[f. ANTE- + DATE sb.]
1. A date affixed to a document, or assigned to an event, earlier than its actual date.
1580. Hollyband, Treas. Fr. Tong., Antidater une obligation, to give an Antidate to an Obligation.
1609. Rowlands, Knave of Clubbes, 16. Ile frame a Bill that I am in thy debt, And to the same an Ante date will set.
1748. Richardson, Clarissa (1811), VI. 95. I posted away to the lady, intending to plead great affairs that I came not before, in order to favour your antedate.
1870. Daily News, 31 Aug., 2/3. Brevet-Colonel … to be major-general, dated 6th March, 1868, such antedate not to carry back pay prior to 23rd July, 1870.
† 2. fig. Anticipation. (Cf. ANTEDATE v. 6.) Obs.
1624. Donne, Devotions, 10 (T.). Why hath not my soule these apprehensions, these presages, these changes, those antidates, those iealousies, those suspitions of a sinne, as well as my body of a sicknes?
