an introduction to a book or speech
an action that is intended to introduce sb else more important
act as a preface to
"She always precedes her lectures with a joke"
"He prefaced his lecture with a critical remark about the institution"
The Interpretation of Dreams, he confessed in the preface to the second edition, was 'hard to read'.
出自: P. Gay
I will preface no longer, but proceed.
出自: I. Walton
她先说了几句话作为开端,以表示欢迎演讲者。
He prefaced his words by a smile.
他先微笑,尔后开始发言。