preamble 
preliminary statement ; mi introductory para- 
graph or division of a discourse or writing; a 
pri'i'iicr; prologue: prelude. 
This li a long preamble of a tale. 
Chaucer, Prot to Wife of Bath' Talc, 1 
831. 
After this fabulous preatnble, they proceeded to handle 
the matter of fact with logical precision. 
MoOr u, Hist Netherlands, II. 228. 
Specifically 2. The introductory part of a 
statute or resolution, which states or indicates 
the reasons and intent of what follows. = gyn. 
Preface. Proloyue, etc. See introduction. 
preambular (pre-am'bu-lar), a. [< L. prseam- 
IIII/H.I, going before, + -ar 2 .] Same as pream- 
bular i/. 
preambulary (pre-am'bu-la-ri), a. [< lA,.prx- 
iniiliii/iiH, walking before (see preamble), + -ary.] 
I laving the character of a preamble ; serving as 
a prelude ; introductory. 
I must begin with the fulfilling of your Desire in a pre- 
ainbidary Way, for the Subject admits it. 
llniri'll. Letters, 11. 8. 
These three evangelical resuscitations are so many ;<rr- 
ambulary proofs of the hut and general resurrection. 
Bp. Pearson, Expos, of Creed, xi. 
This famous revenue stands, at this hour, on all the de- 
bate, as a description of revenue not as yet known in all 
the comprehensive (but too comprehensive !) vocabulary 
of finance & preainonlary tax. 
Jlurlce, American Taxation. 
preambulatet (pre-am'bu-lat), r. (. [< LL. 
pneambulatits, pp. of prxambulare, walk or go 
before : see preamble, r .] To walk or go before. 
Mistress, will it please yon to preambulatet 
Chapman, Humorous Day's Mirth. 
When fierce destruction follows to hell gate, 
Pride doth most commonly preainbulate. 
Jordan, I'oems, ;; 3 b. (Latham.) 
preambulationt (pre-am-bu-la'shon), M. [< ME. 
preambulaciouii, < LL. *prxambulatio(n-), < pree- 
ambitlarc, walk before: see preamble, preainbu- 
late.] 1. The act of walking or going before. 
2. A preamble: a sense given to the word in the 
following quotation in consequence of the pre- 
vious use of preamble. 
What spekestow of preatnbulacioun f 
What? amble, or trotte, or pees, or go sit doun ! 
Thou lettest our disport In this manere. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Wife of [lath's Tale, 1. 837. 
preambulatoryt (pre-am'ba-la-to-ri), . [<pre- 
ambulate + -or//. Cf. ambulatory.] Going be- 
fore; preceding; previous. 
.Simon Magus had prvamfrd/atory impieties; he was cove- 
tous and ambitious long before he offered to buy the Holy 
(ihost. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), I. 856. 
preambuloust (pre-am'bu-lus), a. [< LL. prse- 
anibitltis, going before : see preamble.] Pream- 
bulary; introductory. 
He . . . undermineth the base of religion, and de- 
stroyeth the principle preainliulnut unto all belief. 
Sir T. Browne, Vulg. Err., I. 10. 
preambulum (pre-am'bu-lurn), n. In music, 
same as prelude, 2. 
preanal, praeanal (pre-a'ual), a. [< L. prx, be- 
fore, -f anux, anus: see anal.] Placed in front 
of the anus : as, the preanal pores of a lizard. 
Preanal gastrostege. See gattnatnje. - Preanal seg- 
ment, the antepenultimate segment of the abdomen, or 
the section immediately anterior to the anal segment. 
It is often hidden in the perfect insect, or appears only 
as a small piece on the end of the dorsal surface, called 
the preanal or mipra-anal plate or lamina. 
preantepenultimate(pre-an'te-pe-nurti-mat), 
a. [< pre- + antepenultimate.'] Preceding the 
antepenultimate; being the fourth from the 
last : as, prcantepenidtimate syllable. 
pre-aortic (pre-a-Ar'tik), n. [< L. prx, before, 
+ NL. aorta: see aortic.] Situated in front 
of or before the aorta. 
preappoint (pre-a-point'), r. t. [< pre- + ap- 
point.] To appoint previously. Sir E. Creasy, 
Eng. Const., p. 195. 
preappointment(pre-a-point'ment), n. [<.pre- 
+ appoint mi nt.] Previous appointment. 
preapprehension (pre-ap-re-hen'shon), n. [< 
lire- + apprehension.] An apprehension or 
opinion formed before examination. 
