precede

verb

1. (transitive)To go before, go in front of.

   “Cultural genocide precedes physical genocide.”

   “But harm precedes not sin: onely our Foe / Tempting affronts us with his foul esteem / Of our integritie”

   “This is the custom of sending on a basket-woman, who is to precede the pomp at a coronation, and to strew the stage with flowers, before the great personages begin their procession.”

   “An interesting feature in the weeks preceding the diversions was the provision of a road-learning train to familiarise main line drivers with the alternative route.”

2. (transitive)To cause to be preceded; to preface; to introduce.

   “It has been usual to precede hostilities by a public declaration communicated to the enemy.”

3. (transitive)To have higher rank than (someone or something else).

noun

1. Brief editorial preface (usually to an article or essay).