Associations to the word «Precedent»

Wiktionary

PRECEDENT, noun. An act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future.
PRECEDENT, noun. (legal) A decided case which is cited or used as an example to justify a judgment in a subsequent case.
PRECEDENT, noun. (obsolete) (with definite article) The aforementioned (thing).
PRECEDENT, noun. The previous version.
PRECEDENT, noun. (obsolete) A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy.
PRECEDENT, adjective. Happening or taking place earlier in time; previous or preceding. [from 14th c.]
PRECEDENT, adjective. (now rare) Coming before in a particular order or arrangement; preceding, foregoing. [from 15th c.]
PRECEDENT, verb. (transitive) (legal) To provide precedents for.
PRECEDENT, verb. (transitive) (legal) To be a precedent for.

Dictionary definition

PRECEDENT, noun. An example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time.
PRECEDENT, noun. (civil law) a law established by following earlier judicial decisions.
PRECEDENT, 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".
PRECEDENT, noun. A subject mentioned earlier (preceding in time).
PRECEDENT, adjective. Preceding in time, order, or significance.

Wise words

Words are always getting conventionalized to some secondary meaning. It is one of the works of poetry to take the truants in custody and bring them back to their right senses.
William Butler Yeats