preferencen.

Brit.

/ˈprɛf(ə)rəns/,

/ˈprɛf(ə)rn̩s/, U.S.

/ˈprɛf(ə)rəns/

Forms: late Middle English preferraunce, 1500s– preference, 1600s (1800s– nonstandard) preferrence, 1600s– preferance (now nonstandard), 1900s– préférence (in sense 6a).

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French preference; Latin praeferentia.

Etymology: < (i) Middle French preference, French préférence superiority (1377), advantage for one person over others (1559), action of preferring (1626), (in card games) trump suit (1764), and its etymon (ii) post-classical Latin praeferentia precedence (c1266, c1330 in British sources), favour, benevolence (15th cent.) < classical Latin praeferent- , praeferēns , present participle of praeferre prefer v. + -ia -ia suffix¹; compare -ence suffix. Compare Spanish preferencia (c1400), Italian preferenza (1611). Compare slightly earlier preferment n. and later preferency n.

1. Preferment; promotion. Now rare.

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the world > action or operation > prosperity > advancement or progress > [noun] > rise in prosperity, power, or rank > advancement or promotion of a person

furtheringc1000

vancement1303

advancementc1325

promotion?a1425

vauncingc1426

advance1440

furtherancec1440

preference1456

prefermentc1465

forwardness1591

preferency1602

motion1641

promoval1653

the mind > will > free will > choice or choosing > types of choice > [noun] > choosing as more desirable > fact of being preferred

preference1456

1456 J. Bokkyng in Paston Lett. & Papers (2005) III. 162 Your nevew myn maister Filongley, hathe laboured and doon that he cowde or myght to hise preferraunce. But as for to make hym freman and at hise ease..it can noght bee with owte William Lyne be here, that boughte hise prentishode of his maister.

1572 Treat. Treasons against Q. Elizabeth ii. f. 84 ^v These two Macchiauelles for their owne priuate aduancement haue..circumuented your Queene, indangered her State..and procured infinite perils to depend ouer the same..for preference only of their owne priuate policie.

1656 T. Blount Glossographia Preference, preferment, advancement.

a1677 R. Bellings in J. T. Gilbert Hist. Irish Confed. (1882) I. 74 One thing there was, which he foresaw..and that was the jealousy and contests which might arise betweene men of quality for preference in places of command.

1701 N. Rowe Ambitious Step-mother ii. i Is not the Elder By Nature pointed out for Preference?

1786 Mrs. Johnson Francis I. 86 Jerry, whose utmost wish was accomplished in his preference to a trust.

1893 Harper's Mag. Apr. 683/2 A prodigious crowd of people had flocked to the city in hope of gain or preference.

2. Law and Finance.

a. A prior right or claim to something; spec. a prior right or precedence to payment, esp. of a debt.fraudulent preference: see fraudulent adj. 2.

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society > trade and finance > payment > [noun] > prior right to payment

preference?1565

?1565 in J. Pettus Fodinæ Regales (1670) 57 If after Resumption the Queen shall decline the working, then William Humfrey..to have the preference of Farming it [etc.].

1630 in A. Gibson Decis. Lords of Council (1690) 526 The same [legacy] was left ad pios usus, which ought to have the preference to all other legacies.

1665 Irish Act 17 & 18 Chas. II c. 2 §38 Wentworth earl of Roscommon, and Roger earl of Orrery..shall have preference and primer satisfaction of fifty thousand pounds of their own personal arrears.

1693 Acts Parl. Scotl. IX. 271 (title) Act concerning the preference of real rights.

1791 C. Hamilton tr. Hedàya III. iii. 163 Debts of sickness..are upon a foot of equality with debts of health, neither having a preference over the other.

1846 Penny Cycl. Suppl. II. 81/2 The inhibiter has a preference over them if the debts have been incurred subsequently to the inhibition.

1869 Act 32 & 33 Victoria c. 71 §92 Every conveyance or transfer of property..in favour of any creditor.., with a view of giving such creditor a preference over the other creditors, shall, if the person making..the same become bankrupt within three months..be deemed fraudulent and void.

