\Pre*pon"der*ate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
{Preponderated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Preponderating}.] [L.
praeponderatus, p. p. of praeponderare; prae before +
ponderare to weigh, fr., pondus, ponderis, a weight. See
{Ponder}.]
1. To outweigh; to overpower by weight; to exceed in weight;
   to overbalance.
         An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the
         center of the balance, will preponderate greater
         magnitudes.                           --Glanvill.
2. To overpower by stronger or moral power.
3. To cause to prefer; to incline; to decide. [Obs.]
         The desire to spare Christian blood preponderates
         him for peace.                        --Fuller.

\Pre*pon"der*ate\, v. i.
To exceed in weight; hence, to incline or descend, as the
scale of a balance; figuratively, to exceed in influence,
power, etc.; hence; to incline to one side; as, the
affirmative side preponderated.
      That is no just balance in which the heaviest side will
      not preponderate.                        --Bp. Wilkins.