prime

prime1 [ praım ] adjective only before noun **

1. ) most important: PRIMARY:

Our prime concern was the safety of our customers.

a ) having the most influence: LEADING:

Truman had been the prime architect of the NATO alliance.

a prime force behind international terrorism

2. ) of the highest quality:

a prime location for a business park

prime beef

a prime example of 1930s architecture

3. ) most likely to be chosen or to be appropriate for something:

the prime suspect in a murder case

prime target/candidate: The couple became prime targets for press criticism.

prime

prime 2 [ praım ] verb transitive usually passive

1. ) to prepare someone to behave or react in a particular way:

She had been well primed about what to say to the press.

They have 50,000 men primed for battle.

2. ) to get a weapon or bomb ready to fire or explode:

The bomb had been primed to go off at noon.

3. ) to prepare a surface for paint or some other substance

prime the pump

to help a business or activity to be successful, especially by providing money at the start

prime

prime 3 [ praım ] noun singular

the stage in your life when you are most active or most successful:

Stan had been an excellent tennis player in his prime.

past your prime: a former champion who is now past his prime

be cut off/cut down in your prime

to die when you are still young