Linguistics. any basic, indivisible unit used in linguistic analysis.
24.
Metallurgy. a piece of tin plate free from visible defects.
–verb (used with object)
25.
to prepare or make ready for a particular purpose or operation.
26.
to supply (a firearm) with powder for communicating fire to a charge.
27.
to lay a train of powder to (a charge, mine, etc.).
28.
to pour or admit liquid into (a pump) to expel air and prepare for action.
29.
to put fuel into (a carburetor) before starting an engine, in order to insure a sufficiently rich mixture at the start.
30.
to cover (a surface) with a preparatory coat or color, as in painting.
31.
to supply or equip with information, words, etc., for use: The politician was primed by his aides for the press conference.
32.
to harvest the bottom leaves from (a tobacco plant).
–verb (used without object)
33.
(of a boiler) to deliver or discharge steam containing an excessive amount of water.
34.
to harvest the bottom leaves from a tobacco plant.
[Origin: bef. 1000; 1910–15 for def. 5; (adj.) ME (< OF prim) < L prīmusfirst(superl. corresponding to priorprior1); (n.) in part deriv. of the adj.; in part continuing ME prim(e) first canonical hour, OE prim < L prīma (hōra) first (hour); (v.) appar. deriv. of the adj.]
—Related forms
primeness, noun
—Synonyms 1. primary. 7.Prime,primeval,primitive have reference to that which is first. Prime means first in numerical order or order of development: prime meridian; prime cause. Primeval means belonging to the first or earliest ages: the primeval forest. Primitive suggests the characteristics of the origins or early stages of a development, and hence implies the simplicity of original things: primitive tribes, conditions, ornaments, customs, tools.
To make ready; prepare: guard dogs primed for attack.
To prepare (a gun or mine) for firing by inserting a charge of gunpowder or a primer.
To prepare for operation, as by pouring water into a pump or gasoline into a carburetor.
To prepare (a surface) for painting by covering with size, primer, or an undercoat.
To inform or instruct beforehand; coach.
v.
intr.
To become prepared for future action or operation.
[Middle English, first in occurrence, from Old French, feminine of prin, from Latin prīmus; see per1 in Indo-European roots. N., sense 7, from Middle English, from Old English prīm, from Late Latin prīma (hōra), first (hour), from Latin, feminine of prīmus.]
Not derived from something else; primary or basic.
Of or relating to an earliest or original stage or state; primeval.
Being little evolved from an early ancestral type.
Serving as the basis for derived or inflected forms: Pick is the primitive word from which picket is derived.
Being a protolanguage: primitive Germanic.
Of or created by an artist without formal training; simple or naive in style.
Of or relating to the work of an artist from a nonindustrial, often tribal culture, especially a culture that is characterized by a low level of economic complexity.
Characterized by simplicity or crudity; unsophisticated: primitive weapons. See Synonyms at rude.
Anthropology Of or relating to a nonindustrial, often tribal culture, especially one that is characterized by a low level of economic complexity: primitive societies.
Linguistics
Serving as the basis for derived or inflected forms: Pick is the primitive word from which picket is derived.
Being a protolanguage: primitive Germanic.
Of or created by an artist without formal training; simple or naive in style.
Of or relating to the work of an artist from a nonindustrial, often tribal culture, especially a culture that is characterized by a low level of economic complexity.
Relating or belonging to forces of nature; elemental: primitive passions.
Of or created by an artist without formal training; simple or naive in style.
Of or relating to the work of an artist from a nonindustrial, often tribal culture, especially a culture that is characterized by a low level of economic complexity.
Of or relating to late medieval or pre-Renaissance European painters or sculptors.
Biology Occurring in or characteristic of an early stage of development or evolution.
n.
Anthropology A person belonging to a nonindustrial, often tribal society, especially a society characterized by a low level of economic complexity.
An unsophisticated person.
One that is at a low or early stage of development.
One belonging to an early stage in the development of an artistic trend, especially a painter of the pre-Renaissance period.
An artist having or affecting a simple, direct, unschooled style, as of painting.
A self-taught artist.
A work of art created by a primitive artist.
A word or word element from which another word is derived by morphological or historical processes or from which inflected forms are derived.
A basic and indivisible unit of linguistic analysis. Also called prime.
Linguistics
A word or word element from which another word is derived by morphological or historical processes or from which inflected forms are derived.
A basic and indivisible unit of linguistic analysis. Also called prime.
Mathematics An algebraic or geometric expression from which another expression is derived.
Computer Science A basic or fundamental unit of machine instruction or translation.
[Middle English, from Old French primitif, primitive, from Latin prīmitīvus, from prīmitus, at first, from prīmus, first; see per1 in Indo-European roots.]
prim'i·tive·ly adv., prim'i·tive·ness, prim'i·tiv'i·ty n.
1399, from L. primus "first," from pre-Italic *prismos, superl. of Old L. pri "before," from PIE base *per- "beyond," *pro- "before" (see pre-). To prime a pump (c.1840) meant to pour water down the tube, which saturated the sucking mechanism and made it draw up water more readily. Arithmetical sense (prime number) is from 1570; prime meridian is from 1878; prime minister is from 1646, applied to the First Minister of State of Great Britain since 1694. Priming "first coat of paint" is from 1609. Prime time originally (1503) meant "spring time;" broadcasting sense of "peak tuning-in period" is attested from 1964.
