Precarious, prē-kā′ri-us, adj. uncertain, because depending upon the will of another: held by a doubtful tenure: depending on chance: dangerous, risky.—adv. Precā′riously.—n. Precā′riousness. [L. precarius—precāri, to pray.]
Precatory, prek′a-tō-ri, adj. relating to prayer, supplicatory.—adj. Prec′ative (obs.), suppliant.
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.]
Precedence, prē-sē′dens, n. the act of going before in time: priority: the state of being before in rank: the place of honour: the foremost place in ceremony—also Precē′dency.—adj. Precē′dent, going before in order of time: anterior.—n. Precedent (pres′ēdent), a past action which may serve as an example or rule in the future: a parallel case in the past: an established habit or custom.—adjs. Prec′edented, having a precedent: warranted by an example; Preceden′tial, of the nature of a precedent.—adv. Precē′dently.—adj. Precē′ding, going before in time, rank, &c.: antecedent: previous: former.—Order of precedence, the rules which fix the places of persons at a ceremony; Patent of precedence, a royal grant giving to certain barristers right of superior rank; Take precedence of, to have a right to a more honourable place. [Fr.,—L. præcedens, -entis, pr.p. of præcedĕre, to go before.]
Precentor, pre-sen′tor, n. he that leads in music: the leader of a choir in a cathedral, &c.: the leader of the psalmody in Scotch churches.—n. Precen′torship. [L. præ, before, cantor, a singer.]
Precept, prē′sept, n. rule of action: a commandment: principle, or maxim: (law) the written warrant of a magistrate: a mandate.—adj. Precep′tial (Shak.), consisting of precepts.—n. Precep′tion (obs.), a precept.—adj. Precep′tive, containing or giving precepts: directing in moral conduct: didactic.—n. Precep′tor, one who delivers precepts: a teacher: an instructor: the head of a school: the head of a preceptory of Knights Templars:—fem. Precep′tress.—adjs. Preceptō′rial; Precep′tory, giving precepts.—n. a religious house or college of the Knights Templars. [Fr.,—L. præceptum—præcipĕre, to take beforehand—præ, before, capĕre, to take.]
Preces, prē′sez, n.pl. the alternate responsive petitions, as the versicles and suffrages, between the clergyman and the congregation in liturgical worship. [L., pl. of prex, a prayer.]
Precession, prē-sesh′un, n. the act of going before: a moving forward.—adj. Preces′sional.—Precession of the equinoxes, a slow backward motion of the equinoctial points along the ecliptic, caused by the greater attraction of the sun and moon on the excess of matter at the equator, such that the times at which the sun crosses the equator come at shorter intervals than they would otherwise do.
Prechristian, prē-krist′yan, adj. existing before the Christian era.