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Primer
Definitions
- 1 First in time, initial, early. not-comparable, obsolete
"the primer English kings"
- 2 First in importance, premier. not-comparable, obsolete
- 3 First in position, foremost. not-comparable, obsolete, rare
- 1 A surname.
- 1 A prayer or devotional book intended for laity, initially an abridgment of the breviary and manual including the hours of the Virgin Mary, 15 gradual and 7 penitential psalms, the litany, the placebo and dirige forming the office of the dead, and the commendations. historical
- 2 Any substance or device, such as priming wire or blasting cap, used to ignite gunpowder or other explosive. countable, uncountable
"The percussion primer, known as the “ 110-grain percussion primer,” contains an igniting charge of 95 grains of black powder in addition to the essential elements of a percussion primer."
- 3 the first or preliminary coat of paint or size applied to a surface wordnet
- 4 Any of various similar works issued in England for private prayer in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer. historical
- 5 A person who primes explosives. countable, obsolete, uncountable
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- 6 any igniter that is used to initiate the burning of a propellant wordnet
- 7 A children's book intended to teach literacy: how to read, write, and spell.
"Four-year-old Elizabeth Finkle-McGraw would receive the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer from her grandfather. Fiona Hackworth would be getting a copy of the Illustrated Primer too, for this had been John Percival Hackworth's crime: He had programmed the matter compiler to place the cockleburs on the outside of Elizabeth's book."
- 8 A substance used to prime wood, metal, etc. in preparation for painting. countable, uncountable
- 9 an introductory textbook wordnet
- 10 An introductory text on any subject, particularly basic concepts.
"[...] The two assets of the book are clear explanation, and a multitude of extremely helpful diagrams, some in two colours, and cutaway photographs; these clearly unravel a difficult subject for the layman, as well as the student engineman for whom the primer is chiefly designed."
- 11 A layer of such a substance. countable, uncountable
- 12 An elementary school class; an elementary school student. New-Zealand, obsolete
- 13 A layer of makeup that goes beneath the foundation; undermakeup. countable, uncountable
"The undermakeup (primer) should be allowed to dry-set for 30 seconds. Apply foundation over the primer with a sponge using light, careful strokes to blend. Undermakeups come in cream form, sponge-on wands, or sponge-on cream, and as a lotion."
- 14 A person who primes wood, metal, etc. countable, obsolete, uncountable
- 15 A molecule which initiates the synthesis of an enzyme, (especially) a single-stranded nucleic acid molecule which initiates DNA replication. countable, uncountable
- 16 A pheromone which interacts first with the endocrine system. countable, uncountable
- 17 A device used to prime an internal combustion engine with gasoline, (especially) in airplanes. countable, uncountable
- 18 A person who prunes trees. countable, uncountable
Etymology
From Middle English primer, primere, from Medieval Latin primarius and primarium (“prayer book”) possibly via Anglo-Norman primer (“prayer book”), from prima (“prime the liturgical hour and office”) + -arius and -arium (suffix forming related objects). Its use for schoolbooks derived from the late medieval and early modern use of such prayer books to teach reading.
From prime + -er.
From Anglo-Norman primer (“first”), from Latin prīmārius (“first”).
Unexplained.
See also for "primer"
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