predict

To tell what one thinks will happen in the future, such as the weather, peoples' behavior, or the outcome of a contest.

Someone predicting something

What are two things you would like to be able to predict?

prevent

To keep something from happening before it happens, such as a window being broken or a person catching a cold

Someone preventing something (and explain what it is)

What are three things you would like to be able to prevent?

preview

a view or showing ahead of time such as "previews" of a movie

Something being previewed (and explain what it is)

What is something besides a movie or TV show that you could preview?

precaution

care or an action taken ahead of time against danger or failure, such as locking the door as a precaution against theft.

An example of something done as a "precaution"

What are four examples of precautions for four different things?

prefer

To choose first or like better (such as preferring vacation over school)

Something you would prefer to do

What are three things you prefer doing?

previous

happening or coming before; such as "on the previous page," meaning the page before, or "in a previous class," meaning some class before this one

What are three things you learned in previous classes?

prenatal

before birth, or during pregnancy

A "prenatal" baby

What would "prenatal care" mean?

pre-owned

Owned by someone else before now; "used."

A pre-owned car

What are three things people often buy "pre-owned?"

prelude

a part that comes before something else, such as a prelude to a piece of music, or dark clouds as a prelude to a storm.

A prelude to an event you enjoy

What are three examples of "preludes?"

preoccupied

having your attention already taken up by something, so you are not paying attention to what is happening around you. For example, if you are preoccupied with a test that is coming, you might not pay attention to what people are saying to you.

Someone who is preoccupied

What are three things someone who is "preoccupied" might say?

prequel

a book or story or movie that is set before something that has already been written. For example, the "Star Wars" series had a prequel set before the first Star Wars movie, where you found out about earlier times and people. The sixth book in the Chronicles of Narnia is a prequel because it tells how Narnia began, even though that book was written after other stories about Narnia.

A scene from the prequel to *your* life story.

Why would someone write a prequel?

predispose

to make something more likely to happen, before it does. For example, not getting enough sleep predisposes people to catching colds or being grumpy. (It is the opposite of taking precautions.) If a person is "predisposed" to act a certain way (such as to agree with others), they are already more likely to act that way than some other way.

Someone who is predisposed to win a marathon

What are three things you could do so that you were predisposed to get good grades?

preamble

an introductory statement before an important statement. The preamble to the constitution explains why the people of the U.S. thought they needed one.

How is a preamble like a prelude?

preempt

to take over something, (such as by getting in front of anyone else who would want it or being more important). Examples: to take over someone's land, to take over a group of people, or for one TV show to replace another (such as a news story or baseball game preempting a regular show).

Something being preempted

What are two things you would not like to be preempted?

preface

Introductory remarks

Where in a book would you find or put the preface?

preprandial 

before the evening meal

Someone doing something "preprandially"

What are two of your favorite preprandial activities?