Middle English Dictionary Entry
prēcēden v.
Entry Info
| Forms | prēcēden v. Also precede & ? precẹ̄den; p. preceded, etc. & preced. |
| Etymology | OF précéder & L praecēdere. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To occur before (an event or action); -- also without obj.; to exist before (sb.); ppl. precedinge, occurring immediately before; also, occurring some time before, belonging to the past; (b) to walk (in front of sb.); (c) to move in front of (sb.); (d) to surpass (sb.), excel; (e) to have precedence in the succession to the crown; (f) errors for proceden in various senses.
Associated quotations
a
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)44b/a : Vniuersale doyng was disposicion of a certane coniunccioun of..Saturnus, Iubiter, & Mars whych preceded [Ch.(2): come; L precesserat] in þe ȝere of oure lorde 1345.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)163a/b : Vniuersale euacuacioun..oweþ to precede, i. go afore, particuler in ordre of riȝt worching.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)92a/b : Þer ben manie tokens þat preceden þe discracioun & enpostume of woundes.
- ?a1425 *MS Htrn.95 (Htrn 95)104a/b : Ȝif it [aposteme] cumme of cause fro wiþ in, euacuacioun schal euermore precede aforne þat þou leie repercussiue..þerto.
- (a1460) Bokenham Sts. (Adv Abbotsford B3)3.768 (v.1:p.38) : The holi goste of hem bothe doth procede, And yit noon dooth othir in tyme precede, For eche of hem to othir is coetern.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)1.3 : The nowble wryters of artes..haue deriviede to men succedenge, thro the benefite of scripture, thexcellent gestes of men precedenge.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)2.175 : The descripcion in the precedenge processe [L in præcedentibus] of the grete worlde schalle not be with owte a cause and vtilite.
b
- c1475 Body Pol.(Cmb Kk.1.5)126/19 : By cause..that they preced not befor him to saue him from the shotte of his enmys, the senatour..ordened that all the yer aftir the same people had [no] wagees.
c
- a1500 Truth it (Cnt Add 68)p.72 : 'See the sterre', thei seey aftyrwarde, Ryghth hem precedyng in the este.
d
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.39/8 : God may delyuer vs from oure peryll..whoes dyuyne will eternally precedith euery creature.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)4.63 : The noble men scholde precede [L præcedere] þaim in ȝiftes, like as þei precelle the peple in dignite.
e
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.47 : Maulyne and eke Memprise A daye then sette, whiche of theim shoulde precede [rime: yede] To the croune.
f
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.89 : Ageynes whom [Danes] as ofte as þe kyng precede [L procederet], þe erle Edrik counseille nouȝt to ȝeve bataille.
- (1448) Shillingford41 : We wold have preceded theryn to somme gode conclusion, and the matier is attained at large yn the Comyn lawe.
- a1450 Castle Love(1) (BodAdd B.107)1455 : Precedit hem fro [Vrn: In þe Fader and in þe Sone also And in þe holygost þat glit of hem bo].
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1486-87) Let.Cely (PRO 53/180)p.226 (226/2) : Ryght worschyppffull syr and myn esspecyall goode mastyr, aftyr all dew recommendacon precedynge, I lowly recommend mee vnto yowre mastyrschypp.
- (1486-87) Let.Cely (PRO 53/181)p.226 (226/2) : Ryght worschypffull syr and my specyall goode mastyr, aftyr all dew recommendacon precedynge, I lowly recommend mee vnto yowre mastyrschypp.
Note: If this represents an absolute use, may belong to sense (a) ("due recommendations having already been offered, ..."); if the use is a true participle, the meaning must be something like 'offering (greetings)'; compare the similar formulas with pretending ppl. and premised ppl., conveniently exhibited s.v. recommendacioun n. In the Cely correspondence, preceding is used exclusively by William Cely, pretending by George Cely, with apparently identical force.