▪ I. precept, n.
(ˈpriːsɛpt)
Also 5–6 precepte, 6 presept, -ceipt, 6–7 præcept; 5–7 precep.
[ad. L. præceptum a maxim, rule, order, command, prop. pa. pple. neut. sing. of præcipĕre to take beforehand, to give rules to, advise, instruct, order, f. præ, pre- A + capĕre to take; whence also OF. precept (12th c. in Littré), mod.F. précepte.]
† 1. An authoritative command to do some particular act; an order, mandate. Obs.
| 1382 Wyclif Acts xvi. 24 Whanne he hadde takyn such a precept [L. Qui cum tale præceptum accepisset], sente hem into the ynner prisoun. a 1400–50 Alexander 982 All þe curte kniȝtis & erles Suld put þaim in-to presens, his precep to here. c 1420 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1682 When Adam & Eue had broke the precept. c 1430 ― Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 18 To whom whas yoven a precepte in scripture. 1513 Douglas æneis xii. x. 26 Heir I command no tary nor delay Be maid of my preceptis, quhat I sal say. |
2. A general command or injunction; an instruction, direction, or rule for action or conduct; esp. an injunction as to moral conduct; a maxim. Most commonly applied to divine commands. † the ten precepts: the ten commandments (obs.).
| 1382 Wyclif Ezek. v. 6 Thei walkeden not in my preceptis [gloss or heestis; 1388 comaundementis]. c 1386 Chaucer Wife's Prol. 65 Whan thapostel speketh of maydenhede He seyde that precept ther-of hadde he noon. 1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. xiv. vi. (W. de W.) 471 Ebal is a hyll.., theron stode the vj lignages..to curse all tho that helde not the x preceptes [Bodl. MS. hestes]. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 5 The x commaundementes and other preceptes of good moralite. 1547 (title) The Ethiques of Aristotle..preceptes of good behavoure and perfighte honestie. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 2 b, It is S. Paules precept, that suche as be appointed to instruct the people, should be furnished..with holsome and sounde doctrine. 1564 Brief Exam. B j, Vpon the .x. preceptes. 1638 Quarles Hieroglyph. i. 4 This golden Precept, Know thy selfe, came downe From heav'ns high Court. c 1670 Bunyan Confess. Faith Wks. 59 Through thy preceps I get understanding. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 33 Though Wine seems to be Prohibited by the Alcoran, yet the good-fellows say, that it is no more but an advice or council, and not a precept. a 1704 T. Brown Imit. Persius' Sat. i. Wks. 1730 I. 53 Authority with all thy precepts go. 1708 Prior Turtle & Sparrow 190 Example draws where precept fails. 1865 Livingstone Zambesi v. 128 Teaching them, by precept and example, the great truths of our Holy Religion. |
b. One of the practical rules of an art; a direction for the performance of some technical operation; a rule.
| 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. 3 In all poynctes throughly grounded and acquainted with the preceptes. 1590 Recorde, etc. Gr. Artes (1646) 225 Subtraction hath the same precepts that Addition had. 1592 West 1st Pt. Symbol. §100 D, They which haue learned by heart all the tropes, figures and precepts of Rhetoricke. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. vi. iii. 117, I have been the larger in this precept, that it may be a Rule of Direction. 1812 Woodhouse Astron. ix. 65 In the precept..for finding the length of the year. 1901 ‘Knowledge’ Diary 11 The ‘equation of time’ is indicated in the Ephemeris by the precepts before or after clock. |
† 3. A written order or mandate authorizing a person to do something; a warrant. Obs.
| 1518 in Sir W. Fraser Sutherld. Bk. (1892) III. 69 We..sall gif our preceppis to delyuer the saidis Jonet and Elesabeht to the seid Johune in keping. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 863 His precept of pensione furth he tuike, Biddand my Lord subscryve ane letter. 1596 Bacon Max. & Use Com. Law i. v. (1636) 26 If a warrant or precept come from the King to sell wood upon the ground whereof I am tenant. 1700 Tyrrell Hist. Eng. II. 907 The Pope sent his Precepts or Breves. 1762–71 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Paint. (1786) I. 5 The king sending a precept to the sheriff of Hampshire to have a chamber in the royal castle painted. |
4. spec. a. A written or printed order issued by constituted authority (as the King, a court, or a judge), to require the attendance of members of a parliament, a court, or a jury, to direct the holding of an assize, to procure the appearance, arrest, or imprisonment of a delinquent, or the production of a record, or to authorize the levying of a distress; a writ, warrant.
| [1344 Rolls of Parlt. II. 154/2 Et sur cel precept, meisme le jour firent un autre precept, Sicut alias, de prendre son corps.] 1444 Ibid. V. 110/1 Retourne uppon eny Writtes or Precepts to theyme directed. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII, c. 15 §1 Every Shereff..to whom eny writte or precepte is..directe. 1584 Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 710 Our schiref-officiar being thair present with ane precept. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, v. i. 14 Marry sir, thus: those Precepts cannot bee seru'd. 1678 Sir G. Mackenzie Crim. Laws Scot. i. xxvi. §2 (1699) 129 Executing of any Summonds, Letters, or Precept direct by his Highness, or other Judges. 1709 Connecticut Col. Rec. (1890) XV. 566 Ordered, that a precept be issued to all or either of the said officers,..to bring their said prisoner..forthwith before the Governor and Council. 1868 E. Edwards Ralegh I. xix. 385, I have the original precept and panel of the Jury before me. |
b. Sc. An instrument granting possession of something, or conferring a privilege. precept of sasine (seisin), an instrument by which the legal ownership of land is transferred. precept of clare constat: see constat 3.
