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Webster 1913 Edition


Precognition

Preˊcog-ni′tion

,
Noun.
[L.
praecognitio
, fr.
praecognoscere
to foreknow. See
Pre-
, and
Cognition
.]
1.
Previous cognition.
Fotherby.
2.
(Scots Law)
A preliminary examination of a criminal case with reference to a prosecution.
Erskine.

Webster 1828 Edition


Precognition

PRECOGNI'TION

,
Noun.
[L. proe, before, and cognitio, knowledge.]
1.
Previous knowledge; antecedent examination.
2.
In Scots law, an examination of witnesses to a criminal act, before a judge, justice of the peace or sheriff, before the prosecution of the offender, in order to know whether there is ground of trial, and to enable the prosecutor to set forth the facts in the libel.

Definition 2024


precognition

precognition

English

Noun

precognition (countable and uncountable, plural precognitions)

  1. (parapsychology) Knowledge of the future; understanding of something in advance, especially as a form of supernatural or extrasensory perception. [from 15th c.]
  2. (Scotland, law) The practice of taking a factual statement from a witness before a trial. [from 17th c.]
    • 1824, James Hogg, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner:
      ‘But it seems there are some strong presumptuous proofs against you, and I came to warn you this day that a precognition is in progress, and that unless you are perfectly convinced, not only of your innocence, but of your ability to prove it, it will be the safest course for you to abscond, and let the trial go on without you.’

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