Definition: A "preterist" is a noun that refers to a person, often a theologian, who believes that the prophecies in the Bible, especially those found in the Book of Revelation, have already happened in the past.
In more advanced discussions, you might encounter phrases like "preterist interpretation," which refers to the method of understanding biblical texts in this way, often compared to other interpretations like futurism (which believes prophecies will happen in the future) or historicism (which sees them as unfolding throughout history).
In general use, "preterist" is mostly confined to theological discussions. Outside of this context, it doesn't have widely recognized alternate meanings.
While "preterist" does not have specific idioms or phrasal verbs associated with it, you may hear discussions about “looking back” to understand events (related to the preterist belief of past fulfillment) or “reading between the lines” when analyzing scripture.
Understanding the term "preterist" is important for discussions about biblical prophecy and interpretation.