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Origin and history of preamble

preamble(n.)

"prologue, preface, preliminary statement," late 14c., from Old French preambule (13c.) and directly from Medieval Latin preambulum, neuter adjective used as a noun, properly "preliminary," from Late Latin praeambulus "walking before," from Latin prae "before" (see pre-) + ambulare "to walk" (see amble (v.)). Especially the introductory paragraph of a statute or resolution, stating the reason for and intent of what follows. Related: Preambulary.

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to preamble

amble(v.)

"to move easily and gently without hard shocks," as a horse does when it first lifts the two legs on one side and then the two on the other, early 14c., from Old French ambler, in reference to a horse or other quadruped, "go at a steady, easy pace" (12c.), from Latin ambulare "to walk, to go about, take a walk," perhaps a compound of ambi- "around" (from PIE root *ambhi- "around") and -ulare, from a Proto-Italic *ala- "to wander," from PIE root *el- "to go" (source also of Greek ale "wandering," alaomai "wander about;" Latvian aluot "go around or astray"), as per de Vaan. Until 1590s used only of horses or persons on horseback. Related: Ambled; ambling.

pre-

word-forming element meaning "before," from Old French pre- and Medieval Latin pre-, both from Latin prae (adverb and preposition) "before in time or place," from PIE *peri- (source also of Oscan prai, Umbrian pre, Sanskrit pare "thereupon," Greek parai "at," Gaulish are- "at, before," Lithuanian prie "at," Old Church Slavonic pri "at," Gothic faura, Old English fore "before"), extended form of root *per- (1) "forward," hence "beyond, in front of, before."

The Latin word was active in forming verbs. Also see prae-. Sometimes in Middle English muddled with words in pro- or per-.

*ambhi-

also *mbhi-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "around;" probably derived from *ant-bhi "from both sides," from root *ant- "front, forehead."

It might form all or part of: abaft; about; alley (n.1) "open passage between buildings;" ambagious; ambassador; ambi-; ambidexterity; ambidextrous; ambience; ambient; ambiguous; ambit; ambition; ambitious; amble; ambulance; ambulant; ambulate; ambulation; ambulatory; amphi-; amphibian; Amphictyonic; amphisbaena; Amphiscians; amphitheater; amphora; amputate; amputation; ancillary; andante; anfractuous; be-; begin; beleaguer; between; bivouac; but; by; circumambulate; embassy; ember-days; funambulist; ombudsman; perambulate; perambulation; preamble; somnambulate; somnambulism; umlaut.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit abhitah "on both sides," abhi "toward, to;" Avestan aibi; Greek amphi "round about;" Latin ambi- "around, round about;" Gaulish ambi-, Old Irish imb- "round about, about;" Old Church Slavonic oba; Lithuanian abu "both;" Old English ymbe, German um "around."

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    1650s, "preliminary observation," especially "a learned preamble or introductory discourse prefixed to a book," from Greek...
    commando
    who either does not, or feigns not to understand the trick, adheres strictly to the facts expressed in the petition: a preamble...
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    preface
    late 14c., "an introduction to the canon of the Mass," also "statement or statements introducing a discourse, book, or other composition; series of preliminary remarks, written or spoken," from Old French preface "opening part of sung devotions" (14c.) and directly from Medieval
    introduce
    early 15c., "convey or bring (something) in or into," a back-formation from introduction or else from Latin introducere "to lead in, bring in," from intro- "inward, to the inside" (see intro-) + ducere "to lead" (from PIE root *deuk- "to lead"). Meaning "to bring forward, open to
    reduction
    early 15c., reduccioun, "a restoring to a former state" (a sense now obsolete), also "a conquest or subjugation" (of a people, etc.), from Old French reducion (13c., Modern French réduction) and directly from Latin reductionem (nominative reductio) "a leading back, restoration,"
    document
    early 15c., "a doctrine;" late 15c., "teaching, instruction" (senses now obsolete), from Old French document (13c.) "lesson, written evidence" and directly from Latin documentum "example, proof, lesson," in Medieval Latin "official written instrument, authoritative paper," from d
    precede
    early 15c., preceden, "lead the way; occur or exist before, go before in order of time," from Old French preceder and directly from Latin praecedere "to go before," from prae "before" (see pre-) + cedere "to go" (from PIE root *ked- "to go, yield"). Meaning "to walk in front of"
    introduction
    late 14c., "act of bringing into existence," from Old French introduccion (14c.) and directly from Latin introductionem (nominative introductio) "a leading in," noun of action from past-participle stem of introducere "to lead in, bring in; introduce; found, establish; bring forwa
    premise
    late 14c., in logic, "a previous proposition from which another follows, a judgment causing another judgment," from Old French premisse (14c.), from Medieval Latin praemissa (propositio or sententia) "(the proposition) set before," noun use of fem. past participle of Latin praemi

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