Webster's Dictionary 1913

7426

Preform

Pre‐form″ (�), v. t. [L. praeformare. See Pre-, and Form.] To form beforehand, or for special ends. “Their natures and preformed faculties. ” Shak.

7427

Preformation

Pre′for‐ma″tion (?), n.(Biol.) An old theory of the preëxistence of germs. Cf. Emboîtement.

7428

Preformative

Pre‐form″a‐tive (?), n. A formative letter at the beginning of a word. M. Stuart.

7429

Prefrontal

Pre‐fron″tal (?), a.(Anat. & Zoöl.) Situated in front of the frontal bone, or the frontal region of the skull; ectethmoid, as a certain bone in the nasal capsule of many animals...

7430

Prefulgency

Pre‐ful″gen‐cy (?), n. [L. praefulgens, p. pr. of praefulgere to shine forth. See Pre-, and Fulgent.] Superior brightness or effulgency. Barrow.

7431

Pregage

Pre‐gage″ (�), v. t. To preëngage. Fuller.

7432

Preglacial

Pre‐gla″cial (?), a.(Geol.) Prior to the glacial or drift period.

7433

Pregnable

Preg″na‐ble (?), a., [F. prenable. See Impregnable.] Capable of being entered, taken, or captured; expugnable; as, a pregnable fort. Cotgrave.

7434

Pregnance

Preg″nance (?), n. Pregnancy. Milton.

7435

Pregnancy

Preg″nan‐cy (?), n. 1. The condition of being pregnant; the state of being with young.2. Figuratively: The quality of being heavy with important contents, issue, significance, e...

7436

Pregnant

Preg″nant (?), a. [L. praegnans, -antis; prae before + genere, gignere, to beget: cf. F. prégnant. See Gender, 2d Kin.]1. Being with young, as a female; having conceived; great ...

7437

Pregnant (2)

Preg″nant, n. A pregnant woman. Dunglison.

7438

Pregnant (3)

Preg″nant, a. [F. prenant taking. Cf. Pregnable.] Affording entrance; receptive; yielding; willing; open; prompt. “ Pregnant to good pity.” Shak.

7439

Pregnantly

Preg″nant‐ly, adv. In a pregnant manner; fruitfully; significantly.

7440

Pregnantly (2)

Preg″nant‐ly, adv. Unresistingly; openly; hence, clearly; evidently. Shak.

7441

Pregravate

Pre″gra‐vate (?), v. t. [L. praegravatus, p. p. of praegravare to be heavy upon, fr. praegravis very heavy.] To bear down; to depress. Bp. Hall.

7442

Pregravitate

Pre‐grav″i‐tate (?), v. i. To descend by gravity; to sink. Boyle.

7443

Pregustant

Pre‐gus″tant (?), a. [L. praegustans, p. pr. of praegustare to taste beforehand; prae before + gustare to taste.] Tasting beforehand; having a foretaste. Ed. Rev.

7444

Pregustation

Pre′gus‐ta″tion (?), n. The act of tasting beforehand; foretaste. Dr. Walker (1678).

7445

Prehallux

‖Pre‐hal″lux (?), n. [NL. See Pre-, and Hallux.] (Anat.) An extra first toe, or rudiment of a toe, on the preaxial side of the hallux.

7446

Prehend

Pre‐hend″ (�), v. t. [L. prehendere. See Prehensile.] To lay hold of; to seize. Middleton.

7447

Prehensi-ble

Pre‐hen″si–ble (?), a. [Cf. F. préhensible.] Capable of being seized.

7448

Prehensile

Pre‐hen″sile (?), a. [L. prehensus, p. p. of prehendere to lay hold of, seize; pre- (equiv. to prae before) + hendere (in comp.), akin to E. get: cf. F. préhensile. See Get, and...

7449

Prehension

Pre‐hen″sion (?), n. [L. prehensio; cf. F. préhension. See Prehensile.] The act of taking hold, seizing, or grasping, as with the hand or other member.

7450

Prehensory

Pre‐hen″so‐ry (?), a. Adapted to seize or grasp; prehensile.

7451

Prehistoric

Pre′his‐tor″ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to a period before written history begins; as, the prehistoric ages; prehistoric man.

7452

Prehnite

Prehn″ite (?), n. [So called from the German Colonel Prehn, who first found it.] (Min.) A pale green mineral occurring in crystalline aggregates having a botryoidal or mammillar...