preceptn.[L. praeceptum, from praecipere to take beforehand, to instruct, teach; prae before + capere to take: cf. F. prcepte. See Pre-, and Capacious.]1. Any commandment, instruction, or order intended as an authoritative rule of action; esp., a command respecting moral conduct; an injunction; a rule.()For precept must be upon precept. (Isa. xxviii. 10.)No arts are without their precepts. (Dryden.)2. (Law) A command in writing; a species of writ or process.(Burrill.)()v. t. To teach by precepts.(Bacon.)