precedent

• POS: Adjective, Noun
• HYPHEN: prec=e=dent

CIDE DICTIONARY

precedent, a. [L. praecedens, -entis, p. pr. of praecedere: cf. F. précédent. See Precede.].

 Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services.  Bacon.  [1913 Webster]

Condition precedent (Law), a condition which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a right.

precedent, n. 

•  Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.  [1913 Webster]

  "Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only."  [1913 Webster]
•  A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign.  [1913 Webster]
•  A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  A judicial decision which serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous cases; an authority to be followed in courts of justice; forms of proceeding to be followed in similar cases.  Wharton.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- Example; antecedent.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

precedent, n. & adj.
--n. a previous case or legal decision etc. taken as a guide for subsequent cases or as a justification.
--adj. preceding in time, order, importance, etc.

Derivative

precedently adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF (n. & adj.) (as PRECEDE)

DEVIL DICTIONARY

precedent

n. In Law, a previous decision, rule or practice which, in the absence of a definite statute, has whatever force and authority a Judge may choose to give it, thereby greatly simplifying his task of doing as he pleases. As there are precedents for everything, he has only to ignore those that make against his interest and accentuate those in the line of his desire. Invention of the precedent elevates the trial-at-law from the low estate of a fortuitous ordeal to the noble attitude of a dirigible arbitrament.

THESAURUS

precedent

action, ancestor, announcer, antecedent, anterior, antetype, antitype, archetype, avant-garde, award, bellwether, biotype, buccinator, bushwhacker, classic example, condemnation, consideration, criterion, decision, decree, deliverance, determination, diagnosis, dictum, doom, epitome, example, exemplar, explorer, finding, forebear, foregoer, foregoing, forerunner, former, front runner, frontiersman, fugleman, fugler, genotype, groundbreaker, guide, harbinger, herald, imitatee, innovator, lead, lead runner, leader, messenger, mirror, model, order, original, paradigm, past, pathfinder, pattern, pioneer, point, precursor, predecessor, premise, previous, prior, prognosis, pronouncement, prototype, representative, resolution, rule, ruling, scout, sentence, standard, stormy petrel, trailblazer, trailbreaker, type, type species, type specimen, urtext, vanguard, vaunt-courier, verdict, voortrekker, yardstick

ROGET THESAURUS

precedent

Habit

N habit, habitude, assuetude, assuefaction, wont, run, way, common state of things, general state of things, natural state of things, ordinary state of things, ordinary course of things, ordinary run of things, matter of course, beaten path, beaten track, beaten ground, prescription, custom, use, usage, immemorial usage, practice, prevalence, observance, conventionalism, conventionality, mode, fashion, vogue, etiquette, order of the day, cry, conformity, consuetude, dustoor, one's old way, old school, veteris vestigia flammae, laudator temporis acti, rule, standing order, precedent, routine, red-tape, red-tapism, pipe clay, rut, groove, cacoethes, bad habit, confirmed habit, inveterate habit, intrinsic habit, addiction, trick, training, seasoning, second nature, acclimatization, knack, habitual, accustomary, prescriptive, accustomed, of daily occurrence, of everyday occurrence, consuetudinary, wonted, usual, general, ordinary, common, frequent, everyday, household, garden variety, jog, trot, well-trodden, well-known, familiar, vernacular, trite, commonplace, conventional, regular, set, stock, established, stereotyped, prevailing, prevalent, current, received, acknowledged, recognized, accredited, of course, admitted, understood, conformable, according to use, according to custom, according to routine, in vogue, in fashion, in, with it, fashionable, wont, used to, given to, addicted to, attuned to, habituated, in the habit of, habitue, at home in, seasoned, imbued with, devoted to, wedded to, hackneyed, fixed, rooted, deep-rooted, ingrafted, permanent, inveterate, besetting, naturalized, ingrained, habitually, always, as usual, as is one's wont, as things go, as the world goes, as the sparks fly upwards, more suo, more solito, ex more, as a rule, for the most part, usually, generally, typically, most often, most frequently, cela s'entend, abeunt studia in mores, adeo in teneris consuescere multum est, consuetudo quasi altera natura, hoc erat in more majorum, How use doth breed a habit in a man!, magna est vis consuetudinis, morent fecerat usus.

