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n. [ Cf. F. antécédent. ] 1. That which goes before in time; that which precedes. South. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Homeric mythology, as well as the Homeric language, has surely its antecedents. Max Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who precedes or goes in front. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

My antecedent, or my gentleman usher. Massinger. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. The earlier events of one's life; previous principles, conduct, course, history. J. H. Newman. [ 1913 Webster ]

If the troops . . . prove worthy of their antecedents, the victory is surely ours. Gen. G. McClellan. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Gram.) The noun to which a relative refers; as, in the sentence “Solomon was the prince who built the temple, ” prince is the antecedent of who. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Logic) (a) The first or conditional part of a hypothetical proposition; as, If the earth is fixed, the sun must move. (b) The first of the two propositions which constitute an enthymeme or contracted syllogism; as, Every man is mortal; therefore the king must die. [ 1913 Webster ]

6. (Math.) The first of the two terms of a ratio; the first or third of the four terms of a proportion. In the ratio a:b, a is the antecedent, and b the consequent. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Previously; before in time; at a time preceding; as, antecedently to conversion. Barrow. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. decedens, p. pr. of decedere. ] Removing; departing. Ash. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A deceased person. Bouvier. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. excedens, -entis, p. pr. of excedere. See Exceed, v. t. ] Excess. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. intercedens, p. pr. of intercedere. ] Passing between; mediating; pleading. [ R. ] -- In`ter*ced"ent*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

Condition precedent (Law), a condition which precede the vesting of an estate, or the accruing of a right. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Something done or said that may serve as an example to authorize a subsequent act of the same kind; an authoritative example. [ 1913 Webster ]

Examples for cases can but direct as precedents only. Hooker. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A preceding circumstance or condition; an antecedent; hence, a prognostic; a token; a sign. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A rough draught of a writing which precedes a finished copy. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

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. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having a precedent; authorized or sanctioned by an example of a like kind. Walpole. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of the nature of a precedent; having force as an example for imitation; as, precedential transactions. [ 1913 Webster ]

All their actions in that time are not precedential to warrant posterity. Fuller. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Beforehand; antecedently. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. retrocedens, p. pr. ] Disposed or likely to retrocede; -- said of diseases which go from one part of the body to another, as the gout. [ 1913 Webster ]