precedent

Definitions  ·  Examples  ·  Pronunciations  ·  Etymologies  ·  Related  ·  Statistics  ·  Comments (1)  · 
“
Instructed in English precedent, the assemblies knew well how to condition the grant of salary or necessary revenue upon the governor's surrender to their demands.

View all »
Definitions (21)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. noun An act or instance that may be used as an example in dealing with subsequent similar instances.
  2. noun Law A judicial decision that may be used as a standard in subsequent similar cases: a landmark decision that set a legal precedent.
  3. noun Convention or custom arising from long practice: The President followed historical precedent in forming the Cabinet.
1 more from this dictionary »

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (10)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (5)

Toggle elsewhere links Elsewhere on the web

View all »
Examples (50)

  • "The Georgian conflict isn't likely to have a direct effect on the emergence of new separatist or secessionist movements but it has the potential to create a long-term precedent," said Nicu Popescu with the European Council on Foreign Relations. —  SouthCoastToday.com Latest Headlines
  • While Israel charges that Hezbullah has rearmed and retaken its old positions, the precedent could be applied in Gaza -- and one of Israel's stated goals in its current operation is to change the reality on the ground. —  TODAY'S ZAMAN :: News
  • New York Times has done -- and the Los Angeles Times copied -- is without precedent, which is why a Congressional response is so necessary, and hopefully forthcoming soon. —  Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog
  • The criterion assumes the precedent is adequate and sufficiently broad. —  Delaware Watch
  • We will start to see disvestment in a big way if this precedent is allowed to stand. —  News24
More examples »
 

Tags

Sign up or sign in to add tags.

Stats

This word has been looked up 307 times.

stop updating
On Twitter

Photos from

flickr images

Add a related word »
Related

Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

Allen's Allen's Synonyms and Antonyms

Used in the same context Used in the Same Context

Used in the same contextWord Family

precedent:   precedents
Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French, from Latin praecēdēns, praecēdent-, present participle of praecēdere, to go before; see precede.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Old French precedent, French précédent = Spanish Portuguese Italian precedente, from Latin præceden(t-)s, present participle of præcedere, go before: see precede.
 

Pronunciations
Record your own »
/prəˈsidənt æs æn æddʒ./
by American Heritage

Charts
frequency chart

Bubble size: how much this word was used in a year

Bubble height: used more or less than expected, vs. all uses evenly distributed

You can expect to see this word about twice a week.

Recently looked up

rape · mormon · misses · mess · Colophon

Recent Favorites

pygopagus · sanglant · Astacus · sweetbread · qualms

Recent Pronunciations

wub wub · merch · these grunts every eight hours · haul it off to our darkest dungeon · send for a doctor