2 N‑COUNT [oft N that] A premise is something that you suppose is true and that you use as a basis for developing an idea. [FORMAL ] □ The premise is that schools will work harder to improve if they must compete.
prem|ised /pre m I st/ V-PASSIVE If a theory or attitude is premised on an idea or belief, that idea or belief has been used as the basis for it. [FORMAL ] □ [be V -ed + on ] All our activities are premised on the basis of 'Quality with Equality'.
prem|iss /pre m I s/ → see premise
pre|mium ◆◇◇ /priː miəm/ (premiums )
1 N‑COUNT A premium is a sum of money that you pay regularly to an insurance company for an insurance policy. □ It is too early to say whether insurance premiums will be affected.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft N n] A premium is a sum of money that you have to pay for something in addition to the normal cost. □ Even if customers want 'solutions', most are not willing to pay a premium for them. □ Callers are charged a premium rate of 48p a minute.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Premium goods are of a higher than usual quality and are often expensive. □ …the most popular premium ice cream in this country.
4 PHRASE If something is at a premium , it is wanted or needed, but is difficult to get or achieve. □ If space is at a premium, choose adaptable furniture that won't fill the room.
5 PHRASE If you buy or sell something at a premium , you buy or sell it at a higher price than usual, for example because it is in short supply. □ He eventually sold the shares back to the bank at a premium.
6 PHRASE If you place a high premium on a quality or characteristic or put a high premium on it, you regard it as very important. □ I place a high premium on what someone is like as a person.
pre |mium bond (premium bonds ) N‑COUNT In Britain, premium bonds are numbered tickets that are sold by the government. Each month, a computer selects several numbers, and the people whose tickets have those numbers win money.
premo|ni|tion /pre mən I ʃ ə n, [AM ] priː -/ (premonitions ) N‑COUNT If you have a premonition , you have a feeling that something is going to happen, often something unpleasant. □ He had an unshakable premonition that he would die.
pre|na|tal /priː ne I t ə l/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] Prenatal is used to describe things relating to the medical care of women during pregnancy. □ I'd met her briefly in a prenatal class.
pre|oc|cu|pa|tion /priɒ kjʊpe I ʃ ə n/ (preoccupations )
1 N‑COUNT If you have a preoccupation with something or someone, you keep thinking about them because they are important to you. □ [+ with ] In his preoccupation with Robyn, Crook had neglected everything.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Preoccupation is a state of mind in which you think about something so much that you do not consider other things to be important. □ It was hard for him to be aware of her; he kept sinking back into black preoccupation.
pre|oc|cu|pied /priɒ kjʊpa I d/ ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If you are preoccupied , you are thinking a lot about something or someone, and so you hardly notice other things. □ [+ with/by ] Tom Banbury was preoccupied with the missing Shepherd child and did not want to devote time to the new murder.
pre|oc|cu|py /priɒ kjʊpa I / (preoccupies , preoccupying , preoccupied ) VERB If something is preoccupying you, you are thinking about it a lot. □ [V n] Crime and the fear of crime preoccupy the community.
pre|or|dained /priː ɔː r de I nd/ ADJ If you say that something is preordained , you mean you believe it to be happening in the way that has been decided by a power such as God or fate. [FORMAL ] □ …the belief that our actions are the unfolding of a preordained destiny.
prep /pre p/ (preps , prepping , prepped ) VERB If you prep something, you prepare it. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □ [V n] After prepping the boat, they sailed it down to Carloforte.
pre -pa ckaged also prepackaged ADJ Pre-packaged foods have been prepared in advance and put in plastic or cardboard containers to be sold.
pre -pa cked also prepacked ADJ Pre-packed goods are packed or wrapped before they are sent to the shop where they are sold.
pre|paid /priː pe I d/ also pre-paid ADJ [usu ADJ n] Prepaid items are paid for in advance, before the time when you would normally pay for them. □ Return the enclosed Donation Form today in the prepaid envelope provided.
prepa|ra|tion ◆◇◇ /pre pəre I ʃ ə n/ (preparations )
1 N‑UNCOUNT Preparation is the process of getting something ready for use or for a particular purpose or making arrangements for something. □ [+ for/of ] Rub the surface of the wood in preparation for the varnish. □ Behind any successful event lay months of preparation.
2 N‑PLURAL Preparations are all the arrangements that are made for a future event. □ [+ for ] They made preparations for a quiet wedding.
3 N‑COUNT A preparation is a mixture that has been prepared for use as food, medicine, or a cosmetic. □ …anti-ageing creams and sensitive-skin preparations. SYNONYMS preparation NOUN 1
groundwork: Yesterday's meeting was to lay the groundwork for the task ahead.
development: What are your plans for the development of your company?
readiness: Security tightened in the capital in readiness for the president's arrival.
pre|para|tory /pr I pæ rətri, [AM ] -tɔːri/