something that serves as a preceding event or introduces what follows; "training is a necessary preliminary to employment"; "drinks were the overture to dinner"
a minor match preceding the main event
designed to orient or acquaint with a situation before proceeding; "a preliminary investigation"
a member of the Union Army during the American Civil War
national; especially in reference to the government of the United States as distinct from that of its member units; "the Federal Bureau of Investigation"; "federal courts"; "the federal highway program"; "federal property"
characterized by or constituting a form of government in which power is divided between one central and several regional authorities; "a federal system like that of the United States"; "federal governments often evolved out of confederations"
of or relating to the central government of a federation; "a federal district is one set aside as the seat of the national government"
away from the outer edge; "an inner lane"; "the inside lane"
relating to or being on the side closer to the center or within a defined space; "he reached into his inside jacket pocket"; "inside out"; "an inside pitch is between home plate and the batter"
confined to an exclusive group; "privy to inner knowledge"; "inside information"; "privileged information"