preterite
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past tense
The past tense is used to describe or indicate an action that began in the past. Depending on how we form the past tense, it might describe actions that happened or were completed in the past, were occurring at the same time as something else in the past, or continued to happen until or near the present time.
There are four forms of the Past Tense that can accomplish these tasks.
pret·er·ite
or pret·er·it (prĕt′ər-ĭt)adj.
Of, relating to, or being the verb tense that describes a past action or state.
n.
1. The verb form expressing or describing a past action or condition.
2. A verb in the preterite form.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin (tempus) praeteritum, past (tense), neuter past participle of praeterīre, to go by : praeter, beyond, comparative of prae, before; see per in Indo-European roots + īre, to go; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]
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.
preterite
(ˈprɛtərɪt) grammar orpreterit
n
1. (Grammar) a tense of verbs used to relate past action, formed in English by inflection of the verb, as jumped, swam
2. (Grammar) a verb in this tense
adj
(Grammar) denoting this tense
[C14: from Late Latin praeteritum (tempus) past (time, tense), from Latin praeterīre to go by, from preter- + īre to go]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
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Noun | 1. | preterite - a term formerly used to refer to the simple past tense past tense, past - a verb tense that expresses actions or states in the past |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
preterit
preteritum
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
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preterite
, (esp US) preteritadj verb → im Imperfekt; (in English) → im Präteritum; preterite form → Imperfekt-/Präteritumsform f; the preterite tense → das Imperfekt, das Präteritum
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