. (Milt.) ”

“ Pres′entness, state of being present.—Presence of mind, a state of mind which enables a person to speak or act with calmness and promptness in circumstances of great and sudden difficulties.—At present, at the present time, now; Real presence, a doctrine or belief that the body and blood of Christ are really and substantially present in the eucharist; The present, the present time. [O. Fr.,—L. præsentia—præsens, -sentis—præ, before, sens, being.] ”

“ Pow′der-room, the room in a ship where powder is kept.—adj. Pow′dery, resembling or sprinkled with powder: dusty: friable. [O. Fr. poudre—L. pulvis, pulveris, dust.]
Power, pow′ėr, n. that in a person or a thing which enables them to act on other persons or things: strength: energy: faculty of the mind: any agency: moving force of anything: right to command: rule: authority: influence: ability: capacity of suffering: a ruler: a divinity: the result of the continued multiplication of a quantity by itself any given number of times: (optics) magnifying strength: (obs.) ”

“ Previ′sion, foresight: foreknowledge. [L. prævidēre, prævisum, to foresee—præ, before, vidēre, to see.]
Prewarn, prē-wawrn′, v.t. to warn beforehand.
Prex, preks, n. in U.S. college slang the president of a college.—Also Prex′y.
Prey, prā, n. that which is taken by robbery or force: booty: plunder: that which is or may be seized to be devoured: a victim: depredation: (Shak.) the act of seizing.—v.i. to take plunder: to seize and devour: to waste or impair gradually: to weigh heavily (on or upon) , as the mind.—adj. Prey′ful (Shak.) ”

“ Press, pres, v.t. to carry men off by violence to become soldiers or sailors.—ns. Press′gang, a gang or body of sailors under an officer empowered to impress men into the navy; Press′-mon′ey (for prest-money) , earnest-money. [Corr. from old form prest, from O. Fr. prester (Fr. prêter) , to lend—præstāre, to offer—præ, before, stāre, to stand.] ”

“ Pref′atory, pertaining to a preface: serving as an introduction: introductory. [Fr. préface—L. præfatio—præ, before, fāri, fatus, to speak.]
Prefect, prē′fekt, n. one placed in authority over others: a commander: the administrative head of a modern French department.—ns. Prē′fectship, his office or jurisdiction; Prē′fecture, the office or district of a prefect: the house occupied by a prefect. [Fr. préfet—L. præfectus, pa.p. of præficĕre—præ, over, facĕre, to make.] ”

“ Prejudi′cial, causing prejudice or injury: disadvantageous: injurious: mischievous: tending to obstruct.—adv. Prejudi′cially.—n. Prejudi′cialness. [O. Fr.,—L. præjudicium—præ, before, judicium, judgment.]
Preknowledge, prē-nol′ej, n. prior knowledge.
Prelate, prel′āt, n. the holder of one of those higher dignities in the church to which, of their own right, is attached a proper jurisdiction, not derived by delegation from any superior official: a church dignitary.—ns. Prel′acy, the office of a prelate: the order of bishops or the bishops collectively: church government by prelates: episcopacy ”

“ Pretext, prē′tekst, or prē-tekst′, n. an assumed motive or reason put forward to conceal the real one: a pretence. [L. prætextum—prætexĕre—præ, before, texĕre, to weave.]
Prethoughtful, prē-thawt′fōōl, adj. forethoughtful, prudent.
Pretibial, prē-tib′i-al, adj. situated upon the front of the lower part of the leg.
Pretor, &c. See Prætor, &c.
Pretty, pret′i, adj. tasteful: pleasing to the eye: having attractive but not striking beauty: neat: beautiful without dignity: small: affected: moderately large, considerable: puny, weak (a term of endearment) : (in contempt) fine: (obs.) ”

“ Prerog′atively, by prerogative or exclusive privilege.—Prerogative court, formerly a court having jurisdiction over testamentary matters.—Royal prerogative, the rights which a sovereign has by right of office, which are different in different countries. [Fr.,—L. prærogativus, that is asked before others for his opinion or vote—præ, before, rogāre, -ātum, to ask.] ”

“ Precur′sory, forerunning: indicating something to follow. [L.,—præ, before, cursor—currĕre, to run.]
Predaceous, prē-dā′shus, adj. living by prey: predatory.—adj. Pred′able, raptorial.—n. Predā′cean, a carnivorous animal.—adj. Prē′dal, pertaining to prey: plundering.—n. Predā′tion, the act of plundering.—adv. Pred′atorily, plunderingly.—n. Pred′atoriness, inclination to plunder.—adj. Pred′atory, plundering: characterised by plundering: living by plunder: ravenous. ”

