prefigure

pre·fig·ure

 (prē-fĭg′yər)

tr.v. pre·fig·ured, pre·fig·ur·ing, pre·fig·ures

1. To suggest, indicate, or represent by an antecedent form or model; presage or foreshadow: The paintings of Paul Cézanne prefigured the rise of cubism in the early 1900s.

2. Archaic To imagine in advance.

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[Middle English prefiguren, from Old French prefigurer, from Late Latin praefigūrāre : Latin prae-, pre- + Latin figūrāre, to shape (from figūra, shape; see dheigh- in Indo-European roots).]

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pre·fig′ur·a·tive (-fĭg′yər-ə-tĭv) adj.

pre·fig′ur·a·tive·ly adv.

pre·fig′ure·ment n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

prefigure

(priːˈfɪɡə) or

prefigurate

vb (tr)

1. to represent or suggest in advance

2. to imagine or consider beforehand

preˈfigurement n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pre•fig•ure

(priˈfɪg yər)

v.t. -ured, -ur•ing.

1. to show or represent beforehand by a figure or type; foreshadow.

2. to picture or represent to oneself beforehand; imagine.

[1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin praefigūrāre. See pre-, figure (v.)]

pre•fig′ur•a•tive, adj.

pre•fig′ure•ment, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

prefigure

Past participle: prefigured
Gerund: prefiguring

Imperative

prefigure

prefigure

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	prefigure - imagine or consider beforehand; "It wasn't as bad as I had prefigured" conceive of, envisage, ideate, imagine - form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case; "Can you conceive of him as the president?"
	2.	prefigure - indicate by signs; "These signs bode bad news" augur, auspicate, bode, foreshadow, omen, portend, presage, prognosticate, predict, betoken, forecast, foretell threaten - to be a menacing indication of something:"The clouds threaten rain"; "Danger threatens" bespeak, betoken, indicate, signal, point - be a signal for or a symptom of; "These symptoms indicate a serious illness"; "Her behavior points to a severe neurosis"; "The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued" foreshow - foretell by divine inspiration

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

prefigure

verb foreshadow, suggest, indicate, intimate, presage, portend, shadow forth, adumbrate, foretoken The party says his departure did not prefigure a major policy shift.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

prefigure

verb

To give an indication of something in advance:

adumbrate, augur, bode, forecast, forerun, foreshadow, foretell, foretoken, portend, presage, prognosticate.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

préfigurer

prefigurare

prefigure

[priːˈfɪgəʳ] VT → prefigurar

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

prefigure

[ˌpriːˈfɪgə^r] vt → préfigurer

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

prefigure

vt (= indicate) → anzeigen, ankündigen; (= imagine beforehand) → sich (dat) → ausmalen

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

prefigure

[priːˈfɪgəʳ] vt (Art) → prefigurare

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995