Definition of Precident
Pre*ced"ent (?), a. [L.
praecedens, -entis, p. pr. of praecedere: cf. F.
précédent. See Precede.] Going
before; anterior; preceding; antecedent; as, precedent
services. Shak. "A precedent injury."
Bacon.
Condition precedent (Law), a condition
which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a
right.
Prec"e*dent (?), n. 1.
Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize
a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example.
Examples for cases can but direct as precedents
only. Hooker.
2. A preceding circumstance or condition; an
antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign. [Obs.]
3. A rough draught of a writing which precedes
a finished copy. [Obs.] Shak.
4. (Law) A judicial decision which
serves as a rule for future determinations in similar or analogous
cases; an authority to be followed in courts of justice; forms of
proceeding to be followed in similar cases. Wharton.
Syn. -- Example; antecedent. -- Precedent,
Example. An example in a similar case which may serve as
a rule or guide, but has no authority out of itself. A
precedent is something which comes down to us from the past
with the sanction of usage and of common consent. We quote
examples in literature, and precedents in law.
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
PRECEDENT, n. In Law, a previous decision, rule or practice which, in
the absence of a definite statute, has whatever force and authority a
Judge may choose to give it, thereby greatly simplifying his task of
doing as he pleases. As there are precedents for everything, he has
only to ignore those that make against his interest and accentuate
those in the line of his desire. Invention of the precedent elevates
the trial-at-law from the low estate of a fortuitous ordeal to the
noble attitude of a dirigible arbitrament.
- 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
- an act in the past which may be used as an example to help decide the outcome of similar instances in the future
- an example in the past which may be used as a justification for similar occurrences at a later time
- the previous version
- happening or taking place earlier in time
- The Nuttall Encyclopedia
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The correct Spelling of this word is: Precedent
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