“ Prepossess′ing, tending to prepossess in one's favour: making a favourable impression.—adv. Prepossess′ingly.—n. Preposses′sion, previous possession: impression formed beforehand, usually a favourable one.
Preposterous, prē-pos′tėr-us, adj. contrary to nature or reason: wrong: absurd: foolish.—adv. Prepos′terously.—n. Prepos′terousness, unreasonableness. [L. præposterus—præ, before, posterus, after—post, after.]
Prepotent, prē-pō′tent, adj. powerful in a very high degree: excelling others in influence or authority.—ns. ”

“ Predic′tion, act of predicting: that which is predicted or foretold: prophecy.—adj. Predic′tive, foretelling: prophetic.—n. Predic′tor. [L. prædictus, pa.p. of prædicĕre—præ, before, dicĕre, to say.]
Predigest, prē-di-jest′, v.t. to digest artificially before introducing into the body.—n. Prediges′tion.
Predilection, prē-di-lek′shun, n. a choosing beforehand: favourable prepossession of mind: partiality.—v.t. Predilect′, to prefer. [L. præ, before, dilectio, -onis, choice—diligĕre, dilectum, to love—dis, apart, legĕre, to choose.]
Prediscover, prē-dis-kuv′ėr, v.t. to discover beforehand.—n. ”

“ Prev′alently. [Fr. prévaloir—L. prævalēre—præ, before, valēre, to be powerful.]
Prevaricate, prē-var′i-kāt, v.i. to shift about from side to side, to evade the truth: to quibble: (obs.) to undertake a thing with the purpose of defeating or destroying it: (law) to betray a client by collusion with his opponent.—v.t. (obs.) to pervert, transgress.—ns. Prēvaricā′tion, the act of quibbling to evade the truth; Prēvar′icātor, one who prevaricates to evade the truth: a quibbler. [L. prævaricāri, -ātus—præ, inten., varicus, straddling—varus, bent.] ”

“ Precinct, prē′singkt, n. limit or boundary of a place: a district or division within certain boundaries: limit of jurisdiction or authority. [L. præcinctus, pa.p. of præcingĕre—præ, before, cingĕre, to gird.]
Precious, presh′us, adj. of great price or worth: costly: highly esteemed: worthless, contemptible (in irony) : fastidious, overnice: (coll.) considerable: (B.) valuable because rare.—adv. (coll.) extremely.—n. Precios′ity, fastidiousness, affected overrefinement.—adv. Prec′iously.—ns. Prec′ious-met′al, a metal of great value, as gold or silver ”

“ Pound′age, a charge or tax made on each pound; Pound′al, a name sometimes used for the absolute foot pound second unit of force, which will produce in one pound a velocity of one foot per second, after acting for one second; Pound′-cake, a sweet cake whose ingredients are measured by weight; Pound′er, he who has, or that which weighs, many pounds—used only after a number, as a 12-pounder.—adj. Pound′-fool′ish, neglecting the care of large sums in attending to little ones. [A.S. pund—L. pondo, by weight, pondus, a weight—pendĕre, to weigh.] ”

“ Premium, prē′mi-um, n. a reward: a prize: a bounty: payment made for insurance: the difference in value above the original price or par of stock—opp. to Discount: anything offered as an incentive.—adjs. Prē′mial, Prē′miant.—v.t. Prē′miate, to reward with a premium.—At a premium, above par (see Par) . [L. præmium—præ, above, emĕre, to buy.]
Premolar, prē-mō′lar, adj. before a molar, in place or time, deciduous.—n. a milk-molar.
Premonish, prē-mon′ish, v.t. to admonish or warn beforehand.—n. Prēmoni′tion, a warning or sign (often a feeling) of what is going to happen.—adjs. ”

“ Præ′torship.—Prætorian band of guard, the bodyguard of the Roman Emperor; Prætorian gate, the gate of a Roman camp directly in front of the general's tent, and nearest to the enemy. [L. prætor, for præitor—præ, before, īre, itum, to go.]
Pragmatic, -al, prag-mat′ik, -al, adj. of or pertaining to public business: skilled in affairs: active: practical: interfering with the affairs of others: officious: meddlesome: self-important.—n. Pragmat′ic, a man of business, a busybody: a public decree.—adv. Pragmat′ically.—ns. Pragmat′icalness, Prag′matism, activity: earnestness: meddlesomeness ”

“ Prepense′ly, intentionally. [Fr.,—L. præ, before, pensāre—pendĕre, pensum, to weigh.]
Prepollence, prē-pol′ens, n. prevalence—also Prepoll′ency.—adj. Prepoll′ent.
Preponderate, prē-pon′dėr-āt, v.t. to outweigh: to incline to one side: to exceed in power or influence.—ns. Prepon′derance, Prepon′derancy, Preponderā′tion, power or state of outweighing: excess of weight, number, or quantity: predominance.—adj. Prepon′derant, outweighing: superior in weight, power, or influence.—advs. Prepon′derantly, Preponderā′tingly. [L. præ, before, ponderāre, -ātum, to weigh—pondus, a weight.] ”

