Precedent | Mean of precedent in English Dictionary

/ˈprɛsədənt/

• Noun
• a similar action or event that happened at an earlier time
1. There are no precedents for these events. [=nothing like these events has ever happened before]
2. There isn't any precedent for these events. = These events are without precedent.
• something done or said that can be used as an example or rule to be followed in the future
1. The judge's ruling was based on a precedent established by an earlier decision.
2. He says that the government will set/establish a dangerous precedent if it refuses to allow the protesters to hold a rally.
3. The judge's ruling was based/founded on legal precedent.
• the usual or traditional way of doing something
1. The voters broke (with) precedent [=they did something that had not been done before] when they elected a woman to the position.