precedent

[prec·e·dent]

A precedent is something that sets a standard for future events. It's hard to say what the legal community would do without the word precedent, since so many legal judgments and decisions are based on what came before.

...

Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services.

Noun
an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time

Noun
(civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions

Noun
a subject mentioned earlier (preceding in time)

Noun
a system of jurisprudence based on judicial precedents rather than statutory laws; "common law originated in the unwritten laws of England and was later applied in the United States"

Adjective S.
preceding in time, order, or significance

...

a.
Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services.

n.
Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.

n.
A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign.

n.
A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.

n.
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.


Precedent

Pre*ced"ent , a. [L. praecedens, -entis, p. pr. of praecedere: cf. F. pr'82c'82dent. See Precede.] Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services. Shak. "A precedent injury." Bacon. Condition precedent (Law), a condition which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a right.

Precedent

Prec"e*dent , n. 1. Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.
Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only.
2. A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign. [Obs.] 3. A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy. [Obs.] Shak. 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. 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.

Going before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent services.

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

...

Usage Examples

Google is in an amazing position to be the target of tons of lawsuits that will set precedent for many important things for us on the Internet.

If there's any object in human experience that's a precedent for what a computer should be like, it's a musical instrument: a device where you can explore a huge range of possibilities through an interface that connects your mind and your body, allowing you to be emotionally authentic and expressive.

Sending Paris Hilton to jail for being the most loathed celeprosy lesion in the history of the species seems like a happening idea at first - forty-five days at Century Regional Detention Center is so the new thirty days at Promises Malibu! But it sets a dangerous precedent to jail celebs just because someone hates them.

I have resolved on an enterprise that has no precedent and will have no imitator. I want to set before my fellow human beings a man in every way true to nature and that man will be myself.

Misspelled Form

precedent, oprecedent, 0precedent, lprecedent, orecedent, 0recedent, lrecedent, porecedent, p0recedent, plrecedent, perecedent, p4recedent, p5recedent, ptrecedent, pfrecedent, peecedent, p4ecedent, p5ecedent, ptecedent, pfecedent, preecedent, pr4ecedent, pr5ecedent, prtecedent, prfecedent, prwecedent, pr3ecedent, pr4ecedent, prrecedent, prsecedent, prdecedent, prwcedent, pr3cedent, pr4cedent, prrcedent, prscedent, prdcedent, prewcedent, pre3cedent, pre4cedent, prercedent, prescedent, predcedent, prexcedent, predcedent, prefcedent, prevcedent, pre cedent, prexedent, prededent, prefedent, prevedent, pre edent, precxedent, precdedent, precfedent, precvedent, prec edent, precwedent, prec3edent, prec4edent, precredent, precsedent, precdedent, precwdent, prec3dent, prec4dent, precrdent, precsdent, precddent, precewdent, prece3dent, prece4dent, precerdent, precesdent, preceddent, precesdent, preceedent, precefdent, precexdent, prececdent, precesent, preceeent, precefent, precexent, prececent, precedsent, precedeent, precedfent, precedxent, precedcent, precedwent, preced3ent, preced4ent, precedrent, precedsent, preceddent, precedwnt, preced3nt, preced4nt, precedrnt, precedsnt, preceddnt, precedewnt, precede3nt, precede4nt, precedernt, precedesnt, precedednt, precedebnt, precedehnt, precedejnt, precedemnt, precede nt, precedebt, precedeht, precedejt, precedemt, precede t, precedenbt, precedenht, precedenjt, precedenmt, preceden t, precedenrt, preceden5t, preceden6t, precedenyt, precedengt, precedenr, preceden5, preceden6, precedeny, precedeng, precedentr, precedent5, precedent6, precedenty, precedentg.

Other Usage Examples

The higher American patriotism, on the other hand, combines loyalty to historical tradition and precedent with the imaginative projection of an ideal national Promise.

Judge Roberts has assured me personally that he has a healthy respect for precedent and the hard-won rights of Americans.

Surely our inaction with respect to Syria is a poor precedent if we're fighting a war on terror.

Truth always originates in a minority of one, and every custom begins as a broken precedent.

Comments


Browse Dictionary