Pre`ter*mit" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pretermitted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pretermitting.] [L. praetermittere, praetermissum; praeter beyond +
mittere to send. See Mission.] To pass by; to omit; to disregard.
Bacon.
Pre`ter*nat"u*ral (?; 135), a. [Pref. preter + natural.] Beyond of
different from what is natural, or according to the regular course of
things, but not clearly supernatural or miraculous; strange;
inexplicable; extraordinary; uncommon; irregular; abnormal; as, a
preternatural appearance; a preternatural stillness; a preternatural
presentation (in childbirth) or labor.
This vile and preternatural temper of mind.
South.
Syn. -- See Supernatural.
Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ism (?), n. The state of being preternatural; a
preternatural condition.
Pre`ter*nat`u*ral"i*ty (?), n. Preternaturalness. [R.] Dr. John Smith.
Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ly (?; 135), adv. In a preternatural manner or
degree. Bacon.
Pre`ter*nat"u*ral*ness, n. The quality or state of being preternatural.
Pre`ter*per"fect (?), a. & n. [Pref. preter- + perfect.] (Gram.) Old
name of the tense also called preterit.
Pre`ter*plu"per`fect (?), a. & n. [Pref. preter- + pluperfect.] (Gram.)
Old name of the tense also called pluperfect.
Pre*ter"ti*a*ry (?), a. (Geol.) Earlier than Tertiary.
Pre`ter*vec"tion (?), n. [L. praetervectio, fr. praetervehere to carry
beyond. See Invection.] The act of carrying past or beyond. [R.] Abp.
Potter.
Pre*tex" (?), v. t. [L. praetexere. See Pretext.] To frame; to devise;
to disguise or excuse; hence, to pretend; to declare falsely. [Obs.]
Pre"text (?; 277), n. [F. prÈtexte, L. praetextum, fr. praetextus, p.
p. of praetexere to weave before, allege as an excuse; prae before +
texere to weave. See Text.] Ostensible reason or motive assigned or
assumed as a color or cover for the real reason or motive; pretense;
disguise.
They suck the blood of those they depend on, under a pretext of
service and kindness.
L'Estrange.
With how much or how little pretext of reason.
Dr. H. More.
Syn. -- Pretense; excuse; semblance; disguise; appearance. See
Pretense.