Pre*pon"der*ate (?), v. t. [imp.
& p. p. Preponderated (?); p. pr. & vb.
n. Preponderating.] [L. praeponderatus, p. p.
of praeponderare; prae before + ponderare to
weigh, fr., pondus, ponderis, a weight. See
Ponder.] 1. To outweigh; to overpower by
weight; to exceed in weight; to overbalance.
An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center
of the balance, will preponderate greater
magnitudes.
Glanvill.
2. To overpower by stronger or moral
power.
3. To cause to prefer; to incline; to
decide. [Obs.]
The desire to spare Christian blood
preponderates him for peace.
Fuller.
Pre*pon"der*ate, v. i. To exceed in
weight; hence, to incline or descend, as the scale of a balance;
figuratively, to exceed in influence, power, etc.; hence; to incline
to one side; as, the affirmative side preponderated.
That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will
not preponderate.
Bp. Wilkins.
