precept

n. 规则；格言；训诫；命令

中文词源

precept 规范，准则

pre-,在前，早于，-cept,拿，握，持有，词源同accept,capable.引申词义规范，准则。

precept (n.): late 14c., from Old French percept, percet (12c.), from Latin praeceptum "maxim, rule of conduct, order," noun use of neuter past participle of praecipere "give rules to, order, advise," literally "take beforehand," from prae "before" (see pre-) + capere (past participle captus) "to take" (see capable). For change of vowel, see biennial.

1、pre- + cept-.2、literally "take beforehand". => rule of conduct, order, maxim.3、用咱们的话说就是：打预防针，先把丑话说在前头。

1. It occurs to me that example is always more efficacious than precept.: 我想到身教重于言教.

4. Armed with such a precept, a number of doctors may slip into deceptive practices.: 有了这样一条指导原则, 一些医生可能渐渐习惯于采取骗人的做法.