A conceit not to be made out by ordinary inspection, or 
any other eyes then such as, regarding the clouds. l>. ImM 
them in shapes conformable to pre-apprchrtunoiui. 
Sir T. Brmrne, Vulg. Err., II. 6. 
prearmt (pre-arm'), v. t. K pre- + arnft.] To 
forearm. Her. T. Ad-iiiix, Works. II. 478. 
prearrange (pre-a-ranj'), v. t. ; pret. and pp. 
pri-an-iingi-il, ppr. prearranging. [< pre- + ttr- 
ruiigi . ] To arrange previously. 
prearrangement < pre-a-ranj'ment), n. [< pre- 
arrange + -mi nl. 1 Previous arrangement. 
preaset, ''. An obsolete form of /<*?!. 
preaspectiont (prf'-ns-pc-k'shon). ii. [< I"''- + 
itxjii rtinii.] A seeing before-hand: previous view. 
I (171 
To believe . . . Ipygmles) should lie in the stature of a 
fH >t or span requires the preaspeclion of such a one as i'hl- 
letas the poet In Atheiueus, who was fain to fasten lead 
unto his feet, lest the wind should blow him away. 
Sir T. Brou-ne, Vulg. Err., iv. 11. 
preaudience (pre-a'di-ens), n. [< ML. nrteauiti- 
in I in, <. L. preeauaire, hear beforehand, < prx, 
before, + anilire, hear: see aiiilicnt, audietife.] 
Right of previous audience ; precedence or rank 
at the English bar among Serjeants and barris- 
ters; the right to be heard before another. The 
preaudience of the English bar Is as follows : (1) The 
queen's attorney-general ; (2) the queen's solicitor-gene- 
ral; (8) the queen s advocate-general ; (4) the queen's pre- 
mier Serjeant; (5) the queen's ancient Serjeant, or the 
eldest among the queen's Serjeants ; (6) the queen's Ser- 
jeants; (7) the queen's counsel; (8)serjeanU at-law; (9) the 
recorder of London ; (10) advocates of the civil law; (11) 
barristers. Imp. Diet. 
A custom has of late years prevailed of granting letters- 
patent of precedence to such barristers as the crown 
thinks proper to honour with that mark of distinction, 
whereby they are entitled to such rank and preaudience as 
are assigned in their respective patents. 
Blackflane, Com., III. 111. 
preauditory, praeauditory (pre-a'di-to-ri), a. 
[< pre- + auditory.] In anat., situated in front 
of the auditory nerve : opposed to pontauditonj. 
preaxal (pre-ak'sal), a. [< L. prte, before, + 
itxix, axis, + -a?.]" Placed in advance of the 
axon ; prechordal. 
preaxial (pre-ak'si-al), a. [< Ij.prse, before, + 
Hfig, axis, + -al. Of. axial.] Of, pertaining to, 
or situated upon that side of the axis of either 
fore or hind limb of a vertebrate which is an- 
terior when the limb is extended at a right an- 
gle with the long axis of the body : the oppo- 
site of piistaiial. 
prebacillary (pre-bas'i-la-ri), a. [< pre- + 
baciOary.] Prior to invasion by bacilli: as, a 
prebacillary stage. 
prebalancer (pre-bal'an-ser), n. [= F. prf- 
bdlancicr; < pre- + balancer: see balancer, 4.] 
One of the prehalteres of an insect. See pre- 
lialter. 
prebasal (pre-ba'sal), a. [< pre- + base?: see 
baxtil.] Placed in front of a base or basal part : 
as, the itrebasal plate of a myriapod. 
prebasilar (pre-bas'i-lar), a. [<]>re- + basilar.] 
