rank, etc.; rarely, in a bad sense, superiority or notoriety in evil; as, preëminence in honor.
The preëminence of Christianity to any other religious scheme.
Addison.
Painful preëminence! yourself to view
Above life's weakness, and its comforts too.
Pope.
Beneath the forehead's walled preëminence.
Lowell. Preëminent
(Pre*ëm"i*nent) a. [L. praeminens, -entis, p. pr. praeminere to be prominent, to surpass: cf.
F. prééminent. See Pre-, and Eminent.] Eminent above others; prominent among those who are eminent; superior
in excellence; surpassing, or taking precedence of, others; rarely, surpassing others in evil, or in bad qualities; as,
preëminent in guilt.
In goodness and in power preëminent.
Milton. Preëminently
(Pre*ëm"i*nent*ly), adv. In a preëminent degree.
Preëmploy
(Pre`ëm*ploy) v. t. To employ beforehand. "Preëmployed by him." Shak.
Preëmpt
(Pre*ëmpt") v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Preëmpted; p. pr. & vb. n. Preëmpting.] [See Preëmption.]
To settle upon (public land) with a right of preemption, as under the laws of the United States; to take by
preëmption.
Preëmption
(Pre*ëmp"tion) n. [Pref. pre- + emption: cf. F. préemption. See Redeem.] The act or right
of purchasing before others. Specifically: (a) The privilege or prerogative formerly enjoyed by the king
of buying provisions for his household in preference to others. [Eng.] (b) The right of an actual settler
upon public lands (particularly those of the United States) to purchase a certain portion at a fixed price
in preference to all other applicants. Abbott.
Preëmptioner
(Pre*ëmp"tion*er) n. One who holds a prior right to purchase certain public land. Abbott.
Preëmptive
(Pre*ëmp"tive) a. Of or pertaining to preëmption; having power to preëmpt; preëmpting.
Preëmptor
(Pre*ëmpt"or) n. [Cf. L. praeemptor.] One who preëmpts; esp., one who preëmpts public land.
Preëmptory
(Pre*ëmpt"o*ry) a. Pertaining to preëmption.
Preen
(Preen) n. [AS. preón a clasp, bodkin; akin to D. priem punch, bodkin, awl, G. pfriem, Icel. prjonn
a knitting needle, pin, Dan. preen a bodkin, punch.] A forked tool used by clothiers in dressing cloth.
Preen
(Preen), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Preening.] [See Preen, n.; or cf. Prune.]
1. To dress with, or as with, a preen; to trim or dress with the beak, as the feathers; — said of birds.
Derham.
2. To trim up, as trees. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.
Preëngage
(Pre`ën*gage") v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preëngaged ; p. pr. & vb. n. Preëngaging ] To engage by
previous contract; to bind or attach previously; to preoccupy.
But he was preëngaged by former ties.
Dryden. Preëngagement
(Pre`ën*gage"ment) n. Prior engagement, obligation, or attachment, as by contract, promise,
or affection.
My preëngagements to other themes were not unknown to those for whom I was to write.
Boyle.
