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| pro·lep·sis [ prō lépsiss ] (plural pro·lep·ses [ prō lép sz ]) |
noun |
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| Definition: |
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1. introductory anticipation of objection: a preface intended to anticipate and answer an objection to an argument
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2. anticipatory adjective: the use after a verb of an adjective that anticipates the result of the verb's action, e.g. "to iron a shirt smooth"
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3. anachronistic assumption: the anachronistic assumption that a future event or condition has already happened, e.g. in the phrase "precolonial United States"
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4. anticipation of something: the assignment of something as existing or occurring before it could have done so, e.g. in the sentence "If you don't answer this letter you're a rat"
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| [Late 16th century. Via Latin< Greek prolēpsis< prolambanein "take before" < lambanein "take"] |
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  pro·lep·tic adjective |
| pro·lep·ti·cal·ly adverb |
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