prevision

See also: previsión and prévision

English

Alternative forms

• prævision (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English previsioun, from Old French prevision, from Late Latin praevisio, praevisionem, from Latin praevideo.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /pɹɪˈvɪʒ(ə)n/

Noun

prevision (countable and uncountable, plural previsions)

1. Advance knowledge; foresight.
   • 1889, Margaret Oliphant, The Portrait:

     I watched her without knowing, with a prevision that she was going to address me, though with no sort of idea as to the subject of her address.

   • 1897, Henry James, What Maisie Knew:

     it was the beginning for her of a deeper prevision that, in spite of Miss Overmore's brilliancy and Mrs. Wix's passion, she should live to see a change in the nature of the struggle she appeared to have come into the world to produce.

   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.21:

     The whole discussion is concerned with City States, and there is no prevision of their obsolescence.

2. A prediction.

Verb

prevision (third-person singular simple present previsions, present participle previsioning, simple past and past participle previsioned)

1. To predict or envision the future.