frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

War of American Independence a precedent for their revolution.
preceding adj. foregoing, former, previous, above, prior, earlier,
above-mentioned, aforementioned, above-stated, above-named: The
defendant in the preceding action was remanded in custody for a
week.
precept n. 1 rule, guide, principle, unwritten law, canon, guideline,
dictate, code, injunction, law, commandment, instruction,
injunction, directive, prescription, mandate, charge; statute,
regulation, edict, ukase, decree, order, fiat, ordinance: The
Ten Commandments provide basic precepts of moral behaviour. 2
maxim, proverb, axiom, motto, slogan, saying, byword, aphorism,
apophthegm or apothegm: Does anyone follow the precepts set
forth in Scripture?
precinct n. 1 Usually, precincts. area, territory, region, province,
environs, purlieus, borders, bounds, confines: Does he have any
authority outside the precincts of the city? 2 sphere,
neighbourhood, zone, sector, section, quarter, district, locale:
In some US cities, the area covered by a police station is
called a precinct.
precious adj. 1 dear, dearest, costly, expensive, high-priced, valuable,
invaluable, prized, priceless, irreplaceable, Colloq pricey:
The entire cabinet was filled with precious jewels. 2 esteemed,
choice, cherished, beloved, idolized, adored, loved, valued,
prized, revered, venerated, venerable, hallowed: The church
keeps its most precious relics in a special vault. 3 precise,
exquisite, overrefined, chichi, over-nice, studied, artificial,
effete, affected, overdone, pretentious, euphuistic,
alembicated, Colloq Brit twee, Slang US cutesy: His style is
characterized by somewhat precious language.
precipice n. cliff, escarpment, bluff, crag: We looked nervously over
the edge of the precipice at the raging sea below.
precipitate
v. 1 accelerate, hasten, speed (up), advance, hurry, quicken,
expedite, bring on or about, trigger, provoke, instigate,
incite, facilitate, further, press, push forward: The rise in
interest rates precipitated many bankruptcies. 2 hurl, fling,
cast, launch, project: The force of the impact precipitated him