Part 467

They [ancient philosophers] treasured up their supposed discoveries with miserable precaution.

J. H. Newman.

2. A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act; as, to take precautions against accident.

Pre*cau"tion, v. t. [Cf. F. prÈcautionner.] 1. To warn or caution beforehand. Locke.

<! p. 1126 !>

2. To take precaution against. [R.] Dryden.

Pre*cau"tion*al (?), a. Precautionary.

Pre*cau"tion*a*ry (?), a. Of or pertaining to precaution, or precautions; as, precautionary signals.

Pre*cau"tious (?), a. Taking or using precaution; precautionary. -- Pre*cau"tious*ly, adv. -- Pre*cau"*tious*ness, n.

Pre`ce*da"ne*ous (?), a. Preceding; antecedent; previous. [Obs.] Hammond.

Pre*cede" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preceded; p. pr. & vb. n. Preceding.] [L. praecedere, praecessum; prae before + cedere to go, to be in motion: cf. F. prÈceder. See Pre-, and Cede.] 1. To go before in order of time; to occur first with relation to anything. "Harm precedes not sin." Milton.

2. To go before in place, rank, or importance.

3. To cause to be preceded; to preface; to introduce; -- used with by or with before the instrumental object. [R.]

It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration.

Kent.

{ Pre*ced"ence (?), Pre*ced"en*cy (?), } n. [Cf. F. prÈcÈdence. See Precede.] 1. The act or state of preceding or going before in order of time; priority; as, one event has precedence of another.

2. The act or state of going or being before in rank or dignity, or the place of honor; right to a more honorable place; superior rank; as, barons have precedence of commoners.

Which of them [the different desires] has the precedency in determining the will to the next action?

Locke.

Syn. -- Antecedence; priority; preÎminence; preference; superiority.

Pre*ced"ent (?), a. [L. praecedens, -entis, p. pr. of praecedere: cf. F. prÈcÈdent. See Precede.] Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services. Shak. "A precedent injury." Bacon.

Condition precedent (Law), a condition which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a right.

Prec"e*dent (?), n. 1. Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.

Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only.

Hooker.

2. A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign. [Obs.]

3. A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy. [Obs.] Shak.

4. (Law) A judicial decision which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; an authority to be followed in courts of justice; forms of proceeding to be followed in similar cases. Wharton.