Preliminary
[prɪ'lɪmɪn(ə)rɪ] or [prɪ'lɪmɪnɛri]
Definition
(noun.) something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; 'training is a necessary preliminary to employment'; 'drinks were the overture to dinner'.
(noun.) a minor match preceding the main event.
(adj.) denoting an action or event preceding or in preparation for something more important; designed to orient or acquaint with a situation before proceeding; 'a preliminary investigation' .
Checked by Hillel--From WordNet
Definition
(a.) Introductory; previous; preceding the main discourse or business; prefatory; as, preliminary observations to a discourse or book; preliminary articles to a treaty; preliminary measures; preliminary examinations.
(n.) That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one's preliminaries the year before entering college.
Checker: Prudence
Synonyms and Synonymous
a. Introductory, preparatory, prefatory, proemial, prelusive, precursory, previous, prior, precedent.
n. Introduction, PRELUDE, preparatory step.
Typist: Rosanna
Synonyms and Antonyms
SYN:Previous, proemial, precursive, prelusory, antecedent, preparatory
ANT:Subsequent, consequent, following
Inputed by Evelyn
Definition
adj. introductory: preparatory: preceding or preparing for the main discourse or business.—n. that which precedes: introduction—used mostly in pl.—adv. Prelim′inarily.
Typed by Leona
Examples
- It failed after some preliminary successes and another great slaughtering of Russians. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- Slowly but surely the results of the last few thousands of his preliminary experiments had pointed inevitably to a new and fruitful region ahead. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- But even to get the very doubtful and preliminary stage of making the appeal, seemed one of the least promising of human undertakings. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- Then I will try again; you will understand me better when I have made some preliminary remarks. Plato. The Republic.
- It was only after all this preliminary sanitation was accomplished that the real work of digging the canal could go forward with any hope of success. Various. The Wonder Book of Knowledge.
- Needless to say, mastery of its literature is regarded by him as a most important preliminary in taking up any line of investigation. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- I constructed an instrument that would record the sound, and set out to make a preliminary report, but I found that they never intended to do anything but let the people complain. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- Reference has been made in this chapter to the preliminary study that Edison brought to bear on the development of the gas art and industry. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- The reason why those little preliminary explosions took place was that a little had spattered out on the edge of the filter paper, and had dried first and exploded. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- When Little Dorrit had her work on the table, and Maggy hers on the bedstead, Fanny fell to tying her bonnet as a preliminary to her departure. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- First let me make some preliminary remarks. Charles Darwin. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection.
- Betteredge gave his imperfectly-pointed pencil a preliminary lick with his tongue. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- All preliminary explanations being now cleared out of the way, I come at last to the real knot of the case--to the twenty thousand pounds. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- Oersted, in 1827, preceded him with important preliminary steps, and Deville, in 1854, followed in the first commercial applications. Edward W. Byrn. The Progress of Invention in the Nineteenth Century.
- The disclosure of the conspiracy followed, after I had offered my preliminary explanation, first of all, in the fewest and the plainest words. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- The ground was measured, and preliminaries arranged. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- The preliminaries are adjusted, and the butcher and myself stand face to face. Charles Dickens. David Copperfield.
- That day they arranged together the preliminaries of the treaty of capitulation. William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair.
- Herein then are set forth in briefest space the preliminaries of a circuit of the globe in quest of fibre. Frank Lewis Dyer. Edison, His Life and Inventions.
- But even if his resolves had forced the two images into combination, the useful preliminaries to that hard change were not visibly within reach. George Eliot. Middlemarch.
- For which reason, not to lose time upon preliminaries, I shall immediately enter upon the examination of these passions. David Hume. A Treatise of Human Nature.
- When she had gone through her rigid preliminaries, amounting to a sort of genteel platoon-exercise, she withdrew. Charles Dickens. Little Dorrit.
- I ran away, the writer began abruptly (without the usual preliminaries), the day after I saw you at the play, and these kind friends have taken me in. Edith Wharton. The Age of Innocence.
- These preliminaries disposed of, he first examined the nightgown, and then devoted himself to the reading of Rosanna Spearman's letter. Wilkie Collins. The Moonstone.
- These preliminaries completed, Mr. Kyrle and I set forth together for Limmeridge House. Wilkie Collins. The Woman in White.
- On this present birthday, Mr. Bagnet has accomplished the usual preliminaries. Charles Dickens. Bleak House.
- In 1801 the preliminaries of peace with England and Austria were signed. H. G. Wells. The Outline of History_Being a Plain History of Life and Mankind.
- Come to the ground, and go through the preliminaries! Charles Dickens. Great Expectations.
- Having settled these preliminaries, Mr. Pickwick grasped the top of the wall, and gave the word 'Over,' which was literally obeyed. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- These preliminaries adjusted, Rose and Oliver returned home. Charles Dickens. Oliver Twist.
Typed by Lena