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Precept vs Sway - What's the difference?

precept | sway | Related terms |

Precept is a related term of sway.


As nouns the difference between precept and sway

is that precept is a rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct while sway is the act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.

As verbs the difference between precept and sway

is that precept is (obsolete) to teach by precepts while sway is to move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.

precept

Alternative forms

* (obsolete)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A rule or principle, especially one governing personal conduct.
  • * 2006 : , The Gift of Language
  • ** I need hardly point out that Pinker doesn't really believe anything of what he writes, at least if example is stronger evidence of belief than precept .
  • * 1891 :
  • ** He found a people in the extreme of barbarism living in caves, feeding upon the bloody flesh of animals they killed in hunting; he taught them many things, so that by his example, and for generations after he left them by his precepts , they advanced to high civilization.
  • (legal) A written command, especially a demand for payment.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To teach by precepts.
  • (Francis Bacon)

    Anagrams

    * ----

    sway

    English

    (wikipedia sway)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of swaying; a swaying motion; a swing or sweep of a weapon.
  • A rocking or swinging motion.
  • The old song caused a little sway in everyone in the room.
  • Influence, weight, or authority that inclines to one side; as, the sway of desires.
  • I doubt I'll hold much sway with someone so powerful.
  • Preponderance; turn or cast of balance.
  • Rule; dominion; control.
  • A switch or rod used by thatchers to bind their work.
  • The maximum amplitude of a vehicle's lateral motion
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To move or swing from side to side; or backward and forward; to rock.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Breezes blowing from beds of iris quickened her breath with their perfume; she saw the tufted lilacs sway in the wind, and the streamers of mauve-tinted wistaria swinging, all a-glisten with golden bees; she saw a crimson cardinal winging through the foliage, and amorous tanagers flashing like scarlet flames athwart the pines.
  • To move or wield with the hand; to swing; to wield.
  • :
  • *(Edmund Spenser) (c.1552–1599)
  • *:As sparkles from the anvil rise, / When heavy hammers on the wedge are swayed .
  • To influence or direct by power, authority, persuasion, or by moral force; to rule; to govern; to guide. Compare persuade .
  • :
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:This was the race / To sway the world, and land and sea subdue.
  • To cause to incline or swing to one side, or backward and forward; to bias; to turn; to bend; warp.
  • :
  • *(John Tillotson) (1630-1694)
  • *:Let not temporal and little advantages sway you against a more durable interest.
  • (lb) To hoist (a mast or yard) into position.
  • :
  • To be drawn to one side by weight or influence; to lean; to incline.
  • *(Francis Bacon) (1561-1626)
  • *:The balance sways on our part.
  • To have weight or influence.
  • *(Richard Hooker) (1554-1600)
  • *:The example of sundry churchesdoth sway much.
  • To bear sway; to rule; to govern.
  • *(William Shakespeare) (c.1564–1616)
  • *:Hadst thou swayed as kings should do.
  • See also

    * persuade