pref·ace

noun

/ˈprefəs/

an introduction to a book, especially one that explains the author’s aims（书的）前言，序言 compare foreword
- preface to something I read it in the preface to her new book.我在她的新书的序言中读到了这句话。
- in a preface In his preface he claimed that he had created a new kind of music.他在前言中声称他创造了一种新音乐。
Topics Literature and writingc2
Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin praefatia, alteration of Latin praefatio(n-) ‘words spoken beforehand’, from the verb praefari, from prae ‘before’ + fari ‘speak’.

pref·ace

verb

/ˈprefəs/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they preface	/ˈprefəs/ /ˈprefəs/
he / she / it prefaces	/ˈprefəsɪz/ /ˈprefəsɪz/
past simple prefaced	/ˈprefəst/ /ˈprefəst/
past participle prefaced	/ˈprefəst/ /ˈprefəst/
-ing form prefacing	/ˈprefəsɪŋ/ /ˈprefəsɪŋ/

preface something (with something) to provide a book or other piece of writing with a preface为…写序言
- He prefaced the diaries with a short account of how they were discovered.他在前言中简要叙述了发现日记的经过。
- Each chapter is prefaced by a quotation from Shakespeare.每一章都以莎士比亚的引言作为序言。
preface something by/with something | preface something by doing something (formal) to say something before you start making a speech, answering a question, etc.以…为开端；作…的开场白
- I must preface my remarks with an apology.讲话前，我必须先表示歉意。

Word Originlate Middle English: via Old French from medieval Latin praefatia, alteration of Latin praefatio(n-) ‘words spoken beforehand’, from the verb praefari, from prae ‘before’ + fari ‘speak’.