Question

precedent When Judy bought Christmas presents for all her relatives one year, she claimed that it set no precedent, but it did. ˈprɛsɪdənt

Accepted Answer

Something done or said that may be an example or rule to guide later acts of a similar kind. A precedent is something that precedes, or comes before. The Supreme Court relies on precedents—that is, earlier laws or decisions that provide some example or rule to guide them in the case they're actually deciding. When hostages are being held for ransom, a government may worry about setting a bad precedent if it gives in. And a company might “break with precedent” by naming a foreigner as its president for the first time.

word	precedent
definition	Something done or said that may be an example or rule to guide later acts of a similar kind.
eg_sentence	When Judy bought Christmas presents for all her relatives one year, she claimed that it set no precedent, but it did.
explanation	A precedent is something that precedes, or comes before. The Supreme Court relies on precedents—that is, earlier laws or decisions that provide some example or rule to guide them in the case they're actually deciding. When hostages are being held for ransom, a government may worry about setting a bad precedent if it gives in. And a company might “break with precedent” by naming a foreigner as its president for the first time.
IPA	ˈprɛsɪdənt

Precedent Rule Guide Acts Similar Kind Judy Bought