- priority
- I(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)Precedence in timeNouns1. priority, antecedence, anteriority, primogeniture; preexistence; precession; precursor, forerunner; past; premises. See precedence, ancestry, beginning.2. precursor, forerunner, antecedent, precedent, predecessor, forebears; bellwether, herald, harbinger, announcer; habit, standard, model; prototype; custom, practice, usage; prefigurement, prediction, antecedent; head start. Informal, scoop.3. prioritization, organization, triage, rank. See class.Verbs1. precede, antecede, come or go before; lead; preexist; dawn; presage (see prediction). Informal, beat one to it. Slang, get the jump on, beat to the punch or draw.2. be beforehand, be early (see earliness); steal a march upon, anticipate, forestall; have or gain a start; steal one's thunder, scoop. Slang, beat out, jump the gun.3. prioritize, organize, triage, rank.Adjectives — prior, previous; preceding, precedent; anterior, antecedent; forehanded; preexisting, preexistent; former, foregoing; aforementioned, abovementioned; aforesaid; said; introductory, precursory; preliminary; preparatory.Adverbs — before, prior to; earlier; first[ly], first and foremost, in the first place; ere, heretofore, erstwhile, already, yet, beforehand; in advance, ahead; in the van or forefront; in front, foremost; on the eve of; antebellum; before Christ, B. C.; antediluvian, before the fact. Informal, first off.Phrases — set the cart before the horse; don't count your chickens before they hatch; don't cross the bridge till you come to it; first come, first served; first things first.II(Roget's IV) n.Syn. superiority, preference, precedence, antecedence, precedency, previousness, pre-existence, preterition, earliness, preclude, pre-eminence, right of way; see also advantage 1 , 2 .III(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) n.precedence, leading concern, rank, urgency, preference, weight, preeminence, seniority.IV(Roget's Thesaurus II) noun The act, condition, or right of preceding: antecedence, precedence, precedency, right of way. See PRECEDE.
English dictionary for students. 2013.