1891 N.Y. Tribune 26 Nov. 4/4 The firm..made an assignment yesterday..giving two preferences for $600.

1964 W. S. Vickrey Metastatics & Macroecon. v. 88 The differential between long- and short-term interest rates thus requires both liquidity preference and risk aversion to sustain it.

2003 Business Credit (Nexis) 1 May 63 Article 188 of the law that establishes the National Taxing System specifies that taxes due or payable are afforded preference over any other debt during bankruptcy proceedings.

b. = preference share n. at Compounds.

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society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > share > types of shares

bonus share1823

preference share1842

preferred share1842

qualification shares1846

pref1849

financial1864

founder's-shares1889

preference1890

preferred1891

ordinary1898

participation1916

equity1930

leader1938

Euroequity1969

small cap1984

1890 Pall Mall Gaz. 18 Sept. 7/2 This they proposed to do with 7 per cent. preferences, which at the end of three years could either fall in as ordinary or continue as preference shares.

1906 Westm. Gaz. 25 Jan. 11/1 This is the first time for many years that the holders of the 1889 Preference have received any dividend, but one by one the Preferences are being restored to the dividend-paying list.

1991 Investors Chron. 26 July 22/3 Meanwhile, each preference (at par) converts into ordinary at the equivalent of 110p per share.

†3. Precedence, superiority; preferability. Obsolete.

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the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > quality of being better or superior > [noun]

advantagea1393

prioritya1425

prerogativec1425

prestance1470

betterness1492

superioritya1500

majority1552

start1569

melioritya1586

precedence1587

superiorship1587

precedency1593

priory1600

preferency1602

preference1603

precession1613

betterhood1615

prestancy1615

eminence1702

superiorness1730

the mind > will > free will > choice or choosing > types of choice > [noun] > choosing as more desirable > quality of being preferable

preferableness1648

preferability1749

preference1793

1603 P. Holland tr. Plutarch Morals 47 A man is to aime at excellencie and preferrence [Fr. preference] before others in good and honest things.

a1676 M. Hale Primitive Originat. Mankind (1677) 52 To discover the preference that the Humane Nature hath above the Animal Life in these most perfect faculties of Intellect.

1714 Ld. Shaftesbury Treat. VII in Characteristicks v. 378 Even that which according to a Term of Art we commonly call Still-Life, and is in reality of the last and lowest degree of Painting, must have its Superiority and just Preference, in a Tablature of its own Species.

1793 J. Smeaton Narr. Edystone Lighthouse (ed. 2) §227 It..shewed the preference of wedging to cramping, as the cramp had failed.

a. The action of or an act of preferring or being preferred; a greater liking for one alternative over another or others; predilection. in preference to: rather than, more than.

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the mind > will > free will > choice or choosing > types of choice > [noun] > choosing as more desirable

preferment1526

pre-election1589

protimesisa1638

preference1673

1673 B. Makin Ess. to revive Antient Educ. Gentlewomen 8 Women were imployed in most of the great Transactions that happened in the World, even in preference to Religion.

1690 J. Locke Ess. Humane Understanding ii. xxi. 119 Where any one is such, that we have power to take it up, or lay it by, according to the preference of the Mind, there we are at liberty.

1713 J. Gay Wife of Bath v. ii. 53 What, give Love the Preference to Wine?

1754 J. Edwards Careful Enq. Freedom of Will ii. vi. 56 [It] can't be, that the Mind is indifferent before it comes to have a Choice, or 'till it has a Preference.

1792 C. Smith Desmond I. x. 182 He in reality courted solitude in preference to society.

1811 J. Austen Sense & Sensibility III. xiii. 255 I left Longstaple with what I thought, at the time, a most unconquerable preference for his niece.

1847 J. Barrow Reflect. 209 The Hottentot considers the lion his most formidable enemy, and is quite certain that he will single him out to be devoured in preference to an European.

1881 H. James Washington Square iii. 25 Almonds were boys, and Catherine had a preference for those games which are most conveniently played in trousers.

1904 Sun (N.Y.) 9 Aug. 8 The feminine preference for garments and house furnishings over locomotives and drop forgings.

1946 A. Nelson Princ. Agric. Bot. xxi. 413 Sheep tend to eat leafage, and that of the more palatable species is preferred. Younger leaf is taken in preference to older.

