n. act or instance that may be used as example in subsequent similar cases
E.g. How to determine what a precedent is authority for are talked by the lawyers.
a. planned, considered or estimated in advance; deliberate
E.g. This was planned and premeditated from the highest levels of our civilian government.
n. privilege; unquestionable right; exclusive power to command
E.g. For the sake of policy and representativeness, we need a constitutional amendment to remove this prerogative from the president.
ad. quickly; immediately; in haste; suddenly
E.g. Add salt and pepper, presto, you have a delicious meal!
a. full of sharp points or prickles; armed or covered with prickles; bristling or irritable
E.g. In consequence, he became prickly and spiteful.
a. being or happening first in sequence of time; original; primary; fundamental
E.g. Myth narrates a sacred history; it relates an event that took place in primordial time, the fabulous time of the beginnings.
a. uncorrupted by civilization; primitive; remaining free from dirt or decay
E.g. He has opposed building dirty coal-fired power plants in pristine landscapes.
a. of something that investigates or explores deeply
E.g. Finding an effective drug could take up to ten years, but the technology could prove useful in probing other drug resistant diseases such as HIV.
a. wasteful; reckless with money
E.g. In his Christmas feasts Richard outdid his predecessors in prodigal hospitality.
n. person with exceptional talents or powers; wonder
E.g. Brianna Kahane, the 8-year-old violin prodigy, played at the memorial observance there.
v. make longer; draw out; lengthen
E.g. In their determination to discover ways to prolong human life, doctors fail to take into account that longer lives are not always happier ones.
a. lengthy in duration; extended; protracted
E.g. No severe or prolonged bodily illness followed this incident of the red-room; it only gave my nerves a shock of which I feel the reverberation to this day.
v. move to act; incite; give rise to; assist with a reminder
E.g. The accident will prompt a review of school safety policy.
a. inclined; lying face downward; having a tendency
E.g. The increased number of livestock has caused pasture degradation, overgrazing and desertification in prone areas.
n. machine for propelling an aircraft or boat; one who propels
E.g. "We equate this leap in engine technology as equivalent to the post-World War II jump from propeller driven aircraft to jet engines," Brink said.
n. push; driving force; act of propelling
E.g. Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to change the velocity of spacecraft and artificial satellites.
a. being within view or consideration, as a future event or contingency; relating to the future: expected
E.g. Under the double pressure of curiosity and prospective gain he did it with such spirit that he accomplished a shining success.
n. good fortune; financial success; physical well-being
E.g. The expected increase in prosperity from the new system did not immediately come.
a. successful; thriving; having or characterized by financial success or good fortune
E.g. The earthquake has struck one of India's most prosperous and economically significant states.
n. act of providing or preparing for future use or application; making ready; preparation; foresight
E.g. We admired his intellectual providence to acquire vast stores of dry information.
a. relating to a province; limited in outlook; unsophisticated
E.g. They settled in provincial towns such as Puebla, Veracruz and Chiapas, before moving to Mexico City.
n. unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment; aggravation
E.g. It urges the immediate cessation of all acts of violence, provocation, incitement and destruction, and calls upon to return to negotiations.
a. arousing anger or interest; tending to provoke or stimulate
E.g. Even more provocative is the promise of a Russian nuclear power plant for Venezuela.
a. troubling the nerves or peace of mind, as by repeated vexations
E.g. The comments and debates have been lively, civilized, fun and thought provoking, which is exactly what online exchanges ought to be.
n. extraordinary ability; military bravery; superior skill or ability
E.g. In fact, Asia's exporting prowess is so dominant that Dubai and Rotterdam are the only two ports from outside the region to even make the list.
n. state of being proximate; nearness in place, time, or relation
E.g. Blind people sometimes develop a compensatory ability to sense the proximity of objects around them.
n. excessively modest person; person excessively concerned about correct behavior
E.g. A woman, even a prude, is never long embarrassed.
n. quality or state of being prudent; wisdom in the way of caution and provision; good judgment
E.g. It's because we have to preserve a country that we built to be great and prudence is the only way to do it.
v. cut away; trim; reduce
E.g. Another reason to prune is to maintain the plant for its intended purpose within your yard or landscape.
n. severe mental disorder, with or without organic damage; any vital action or activity.
E.g. That kind of psychosis is something I would expect from a guy like you - you're truly a sad, sad creature!
v. gather into small folds or wrinkles; contract into ridges and furrows
E.g. Considering the story's ending and recent news on a possible sequel, we can all confidently pucker up for another hit.
a. of or pertaining to the lungs; having lungs or lung like organs
E.g. Fellows are pediatricians who are training to specialize in pulmonary medicine.
v. a small hole made by a sharp object; pierce with a pointed object; make a hole into
E.g. If they get a nail, it is easy to puncture a tire.
a. insignificant; tiny; weak; of inferior size, strength
E.g. In addition, he expects inflation to remain puny because we have so much unused capacity.
n. tending to cleanse or purge; place or condition of suffering, expiation, or remorse
E.g. Maybe it's over, I'm in purgatory and this is my punishment.
v. remove or get rid of something unwanted; free from blame or guilt; cleanse or purify
E.g. So it shouldn't be a surprise that county voter registrars received a list of 29,000 alleged felons to purge from the rolls.
n. any species of very large snakes of the genus Python
E.g. A Burmese python is coiled around the arm of hunter Michael Cole during a news conference.
v. draw back, as with fear or pain; show fear
E.g. The Cowardly Lion was so afraid that he would quail in the face of danger.
n. quantity; amount; a specified portion
E.g. The amount of the loan or loans is unclear, but Nangoloh says, We believe that the quantum is in the billions.
n. composition for four voices or four instruments; a group of four
E.g. Each of the female quartet is physically and emotionally different, which enhances a strong historical tale.