prefect
part of speech
noun (a prefect, prefects)
meaning for a pupil
1) (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ) A prefect is an older pupil chosen to help keep order and help younger pupils at school. tree →
2) In some countries, such as France, a prefect is an official who runs a region. tree →
3) In ancient Rome, a prefect was an important officer. tree →
sense in the lessons
In the Tanakh and Jewish tradition: A prefect is a high official over a province or group. Daniel is made chief prefect over the wise men of Babylon. Interpretation: Tradition praises Daniel for staying faithful to God while serving a foreign king. In the primary lessons: In school life in the UK and other Commonwealth countries prefects wear badges, help at assemblies and watch corridors; head boy or head girl leads them. In school stories prefects can be helpful or bossy. Phrases: «head prefect», «be made a prefect».
examples
- Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him to rule over the whole province of Babylon, and to be chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. (Writings DAN.2.48, JPS 1917) tree →
- She was made a prefect in her last year. tree →
- The prefects help at lunchtime. tree →
- A prefect showed the new pupils round. tree →
- The head prefect gave a speech in assembly. tree →
- In the story, the prefects were very strict. tree →
- Ask a prefect if you get lost. tree →
- Prefects wear a special badge. tree →
- The Roman prefect ruled the city. tree →
note
Countable. Do not confuse with «perfect» (letters swapped): pre-fect vs per-fect. The school meaning is not common in the US, where «hall monitor» or «student council» is used.
Trees and pragmatics
Every meaning and example of «prefect» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.