1087
prefer
compare FREE WILL 2 the belief that by God's wish some
souls will go to heaven after death, and others will go to HELL
pre·des·tine /prɪ'destɪn/ v [T(to) often pass.] fml to settle in
advance, especially as if by fate or the will of God: The plan
seemed predestined to failure. | [+obj+to-v] It seemed predestined
to fail. | It was as if we were predestined to meet.
pre·de·ter·mine /ˌpriːdɪ'tɜːmɪn-ɜːr-/ v [T usually pass.]
fml 1 to fix unchangeably from the beginning: The colour of
a person's eyes is predetermined by those of his parents.
2 to arrange in advance; PREARRANGE: We met at a predeter-
mined spot a few miles out of town. —mination
/ˌpriːdɪtɜːmɪ'neʃənɪl-ɜːr-/ n [U]
pre·de·ter·min·er /ˌpriːdɪ'tɜːmɪnər ɪl-ɜːr-/ n tech a word
that can be used before a DETERMINER (=word such as the,
that, this etc): In the phrases 'all the boys' and 'both his
parents', the words 'all' and 'both' are predeterminers.
pre·di·ca·ment /prɪ'dɪkəmənt/ n a difficult or unpleasant
situation in which one does not know what to do, or must
make a difficult choice
pred·i·cate¹ /'predɪkət/ n the part of a sentence which
makes a statement about the subject: In 'Fishes swim' and
'She is an artist', 'swim' and 'is an artist' are predicates.
pred·i·cate² /'predɪkeɪt/ v [T] fml 1 [(on) often pass.] to take
something as a reason for doing (something else); base: The
company's plans to increase production were predicated on the
growing demand for computer products. 2 [(of)] to state that
(a particular quality) belongs to (someone or something): We
predicate rationality of man.
pre·dic·a·tive /prɪ'dɪkətɪv||'predɪkeɪ-/ adj (especially of an
adjective or phrase) coming after a verb: In 'He is alive',
'alive' is a predicative adjective. → compare ATTRIBUTIVE
—ly adv
pre·dict /prɪ'dɪkt/ v [T] to see or describe (a future happen-
ing) in advance as a result of knowledge, experience,
thought etc: The economists predicted an increase in the rate
of inflation. | [+that] The fortune-teller predicted that I would
marry a doctor. | [+wh-] It's hard to predict when it will
happen. → compare FORECAST
pre·dic·ta·ble /prɪ'dɪktəbəl/ adj 1 that can be: pre-
dicted 2 derog not being or doing anything unexpected or
showing any imagination: You're so predictable! → opposite
UNPREDICTABLE —bly adv: Predictably, he came late. (=it
could be expected because he always does) —bility
/prɪˌdɪktə'bɪlɪti/ n [U]
pre·dic·tion /prɪ'dɪkʃən/ n [C;U] the act of predicting or
something predicted: Her prediction turned out to be correct. |
[+that] He made a prediction that the government would be
defeated at the general election. —tive /'dɪktɪv/ adj —tively
adv
pre·dic·tor /prɪ'dɪktə/ n formal something that shows what
will happen in the future: High blood pressure is a strong
predictor of heart attacks.
pre·di·gest /ˌpriːdaɪ'dʒest, ˌpriːdɪ-/ v [T] 1 to make (food)
easier for sick people or babies to take, especially by chemi-
cal treatment 2 infml, often derog to make simpler, for easy use:
predigested facts
pre·di·lec·tion /ˌpriːdɪ'lekənɪlˌpredl'ek-/ n [(for)] fml a spe-
cial liking that has become a habit: a predilection for danger-
ous sports
pre·dis·pose /ˌpriːdɪs'pəʊz/ v [T+obj+adv/prep/to-v] rather fml to
influence (someone) in the stated way, especially in
advance: Her father is of course predisposed in her favour.
