Primer Meaning

/ˈpɹaɪ.mə/
C1

Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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nounA prayer or devotional book intended for laity, initially an abridgment of the breviary and manual including the hours of the Virgin Mary, 15 gradual and 7 penitential psalms, the litany, the placebo and dirige forming the office of the dead, and the commendations.

nounAny of various similar works issued in England for private prayer in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer.

This book's a good primer on the subject, but it doesn't go into much depth.
Do you need to sand primer?
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The artist applied a layer of ____ before painting the wall.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The painter applied a coat of ____ to the wall before adding the final color to ensure adhesion.

From Middle English primer, primere, from Medieval Latin primarius and primarium (“prayer book”) possibly via Anglo-Norman primer (“prayer book”), from prima (“prime the liturgical hour and office”) + -arius and -arium (suffix forming related objects). Its use for schoolbooks derived from the late medieval and early modern use of such prayer books to teach reading.

"Four-year-old Elizabeth Finkle-McGraw would receive the Young Lady's Illustrated Primer from her grandfather. Fiona Hackworth would be getting a copy of the Illustrated Primer too, for this had been John Percival Hackworth's crime: He had programmed the matter compiler to place the cockleburs on the outside of Elizabeth's book." — 1995, Neal Stephenson, The Diamond Age […] , New York: Bantam Spectra, →ISBN:
"[...] The two assets of the book are clear explanation, and a multitude of extremely helpful diagrams, some in two colours, and cutaway photographs; these clearly unravel a difficult subject for the layman, as well as the student engineman for whom the primer is chiefly designed." — 1959 March, “New Reading on Railways: The Railwayman's Diesel Manual. By William F. Bolton. G. H. Lake. 7s. 6d.”, in Trains Illustrated, page 172:
"The percussion primer, known as the “ 110-grain percussion primer,” contains an igniting charge of 95 grains of black powder in addition to the essential elements of a percussion primer." — 1912, United States Army Ordnance Dept, Handbook of the 2.95-inch mountain gun mate/riel and pack outfit, →ISBN, page 17:
"Therefore, the shotgun primer is quite self- contained. It consists of a separate metal cup called a battery cup that contains the primer itself. That's why it is considered a two-piece primer." — 2003, Sam Fadala, The Gun Digest Blackpowder Loading Manual, →ISBN, page 73:
"Take care when handling primers, especially ensure that your fingers are free of oil or dirt. Oil can affect the detonating properties of the primer pellet, and can be the cause of misfires if too much oil gets into the primer." — 2016, Steve Sieberts, Gun Digest Shooter's Guide to Competitive Pistol Shooting, →ISBN, page 224:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
The artist applied a layer of ____ before painting the wall.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The painter applied a coat of ____ to the wall before adding the final color to ensure adhesion.

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