as a prelude to

The slowdown was worse than economists expected but is likely to be viewed by the Federal Reserve as a prelude to a gradual recovery.

Their gathering serves as a prelude to the two-day spring meeting of the IMF and World Bank, which begins the next day.

As a prelude to these contestable claims, Mr Dawkins examines the interesting question of why religion is so widespread.

It does not appear that he means by this an acceptance of original sin so much as a prelude to major change or revolution. But to what?

This was widely seen as a prelude to the sale of the mobile business to reduce the company's huge debts.

Late last month, Misuzu asked other leading auditors to take on its remaining clients as a prelude to its liquidation.

party, which served as a prelude to celebrations to mark the Children's Day.

The only other species known to do it as a prelude to mating is the white- fronted parrot.

The aim is to get North Korea to give up its nuclear programmes as a prelude to normalising relations on the Korean peninsula.

I hadn't noticed the five men performing at the side of the stage as a prelude to the show.

Men tend to think of kissing as a prelude to copulation, Fisher said.

The first section serves as a prelude to the research: first a brief review of the history of Bible study as literature is presented.

Rice's visit is being viewed as a prelude to the US president George W. Bush's foreign policy towards Asia during his second term.

The talks are seen as a prelude to a summit conference scheduled for July.

Officers faking arrests as a prelude to stealing illegal drugs and money from drug suppliers .

It serves as a prelude to the second article, which profiles the clinical application of fetal pulse oximetry.

Our pickets were driven in As a prelude to the main enemy attack.

The world is being remoulded now and upset will be caused, but so must it be as a prelude to the rebalancing.

The host organized a dinner in Elsinore on the 22nd as a prelude to the two-day ASEM summit in Copenhagen.

Being bored at work is painful; being bored as a prelude to being fired is torture.

As a prelude to doing to here used as a preposition, so we put noun, and doing after it.

NASA hopes to build a permanent manned base on the moon's surface as a prelude to subsequent exploration missions to Mars.

One partner may see this as a prelude to marriage.

You should break this habit as a prelude to losing weight.