Placed in front of a basilar part. 
prebend (preb'eml), . [< ME. prebende = F. 
prebende = Pr. prebenda, prerenda = Sp. Pg. It. 
prebcnda, < ML. )ira>l>eiida, f., a portion of food 
and drink supplied (a pittance), also an eccle- 
siastical living, a prebend; cf. L. priebentlu, 
neut. pi., things to be offered or supplied ; fern. 
sing, or neut. pi. gerundive of L. priebere, hold 
forth, proffer, offer, furnish, grant, contr. of 
lirtehilicrt; hold forth, proffer, etc., < prte, be- 
fore, + habere, have, hold : see habit. Cf. pror- 
and, prm-end, provender, doublets of prebend. 
From the same L. verb are prob. also vlt. pledge, 
pleviii.] In canon lair, a stated income derived 
from some fixed source; hence, especially, a 
stipend allotted from the revenues of a cathe- 
dral or collegiate church for the performance 
of certain duties by a person hence called a 
prebendary. Originally a prebend was the portion of 
food, clothing, or money allowed to a monk or cleric, In- 
dependent of a beneflce. When In the eleventh century 
canons ceased to live in common, each canon received a 
share of the cathedral revenues, called a prebend, and some 
of their number a prebundal residence. A prebend may 
be held by a layman. 
Many noblemen and gentlemen's sons had prebend* 
given them on this pretence, that they Intended to fit 
themselves by study for entering Into orders; bat they 
kept them, and never advanced in their studies. 
Lordt' Journal!, quoted In R. W. Dixon's Hist. Church of 
I Knu'.. xxi., note. 
To each (canon) was assigned ... a decent provision, 
called n prebend, for the support of himself and tils house- 
hold. Koet, Church of our Fathers, i i. 83. 
2t. A prebendary. 
To make Amends for the suppressing of so many Mon- 
asteries, the King instituted certain new Bishoprlcks, . . . 
and assigned certain Canons and /Vr 6enrf to each of them. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 280. 
3. A prebendaryship. 
Another writes to desire that I would prevail on the 
Archbishop of Dublin to give him the best prebend of St. 
Patrick's. Svifl, Letter, Sept SO, 1786. 
Deaneries and prebend* may become void, like a bishop- 
ric, by death, by deprivation, or by resignation to either 
the king or the bishop. Blactttone, Com., I. xl. 
prebendal (preb'en-dal), a. [< OF. prcbendal, 
< ML. prtrbriiiliiliit. < prtebenda, a prebend: see 
/ii-i'/niiil.] Of or pertaining to a prebend or a 
prebendary. Prebendal stall, the seat of the preb- 
endary In a church. 
prebendary: prel>Vn-dn-ri), //.; pi. ]>rrbendarie 
(-riz). [< MK. pi-rbi-ndai-y = F. jiri'hi mtii'r = 
precariously 
i-e iirclieiid.] One who holds a prebend. A 
erical prebendary is necessarily a canon. At present In 
clerical pr 
Pg. prrlii ml' ii-n = It. prebendario,<. ML. 
danuH, a prebendary, < prflienda, a prebend: 
the church of England all resident prebendaries are by 
law styled canont, but the holders of disendowed prebcn- 
dal stalls are still known taprrbentlarie*. 
One Dr. Lark, a Prebendary of St. Stephen's. 
Baker, Chronicles, p. 273. 
That ease be mine, which, after all his cares. 
The pious, peaceful prebeiulary shares. 
Crabbe, Works, II. 21. 
2. A prebendaryship. 
First, whereas the hope of honour maketh a souldler In 
England, byfthopricks, deanrles, prfbendarieg, and other 
priuate dignities animate our diulnes to such excellence. 
A'aihe, Pierce Penllcsse, p. 26. 
prebendaryship (preb'en-da-ri-ship), . [< 
prebendary + -xhip.] The office of a preben- 
dary. See prebend. 
prebendate (preb'en-dat), r. t. ; pret. and pp. 
prebendated, ppr. prebendatiiiy. [< ML. prtr- 
bendatuK, pp. of prxbeudari, receive a prebend, 
< prxbenda, a prebend : see prebend.] To make 
a prebendary of; raise to the rank of preben- 
dary. 