(=tends to think favourably of her) | His weak chest predis-
poses him to (=makes him tend to have) winter illnesses. |
After all the bad things I'd heard about her I wasn't predis-
posed to like her. (=I thought I would dislike her) → compare
PREJUDICE
pre·dis·po·si·tion /ˌpriːdɪspə'zɪʃən/ n [(to, towards)] a state
of body or mind that is favourable to something, often
something bad: a predisposition to arthritis | an unhealthy
predisposition towards violence
pre·dom·i·nant /prɪ'dɒmɪnənt||-'dɑː-/ adj [(over)] most
powerful, noticeable, or important, or largest in number:
Bright red was the predominant colour in the room. —nance
n [S;U(of)] fml There is a predominance of black people (=more
of them than other races) in the population of Jamaica. →
compare PREPONDERANCE
pre·dom·i·nant·ly /prɪ'dɒmɪnəntli||-'dɑːr-/ adv rather fml
mostly; mainly: Jamaica's population is predominantly
black.
pre·dom·i·nate /prɪ'dɒmɪneɪt||-'dɑː-/ v [(over)] 1 to have
the main power or influence: The views of the left wing have
tended to predominate within the party. 2 to be greater or
greatest in numbers, force etc; be most noticeable: In north-
ern areas pine forests predominate (over deciduous woodland).
pree·mie /'priːmi/ n AmE infml a PREMATURE baby
pre·em·i·nent /priː'emɪnənt/ adj [(in, among, at)] fml apprec
above all others in having some usually good quality, ability,
or main activity: This country has always been preeminent in
the field of medical research. —ly adv —nence n [U]
pre·empt /prɪ'empt/ v [T often pass.] to make (something)
ineffective, or remove any reason for doing (something), by
taking action in advance: The council found that their traffic
plans had been preempted by a government decision. → com-
pare PRECLUDE —ion /'empʃən/ n [U]
pre·emp·tive /prɪ'emptɪv/ adj done before other people
have a chance to act, and in order to prevent them from
doing so: a preemptive offer for the property our competitors
wanted to buy | The army launched a preemptive strike
(=attack) against the enemy. —~ly adv
preen /priːn/ v [I;T] (of a bird) to clean or smooth (itself or its
feathers) with its beak; (fig.) He was preening himself in front
of the mirror.
preen sbdy. on/upon sthg. phr v [T] derog rare to feel proud
of or satisfied with (oneself) because of (an action or quality)
pre·ex·ist /ˌpriːɪg'zɪst/ v [I] fml to exist before, especially as a
soul before uniting with the present body —ence n [U]
—ent adj
pre·fab /'priːfæb||ˌpriː'fæb/ n infml a small prefabricated
house, especially of the type put up in Britain and elsewhere
after World War II. Prefabs were intended as temporary
homes to replace houses which were destroyed in the war,
though some prefabs are still in use in Britain now.
pre·fab·ri·cate /priː'fæbrɪkeɪt/ v [T] to make (the parts of a
building, ship etc) in a factory in large numbers and stand-
ard sizes, ready for fitting together in any place chosen for
building —cation /priːˌfæbrɪ'keɪʃən/ n [U]
pre·fab·ri·cat·ed /priː'fæbrɪkeɪtɪd/ adj (of a building, ship
etc) built out of prefabricated parts
pref·ace¹ /'prefɪs/ n [(to)] 1 an introduction to a book or
speech 2 an action that is intended to introduce something
else more important
A preface, a foreword and an introduction all
come in the first pages of a book before the main
contents. An introduction is usually longer than a
preface or foreword. A foreword is sometimes more
informal than a preface or introduction, or written from a
more personal point of view. The beginning of the book
is the early part of the actual contents, after the preface.
preface² v [T] fml 1 to act as a preface to: Several pages of
closely reasoned argument preface her account of the
war. 2 [+obj+adv/prep, especially with] to introduce (speech or
writing) in the stated way: She prefaced her remarks with a
few words of welcome to the guest speaker. → compare PREFIX
pref·a·to·ry /'prefətərɪl-tɔːrɪ/ adj fml acting as a preface or
introduction: a few prefatory remarks
pre·fect /'priːfekt/ n 1 (in some British schools) an older
pupil with certain powers to control and punish other
pupils 2 (sometimes cap.) (in certain countries) a public officer
or judge with duties in government, the police, or the army:
the Prefect of Police of Paris
pre·fec·ture /'priːfektʊər ɪl-tʃər/ n 1 a governmental divi-
sion or area of certain countries, such as France and
Japan 2 (in France) the official home or place of work of a
prefect
pref·er /prɪ'fːr/ v -rr- [T not in progressive forms] 1 [(to)] to
choose (one thing or action) rather than another; like better:
'Would you like meat or fish?' 'I'd prefer meat, please.' | I much
prefer dogs to cats. | [+v-ing] I prefer singing to acting. | [+to-v]