| 1515 in Sir W. Fraser Sutherld. Bk. (1892) III. 59 A precept of seisyne of al and haill the erldome of Sutherland..is direct to ws in dew form be our souerane lordis chapell. 1561 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 178 It is desyrit that preceptis be grantit be hir Grace for proving of saising to hir. 1590 Ibid. IV. 514 His Hienes..promittis that he sall at na tyme heireftir grant ony provisioun or precept of the dewitie foirsaid..to na maner of persoun or personis, except for [etc.]. a 1765 Erskine Inst. Laws Scot. ii. iii. §33. 1861 W. Bell Dict. Law Scot. s.v., A precept of sasine is the order of a superior to his bailie to give infeftment of certain lands to his vassal... There is also another precept of sasine, called a precept of clare constat, which is a warrant granted by a superior authorising his bailies..to give infeftment to the heir of his vassal. 1874 Act 37 & 38 Vict. c. 94 §4 (1) When lands have been feued..It shall not..be necessary..that he shall obtain from the superior any charter, precept, or other writ by progress. 1881 Erskine's Princ. Law Scotl. (ed. 16) 149 note, The precept of sasine is no longer a necessary part of any conveyance of land... If it should now be inserted, a short form is provided by 8 & 9 Vict. c. 35. |
c. A written order to make arrangements for and hold an election; usually, that issued by the sheriff to the returning officer.
| 1684 Scanderbeg Rediv. ii. 20 Upon the Death of a King, he hath the chief Management of Affairs, and issues out Precepts for the Election of a new Prince. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. ii. 177 Within three days after the receipt of this writ, the sheriff is to send his precept, under his seal, to the proper returning officers of the cities and boroughs, commanding them to elect their members. 1852–3 Act 16 & 17 Vict. c. 68 §3 After the receipt of the writ or precept. 1865 Morn. Star 3 Nov., The Earl of Powerscourt..and Lord Fermoy..are candidates for the vacant representative peerage. The precept for the election has arrived. 1878 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xx. 413 The sheriffs shall send to the magistrates..a precept for the election to be made by the citizens [etc.]. |
d. An order for collection or demand for payment of money under a rate.
| 1877 Burroughs Taxation 262 They constitute his precept, and so long as this is correct on the face of it he may obey its commands. 1888 Times 20 Nov. 5/3 Altho' the amount of the precept has been thus reduced. 1894 Daily News 16 Oct. 5/3 Under the Equalisation of Rates Act it was left to the Local Government Board to prescribe the forms of precepts to be used... The ‘equalisation charge’ may be either included as an item of the ordinary precept, or made the subject of a separate precept. |
▪ II. preˈcept, v.
[Found first in pa. pple. precept, ad. L. præcept-us, pa. pple. of præcipĕre: see prec.]
† 1. trans. To seize beforehand, preoccupy, take in anticipation. Obs. rare—1.
| 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. v. I v b, In vaine wept Esau after Iacob had precept hym hys blessynge. |
† 2. a. To lay down as a precept or rule; to teach, to prescribe (something) as a duty. Obs.
| 1534 Whitinton Tullyes Offices i. (1540) 2 Most playnly those thynges seem to be evydent, whiche of offyce and good maner be gyve and precept of them. 1627 W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 265 Manuall labour is amongst those acts or offices which are precepted. 1638 ― Serm. Exper. 133 When the duties are morally prescribed, precepted, here the vow increaseth the obligation. |
b. To instruct (a person) by precepts; to give a precept to, to command, direct. Obs.
| 1627 W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 206 Hath God..precepted vs in vaine, to aske with assurance of audience? 1661 Feltham Resolves ii. xxvii. (ed. 8) 238, I do not find, but it may well become a man to..precept himself into the practice of Virtue. |
3. intr. Of a local authority or similar body: to issue a precept; to make a demand on (a rating authority) for funds. Also trans., to take by means of a precept. Cf. precept n. 4 d. So preˈcepting ppl. a. and vbl. n.
| 1911 Encycl. Brit. XXII. 915/2 To distinguish the rate the name of the precepting authority is frequently added or the purpose for which it is levied specified. 1961 Times 30 May (I.C.I. Suppl.) p. xiv/3 The county council precepts 72 per cent of the rates. 1962 L. Golding Dict. Local Govt. 310 Authorities which have no rating powers are known as precepting authorities as they issue precepts, i.e., demands on the rating authority or authorities, specifying the amount required in the {pstlg} of rateable value to meet their financial requirements. Examples of precepting authorities are county councils.., joint boards, parish councils, burial boards, river boards and port health authorities. 1974 Daily Tel. 26 Apr. 2/2 Where percentage rises are especially high one cause is said to be the practice of some old water boards of covering a large part of their expenditure by precepting on the general rates. 1979 Kensington & Chelsea Newslet. Oct. 1/3 These precepting authorities are all affected by substantial salary and wage increases themselves, and they therefore are bound to precept upon local authorities a very much greater amount next year than they have in the past. |