† precellent, a. Obs.
[ad. L. præcellent-em, pres. pple. of præcellĕre to surpass (see precel). So obs. F. précellent (c 1170 in Godef.).]
That excels or surpasses; surpassing, pre-eminent.
| 1382 Wyclif 1 Pet. ii. 13 Be ȝe suget to..the kyng, as precellent [gloss or more worthi in staat]. 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 39 Fulbertus..a man precellente in the luffe of our blissede lady. 1542 Boorde Dyetary (1870) 225 To the precellent and armypotent prynce. 1660 Burney κέρδ. Δῶρον (1661) 20 What validity is it of when precellent vertue is not valued? |
b. Const. as pres. pple. = ‘precelling’, excelling.
| 1432–50 tr. Higden (Rolls) III. 219 The philosophres that were diuines were precellente alle other kyndes off philosophres. |
Hence † precellently adv.
| c 1557 Abp. Parker Ps. cxix. 357 Proud men lyke drosse thou wilt remoue, which iet in earth so stout Precellently. |