He falleth Into commendation of Stephen Langton his 
cardinal!, declaryng howe learned he was In the liberal! 
artes, and in diuinitie, insomuch as he was prebendated 
at Paris. drafton, K. John, an. 11. 
prebendryt, . [< preliend + -ry.] A prebend. 
Cotyrare. 
prebendship (preb' end -ship), w. [< prebend 
+ -ship.] A prebendaryship. Foxe, Martyrs, 
p. 216, an. 1190. 
prebrachial (pre-bra'ki-al), n. and n. [< L. 
prx, before, + brachium j' upper arm: see bra- 
chial.] I. a. In human anat., situated upon the 
front of the brachium, or upper arm: specifi- 
cally noting a group of muscles composed of 
the biceps, coracobrachialis, and auticobrachi- 
alis. Coues and Shute, 18H7. 
II. n. A vein of the wing of some insects, 
between the cubitus and the postbraehial. 
prebranchial, praebranchial (pre-brang'ki-al), 
a. Placed in advance of the gills. 
The prebranchial rone, which separates the branchial 
sac behind from the branchial siphon In front 
Xnctjc. Brit., XXIII. all. 
prebuccal (pre-buk'al), a. [< Ij.prx, before, + 
bucca. cheek: see biiccal.] Placed in front of 
the mouth or buccal cavity; preoral; prosto- 
mial. 
precant (pre'kant), n. [< L. preea n(t-)g, ppr. 
of precari, pray: seepray 1 . Ct.prayant.] One 
who prays. Coleridge. (Imp. Diet.) 
precardiac (pre-karMi-ak), a. [< L. prx, be- 
fore, + Qr. napAia, heart: see cardiac,.] Situ- 
ated in front of the heart that is, cephalad of 
the heart. Compare precordial. 
precaria, Plural of precariitm. 
precarious (pre-ka'ri-us), a. [= F. precaire = 
Sp. Pg. It. prec'ario, < L. preeariux, pertaining to 
entreaty or petition, obtained by entreaty or by 
mere favor, depending on favor, < precari, pray: 
seepray 1 .] 1. Dependent on the will or plea- 
sure of another; liable to be lost or withdrawn 
at the will of another; hence, uncertain; in- 
secure. 
This little happiness is so very precarma that It wholly 
depends on the will of others. Additon. 
Men of real sense and understanding prefer a prudent 
mediocrity to a precarinur popularity. 
IliMnnith, English Clergy. 
To be young is surely the best, If the most precarima, 
gift of life. /...".//, study Windows, p. 370. 
2. Specifically, in fair, of uncertain tenure: 
revocable at the will of the owner or creator: 
as, a. precarious right or loan. 
His holding was, In the language of the Roman lawyers. 
prcfarvnu-- that is, upon his request to the owner, and 
with that owner's leave. 
W. K. Ilearn, Aryan Household, p. 425. 
3f. Dependent only upon the will of the owner 
or originator; hence, arbitrary; unfounded. 
That the fahrlck of the body Is out of the concurse of 
atonies Is a mere prrcarimu opinion. 
Dr. U. More, ImmorUl. of Soul, II. 10. 
4. Dependent upon chance; of doubtful issue: 
uncertain as to result. 
Both succeeded In establishing themselves on tin- throne 
after the most preearimu vicissitudes. 
Preicott, Ferd. and Isa., II. 16. 
Hence 5. Dangerous; hazardous; exposed 
to positive peril, risk of misiinderstandiii).'. or 
other hazard. [Recent and objeetionable.] 
It would tie prreariatu to say that every course of 
thought has an Ideally best order. 
./. K Heniimj, Rhetorii-, p. Htt. 
precariously i pre-kii'ri-us-li), mlr. In n pre- 
carious m:iimev: ileprndeiillv ; liem-e. with risk 
