Pre*pon"der*ate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Preponderated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Preponderating.] [L. praeponderatus, p. p. of praeponderare; prae before + ponderare to weigh, fr., pondus, ponderis, a weight. See Ponder.]
1.
To outweigh; to overpower by weight; to exceed in weight; to overbalance.
An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center of the balance, will preponderate greater magnitudes.
Glanvill.
2.
To overpower by stronger or moral power.
3.
To cause to prefer; to incline; to decide.
[Obs.]
The desire to spare Christian blood preponderates him for peace.
Fuller.
© Webster 1913.
Pre*pon"der*ate, v. i.
To exceed in weight; hence, to incline or descend, as the scale of a balance; figuratively, to exceed in influence, power, etc.; hence; to incline to one side; as, the affirmative side preponderated.
That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will not preponderate.
Bp. Wilkins.
© Webster 1913.