| PREDAL, or, | - | |
| PREDATORY, |
War, a war carried on by plunder and rapine; such as the British navy and the Algerines; the Buccaneers, also carried on a predal war, against all persons on the high seas.
PREDESTINARIAN. A person who believes in predestination. Every Turk, may be considered as a predestinarian. A Turkish soldier is taught to believe that it he falls in battle he will instantly go to heaven. This is a comfortable idea even for christian soldiers. How far it ought to be encouraged, doctors and able casuists must agree.
PREFECT, (Préfet, Fr.) a governor or commander of any place or body of men. Among the Romans this was a title of great importance, both in civil and military situations. During the existence of the republic the Præfectus Legio has had a considerable command. The two Alæ, wings, or great divisions of the allies, had each a præfect appointed them by the Roman consul, who governed in the same manner as the legionary tribunes. For a specific account see pages 193, 194, 195, of Kennett’s Roman Antiquities. There was likewise, during the time of the Roman emperors, an officer called the præfect of the pretorian band, or body guards. The French have adopted the word in their government. The functions of a modern French prefect correspond almost wholly with those of a governor of a province under the old regime or system.
PREFERMENT, the state of being advanced to a higher post.
PREJUDICE, PREJUGE, Fr. Prepossession, judgment formed beforehand, without examination. A celebrated French writer calls it an opinion taken up without judgment, Le préjuge est une opinion sans jugement. Voltaire. It is used in two instances, viz. for and against a person.
PRELIMINARY, (Préliminaire, Fr.) Previous, introductory, &c. Preliminary, as a substantive, signifies an introductory measure, a previous arrangement. Hence the “preliminaries of peace.”
PRENDRE, Fr. A French military term. It is variously used, and accords generally with our word to take, viz.
Prendre une ville d’assaut; par famine, &c. To take a town by assault; by famine, &c.
Prendre à droite, ou à gauche, Fr. To go to the right or left.