I. -ēd verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English preceden, from Middle French preceder, from Latin praecedere, from prae- pre- + cedere to go — more at cede
transitive verb
1. obsolete : to go before in quality or degree : exceed , surpass
2. : to go before in rank, dignity, or importance : take precedence of
countries that precede ours in per capita contributions
3. : to be, go, or come before in arrangement or sequence : be, go, or move before or in front of
solidly constructed mansion preceded by a large oval lawn — E.E.Cummings
4. : to go before in order of time : be earlier than : occur before with relation to something
military penetration preceded settlement — American Guide Series: Minnesota
5. : to cause to be preceded : preface , introduce — used with by or with before the instrumental object
precede his address with a welcome to the visitors
6. : to rise earlier than and move in front of (another star) in the apparent rotation of the heavens
intransitive verb
: to go or come before : have precedence
the statistics for the year that preceded
II. noun
( -s )
: a brief item placed before a newspaper story to give its latest development