preposition

preposition
preposition1
prepositional, adj.prepositionally, adv.
/prep'euh zish"euhn/, n. Gram.
any member of a class of words found in many languages that are used before nouns, pronouns, or other substantives to form phrases functioning as modifiers of verbs, nouns, or adjectives, and that typically express a spatial, temporal, or other relationship, as in, on, by, to, since.
[1350-1400; ME preposicioun < L praeposition- (s. of praepositio) a putting before, a prefix, preposition. See PRE-, POSITION]
Usage. The often heard but misleading "rule" that a sentence should not end with a preposition is transferred from Latin, where it is an accurate description of practice. But English grammar is different from Latin grammar, and the rule does not fit English. In speech, the final preposition is normal and idiomatic, especially in questions: What are we waiting for? Where did he come from? You didn't tell me which floor you worked on. In writing, the problem of placing the preposition arises most when a sentence ends with a relative clause in which the relative pronoun (that; whom; which; whomever; whichever; whomsoever) is the object of a preposition.
In edited writing, especially more formal writing, when a pronoun other than that introduces a final relative clause, the preposition usually precedes its object: He abandoned the project to which he had devoted his whole life. I finally telephoned the representative with whom I had been corresponding. If the pronoun is that, which cannot be preceded by a preposition, or if the pronoun is omitted, then the preposition must occur at the end: The librarian found the books that the child had scribbled in. There is the woman he spoke of.
preposition2
/pree'peuh zish"euhn/, v.t.
to position in advance or beforehand: to preposition troops in anticipated trouble spots.
Also, pre-position.
[1960-65; PRE- + POSITION]

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • Préposition — Voir « préposition » sur le Wiktionnaire …   Wikipédia en Français

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  • preposition — abbreviation preposition. preposition [ˌprɛpə zɪʃ(ə)n] noun Grammar a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element, as in ‘she arrived after dinner’ and ‘what did you do it for?’… …   English new terms dictionary

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  • preposition — late 14c., from L. praepositionem (nom. praepositio) a putting before, from praepositus, pp. of praeponere put before, from prae before (see PRE (Cf. pre )) + ponere put, set, place (see POSITION (Cf. position)). In gr …   Etymology dictionary

  • preposition — Preposition, Praepositio …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • preposition — ► NOUN Grammar ▪ a word governing a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element, as in ‘she arrived after dinner’ and ‘what did you do it for?’. DERIVATIVES prepositional adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • preposition — [prep΄ə zish′ən] n. [ME preposicioun < L praepositio (< praepositus, pp. of praeponere < prae , before + ponere, to place: see PRE & POSITION): transl. of Gr prothesis, PROTHESIS] 1. in some languages, a relation or function word, as… …   English World dictionary

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