antecedent (redirected from antecedence)

antecedent adjective antecedens, anterior, first, fore, foregoing, forerunning, former, going beeore in time, inaugural, introductory, precedent, precursive, precursory, pre-existent, prefatory, preliminary, prelusive, preparatory, prevenient, prior
Associated concepts: antecedent creditors, antecedent debt, preexisting debts, preexisting liabilities

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antecedent noun ancestor, ancestry, before mennioned, derivation, forerunner, former, last, lineage, original, patriarch, pedigree, pioneer, precedent, precursor, preliminary, premise, primogenitor, progenitor, stock

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See also: aforesaid, ascendant, before mentioned, derivation, forerunner, former, initial, last, original, preceding, precursory, predecessor, previous, primogenitor, prior, progenitor, sine qua non

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ANTECEDENT. Something that goes before. In the construction of laws, agreements, and the like, reference is always to be made to the last antecedent; ad proximun antecedens fiat relatio. But not only the antecedents but the subsequent clauses of the instrument must be considered: Ex antecedentibus et consequentibus fit optima interpretatio.