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Definition of presage - 6 dictionary results

pres⋅age

  [n. pres-ij; v. pres-ij, pri-seyj] noun, verb, -aged, -ag⋅ing.
Use presage in a Sentence
–noun
1. a presentiment or foreboding.
2. something that portends or foreshadows a future event; an omen, prognostic, or warning indication.
3. prophetic significance; augury.
4. foresight; prescience.
5. Archaic. a forecast or prediction.
–verb (used with object)
6. to have a presentiment of.
7. to portend, foreshow, or foreshadow: The incidents may presage war.
8. to forecast; predict.
–verb (used without object)
9. to make a prediction.
10. Archaic. to have a presentiment.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME (n.) < MF presage < L praesāgium presentiment, forewarning, equiv. to praesāg(us) having a foreboding (prae- pre- + sāgus prophetic; cf. sagacious ) + -ium -ium

Related forms:
pres⋅age⋅ful, adjective
pres⋅age⋅ful⋅ly, adverb
pres⋅ag⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1. foreshadowing, indication, premonition. 2. portent, sign, token.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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pres·age   (prěs'ĭj)   
n.  
  1. An indication or warning of a future occurrence; an omen.
  2. A feeling or intuition of what is going to occur; a presentiment.
  3. Prophetic significance or meaning.
  4. Archaic A prediction.
v.   (prĭ-sāj', prěs'ĭj) pre·saged, pre·sag·ing, pre·sag·es

v.   tr.
  1. To indicate or warn of in advance; portend.
  2. To have a presentiment of.
  3. To foretell or predict.
v.   intr.
To make or utter a prediction.

[Middle English, from Latin praesāgium, from praesāgīre, to perceive beforehand : prae-, pre- + sāgīre, to perceive; see sāg- in Indo-European roots.]
pre·sage'ful (prĭ-sāj'fəl) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Presage

Pre"sage\, n. [F. pr['e]sage, L. praesagium, from praesagire. See Presage, v. t. ]

1. Something which foreshows or portends a future event; a prognostic; an omen; an augury. "Joy and shout -- presage of victory." --Milton.

2. Power to look the future, or the exercise of that power; foreknowledge; presentiment.

If there be aught of presage in the mind. --Milton.

Syn: Prognostic; omen; token; sign; presentiment.

Presage

Pre*sage"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Presaged (-s[=a]jd"); p. pr. & vb. n. Presaging. ] [F. pr['e]sager, L. praesagire: prae before + sagire to perceive acutely or sharply. See Sagacious.]

1. To have a presentiment of; to feel beforehand; to foreknow.

2. To foretell; to predict; to foreshow; to indicate.

My dreams presage some joyful news at hand. --Shak.

Presage

Pre*sage"\, v. i. To form or utter a prediction; -- sometimes used with of. --Dryden.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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presage 
1390 (n.) "something that portends," from L. præsagium "a foreboding," from præsagire "to perceive beforehand, forebode," from præsagus "foreboding," from præ- "before" + sagus "prophetic," related to sagire "perceive" (see sagacious). The verb is first attested 1562, from M.Fr. présager (16c.), from présage "omen," from L. præsagium.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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