“ Premed′itātive. [L., præmeditāri, -ātus—præ, before, meditāri, to meditate.]
Premier, prē′mi-ėr, adj. prime or first: chief: (her.) most ancient.—n. the first or chief: the prime-minister.—v.i. to govern as premier.—adj. and n. Première (pre-myār′) , first or leading actress, dancer, forewoman, &c.—n. Prē′miership. [Fr.,—L. primarius, of the first rank—primus, first.]
Premillennial, prē-mi-len′i-al, adj. of or pertaining to the times before the millennium—also Premillenā′rian.—n. one who believes in the premillennial advent of Christ.—ns. Premillenā′rianism; Premillenn′ialism. ”

“ Precaution, prē-kaw′shun, n. caution or care beforehand: a preventive measure: something done beforehand to ward off evil or secure good.—v.t. to warn or advise beforehand.—adjs. Precau′tional, Precau′tionary, containing or proceeding from precaution: taking precaution. [Fr.,—L. præ, before, cavēre, to be careful.]
Precede, pre-sēd′, v.t. to go before in time, rank, or importance.—v.i. to be before in time, or place. [Fr. précéder—L. præcedĕre—præ, before, cedĕre, go.] ”

“ Prē′sciently. [L. præsciens, pr.p. of præscīre—præ, before, scīre, to know.]
Prescientific, prē-sī-en-tif′ik, adj. before the scientific age, before knowledge was systematised.
Prescind, prē-sind′, v.t. to abstract from other facts or ideas.—v.i. to withdraw the attention (from) .—adj. Prēscin′dent.—n. Prēscis′sion.
Prescribe, prē-skrīb′, v.t. to lay down as a rule or direction: to give as an order: to appoint: (med.) to give directions for, as a remedy: to render useless or invalid through lapse of time.—v.i. ”

“ Preten′tiousness, the quality of being pretentious. [Fr. prétendre—L. prætendĕre—præ, before, tendĕre, tentum, tensum, to stretch.]
Pretense. Same as Pretence.
Pretercanine, prē-tėr-ka-nīn′, adj. more than canine.
Preterhuman, prē-tėr-hū′man, adj. more than human.
Preterimperfect, prē-tėr-im-pėr′fekt, adj. implying that an event was happening at a certain past time.
Preterite, pret′ėr-it, adj. gone by: past: noting the past tense.—n. the past tense.—ns. Pret′erist, one who holds the prophecies of the Apocalypse already fulfilled; Pret′eriteness.—adj. Preteri′tial (biol.) ”

“ Prepare, prē-pār′, v.t. to make ready beforehand: to fit for any purpose: to make ready for use: to adapt: to form: to set or appoint: to provide: to equip.—v.i. to get one's self ready: to put everything in proper order: to lead up to.—n. (Shak.) preparation.—adj. Prepared′, made ready, fit, or suitable: ready.—adv. Prepā′redly.—ns. Prepā′redness; Prepā′rer. [Fr.,—L. præparāre—præ, before, parāre, to make ready.] ”

“ Preven′ter, one who, or that which, prevents or hinders: (naut.) an additional rope or spar for strengthening the ordinary one; Preven′tion, act of preventing: anticipation or forethought: obstruction.—adjs. Preven′tive, Preven′tative, tending to prevent or hinder: preservative.—n. that which prevents: a preservative.—adv. Preven′tively.—n. Preven′tiveness.—Preventive service, the service rendered by the coastguard in preventing smuggling. [L. præventus, pa.p. of prævenīre—præ, before, venīre, to come.] ”

“ Preclū′sively. [L. præcludĕre, -clusum—præ, before, claudĕre, to shut.]
Precocious, prē-kō′shus, adj. having the mind developed very early, or too early: premature: forward: (bot.) appearing before the leaves.—adv. Precō′ciously.—ns. Precō′ciousness, Precoc′ity, state or quality of being precocious: too early ripeness of the mind. [L. præcox, præcocis—præ, before, coquĕre, to cook.] ”

“ Practitioner, prak-tish′un-ėr, n. one who practises or is engaged in the exercise of any profession, esp. medicine or law.—General practitioner, one who practises in all the branches of medicine and surgery. [Older form practician—O. Fr. practicien.]
Practive, prak′tiv, adj. directly tending towards action.
Prad, prad, n. a horse in thieves' cant.
Præ-. ”