n. 1. The act of passing by, disregarding, or omitting. 2. Law The failure of a testator to provide for a legal heir in that testator's will. 3. Christianity The Calvinist doctrine that God neglected to designate those who would be damned, positively determining only the elect. [Late Latin praeteritiō, praeteritiōn-, a passing over, from Latin praeteritus, past participle of praeterīre, to go by; see PRETERITE.] |
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