PRECEPT

teaching, precept, commandment

(noun) a doctrine that is taught; “the teachings of religion”; “he believed all the Christian precepts”

principle, precept

(noun) rule of personal conduct

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

precept (plural precepts)

A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.

(legal) A written command, especially a demand for payment.

(UK) An order issued by one local authority to another specifying the rate of tax to be charged on its behalf.

A rate or tax set by a precept.

The Parish Council is financed by raising a small levy - the precept - on all residential properties within the parish.

Verb

precept (third-person singular simple present precepts, present participle precepting, simple past and past participle precepted)

(obsolete) To teach by precepts.

Anagrams

• percept

Source: Wiktionary

Pre"cept, n. Etym: [L. praeceptum, from praecipere to take beforehand, to instruct, teach; prae before + capere to take: cf. F. précepte. See Pre-, and Capacious.]

1. Any commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; esp., a command respecting moral conduct; an injunction; a rule. For precept must be upon precept. Isa. xxviii. 10. No arts are without their precepts. Dryden.

2. (Law)

Definition: A command in writing; a species of writ or process. Burrill.

Syn.

– Commandment; injunction; mandate; law; rule; direction; principle; maxim. See Doctrine.

Pre"cept, v. t.

Definition: To teach by precepts. [Obs.] Bacon.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition