prejudication
(priːdʒuːdɪˈkeɪʃən)
[n. of action from L. præjūdicāre: see prejudicate v.]
1. The action of ‘prejudicating’; a judging beforehand; a previously formed decision or opinion.
| 1616 Bullokar Eng. Expos., Preiudication, a iudging before hand. 1617 R. Fenton Treat. Ch. Rome To Rdr., Come not therefore with prejudication, either of the matter or the person. 1764 Lyttelton Hen. II (1769) I. 209 A solemn determination, which assigned the precedence to the nephew of the king above his natural son was a prejudication of the right of succession in favor of the former. 1849 J. P. Kennedy W. Wirt (1860) II. xvi. 273 They have come to the examination of this case under a strong prejudication of the guilt of the respondent. |
2. An occasional rendering of L. præjūdicium: see quot., and cf. pre-judicial a.2
| 1864 Webster, Prejudication..(Roman Law), a preliminary inquiry and determination about something which belongs to a matter in dispute. |