precedent
Definition
An earlier event, action, or legal decision that serves as an example or rule to be followed in similar future cases.
Something done or said that may serve as an authoritative example or justification.
A model or pattern established by prior occurrences, often invoked to guide or rationalize subsequent behavior.
Examples
By binge-watching the entire series in one night, she set a precedent that family movie nights would never be the same.
The CEO's habit of replying to emails at 3 a.m. created a precedent nobody dared to ignore—until the burnout rebellion.
Citing a 17th-century precedent, the judge ruled that knights in shining armor could park anywhere, much to the traffic jam's dismay.
His decision to add pineapple to pizza set a culinary precedent that divided friendships faster than a bad divorce.
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