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adj. Of, relating to, or being the verb tense that describes a past action or state. n. 1. The verb form expressing or describing a past action or condition. 2. A verb in the preterite form. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin (tempus) praeteritum, past (tense), neuter past participle of praeterīre, to go by : praeter, beyond, comparative of prae, before; see per1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + īre, to go; see ei- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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