1991 J. Sayers Mothering Psychoanal. v. i. 206 To Melanie's distress,..her father made no secret of his preference for Emilie.

b. The object of prior choice; that which one prefers. Frequently with possessive adjective.

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the mind > will > free will > choice or choosing > types of choice > [noun] > choosing as more desirable > a preference

preference1864

optation1874

rather1879

1864 W.T.Sherman in War of Rebellion (U.S. War Dept.) (1891) l. 481 My orders have always been to burn the cotton, or seize it for the account of the United States. The former is my preference.

1873 R. Browning Red Cotton Night-cap Country ii. 142 And where the stretch Of barren country girdled house about, Behold the Park, the English preference!

1914 Times 21 May 9/6 I break silence to ask whether it is too late to fall back upon the solution of home Rule within Home Rule which Mr. Asquith declared was his preference.

1938 Amer. Home Oct. 13/1 If Early American things have been your preference, you will find a similar charm and quaintness in Swedish Modern.

1991 Musclemag Mar. 172/3 I really like any type of music, but my preference is rock.

c. In a system of preferential voting (see preferential adj. 1c): the numbering of candidates in the order desired by the voter; (also) such a selection made by the voter; the ranking assigned to any candidate by the voter.

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society > authority > office > appointment to office > choosing or fact of being chosen for office > election of representative body by vote > right to vote at elections > [noun] > systems of voting

scrutin de liste1851

cumulative vote1853

Australian ballot1888

preference1900

alternative vote1908

list system1908

preference voting1908

scrutin d'arrondissement1921

list voting1954

AV1965

1900 E. J. Nanson Real Value of Vote 7 All the elector has to do is to number the names on his voting paper in accordance with the order of his preferences for the candidates so far as he has any preferences.

1908 Westm. Gaz. 20 Aug. 2/1 Some 272 of Haynes's supporters had not used their preference and so their votes were put aside as exhausted.

1955 E. Lakeman How Democracies Vote iv. 88 The Returning Officer either awards the appropriate number of points for each preference and adds them up, or, if each voter is obliged to number every candidate, adds up the preferences each candidate thus receives.

1975 Irish Times 10 May 1/5 I cannot dictate how my preferences should be distributed. In a democracy that is the right of the electorate.

1984 Sydney Morning Herald 16 Mar. 4/7 The Liberals admit that even a 10 per cent leakage of preferences would be disastrous.

1996 Southern Cross 28 Feb. 8/3 Above-the-line voting for the Senate, in which electors nominate parties rather than individual candidates and preferences are distributed according to an official party decision, ought to be changed, she said.

5. Economics. The practical favouring of, or an advantage given to, certain customers over others in business relations; spec. the favouring of one country or set of countries by admitting its products free or at a lower import duty than those of other countries. Formerly esp. with reference to trade between the United Kingdom and its colonies (see imperial preference n. at imperial adj. and n. Compounds).

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society > trade and finance > importing and exporting > [noun] > importing > importing practices

preference1767

parallel importing1982

1767 B. Franklin in Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser 18 Apr. 1/4 It is wrong, O ye Americans! for you to imagine, that we will henceforth give you a preference to foreigners, in purchasing raw materials from you.

1887 Sir S. Griffith in Conf. Blue Bk. (col. 3523) 230 Whether it should not be recognized as part of the duty of the governing bodies of the Empire to see that their own subjects have a preference over foreign subjects in matters of trade.

1891 J. Macdonald Let. to W. H. Smith Apr. Canada will be quite ready to give British goods a preference of 5 or even 10 per cent. in our markets, if our products receive a corresponding preference in England.

1896 Sir W. Laurier 3 June in J. S. Willison Sir Wilfred Laurier & Liberal Party II. 287 To have..a new step taken which will give to the Colonies, in England, a preference for their products over the products of other nations.

