Prill, pril, v.i. (prov.) to grow sour: to become tipsy.
Prim, prim, adj. exact and precise in manner: affectedly nice.—v.t. to deck with great nicety: to form with affected preciseness:—pr.p. prim′ming; pa.t. and pa.p. primmed.—adv. Prim′ly.—n. Prim′ness. [O. Fr. prim, fem. prime—L. primus, prima, first.]
Primacy, prī′ma-si, n. state of being first in order of time, rank, &c.: the office or dignity of a primate or archbishop.
Prima-donna, prē′ma-don′a, n. the first or leading female singer in an opera. [It.,—L. prima domina.]
Prima facie, prī′ma fā′shi-ē, at first view or sight.—Prima facie case (law), a case established by sufficient evidence: a case consisting of evidence sufficient to go to a jury. [L. prima, abl. fem. of primus, first, facie, abl. of facies, a face.]
Primage, prīm′āj, n. an allowance to the captain of a vessel by the shipper or consignee of goods for care in lading the same (hat-money): amount or percentage of water carried from a boiler in priming. [Prime, first.]
Primary, prī′mar-i, adj. first: original: chief: primitive: elementary, preparatory.—n. that which is highest in rank or importance: a planet in relation to its satellite or satellites.—adv. Prī′marily.—ns. Prī′mariness, the state of being first in time, act, or intention; Prī′mary-ac′cent, the accent immediately after a bar in music.—ns.pl. Prī′mary-col′ours, the colours obtained by passing the sun's rays through a prism: the colours of the rainbow—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet; Prī′mary-plan′ets, planets revolving round the sun—not satellites; Prī′mary-quills, the largest feathers of a bird's wing; Prī′mary-rocks, the rocks which seem to have been first formed and contain no animal remains, as granites, &c.
Primate, prī′māt, n. the first or highest dignitary in a church: an archbishop.—n. Prī′māteship.—adj. Primā′tial.
Prime, prīm, adj. first in order of time, rank, or importance: chief: excellent: original: early: in early manhood: (Shak.) eager, bold: (math.) incapable of being separated into factors.—n. the beginning: the dawn: the spring: the best part: the height of perfection: full health and strength: a religious service during the first hour after sunrise: (fencing) the first guard against sword-thrusts, also the first and simplest thrust.—adj. Prī′mal, first: original: chief.—n. Primal′ity.—adv. Prime′ly.—ns. Prime′-min′ister, the chief minister of state; Prime′-mov′er, the force which puts a machine in motion: a steam-engine or a water-wheel; Prime′ness; Prime′-num′ber, a first number—i.e. one divisible only by itself or unity.—Prime cost (see Cost). [L. prīmus (for pro-i-mus).]
Prime, prīm, v.t. to put powder on the nipple of a firearm: to lay on the first coating of colour: to instruct or prepare beforehand.—v.i. to serve for the charge of a gun: in the steam-engine, to carry over hot water with the steam from the boiler into the cylinder.—ns. Prī′mer; Prī′ming; Prī′ming-pow′der, detonating powder: train of powder connecting a fuse with a charge. [Prime (adj.).]