5  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Precedent  \Pre*ced"ent\,  a.  [L.  praecedens  -entis,  p.  pr  of 
  praecedere:  cf  F.  pr['e]c['e]dent.  See  {Precede}.] 
  Going  before  anterior;  preceding;  antecedent;  as  precedent 
  services.  --Shak.  ``A  precedent  injury.''  --Bacon. 
 
  {Condition  precedent}  (Law),  a  condition  which  precede  the 
  vesting  of  an  estate,  or  the  accruing  of  a  right 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Precedent  \Prec"e*dent\,  n. 
  1.  Something  done  or  said  that  may  serve  as  an  example  to 
  authorize  a  subsequent  act  of  the  same  kind  an 
  authoritative  example. 
 
  Examples  for  cases  can  but  direct  as  precedents 
  only.  --Hooker. 
 
  2.  A  preceding  circumstance  or  condition;  an  antecedent; 
  hence  a  prognostic;  a  token;  a  sign.  [Obs.] 
 
  3.  A  rough  draught  of  a  writing  which  precedes  a  finished 
  copy.  [Obs.]  --Shak. 
 
  4.  (Law)  A  judicial  decision  which  serves  as  a  rule  for 
  future  determinations  in  similar  or  analogous  cases;  an 
  authority  to  be  followed  in  courts  of  justice;  forms  of 
  proceeding  to  be  followed  in  similar  cases.  --Wharton. 
 
  Syn:  Example;  antecedent. 
 
  Usage:  {Precedent},  {Example}.  An  example  in  a  similar  case 
  which  may  serve  as  a  rule  or  guide,  but  has  no 
  authority  out  of  itself  A  precedent  is  something 
  which  comes  down  to  us  from  the  past  with  the  sanction 
  of  usage  and  of  common  consent.  We  quote  examples  in 
  literature,  and  precedents  in  law. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  precedent 
  adj  :  preceding  in  time,  order  or  significance 
  n  1:  an  example  that  is  used  to  justify  similar  occurrences  at  a 
  later  time  [syn:  {case  in  point}] 
  2:  (civil  law)  a  law  established  by  following  earlier  judicial 
  decisions  [syn:  {case  law},  {common  law}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  PRECEDENT,  n.  In  Law,  a  previous  decision,  rule  or  practice  which  in 
  the  absence  of  a  definite  statute,  has  whatever  force  and  authority  a 
  Judge  may  choose  to  give  it  thereby  greatly  simplifying  his  task  of 
  doing  as  he  pleases.  As  there  are  precedents  for  everything,  he  has 
  only  to  ignore  those  that  make  against  his  interest  and  accentuate 
  those  in  the  line  of  his  desire.  Invention  of  the  precedent  elevates 
  the  trial-at-law  from  the  low  estate  of  a  fortuitous  ordeal  to  the 
  noble  attitude  of  a  dirigible  arbitrament. 
 
 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  PRECEDENT,  n.  In  Law,  a  previous  decision,  rule  or  practice  which  in 
  the  absence  of  a  definite  statute,  has  whatever  force  and  authority  a 
  Judge  may  choose  to  give  it  thereby  greatly  simplifying  his  task  of 
  doing  as  he  pleases.  As  there  are  precedents  for  everything,  he  has 
  only  to  ignore  those  that  make  against  his  interest  and  accentuate 
  those  in  the  line  of  his  desire.  Invention  of  the  precedent  elevates 
  the  trial-at-law  from  the  low  estate  of  a  fortuitous  ordeal  to  the 
  noble  attitude  of  a  dirigible  arbitrament. 
 
 

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