Prerogative, prē-rog′a-tiv, n. a peculiar privilege shared by no other: a right arising out of one's rank, position, or nature.—adj. arising out of, or held by, prerogative.—v.t. to endow with a prerogative.—adj. Prerog′atived (Shak.), having a prerogative or exclusive privilege.—adv. 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.]
Presage, prēs′āj, n. something that gives warning of a future event: a foreboding: a presentiment.—v.t. Prēsage′, to forebode: to warn of something to come: to predict.—v.i. to have a presentiment of.—adj. Presage′ful.—ns. Presage′ment, the act of presaging: that which is presaged: prediction; Presag′er. [Fr. présage—L. præsagium—præsagīre—præ, before, sagīre, to perceive quickly.]
Presanctify, prē-sangk′ti-fī, v.t. to consecrate beforehand.
Presartorial, prē-sär-tō′ri-al, adj. before the age of tailoring. [L. sartor—sarcīre, to patch.]
Presbyopia, pres-bi-ō′pi-a, n. long-sightedness, together with diminished power of distinguishing things near, common in old age—also Pres′byopy.—n. Pres′byope, one so affected.—adj. Presbyop′ic.—n. Pres′byte, one affected with presbyopia. [Gr. presbys, old, ōps, ōpos, the eye.]
Presbyter, prez′bi-tėr, n. an elder, a priest: a minister or priest in rank between a bishop and a deacon: a member of a presbytery.—adjs. Presbyt′eral, Presbytē′rial, Presbytē′rian, pertaining to, or consisting of, presbyters: pertaining to Presbytery or that form of church government in which all the clergy or presbyters are equal—opp. to Episcopacy.—n. Presbyt′erāte, the office of a presbyter: a presbytery.—adv. Presbytē′rially.—ns. Presbytē′rian; Presbytē′rianism, the form of church government by presbyters; Pres′bytership; Pres′bytery, a church court ranking between the Kirk-session and the Synod, consisting of the ministers and one elder, a layman, from each church within a certain district: that part of the church reserved for the officiating priests: (R.C.) a clergyman's house.—Reformed Presbyterian Church, a religious body in Scotland, called also Cameronians, who remained separate from the Church of Scotland and maintained the perpetual obligation of the Covenants—the greater part joined the Free Church in 1876; United Presbyterian Church, a religious body formed by the union of the Secession and Relief Churches in 1847—itself uniting with the Free Church in 1900. [L.,—Gr. presbyteros, comp. of presbys, old.]
Prescience, prē′shi-ens, n. knowledge of events beforehand: foresight.—adj. Prē′scient, knowing things beforehand.—adv. 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. to lay down rules: to claim on account of long possession: to become of no force through time.—ns. Prēscrib′er; Prē′script, something prescribed: direction: model prescribed; Prēscriptibil′ity.—adj. Prēscrip′tible, that may be prescribed.—n. Prēscrip′tion, act of prescribing or directing: (med.) a written direction for the preparation of a medicine: a recipe: (law) custom continued until it becomes a right or has the force of law.—adj. 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.]