Prototype

N prototype, original, model, pattern, precedent, standard, ideal, reference, scantling, type, archetype, antitype, protoplast, module, exemplar, example, ensample, paradigm, lay-figure, text, copy, design, fugleman, keynote, die, mold, matrix, last, plasm, proplasm, protoplasm, mint, seal, punch, intaglio, negative, stamp, a precedent embalms a principle, exempla sunt odiosa.

Precedence

N precedence, coming before, the lead, le pas, superiority, importance, antecedence, antecedency, anteriority, precursor, priority, precession, anteposition, epacme, preference, preceding, precedent, antecedent, anterior, prior, before, former, foregoing, beforementioned, abovementioned, aforementioned, aforesaid, said, precursory, precursive, prevenient, preliminary, prefatory, introductory, prelusive, prelusory, proemial, preparatory, before, in advance, seniores priores, prior tempore prior jure.

Precursor

N precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor, forerunner, vancourier, avant-coureur, pioneer, prodrome, prodromos, prodromus, outrider, leader, bellwether, herald, harbinger, foreboding, dawn, avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare, forelooper, foreloper, stalking-horse, voorlooper, voortrekker, prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction, heading, frontispiece, groundwork, preparation, overture, exordium, symphony, premises, prefigurement, omen, precursory, prelusive, prelusory, preludious, proemial, introductory, prefatory, prodromous, inaugural, preliminary, precedent, a precedent embalms a principle, precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor, forerunner, vancourier, avant-coureur, pioneer, prodrome, prodromos, prodromus, outrider, leader, bellwether, herald, harbinger, foreboding, dawn, avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare, forelooper, foreloper, stalking-horse, voorlooper, voortrekker, prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction, heading, frontispiece, groundwork, preparation, overture, exordium, symphony, premises, prefigurement, omen, precursory, prelusive, prelusory, preludious, proemial, introductory, prefatory, prodromous, inaugural, preliminary, precedent, a precedent embalms a principle.

Priority

N priority, antecedence, anteriority, precedence, pre-existence, precession, precursor, the past, premises, prior, previous, preceding, precedent, anterior, antecedent, pre- existing, pre-existent, former, foregoing, aforementioned, before- mentioned, abovementioned, aforesaid, said, introductory, before, prior to, earlier, previously, afore, aforehand, beforehand, ere, theretofore, erewhile, ere then, ere now, before then, before now, erewhile, already, yet, beforehand, on the eve of, prior tempore prior jure.

Frequency

N frequency, oftness, oftenness, commonness, repetition, normality, example (conformity), routine, custom (habit), regularity, uniformity, constancy, clock-work precision, punctuality, even tenor, system, routine, formula, rule, keynote, standard, model, precedent, conformity, frequent, many times, not rare, thickcoming, incessant, perpetual, continual, steady, constant, thick, uniform, repeated, customary, (habit), regular (normal), according to rule, common, everyday, usual, ordinary, familiar, old-hat, boring, well-known, trivial, often, oft, ofttimes, oftentimes, frequently, repeatedly, unseldom, not unfrequently, in quick succession, in rapid succession, many a time and oft, daily, hourly, every day, every hour, every moment, perpetually, continually, constantly, incessantly, without ceasing, at all times, daily and hourly, night and day, day and night, day after day, morning noon and night, ever anon, invariably (habit), most often, commonly, sometimes, occasionally, at times, now and then, from time to time, there being times when, toties quoties, often enough, when the mood strikes, again and again.

Lawsuit

N lawsuit, suit, action, cause, litigation, suit in law, dispute, citation, arraignment, prosecution, impeachment, accusation, presentment, true bill, indictment, apprehension, arrest, committal, imprisonment, writ, summons, subpoena, latitat, nisi prius, venire, venire facias pleadings, declaration, bill, claim, proces verbal, bill of right, information, corpus delicti, affidavit, state of facts, answer, reply, replication, plea, demurrer, rebutter, rejoinder, surrebutter, surrejoinder, suitor, party to a suit, plaintiff, defendant, litigant, hearing, trial, verdict, appeal, appeal motion, writ of error, certiorari, case, decision, precedent, decided case, reports (legal reference works, see reference books), litigious, qui tam, coram judice, sub judice, pendente lite, adhuc sub judice lis est, accedas ad curiam, transeat in exemplum.

Precession

N precession, leading, heading, precedence, priority, the lead, le pas, van, precursor, leading, precedent, in advance, before, ahead, in the van, in the lead, foremost, headmost, in front, at the head, out in front, way out in front, far ahead, seniores priores, ahead of his time.