preambulation
(prɪæmbjʊˈleɪʃən)
[Noun of action from prec.: see -ation.]
1. The making of a preamble; a preamble, preface.
| c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 837 Now dame quod he... This is a long preamble of a tale..What spekestow of preambulacioun [MSS. Harl. 7334, Camb. perambulacioun]. 1623 Cockeram 11, The first Speech of any thing, exordium, preambulation. 1768 F. Burney Early Diary 27 Mar., And now I have done with preambulation. 1805 Emily Clark Banks of Douro III. 69 Introduced the subject..after a long preambulation. |
2. ‘A walking or going before’. rare—0.
| 1828 in Webster; hence in later Dicts. |