v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Preceded; p. pr. & vb. n. Preceding. ] [ L. praecedere, praecessum; prae before + cedere to go, to be in motion: cf. F. préceder. See Pre-, and Cede. ] 1. To go before in order of time; to occur first with relation to anything. “Harm precedes not sin.” Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To go before in place, rank, or importance. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To cause to be preceded; to preface; to introduce; -- used with by or with before the instrumental object. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

It is usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration. Kent. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ Cf. F. précédence. See Precede. ] 1. The act or state of preceding or going before in order of time; priority; as, one event has precedence of another. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The act or state of going or being before in rank or dignity, or the place of honor; right to a more honorable place; superior rank; as, barons have precedence of commoners. [ 1913 Webster ]

Which of them [ the different desires ] has the precedency in determining the will to the next action? Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Antecedence; priority; preëminence; preference; superiority. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. praecedens, -entis, p. pr. of praecedere: cf. F. précédent. See Precede. ] Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services. Shak. “A precedent injury.” Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Condition precedent (Law), a condition which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a right. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. 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. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) 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. -- Precedent, Example. An example in a similar case which may serve as a rule or guide, but has no authority out of itself. A precedent is something which comes down to us from the past with the sanction of usage and of common consent. We quote examples in literature, and precedents in law. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a precedent; authorized or sanctioned by an example of a like kind. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the nature of a precedent; having force as an example for imitation; as, precedential transactions. [ 1913 Webster ]

All their actions in that time are not precedential to warrant posterity. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Beforehand; antecedently. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Receded; p. pr. & vb. n. Receding. ] [ L. recedere, recessum; pref. re- re- + cedere to go, to go along: cf. F. recéder. See Cede. ] 1. To move back; to retreat; to withdraw. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like the hollow roar
Of tides receding from the insulted shore. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

All bodies moved circularly endeavor to recede from the center. Bentley. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To withdraw a claim or pretension; to desist; to relinquish what had been proposed or asserted; as, to recede from a demand or proposition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To retire; retreat; return; retrograde; withdraw; desist. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ Pref. re- + cede. Cf. Recede, v. i. ] To cede back; to grant or yield again to a former possessor; as, to recede conquered territory. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having no precedent or example; not preceded by a like case; not having the authority of prior example; novel; new; unexampled. -- Un*prec"e*dent*ed*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]