priming

Pluralprimings

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle of prime. Use this form for the ongoing action of getting something ready.

   He is priming the old fence before he paints it.

   Priming the pump only takes a minute.

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A base liquid spread on a surface before the main paint, to help it stick.

   Like a sticky base layer that helps the top paint hold on.

   We brushed a coat of priming onto the bare wood.

   The priming needs to dry before you add color.

   Similarprimer, undercoat, sealer

   Note
3. 3
   noununcountable

   A memory effect where seeing or hearing something makes you react faster to a related thing soon after.

   Like a warm-up that gets your brain ready to spot something faster.

   The word 'doctor' flashed first, and priming made people recognize 'nurse' more quickly.

   Priming can shape your choices without you noticing.

   Note
4. 4
   noununcountable

   The small bit of powder that catches fire and sets off the main gunpowder in an old gun.

   Like the small flame you use to light a bigger fire.

   The soldier poured a little priming into the pan of his musket.

   Wet priming would not catch, so the gun failed to fire.

   Note
5. 5
   noununcountable

   The step of running fluid through IV tubing to push out air before it goes into a patient.

   Like running water through a new hose to push the air out first.

   The nurse completed the priming before connecting the line.

   Careful priming keeps air out of the patient's vein.

   Similarflushing

   Note
6. 6
   noununcountable

   The first meeting between certain immune cells and a foreign substance, which prepares them to respond.

   Like showing a guard a photo of an intruder so they know who to stop.

   Priming teaches the immune cells to recognize the invader.

   After priming, the helper cells were ready to fight the infection.

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   A process where news or media briefly makes certain ideas easier to bring to mind.

   Like hearing about ice cream and then suddenly wanting some.

   Heavy news coverage of crime can cause priming that makes people fear their streets.

   Priming from the ads kept the brand fresh in viewers' minds.

   Note
8. 8
   noununcountable

   A tendency to reuse or more easily understand a sentence built like one you just heard.

   Like catching someone's way of talking and starting to talk the same way.

   Hearing a passive sentence first led to priming, so she used a passive too.

   Priming made the children copy the same sentence pattern.

   Note
9. 9
   noununcountable

   The way adding a nutrient changes how fast dead plant and animal matter breaks down.

   Like adding kindling that makes a pile of logs burn faster.

   Adding sugar to the soil caused priming that sped up decay.

   Scientists measured the priming to see how fast the leaves broke down.

   Note
10. 10
    noununcountable

    A way of getting seeds ready by soaking them in a special liquid before planting.

    Like soaking dry beans overnight so they cook better.

    The priming gave the seeds a strong, even start.

    Farmers tried priming to get faster sprouting.

    Note
11. 11
    noununcountable

    A problem where water is pushed out of a steam engine's boiler along with the steam.

    Like a pot boiling so hard that water splashes out with the steam.

    Priming sent water into the cylinders and the engine lost power.

    The crew slowed down to stop the priming.

    Note

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