precede

American  

[pri-seed] / prɪˈsid /

verb (used with object)

preceded, preceding

1. to go before, as in place, order, rank, importance, or time.

2. to introduce by something preliminary; preface.

   to precede one's statement with a qualification.

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verb (used without object)

preceded, preceding

1. to go or come before.

noun

1. Journalism. copy printed at the beginning of a news story presenting late bulletins, editorial notes, or prefatory remarks.

precede British  

/ prɪˈsiːd /

verb

1. to go or be before (someone or something) in time, place, rank, etc

2. (tr) to preface or introduce

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Other Word Forms

• precedable
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of precede

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English preceden, from Latin praecēdere; see pre-, cede

Explanation

To precede is to come before. A short speech will precede the dinner. As you walk down the garden path, the bed of roses precedes the holly bush. When marching into the room, the younger kids precede the older ones. Precede is one of many verbs ending in "-ceed" or "-cede" that trace their roots back to the Latin word cedere which means "to go." For precede, know that it's pre "first" + cedere "go." When you precede, you go first. You might precede your best friend in line, lunch might precede math class, a joke might precede a lecture, and radio preceded television. Anything that goes first or comes before precedes.

Example Sentences

These in turn Precede the vowel they refer to.

From Poems by Seeger, Alan

"Precede me, clouds! inform my father and my brothers that I am coming!" she exclaimed, smiling.

From Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia by Jordan, F.

"Precede me to the Palace, Father Benedict," he said.

From The White Ladies of Worcester A Romance of the Twelfth Century by Barclay, Florence L. (Florence Louisa)

"Precede me, Hector," she said with consummate dignity, "to M. le Comte's audience chamber."

From The Bronze Eagle A Story of the Hundred Days by Orczy, Emmuska Orczy, Baroness

Why does no henchman, young and fair, Precede thee, and delight to bear Entrusted to his reverent hold The burthen of thy throne of gold?

From The Rámáyan of Válmíki, translated into English verse by Griffith, Ralph T. H. (Ralph Thomas Hotchkin)

Related Words

• anticipate
• foreshadow
• predate
• presage