Webster's English Dictionary

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preamble

pre.am.ble \'pre--.am-b*l, pre--'\ n [ME, fr. MF preambule, fr. ML 
   preambulum, fr. LL, neut. of praea]mbulus walking in front of, fr. L prae- 
   + ambulare to walk 1: an introductory statement; specif : the introductory 
   part of a c onstitution or statute that usu. states the reasons for and 
   intent of the law 2: an introductory fact or circumstance; esp : one 
   indicating what  is to follow