preface /prefIS; 'prefis/ n [C] author's explanatory remarks at the beginning of a book; preliminary part of a speech: (書籍之) 序言; 序文; (演講之) 開場白; 開端： write a ~ to a book. 寫一本書的序言。 vt [VP14] ~ sth with sth/by doing sth, provide with a ~; begin (a talk, etc) with a ~： 給…作序; 以…作 (講話等的) 開端： The chairman ~d his remarks with some sharp raps on the table. 主席重重地敲了幾下桌子，然后開始講話。 prefatory /'prefatn US: -to: ri; 'prcfaon/ adj of or in the nature of a 序言的; 開端的; 序言或開端性質(zhì)的： after a few prefatory remarks. 在幾句開場白之后。