preju|di|cial /pre dʒʊd I ʃ ə l/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If an action or situation is prejudicial to someone or something, it is harmful to them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Any new arrangements must not be prejudicial to families from low down the income scale.
prel|ate /pre l I t/ (prelates ) N‑COUNT A prelate is a member of the clergy holding a high rank, for example a bishop.
pre|limi|nary /pr I l I m I nri, [AM ] -neri/ (preliminaries )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Preliminary activities or discussions take place at the beginning of an event, often as a form of preparation. □ Preliminary results show the Republican party with 11 percent of the vote. □ …preliminary talks on the future of the bases.
2 N‑COUNT A preliminary is something that you do at the beginning of an activity, often as a form of preparation. □ A background check is normally a preliminary to a presidential appointment.
3 N‑COUNT A preliminary is the first part of a competition to see who will go on to the main competition. □ The winner of each preliminary goes through to the final.
pre|load /priːloʊ d/ (preloads , preloading , preloaded ) VERB If someone preloads , they drink a lot of alcohol before they go out for a social occasion. [INFORMAL ] □ [V ] They meet at one of their houses to preload before going on to a night club.
pre-loved /priːlʌ vd/ ADJ A pre-loved item is not new and has been owned and used before. Sellers use this word to make the item seem more attractive. □ The shop sells pre-loved furniture.
prel|ude /pre ljuːd, [AM ] pre I luːd/ (preludes )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can describe an event as a prelude to a more important event when it happens before it and acts as an introduction to it. □ [+ to ] Most unions see privatisation as an inevitable prelude to job losses.
2 N‑COUNT A prelude is a short piece of music for the piano or organ. □ …the famous E minor prelude of Chopin.
pre|mari|tal /priː mæ r I t ə l/ also pre-marital ADJ [ADJ n] Premarital means happening at some time before someone gets married. □ I rejected the teaching that premarital sex was immoral.
prema|ture /pre mətʃʊə r , [AM ] priː -/
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is premature happens earlier than usual or earlier than people expect. □ Accidents are still the number one cause of premature death for Americans. □ …a twenty-four-year-old man who suffered from premature baldness. ● prema|ture|ly ADV [ADV with v, ADV adj] □ The war had prematurely aged him.
2 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] You can say that something is premature when it happens too early and is therefore inappropriate. □ It now seems their optimism was premature. ● prema|ture|ly ADV [usu ADV with v, oft ADV adj] □ Holmgren is careful not to celebrate prematurely.
3 ADJ A premature baby is one that was born before the date when it was expected to be born. □ My daughter Emma was born two and a half months premature. ● prema|ture|ly ADV [ADV after v] □ Danny was born prematurely, weighing only 3lb 3oz.
pre|medi|tat|ed /priːme d I te I t I d/ ADJ A premeditated crime is planned or thought about before it is done. □ In a case of premeditated murder a life sentence is mandatory.
pre|medi|ta|tion /priːme d I te I ʃ ə n/ N‑UNCOUNT Premeditation is thinking about something or planning it before you actually do it. [FORMAL ] □ The judge finally concluded there was insufficient evidence of premeditation.
pre|men|stru|al /priː me nstruəl/ ADJ [ADJ n] Premenstrual is used to refer to the time immediately before menstruation and a woman's behaviour and feelings at this time. □ …premenstrual symptoms.
pre |me n|stru|al syn|drome N‑UNCOUNT Premenstrual syndrome is used to refer to the problems, including strain and tiredness, that many women experience before menstruation. The abbreviation PMS is often used. □ About 70% of women suffer from premenstrual syndrome.
pre |men|stru|al te n|sion N‑UNCOUNT Premenstrual tension is the same as premenstrual syndrome . The abbreviation PMT is often used. [mainly BRIT ]
prem|ier ◆◇◇ /pre miə r , [AM ] pr I m I r/ (premiers )
1 N‑COUNT The leader of the government of a country is sometimes referred to as the country's premier . □ …Australian premier Malcolm Turnbull.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] Premier is used to describe something that is considered to be the best or most important thing of a particular type. □ …the country's premier opera company.
premi|ere /pre mieə r , [AM ] pr I mje r/ (premieres , premiering , premiered )
1 N‑COUNT The premiere of a new play or film is the first public performance of it. □ A new Czech film has had its premiere at the Karlovy Vary film festival.
2 VERB When a film or show premieres or is premiered , it is shown to an audience for the first time. □ [V ] The documentary premiered at the Jerusalem Film Festival. □ [be V -ed] The opera is due to be premiered by ENO next year.
prem|ier|ship /pre miə r ʃ I p, [AM ] pr I m I r-/
1 N‑SING The premiership of a leader of a government is the period of time during which they are the leader. □ …the final years of her premiership.
2 N‑SING In England, the Premiership is the league in which the best football teams play. [BRIT ] □ …their position at the bottom of the Premiership.
prem|ise /pre m I s/ (premises ) The spelling premiss is also used in British English for meaning 2 . 1 N‑PLURAL [oft on the N ] The premises of a business or an institution are all the buildings and land that it occupies in one place. □ There is a kitchen on the premises. □ The business moved to premises in Brompton Road.