preterition
(priːtəˈrɪʃən)
Also præ-.
[= F. prétérition, ad. late L. præteritiōn-em a passing over, n. of action f. præterīre: see preterient.]
† 1. Passing by, passage (of time). Obs. rare.
| 1647 H. More Song of Soul Notes 136/1 The præterition of life is the præterition of time. 1647 Trapp Comm. Luke xix. 42 The time of grace is fitly called a day in regard of..speedy preterition. |
2. The action of passing over, or fact of being passed by or over, without notice; omission, disregard, neglect; with a and pl. an instance of this.
| 1609 Bp. W. Barlow Answ. Nameless Cath. 236 His voluntarie but subtile preter-ition, in leauing out all the other disasters in the Oath. a 1631 Donne Serm. xxxvi. (1640) 354 As long as they are but preteritions, not contradictions..they are not worthy of a reproofe. 1654 H. L'Estrange Chas. I 208 A preterition..studiously and deliberatively resolved upon. 1709 Lamphire in Hearne Collect. 6 Nov. (O.H.S.) II. 300 'Twould be best to pass by without going in. For..Dr. Barlow loves præterition. 1877 Sparrow Serm. iii. 40 It is negative in its nature, and consists in the mere preterition and overlooking of the agency of the invisible God. |
3. Rhet. A figure by which summary mention is made of a thing, in professing to omit it.
| 1612 T. Taylor Comm. Titus i. 9 The Apostle thankfully remembreth their diligent love; and yet..by a wise rhetoricall preterition, exhorteth them vnto it. 1619 W. Sclater Exp. 1 Thess. (1630) 386 Such Ironicall preteritions are something frequent in Scripture. 1657 J. Smith Myst. Rhet. 165. 1727–41 Chambers Cycl. s.v., The most artful praises are those given by way of preterition. |
4. Theol. The passing over of the non-elect; non-election to salvation.
| 1621 Burton Anat. Mel. iii. iv. ii. iii, Our indiscreet pastors..speak so much of election, prædestination, reprobation ab æterno, subtraction of grace, præterition, voluntary permission, &c. 1654 Vilvain Theol. Treat. ii. 66 The Decree of Reprobation (both in the privativ act of preterition, and positiv of punishment) depends on Gods simple Prescience. 1740 Wesley Wks. (1872) VII. 375 Call it..by whatever name you please, Election, preterition, predestination, or reprobation, it comes in the end to the same thing. 1862 Evangelical Christendom Oct. 475 The præterition and consequent perdition of the majority of mankind does no violence to our sense, either of the Divine justice or sovereignty. |
5. Rom. Law. The omission by a testator to mention in his will one of his children or natural heirs: see quot. 1880.
| 1722 Wollaston Relig. Nat. v. xviii. (1738) 104 If it had been foreseen, that L would not so much as ask, and had therefore been left out of the will; this preterition would have been caused by his carriage. 1848 Wharton Law Lex., Preterition, the entire omission of a child's name in the father's will, which rendered it null: exheredation being allowed, but not preterition. 1880 Muirhead Ulpian xxviii. §2 note, Praeterition of a suus invalidated a will. Ibid., Digest 573 Praeterition in testaments, omission to mention a person that the law required should be instituted or disinherited. 1887 Tennant's Notary's Man. (ed. 5) 29 If a soldier upon a military expedition, in making his will, passed over his children in silence, such preterition was held of equal force with a nominal disinherison, and the will could not be set aside as inofficious. |