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View synonyms for precedent

precedent

[ noun pres-i-duhnt; adjective pri-seed-nt, pres-i-duhnt ]

noun

  1. Law. a legal decision or form of proceeding serving as an authoritative rule or pattern in future similar or analogous cases.
  2. any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations.

    Synonyms: standard, pattern, model, example



adjective

  1. going or coming before; preceding; anterior.

precedent

noun

  1. law a judicial decision that serves as an authority for deciding a later case
  2. an example or instance used to justify later similar occurrences


adjective

  1. preceding

precedent

  1. A previous ruling by a court that influences subsequent decisions in cases with similar issues.


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Other Words From

  • prece·dent·less adjective
  • non·prece·dent noun
  • nonpre·cedent adjective
  • quasi-pre·cedent adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of precedent1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Middle French, from Latin praecēdent- (stem of praecēdēns ), present participle of praecēdere “to go in front of, go ahead of”; the noun is from the adjective; precede, -ent

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Idioms and Phrases

see set a precedent .

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Example Sentences

Indeed, the Japanese-owned corporation has set a horrible precedent.

Roberts has shown a tendency in other political law cases to make broad pronouncements, upsetting precedent.

“A scary precedent has been set,” she told the Observer back in May.

Furthermore, being designated as a victim of a separate genocide and not a Holocaust victim is precedent-setting.

Is there any recent precedent for a reluctant but strong warrior in Republican politics?

The council, however, resolved not to indulge the king, for fear of a dangerous precedent.

The Pope replied that reconciliation with the Church was an indispensable condition precedent.

Prothero's case defied all rule and precedent, and Brodrick was not prepared with a judgment of his own.

So dangerous a precedent being once admitted, it became necessary to resort to still other expedients.

An incident of this great experiment is worth recording, as possibly affording a hint and a precedent.

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Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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