a. [ L. praeteritus, p. p. of praeterire to go or pass by; praeter beyond, by + ire to go: cf. F. prétérit. See Issue. ] [ Written also preterite and præterite. ] 1. (Gram.) Past; -- applied to a tense which expresses an action or state as past. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Belonging wholly to the past; passed by. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Things and persons as thoroughly preterite as Romulus or Numa. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Gram.) The preterit; also, a word in the preterit tense. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. & n. Same as Preterit. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Same as Preteritness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. praeteritio: cf. F. prétérition. ] 1. The act of passing, or going past; the state of being past. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Rhet.) A figure by which, in pretending to pass over anything, a summary mention of it is made; as, “I will not say, he is valiant, he is learned, he is just.” Called also paraleipsis. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Law) The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs who is entitled to a portion. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Gram.) Used only or chiefly in the preterit or past tenses, as certain verbs. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality or state of being past. Bentley. Lowell. [ 1913 Webster ]