exordium

Their invitation Dr. Fosdick expressed in a great exordium: The great east window of Chicago's Fourth Presbyterian Church has long needed proper furbishing in stained glass.

From Time Magazine Archive

I trembled violently at his exordium, and my father continued—

From "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley

The purpose of the exordium is to put the audience into a receptive and attentive frame of mind.

From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith

The exordium was bad enough; he hastened towards the end of the business.

From The Slaves of the Padishah by J?kai, M?r

Having delivered this exordium, Wasson frankly confessed that the tribes which he represented were all justly chargeable with the war, and now deeply regretted their delinquency.

From The Conspiracy of Pontiac and the Indian War after the Conquest of Canada by Parkman, Francis

I imagine that this sacred influence, under the name of Amphi, is often alluded to in the exordia of Poets, especially by the writers in Dithyrambic measure, when they address Apollo.

From A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume I. by Bryant, Jacob

They were seeking to catch some lyric exordia as they flew by immersed in the billows of the air.

From The Eleven Comedies, Volume 1 by Aristophanes

Matteo is valuable for the general reflections which form exordia to the eleven books that bear his name.

From Renaissance in Italy, Volume 1 (of 7) The Age of the Despots by Symonds, John Addington

But in the exordia and perorations to the several books, as well as in sundry digressions, may be found matter of greater value, embodying the poet's views on the great questions of philosophy.

From The History of Roman Literature From the earliest period to the death of Marcus Aurelius by Cruttwell, Charles Thomas

In exordiums are we not most commonly modest, except when in a cause of accusation we strive to irritate the minds of the judges?

From The Training of a Public Speaker by Kleiser, Grenville

As therefore all orators make use of introductory remarks to get the benevolent attention of their audience, so our poet makes use of exordiums fitted to move and reach the hearer.

From Complete Works of Plutarch — Volume 3: Essays and Miscellanies by Plutarch

"I will say no more if you talk of exordiums and anti-climaxes," cried he.

From Tales and Novels — Volume 10 by Edgeworth, Maria

The attorney's misgivings on that head showed his astounding sagacity; for, indeed, nothing was more likely than that the notary, regardless of his exordiums, would rush into medias res by kicking him out of doors.

From The Village Notary by E?tv?s, J?zsef

Of all Eleanor's exordiums it is the one I most dread.

From Crucial Instances by Wharton, Edith