▪ I. pre-ˈordinate, a.
[f. pre- A. 5 + ordinate a., f. L. ordo, ordinem order, rank. After subordinate.]
Superior in rank, importance, or degree (to). Opposed to subordinate, and co-ordinate.
| 1801 Jefferson Writ. (1830) III. 473 In other cases..the general executive is certainly pre-ordinate. 1863 J. G. Murphy Comm. Gen. i. 1 The stars which are co-ordinate with the sun, and pre-ordinate to the moon. |
▪ II. pre-ˈordinate, ppl. a. arch.
[ad. late L. præordināt-us, pa. pple. of præordināre: see pre-ordinate v.]
Foreordained, pre-appointed, pre-destined. Formerly construed also as pa. pple.
| 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 17096 Folk predestynaat, And swych as be preordynaat To kome vn-to savacioun. c 1470 Harding Chron. Proem. xxi, Kyng Richarde..whom, for his mede Kyng Henry quyt with death preordinate. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 181 This holy name was preordynate & gyuen of god. 1570 Foxe A. & M. (ed. 2) 139/1 According to the preordinate counsayle of God. 1582 N.T. (Rhem.) Acts xiii. 48 As many as were preordinate to life euerlasting. 1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. i. §17 The will of His Providence, that disposeth her favour to each Country in their pre-ordinate season. |
Hence pre-ˈordinately adv., by pre-ordination.
| 1894 W. D. Spelman in Voice (N.Y.) 22 Nov. 6/3 The Countess..should be summoned to court as soon as [etc.]..which time, however, preordinately, should never come. |
▪ III. † pre-ˈordinate, v. Obs.
[f. ppl. stem of late L. præordināre to order beforehand, pre-ordain; f. præ, pre- A. 1: see ordinate v.]
trans. To foreordain, predestine.
| 1565 Stapleton tr. Bede's Hist. Ch. Eng. 68 They beleaued him..who were preordinated to lyfe euerlasting. 1654 Owen Saints' Persev. Wks. 1853 XI. 156 To preordinate, I fear, in Mr. Goodwin's sense, is but to predispose men by some good dispositions in themselves. a 1693 Urquhart's Rabelais iii. xxviii. 230 It was preordinated for thee. |