Part 497

2. A proposition; an exposition; a discourse. [Obs.]

He made a long preposition and oration.

Fabyan.

Prep`o*si"tion*al (?), a. [Cf. F. prÈpositionnel.] Of or pertaining to a preposition; of the nature of a preposition. Early. -- Prep`o*si"tion*al*ly, adv.

Pre*pos"i*tive (?), a. [L. praepositivus: cf. F. prÈpositif.] (Gram.) Put before; prefixed; as, a prepositive particle. -- n. A prepositive word. Tooke.

||Pre*pos"i*tor (?), n. [NL.] A scholar appointed to inspect other ||scholars; a monitor. Todd.

Pre*pos"i*ture (?), n. [L. praepositura. See Preposition, and cf. Provost.] The office or dignity of a provost; a provostship. Lowth.

Pre`pos*sess" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prepossessed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prepossessing.]

1. To preoccupy, as ground or land; to take previous possession of. Dryden.

2. To preoccupy, as the mind or heart, so as to preclude other things; hence, to bias or prejudice; to give a previous inclination to, for or against anything; esp., to induce a favorable opinion beforehand, or at the outset.

It created him enemies, and prepossessed the lord general.

Evelyn.

Pre`pos*sess"ing (?), a. Tending to invite favor; attracting confidence, favor, esteem, or love; attractive; as, a prepossessing manner. -- Pre`pos*sess"ing*ly, adv.

Pre`pos*ses"sion (?), n.

1. Preoccupation; prior possession. Hammond.

2. Preoccupation of the mind by an opinion, or impression, already formed; preconceived opinion; previous impression; bias; -- generally, but not always, used in a favorable sense; as, the prepossessions of childhood. "The prejudices and prepossessions of the country." Sir W. Scott.

Syn. -- Bent; bias; inclination; preoccupancy; prejudgment. See Bent.

Pre`*pos*sess"or (?), n. One who possesses, or occupies, previously. R. Brady.

Pre*pos"ter*ous (?), a.[L. praeposterus; prae before + posterus coming after, latter. See Posterior.]

1. Having that first which ought to be last; inverted in order. [Obs.]

The method I take may be censured as preposterous, because I thus treat last of the antediluvian earth, which was first in the order of nature.

Woodward.

2. Contrary to nature or reason; not adapted to the end; utterly and glaringly foolish; unreasonably absurd; perverted. "Most preposterous conclusions." Shak.

Preposterous ass, that never read so far!

Shak.

Syn. -- Absurd; perverted; wrong; irrational; foolish; monstrous. See Absurd.

-- Pre*pos"ter*ous*ly, adv. - Pre*pos"ter*ous*ness, n.

Pre*pos"tor (?), n. See Prepositor.