précis

views updated May 18 2018

pré·cis / prāˈsē; ˈprāsē/ • n. (pl. same ) a summary or abstract of a text or speech.• v. (pré·cises / prāˈsēz; ˈprāsēz/ , pré·cised, pré·cis·ing) [tr.] make a précis of (a text or speech).

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

PRÉCIS

views updated Jun 27 2018

PRÉCIS, also precis [From French ‘cut short’. Pronunciation: ‘PRAY-see’. Plural identical in spelling, but pronounced ‘-seez’].
1. A concise summary or abstract: to make a précis of a report. The term précis-writing has been commonly used in schools, especially in Britain, to refer to the teaching and practice of writing summaries.

2. To summarize: to précis a report. See ABRIDGEMENT.

Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language TOM McARTHUR

précis

views updated May 17 2018

précis concise account or version. XVIII. — F. précis, sb. use of pp. (see next).

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

PRECIS

views updated May 18 2018

PRECIS (ˈpreɪsɪ) preserved context index system

The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH