Preface \Pref"ace\ (?; 48), n. [F. pr['e]face; cf. Sp. prefacio,
prefacion, It. prefazio, prefazione; all fr. L. praefatio,
fr. praefari to speak or say beforehand; prae before + fari,
fatus, to speak. See Fate.]
1. Something spoken as introductory to a discourse, or
written as introductory to a book or essay; a proem; an
introduction, or series of preliminary remarks.
[1913 Webster]
This superficial tale Is but a preface of her worthy praise. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
Heaven's high behest no preface needs. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
2. (R. C. Ch.) The prelude or introduction to the canon of the Mass. --Addis & Arnold. [1913 Webster]
Proper preface (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.), a portion of the communion service, preceding the prayer of consecration, appointed for certain seasons. [1913 Webster]
Syn: Introduction; preliminary; preamble; proem; prelude; prologue. [1913 Webster]
Preface \Pref"ace\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prefaced; p. pr. & vb.
n. Prefacing.]
To introduce by a preface; to give a preface to; as, to
preface a book discourse.
[1913 Webster]
Preface \Pref"ace\, v. i. To make a preface. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
preface
noun1: a short introductory essay preceding the text of a book [syn: foreword, preface, prolusion]
verb
1: furnish with a preface or introduction; "She always precedes her lectures with a joke"; "He prefaced his lecture with a critical remark about the institution" [syn: precede, preface, premise, introduce]
105 Moby Thesaurus words for "preface": acknowledgments, anteriority, avant-propos, back, back matter, bastard title, begin, bibliography, bold front, brave face, brave front, breakthrough, catch line, catchword, colophon, contents, contents page, copyright page, dedication, display, endleaf, endpaper, endsheet, errata, exordium, facade, face, facet, facia, flyleaf, folio, fore, fore edge, forefront, foreground, forehand, foreland, forepart, forequarter, foreside, foreword, front, front elevation, front man, front matter, front page, front view, frontage, frontal, frontier, frontispiece, half-title page, head, heading, imprint, index, innovation, inscription, introduce, introduction, lap, lead, leaf, leap, makeup, obverse, open, overture, page, postulate, preamble, precede, prefix, prefixture, preliminaries, preliminary, prelude, premise, presupposition, priority, proem, prolegomena, prolegomenon, prolepsis, prologize, prologue, proscenium, protasis, recto, reverso, running title, signature, subtitle, table of contents, tail, text, title, title page, trim size, type page, usher, verse, verso, voluntary, window dressing
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