1903 J. Chamberlain Speeches 6 Oct. 32 I make the same answer as Mr. Rhodes, who suggested reciprocal preference.

1904 Edinb. Rev. Apr. 292 When the restrictions on colonial commerce were removed, preference went with them.

1932 Sun (Baltimore) 15 Aug. 17/5 The British, so far as is known, have not granted Canada anything like the extent of the preferences asked.

1992 Economist 9 May 86/1 Last week America revoked duty-free treatment under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) for India's exports of drugs and chemicals.

6. Cards.

a. Usually in form préférence. The trump suit for any particular deal in the game of Boston Whist.The word is more common in its original French form, préférence. It is distinguished from the surpréférence, which is a suit of higher value determined at the beginning of a session and remaining a trump throughout a series of deals.

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1813 C. Jones in Hoyle's Games Improved 187 The game of Boston... During every deal, the player opposite to the dealer, should shuffle a pack to be cut by his right hand neighbour, and turn up a card, for the first Preference; the suit of the same colour, whether red or black, is stiled the Second Preference.

1952 A. H. Morehead & G. Mott-Smith Culbertson's Card Games Compl. 186 [A] card is then cut from the still pack; this card denotes first preference (for a trump), and the suit of the same color is second preference, called color.

1990 D. Parlett Hist. Card Games 207 Best of all is surpréférence, which for the whole session remains the suit turned for préférence on the first deal.

b. Usually in form Preference. A game resembling whist, usually played by three people with a pack of 32 cards, in which the trump is determined by bidding.The game is popularly played in Russia, hence frequently in Russian contexts.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > whist > [noun] > varieties of

whisk and swabbers1699

twelfth whist1752

Boston1800

short1825

long1832

dummy whist1843

preference1852

solo whistc1875

hearts1884

drive whist1885

cayenne whist1887

duplicate whist1891

duplicate1894

straight whist1901

1852 E. C. Gaskell Cranford in Househ. Words 3 Apr. 57/2 We were six in number; four could play at Preference, and for the other two there was Cribbage.

1884 H. Gersoni tr. I. Turgenev Diary Superfluous Man 72 A great lover of preference.

1908 R. W. Chambers Firing Line ii. 20 That kills our four at Bridge... We'll have to play Klondike and Preference now.

1977 V. S. Pritchett Gentle Barbarian v. 80 At Spasskoy he [sc. Turgenev]..played chess and draughts and games of Preference.

2004 National Interest (Nexis) Spring Following a classic strategy in the Russian version of the card game ‘Preference’, the Kremlin team engages in ‘defensive bidding’ at this time, seeking to build a stronger hand.

c. Bridge. A bid indicating in which of two or more suits bid by one's partner one wishes to play. Cf. suit preference signal n. at suit n. Compounds 2a.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [noun] > actions or tactics > call > type of call

no trump1885

no trumps1885

no-trumper1899

trump signal1901

business1913

takeout1914

preference bid1927

preference1945

1919 R. F. Foster On Auction i. 96 This bidding invariably shows a two-suiter... If he prefers the spades, he can bid two spades to indicate his preference.]

1945 Daily Courier (Connellsville, Pa.) 19 July 10/5 South, with four diamonds, honestly refrained from a spade preference because both of North's suits might have been four cards.

1958 Listener 4 Dec. 965/3 If..partner is two-suited it will be enough to give a spade preference when he is able to demand it.

1979 Arizona Daily Star 5 Aug. i. 12/1 They invariably took a preference to six spades.

2005 Ledger (Lakeland, Florida) (Nexis) 18 May f3 It is tempting to bid two clubs, but should partner take a preference to two diamonds, you will feel guilty about not having shown spade support.

Compounds

preference bid n. Bridge = sense 6c.

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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > game > card game > bridge > [noun] > actions or tactics > call > type of call

no trump1885

no trumps1885

no-trumper1899

trump signal1901

business1913

takeout1914

preference bid1927

preference1945

1927 Oakland (Calif.) Tribune 25 May 1/6 North's bid of three Spades was a preference bid.

1934 G. F. Hervey Contract Bridge Dict. 117 Y's bid is a preference bid showing that he prefers the hand to be played in Spades.

2005 Washington Post (Nexis) 25 July c10 Though your preference bid of two diamonds showed at most nine points, partner is still interested in game, and since your values are maximum, you must cooperate.

preference bidding n. Bridge the practice of placing a preference bid.

