precede meaning and definition

PRECEDE verb

Definition of precede (verb)

1. be earlier in time; go back further
   • "Stone tools precede bronze tools"
   • synonyms: antecede, antedate, forego, forgo, predate
   • antonym: follow
2. come before
   • "Most English adjectives precede the noun they modify"
   • synonyms: predate
3. be the predecessor of
   • "Bill preceded John in the long line of Susan's husbands"
   • synonyms: come before
   • antonym: come after
4. move ahead (of others) in time or space
   • synonyms: lead
   • antonym: follow
5. furnish with a preface or introduction
   • "She always precedes her lectures with a joke"; "He prefaced his lecture with a critical remark about the institution"
   • synonyms: introduce, preface, premise