precede
Americanverb (used with object)
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to go before, as in place, order, rank, importance, or time.
-
to introduce by something preliminary; preface.
to precede one's statement with a qualification.
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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to go or be before (someone or something) in time, place, rank, etc
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(tr) to preface or introduce
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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precedesimple
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precedessimple
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have precededperfect
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has precededperfect
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am precedingprogressive
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are precedingprogressive
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is precedingprogressive
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have been precedingperfect progressive
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has been precedingperfect progressive
Past
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precededsimple
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had precededperfect
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was precedingprogressive
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were precedingprogressive
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had been precedingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Vocabulary lists containing precede
Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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ACT Vocabulary List
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"Of Mice and Men"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"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)
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)
Gesture Should either be Simultaneous with or Precede the Words—not Follow Them Lady Macbeth says: "Bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue."
From The Art of Public Speaking by Carnagey, Dale
Destructive flames in mad career Precede Thy thunders on their way; Yet, Lord, Thy messengers revere The soft mutations of Thy day.
From The Poems of Goethe Translated in the original metres by Bowring, Edgar Alfred
These in turn Precede the vowel they refer to.
From Poems by Seeger, Alan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
