Predate
(Pre*date") v. t. To date anticipation; to affix to (a document) an earlier than the actual date; to
antedate; as, a predated deed or letter.
Predation
(Pre*da"tion) n. [L. praedatio, fr. praedari to plunder.] The act of pillaging. E. Hall.
Predatorily
(Pred"a*to*ri*ly) adv. In a predatory manner.
Predatory
(Pred"a*to*ry) a. [L. praedatorius, fr. praedari to plunder, fr. praeda prey. See Prey.]
1. Characterized by plundering; practicing rapine; plundering; pillaging; as, a predatory excursion; a predatory
party. "A predatory war." Macaulay.
2. Hungry; ravenous; as, predatory spirits. [Obs.]
Exercise . . . maketh the spirits more hot and predatory.
Bacon. 3. (Zoöl.) Living by preying upon other animals; carnivorous.
Prede
(Prede) v. i. [L. praedari. See Prey.] To prey; to plunder. [Obs.] Holinshed.
Prede
(Prede), n. Prey; plunder; booty. [Obs.] Holinshed.
Predecay
(Pre"de*cay`) n. Premature decay.
Predecease
(Pre`de*cease) v. t. To die sooner than. "If children predecease progenitors." Shak.
Predecease
(Pre"de*cease`) n. The death of one person or thing before another. [R.] Brougham.
Predecessive
(Pred`e*ces"sive) a. Going before; preceding. "Our predecessive students." Massinger.
Predecessor
(Pred`e*ces"sor) n. [L. praedecessor; prae before + decessor one who withdraws from
the province he has governed, a retiring officer (with reference to his successor), a predecessor, fr. decedere: cf.
F. prédécesseur. See Decease.] One who precedes; one who has preceded another in any state, position,
office, etc.; one whom another follows or comes after, in any office or position.
A prince who was as watchful as his predecessor had been over the interests of the state.
Prescott. Predeclare
(Pre`de*clare") v. t. To declare or announce beforehand; to preannounce. Milman.
Prededication
(Pre*ded`i*ca"tion) n. A dedication made previously or beforehand.
Predefine
(Pre`de*fine) v. t. To define beforehand.
Predeliberation
(Pre`de*lib`er*a"tion), n. Previous deliberation.
Predelineation
(Pre`de*lin`e*a"tion), n. Previous delineation.
Predella
(||Pre*del"la) n. [It.] The step, or raised secondary part, of an altar; a superaltar; hence, in
Italian painting, a band or frieze of several pictures running along the front of a superaltar, or forming
a border or frame at the foot of an altarpiece.
Predesign
(Pre`de*sign") v. t. To design or purpose beforehand; to predetermine. Mitford.
Predesignate
(Pre*des"ig*nate) a. (Logic) A term used by Sir William Hamilton to define propositions
having their quantity indicated by a verbal sign; as, all, none, etc.; — contrasted with preindesignate,
defining propositions of which the quantity is not so indicated.