O.E. prim "earliest canonical hour" (6 a.m.), from M.L. prima "the first service," from L. prima hora "the first hour" (of the Roman day). Meaning "most vigorous stage" first recorded 1536; specifically "springtime of human life" (often meaning ages roughly 21 to 28) is from 1592.
first or most important Example: the prime minister; a matter of prime importance
Arabic:
اوَّل، أهَم، رَئيسي
Chinese (Simplified):
重要的
Chinese (Traditional):
重要的
Czech:
první; nejdůležitější
Danish:
vigtigst; første-; højest
Dutch:
eerst
Estonian:
pea-, esmane
Finnish:
pää-, ensisijainen
French:
premier
German:
wichtigst
Greek:
πρώτος, πρώτιστος, πρωταρχικός
Hungarian:
első(rendű)
Icelandic:
megin-, aðal-
Indonesian:
pertama, utama
Japanese:
第一の
Korean:
제1의, 가장 중요한
Latvian:
pirmais; galvenais
Lithuanian:
pirmutinis, svarbiausias
Norwegian:
hoved-, viktigst, primær
Polish:
pierwszy, pierwszorzędny
Portuguese (Brazil):
primeiro
Portuguese (Portugal):
primeiro
Romanian:
prim
Russian:
первый, главный
Slovak:
prvý; najdôležitejší
Slovenian:
prvi
Spanish:
primer, primero
Swedish:
främsta, viktigast, huvud-, premiär-
Turkish:
asıl, esas
prime2[praim]adjective
best Example: in prime condition
Arabic:
مُمتاز، أفْضَل
Chinese (Simplified):
最好的
Chinese (Traditional):
最好的
Czech:
nejlepší
Danish:
bedst
Dutch:
prima
Estonian:
parim
Finnish:
paras
French:
parfait
German:
erstklassig
Greek:
άριστος
Hungarian:
legjobb
Icelandic:
bestur, fyrsta flokks
Indonesian:
terbaik
Japanese:
最良の
Korean:
최상의
Latvian:
lielisks; pirmklasīgs
Lithuanian:
geriausias
Norwegian:
av beste sort, førsteklasses
Polish:
znakomity
Portuguese (Brazil):
de primeira qualidade
Portuguese (Portugal):
perfeito
Romanian:
perfect
Russian:
превосходный
Slovak:
najlepší
Slovenian:
odličen
Spanish:
óptimo, perfecto
Swedish:
bästa
Turkish:
en iyi
prime[praim]noun
the best part (of a person's etc life, usually early middle age) Example: He is in his prime; the prime of life
Arabic:
ريَعان الشَّباب
Chinese (Simplified):
全盛时期
Chinese (Traditional):
全盛時期
Czech:
nejkrásnější doba
Danish:
den bedste alder
Dutch:
bloei
Estonian:
(elu) parimad aastad
French:
fleur de l'âge
German:
die Blüte
Greek:
ακμή, άνθος
Hungarian:
élete teljében, delén
Icelandic:
blómi
Indonesian:
bagian terbaik
Japanese:
全盛
Korean:
전성기; 한창 때
Latvian:
plaukums
Lithuanian:
pats gražumas
Norwegian:
beste alder
Polish:
najlepszy okres życia
Portuguese (Brazil):
plenitude
Portuguese (Portugal):
plenitude
Romanian:
floarea vârstei
Russian:
расцвет
Slovak:
najkrajšie obdobie
Slovenian:
najboljša leta
Spanish:
flor de la vida, plenitud
Swedish:
krafts
Turkish:
en güzel çağ
prime[praim]verb
to prepare (something) by putting something into or on it Example: He primed (=put gunpowder into) his gun; You must prime (=treat with primer) the wood before you paint it.
Fore"most`\, a. [OE. formest first, AS. formest, fyrmest, superl. of forma first, which is a superl. fr. fore fore; cf. Goth. frumist, fruma, first. See Fore, adv., and cf. First, Former, Frame, v. t., Prime, a.] First in time or place; most advanced; chief in rank or dignity; as, the foremost troops of an army. THat struck the foremost man of all this world. --Shak.
Prime\, a. (Math.) (a) Divisible by no number except itself or unity; as, 7 is a prime number. (b) Having no common factor; -- used with to; as, 12 is prime to 25.
Pre"mi*er\, a. [F. premier, fr. L. primarius of the first rank, principal, fr. primus the first. See Primary, Prime, a.]1. First; chief; principal; as, the premier place; premier minister. --Camden. Swift. 2. Most ancient; -- said of the peer bearing the oldest title of his degree.
Prim\, a. [OF. prim, prin, prime, first, principal. sharp, thin, piercing, fr. L. primus first. See Prime, a.] Formal; precise; affectedly neat or nice; as, prim regularity; a prim person. --Swift.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [prahym] Pronunciation Key adjective, noun, verb, primed, prim·ing. 
