frequently_asked_questions_files/Oxford Thesaurus.pdf

prig n. (ultra-)conservative, prude, purist, pedant, school-ma'm,
puritan, (Mrs) Grundy, Grundyite, Grundyist, precisionist,
precisian, conformist, formalist, Colloq stuffed shirt,
stick-in-the-mud, goody-goody: A terrible prig, the headmaster
forbade even the slightest hint of slang usage.
priggish adj. (ultra-)conservative, prim, demure, prudish, purist,
puristic, pedantic, school-marmish, strait-laced, hidebound,
stiff-necked, puritanical, conformist, (Mrs) Grundyish,
punctilious, formal, formalistic, strict, severe, fastidious,
fussy, particular; precious, pr‚cieux or pr‚cieuse,
niminy-piminy, over-nice, Colloq stick-in-the-mud, goody-goody,
prissy, old-maidish, stuffed-shirt, stuffy, uptight,
nit-picking, Brit twee: Victorians were less priggish in their
private behaviour than in their public image.
primarily adv. 1 principally, mainly, chiefly, especially, at bottom,
particularly, first of all, pre-eminently, basically,
essentially, fundamentally, on the whole, for the most part,
mostly, predominantly or predominately, generally: The rain in
Spain falls primarily in the plain. 2 initially, originally,
from or at the start, first (and foremost, in the first
instance, ab initio: The colonists, primarily refugees from
England, began to settle the New World in the 17th century.
primary adj. 1 first, prime, principal, chief, main, leading,
pre-eminent, cardinal, fundamental, basic, essential,
predominant, elementary, elemental, underlying: The primary
reason I want to see you is to discuss your future with the
company. The primary meaning of a word is given first. 2
earliest, first, original, initial, primitive, primeval,
primordial, embryonic, germinal, beginning, ultimate: The
primary source of life was possibly a sort of soup containing
proteins and other molecules. 3 firsthand, direct, immediate:
Bauxite is the primary source of aluminium ore. 4 elementary,
basic, rudimentary, fundamental: One of the primary lessons we
are taught is consideration for others. 5 unmixed,
unadulterated, pure, simple, rudimentary, fundamental,
principal: The primary colours in art are red, yellow, and
blue.
prime adj. 1 See primary, 1, above. 2 best, foremost, chief;