Definition

1. Verb:
   • To omit or leave out; to fail to do or include something: To intentionally or unintentionally not perform an action or not include an item or detail.
   • To disregard or let pass; to neglect: To ignore or pay no attention to something, allowing it to be overlooked.
   • (Archaic/Legal) To interrupt or suspend temporarily: To cause a discontinuation or pause in proceedings.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The clerk was careful not to pretermit any required signatures on the form. (The clerk was careful not to omit any required signatures on the form.)
  • In his haste, he pretermitted a crucial step in the instructions. (In his haste, he left out a crucial step in the instructions.)
  • The judge decided to pretermit the hearing until new evidence could be reviewed. (The judge decided to suspend the hearing until new evidence could be reviewed.)

Advanced Usage

• "To pretermit discussion of...": A formal phrase used to indicate that a particular topic is being intentionally omitted from consideration or discussion.
  • The report will pretermit discussion of the financial implications, focusing solely on technical feasibility.
• Used in legal or formal contexts: The verb is often found in legal, academic, or highly formal writing to describe the act of omitting or suspending.

Variants and Related Words

• Pretermission (n): The act of omitting, neglecting, or passing over.
  • The pretermission of key data invalidated the study's conclusions.
• Pretermitted (adj): Omitted or neglected.
  • The pretermitted heir was later included in the will.

Synonyms

• Omit: To leave out or exclude.
• Neglect: To fail to care for or give proper attention to.
• Overlook: To fail to notice or consider.
• Disregard: To pay no attention to; ignore.
• Skip: To pass over or omit.

Antonyms

• Include: To contain or comprise as part of a whole.
• Address: To deal with or give attention to.
• Perform: To carry out an action.
• Observe: To notice or perceive; to adhere to.

Notes on Usage

• Formality: "Pretermit" is a formal and somewhat rare word. In everyday language, synonyms like "omit," "skip," or "overlook" are more common.
• Context: It is most appropriately used in legal, academic, bureaucratic, or literary contexts. Its use in casual conversation may sound unnatural or pretentious.
• Connotation: It typically carries a neutral or slightly negative connotation, implying a failure to act or include, whether intentional or accidental.

Verb

1. leave undone or leave out
   • How could I miss that typo?
   • The workers on the conveyor belt miss one out of ten
2. disregard intentionally or let pass