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- Dictionaryprecedent
noun
- 1. an earlier event or action that is regarded as an example or guide to be considered in subsequent similar circumstances: "there are substantial precedents for using interactive media in training"
adjective
- 1. preceding in time, order, or importance: "a precedent case"
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a previous action, situation, or decision that can be used as a reason or example for a similar action or decision at a later time: [ C ] Conditions have changed enormously, and the past is not much of a precedent. [ U ] Precedent indicated that a change would take place sooner rather than later.
A precedent is something that precedes, or comes before. The Supreme Court relies on precedents—that is, earlier laws or decisions that provide some example or rule to guide them in the case they're actually deciding.
a previous action, situation, or decision that can be used as a reason or example for a similar action or decision at a later time: [ C ] Conditions have changed enormously, and the past is not much of a precedent. [ U ] Precedent indicated that a change would take place sooner rather than later.
1. an act or instance that may serve as an example or justification for subsequent situations. 2. a legal decision serving as an authoritative rule or pattern in similar cases that follow. 3. established practice; custom: to break with precedent. adj. 4. preceding; prior. pre•ce•dent.
If there is a precedent for an action or event, it has happened before, and this can be regarded as an argument for doing it again.
precedent. noun. /ˈpresɪdənt/. /ˈpresɪdənt/. [countable, uncountable] an official action or decision that has happened in the past and that is seen as an example or a rule to be followed in a similar situation later. The ruling set a precedent for future libel cases. Extra Examples.
noun. Law. a legal decision or form of proceeding serving as an authoritative rule or pattern in future similar or analogous cases. any act, decision, or case that serves as a guide or justification for subsequent situations. Synonyms: standard, pattern, model, example.
PRECEDENT meaning: 1 : a similar action or event that happened at an earlier time; 2 : something done or said that can be used as an example or rule to be followed in the future.
What does the noun precedent mean? There are 11 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun precedent, seven of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. See meaning & use. How common is the noun precedent? About 9 occurrences per million words in modern written English. See frequency.
PRECEDENT meaning: an action or decision that is used as an example when someone wants to do a similar thing in the…. Learn more.
