Category:Preterit

Pret"er*it, a. Etym: [l. praeteritus, p. p. of praeterire to go or Pass by; praeter beyond, by + ire to go: cf. F. prétérit. See issue.] [written also preterite and præterite.]

1. (gram.)

Defn: past; -- applied to a tense which expresses an action or state As past.

2. Belonging wholly to the past; passed by. [r.] Things and persons as thoroughly preterite as romulus or numa. Lowell.

Preterit Pret"er*it, n. (gram.)

Defn: the preterit; also, a word in the preterit tense.