primes

1. 1
   noun

   Plural of prime.

   The sieve method quickly identifies all the primes below a given number.

   Cryptographers rely on very large primes to secure online transactions.

   Note

   Two words share this spelling: the plural noun and the verb's present-tense form (she primes the wall). A number or determiner in front marks the noun, as in several primes or the primes below a hundred. The plural is regular, and it fits the countable senses most naturally: the old canonical hours and the services said at them, or the chief individuals of a group.

2. 2
   verb

   Third-person singular simple present of prime.

   The coach primes his players with a short talk before every match.

   A thin coat primes the metal so the finish adheres properly.

   Note

   Most of the time it takes an object. Someone primes a pump, a wall, a cartridge or a musket. A few uses stand without one. A steam boiler that foams and carries water into its steam simply primes, and powder that serves as a gun's priming primes too. The subject is always singular and third-person: he primes, but they prime.

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