prejudge, v.
(priːˈdʒʌdʒ)
[ad. F. préjuger (16th c. in Littré), after L. præjūdicāre to prejudge, prejudicate: see pre- A. 1 and judge v.]
1. trans. To pass judgement, or pronounce sentence on, before trial, or without proper inquiry; hence, to judge, to express or come to a judgement or decision upon (a person, cause, opinion, action, etc.), prematurely and without due consideration.
| 1579 Reg. Privy Council Scot. III. 170 That, befoir he be prejudgit thairof, he may have the ordour of the law observit to him. 1625 B. Jonson Staple of N. Prol., [The poet] prayes you'll not preiudge his Play for ill. 1659 H. Thorndike Wks. (1846) II. 595 The choice of religion cannot be prejudged by common sense. 1763 Churchill Epist. to W. Hogarth Poems I. 131 When Wilkes, prejudg'd, is sentenc'd to the Tow'r. 1788 Gibbon Decl. & F. xliii. (1869) II. 613 The emperor had prejudged his guilt. 1845 S. Austin Ranke's Hist. Ref. III. 259 This demand appeared to him an unauthorised attempt to prejudge the very question to be inquired into. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 340 She knew that the case was prejudged against her by the wolf, and that she must meet the lamb's fate. |
† b. To judge unfavourably, condemn, or disparage in advance; to form a prejudice against. Obs.
| 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. i. v. §2 The expedition..was preiudged as a vast and impossible enterprize. 1622 ― Hen. VII 4 It was a Title condemned by Parliament, and generally preiudged in the common opinion of the Realme. |
c. To judge (a person) prematurely to be (something). nonce-use.
| 1822 Byron Werner ii. ii. 80 Stralenheim Is not what you prejudge him. |
† 2. To affect prejudicially or injuriously; to do something to the prejudice of; to prejudice, injure. Sc. Obs.
| 1561 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 171 That samekle dewitie hes bene payit yeirlie thairfoir, and..suld nocht preiuge hir anent hir rycht of the saidis landis. 1600 Burgh Rec. Glasgow (Burgh Rec. Soc.) I. 206 The letter..sall nocht preiuge or hurte..ony vtheris. 1678 Sir G. Mackenzie Crim. Laws Scot. i. xvii. §6 The publick Interest could not be prejudged by any connivance or Crime of the Husband. 1707 Dk. of Athol in Vulpone 20 The Barons and Burrows are also further prejudg'd in this, That..one Commissioner will hereafter Represent several Shires or Burghs. |
† 3. To anticipate (another) in judging. Obs.
| 1626 Meade in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 229 That we should by this Act prejudge the Parliament. 1649 Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. Ad Sect. xv. §5 By this time, suppose sentence given, Caiaphas prejudging all the Sanhedrim. 1719 in W. S. Perry Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch. I. 221 That they had made a publick complaint..which now lyes before the King; that it did not belong to our Province, either to prejudge his Majesty, or to decide the Points in difference. |
Hence preˈjudged ppl. a., judged or condemned beforehand; † prejudiced; preˈjudging vbl. n.; also preˈjudger, one who prejudges.
| a 1614 Donne βιαθανατος (1644) 20 The malitious prejudged man, and the lazy affectors of ignorance, will use the same calumnies and obtrectations toward me. 1666 Owen Nat. & Power Indwelling Sin Wks. 1851 VI. 273 Conscience is a man's prejudging of himself with respect unto the future judgment of God. 1785 Burke Corr. (1844) III. 39 We know that we bring before a bribed tribunal a pre-judged cause. 1838 G. S. Faber Inquiry 113 A malignant Inquisitor, the iniquitous prejudger of his prisoner. 1882 B. Harte Flip iii, As an already prejudged man..he obtained a change of venue. |