preliminary — pre‧lim‧i‧na‧ry [prɪˈlɪmnri ǁ neri] adjective [only before a noun] coming before something more official, more important etc: • Preliminary estimates indicate that earnings will decline substantially from a year ago. • The group will set the… … Financial and business terms
preliminary — pre·lim·i·nary /pri li mə ˌner ē/ adj: coming before and usu. serving as a temporary or intermediate step to something preliminary negotiations a preliminary payment plan preliminary n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 … Law dictionary
preliminary — adj Preliminary, introductory, preparatory, prefatory describe something that serves to make ready the way for something else. Preliminary suggests reference to what must be done or made ready or acquired before entrance into some definitive… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
Preliminary — may refer to:*Preliminary English Test *Preliminary examination *Preliminary finals *Preliminary hearing *Preliminary Multistate Bar Review *Preliminary Notice … Wikipedia
Preliminary — Pre*lim i*na*ry, a. [Pref. pre + L. liminaris belonging to a threshold, fr. limen, liminis, threshold, entrance: cf. F. pr[ e]liminaire. Cf. {Limit}.] Introductory; previous; preceding the main discourse or business; prefatory; as, preliminary… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
preliminary — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ preceding or done in preparation for something fuller or more important. ► NOUN (pl. preliminaries) 1) a preliminary action or event. 2) a preliminary round in a sporting competition. ORIGIN Latin praeliminaris, from prae before +… … English terms dictionary
preliminary — [prē lim′ə ner΄ē, prilim′ə ner΄ē] adj. [< Fr préliminaire or ModL praeliminaris < L prae (see PRE ) + L liminaris, of a threshold < limen, threshold (see LIMEN)] coming before or leading up to the main action, discussion, business, etc.; … English World dictionary
preliminary — [adj] introductory, initial basic, elemental, elementary, exploratory, first, fundamental, inductive, initiatory, opening, pilot, preceding, precursory, prefatory, preparatory, preparing, primal, primary, prior, qualifying, readying, test, trial; … New thesaurus
Preliminary — Pre*lim i*na*ry, n.; pl. {Preliminaries}. That which precedes the main discourse, work, design, or business; something introductory or preparatory; as, the preliminaries to a negotiation or duel; to take one s preliminaries the year before… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
preliminary — 1650s, from Fr. préliminaire or M.L. praeliminaris, from L. prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + limen (gen. liminis) threshold. A word that arose in reference to negotiations to end the Thirty Years War … Etymology dictionary
preliminary — Introductory; initiatory; preceding; temporary and provisional; as preliminary examination, injunction, articles of peace, etc @ preliminary complaint In some states, a court without jurisdiction to hear a criminal case on its merits may issue a… … Black's law dictionary
