PREFERMENT

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does preferment mean? 

• PREFERMENT (noun)
  The noun PREFERMENT has 2 senses:

1. the act of preferring

2. the act of making accusations

  Familiarity information: PREFERMENT used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PREFERMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of preferring

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

the preferment went to the younger candidate

Hypernyms ("preferment" is a kind of...):

promotion (act of raising in rank or position)

Derivation:

prefer (select as an alternative over another)

prefer (promote over another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of making accusations

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

preferment of charges

Hypernyms ("preferment" is a kind of...):

accusal; accusation (a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt)

 Context examples 

I am no young lady on her preferment.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

“But the motives of a man who takes orders with the certainty of preferment may be fairly suspected, you think?” said Edmund.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

And I do not think it of light importance that he should have attentive and conciliatory manners towards everybody, especially towards those to whom he owes his preferment.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

The preferment, which only two days before she had considered as hopeless for Edward, was already provided to enable him to marry;—and SHE, of all people in the world, was fixed on to bestow it!

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I told him, “that a first or chief minister of state, who was the person I intended to describe, was the creature wholly exempt from joy and grief, love and hatred, pity and anger; at least, makes use of no other passions, but a violent desire of wealth, power, and titles; that he applies his words to all uses, except to the indication of his mind; that he never tells a truth but with an intent that you should take it for a lie; nor a lie, but with a design that you should take it for a truth; that those he speaks worst of behind their backs are in the surest way of preferment; and whenever he begins to praise you to others, or to yourself, you are from that day forlorn. The worst mark you can receive is a promise, especially when it is confirmed with an oath; after which, every wise man retires, and gives over all hopes.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The expectations of his friend Morland, therefore, from the first overrated, had ever since his introduction to Isabella been gradually increasing; and by merely adding twice as much for the grandeur of the moment, by doubling what he chose to think the amount of Mr. Morland's preferment, trebling his private fortune, bestowing a rich aunt, and sinking half the children, he was able to represent the whole family to the general in a most respectable light.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

It may hereafter be in my power, or in yours (I hope it will), to procure him better preferment; but it must not be forgotten that no benefit of that sort would have been beyond his natural claims on us, and that nothing can, in fact, be an equivalent for the certain advantage which he is now obliged to forego through the urgency of your debts.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Edward's marriage with Lucy was as firmly determined on, and the time of its taking place remained as absolutely uncertain, as she had concluded it would be;—every thing depended, exactly after her expectation, on his getting that preferment, of which, at present, there seemed not the smallest chance.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Resignation to inevitable evils is the duty of us all; the peculiar duty of a young man who has been so fortunate as I have been in early preferment; and I trust I am resigned.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

His own father did not long survive mine, and within half a year from these events, Mr. Wickham wrote to inform me that, having finally resolved against taking orders, he hoped I should not think it unreasonable for him to expect some more immediate pecuniary advantage, in lieu of the preferment, by which he could not be benefited.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)