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A preamble is the short opening of a book, a law, a speech, or a talk, where the writer or speaker says what this whole thing is about and why it is here. It does not do the real work of the document; it walks in front of it.
A preambleA preamble is是 the short opening of a book, a law, a speech, or a talk一本書、一部法律、一場演講或談話開頭那段簡短的話， where the writer or speaker says what this whole thing is about and why it is here作者或講者在裡面說明整件事是關於什麼、為什麼會有這個東西。 It does not do the real work of the document它不做這份文件真正的工作； it walks in front of it它只是走在文件前面。
You meet it most often with laws and official papers — the famous start of the United States Constitution, “We the People…”, is a preamble — and with rather formal talks.
You meet it most often你最常遇到它 with laws and official papers是在法律和官方文件裡—— the famous start of the United States Constitution美國憲法有名的開頭， "We the People…""We the People…"， is a preamble就是一個preamble—— and with rather formal talks還有相當正式的談話裡。
A book’s “preface” or “foreword” is a close cousin, though actually people mix the three in everyday talk: a preface is usually the author speaking to the reader about the book, while a preamble is more “here is what this text is for.” In a meeting, “without further preamble” means “let’s stop the polite opening and get to the point,” which already tells you the word can feel a little stiff or old-fashioned.
A book's "preface" or "foreword"一本書的"preface"（序）或"foreword"（前言） is a close cousin是很接近的親戚， though actually people mix the three in everyday talk不過其實大家在日常說話裡常把這三個字混著用： a preface is usually the author speaking to the reader about the bookpreface通常是作者對讀者談這本書， while a preamble is more "here is what this text is for."而preamble比較是「這份文件是為了什麼」。 In a meeting在會議中， "without further preamble" means "let's stop the polite opening and get to the point,""without further preamble"意思是「別再客套了，直接進主題」， which already tells you the word can feel a little stiff or old-fashioned這已經告訴你這個字可能給人有點生硬、老派的感覺。
There is also a rather uncommon verb: to preamble is to give that kind of opening before you say the main thing. Most students will only need the noun.
There is also a rather uncommon verb還有一個相當少見的動詞用法： to preambleto preamble is to give that kind of opening意思就是給那樣的開場白 before you say the main thing在講主要的事之前。 Most students will only need the noun大部分學生只需要用到名詞這個用法就夠了。
組成From Middle English preamble, from Old French preambule (French préambule), from Medieval Latin praeambulum, from Latin praeambulō, “to walk before”: prae- “before” + ambulō “walk”. The picture is a person walking in front of the main group.
原始詞典資料4 筆記錄
以下是外部詞典記錄的用法，原文照列，我們還沒有寫成教學內容。上面的說明才是我們自己寫的；有些用法可能上面已經講過了。
preamblenoun/ˈpɹiːˌambəl/
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A short preliminary statement or remark, especially an explanatory introduction to a formal document or statute.
- There was, however, one proposal which, had it reached fruition, might have had far-reaching effects. This was for the amalgamation of the Caledonian, the Edinburgh & Glasgow, and the Scottish Central Railways, for which a Bill was promoted, but rejected by the Parliamentary Committee on the grounds that the preamble was not proved.
- The consultation preamble explains: "The planned timetable will be introduced in 2025 once we have completed the necessary steps required to ensure that we have enough resources to do so.
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computingengineeringmathematicsA syncword.
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A precursor.
- High winds are often a preamble to a winter storm.
- And lest any man should think her intent was to unnestle ill neighbours, and not to aid good neighbours, or that she was readier to restore what was invaded by others than to render what was in her own hands; see if the time provided not a new occasion afterwards, when through their own division, without the intermise of strangers, her forces were again sought and required; she forsook them not, prevailed so far as to be possessed of the castle of Edinburgh, the principal strength of that kingdom, with peace, incontinently, without cunctations or cavillations, the preambles of a wavering faith, she rendered with all honour and security; and his person to safe and faithful hands; and so ever after during his minority continued his principal guardian and protector.
preambleverb/ˈpɹiːˌambəl/
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To speak or write a preamble; to provide a preliminary statement or set of remarks.
- But these things being beside my main design, I will desist from preambling and come to the materials I have collected towards a history of the Baptists in this province.
- Once I was young and had so much more orientation and could talk with nervous intelligence about everything and with clarity and without as much literary preambling as this; in other words this is the story of an unself-confident man, at the same time of an egomaniac.
資料來源：英文維基詞典 English Wiktionary（CC BY-SA 4.0）。 原文照列，未經改寫。