preamble

noun

1. A short preliminary statement or remark, especially an explanatory introduction to a formal document or statute.

   “There was, however, one proposal which, had it reached fruition, might have had far-reaching effects. This was for the amalgamation of the Caledonian, the Edinburgh & Glasgow, and the Scottish Central Railways, for which a Bill was promoted, but rejected by the Parliamentary Committee on the grounds that the preamble was not proved.”

   “The consultation preamble explains: "The planned timetable will be introduced in 2025 once we have completed the necessary steps required to ensure that we have enough resources to do so.”

2. A syncword.
3. A precursor.

verb

1. (intransitive)To speak or write a preamble; to provide a preliminary statement or set of remarks.

   “But these things being beside my main design, I will desist from preambling and come to the materials I have collected towards a history of the Baptists in this province.”

   “Once I was young and had so much more orientation and could talk with nervous intelligence about everything and with clarity and without as much literary preambling as this; in other words this is the story of an unself-confident man, at the same time of an egomaniac.”

   “So, what say we skip the preambling. Is it women? Money? Writer's block?”