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1938 Appleton (Wisconsin) Post-Crescent 28 June 12/1 Preference bidding requires deft and discriminating handling.

1975 Country Life 2 Jan. 49/1 It is some years since I discussed the question of Preference Bidding.

preference bond n. a bond which entitles the holder to a fixed dividend, the payment of which takes priority over that of ordinary bonds.

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society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > bond > types of bond

government securities1707

Sword-blade bond1707

long bond1720

government paper1774

indent1788

premium bond1820

active1835

preference bond1848

investment bond1853

mortgage bond1853

revenue bond1853

municipal bond1858

treasury-bond1858

sices1867

property bond1869

government1870

priority bond1884

municipal1888

income bonds1889

yearling1889

war baby1901

Liberty Bond1917

Liberty Loan1917

victory bond1917

corporate1922

performance bond1938

convertible1957

Eurobond1966

Euroconvertible1968

managed bond1972

muni1973

granny bond1976

bulldog bond1980

Euro1981

granny1981

strip1982

zero1982

1848 Times 20 July 6/2 A law by which any party can give a creditor a preference bond—that is, a bond which shall in case of bankruptcy take precedence of all other debts whatever.

1907 Jrnl. Polit. Econ. 15 206 It was thought that he..secured large amounts of the stock and preference bonds thrown on the market by holders unwilling to pay the 20 per cent. assessment announced under the reorganization plan.

2002 Internat. Financial Law Rev. (Nexis) Oct. 61 Exemptions apply to offerings of securities that are:..offered in exchange for convertible bonds or on the basis of the exercise of rights attached to preference bonds.

preference share n. a share which entitles the holder to a fixed dividend, the payment of which takes priority over that of ordinary share dividends.

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society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > share > types of shares

bonus share1823

preference share1842

preferred share1842

qualification shares1846

pref1849

financial1864

founder's-shares1889

preference1890

preferred1891

ordinary1898

participation1916

equity1930

leader1938

Euroequity1969

small cap1984

1842 Times 15 Sept. 3/1 The half-year's interest on the Preference Shares (less Income Tax) will be paid at the Company's office, on and after the 30th inst. from 10 till 4 o'clock.

1878 F. S. Williams Midland Railway (ed. 4) 273 A proprietor complained that by means of certain preference shares..a priority of right would be given to outsiders over the ordinary shareholders.

1995 Independent 28 Feb. 18/4 Their ‘golden-hello’ signing-on fee was a load of preference shares in their new organisation.

preference shareholder n. a holder of preference shares.

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1844 Times 31 Jan. 3/4 On the other side it was stated that the preference shareholders are paid out of the profit after deducting the usual expenses.

1869 Bradshaw's Railway Man. 21 325 Preference shareholders guaranteed by London and North Western.

1990 Independent 29 Sept. 19/7 The bonds will be subject to clawback by existing ordinary and convertible preference shareholders.

preference stock n. stock which entitles the holder to a fixed dividend, the payment of which takes priority over that of other stocks; also as a count noun.

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society > trade and finance > stocks and shares > stocks, shares, or bonds > [noun] > stock > bought, sold, or dealt on particular terms

bear1709

bull1714

bearskin1719

trust stock1733

preference stock1845

preferred stock1848

trustee stock1855

short1868

privileged stock1875

future1880

junior stock1914

curb-stocks1915

long1930

junk bond1974

1845 Times 25 Nov. 2/5 The proprietors of shares of the Additional Preference Stock of this Company are hereby required to pay an instalment of £5 sterling on each of their respective shares.

1930 Jrnl. Business Univ. Chicago 3 145 Then, a group of preferred stockholders demanded new preference stock to be exchanged for their old shares taken at par plus the premiums payable in event of voluntary dissolution.

1990 World Outside: Career Guide 28/1 (advt.) Provision for prudent reserves and for interest on loans and fixed dividends on preference stocks.

preference voting n. a form of voting in which a voter puts candidates in order of preference; esp. the alternative vote system (see alternative vote n. at alternative adj. and n. Compounds).

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