Preterition

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Preterition \Pre`ter*i"tion\ (?; 277), n. [L. praeteritio: cf.
     F. pr['e]t['e]rition.]
     1. The act of passing, or going past; the state of being
        past. --Bp. Hall.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. (Rhet.) A figure by which, in pretending to pass over
        anything, a summary mention of it is made; as, "I will not
        say, he is valiant, he is learned, he is just." Called
        also {paraleipsis}.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Law) The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs
        who is entitled to a portion. --Bouvier.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  preterition
       n : suggesting by deliberately concise treatment that much of
           significance is omitted [syn: {paralepsis}, {paraleipsis},
            {paralipsis}]

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  PRETERITION, civil law. The omission by a testator of some one of his heirs 
  who is entitled to a legitime, (q.v.) in the succession. 
       2. Among the Romans, the preterition of children when made by the 
  mother were presumed to have been made with design; the preterition of sons 
  by any other testator was considered as a wrong and avoided the will, except 
  the will of a soldier in service, which was not subject to so much form.