ENGLISH
REFERENCE

pre

v. · n. · prep.
US //ˈpɹi// pre
  1. 1 to drink before an event (v.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal British English

    to drink alcohol at home with friends before going out to a club, party, or bar.

    to consume alcohol at a private residence prior to attending a primary social event or venue. Intransitive clipping of 'pre-drink'.

    Example

    We are going to pre at my flat before we head to the concert.

    Example

    The students decided to pre at a nearby apartment to save money before heading into the city for the formal event.

    Usage

    Usually used as an intransitive verb without an object.
    • pre game
    • warm up
  2. 2 drinks before an event (n.)
    C1 Advanced Slang Informal British English

    the drinks or the small party you have before going to a bigger event.

    a social gathering involving alcohol consumption that occurs before the main event. Often used in the plural form 'pres'.

    Example

    Are you coming to pres at eight o'clock?

    Example

    The atmosphere at pres was surprisingly quiet, as everyone was saving their energy for the club later that night.

    Usage

    Commonly used in the plural 'pres' to refer to the event itself.
    • pre drinks
    • pre game
  3. 3 before (prep.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Technical

    a short way of saying 'before' a specific time or event.

    occurring or existing before a specified event or period. Often used in technical or academic contexts as a prefix or standalone shorthand.

    Example

    The pre-war buildings in this city are very beautiful.

    Example

    The researcher noted that the patient's symptoms were significantly more manageable in the pre-treatment phase of the study.

    Usage

    Frequently attached to nouns with a hyphen.

Last updated June 19, 2026