<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>Declaration of Independence</TITLE> </HEAD> <BODY> <DL> <DT> <DD> <DT>declaration <DD>\Dec`la*ra"tion\, n. [F. d['e]claration, fr. L. declaratio, fr. declarare. See Declare.] 1. The act of declaring, or publicly announcing; explicit asserting; undisguised token of a ground or side taken on any subject; proclamation; exposition; as, the declaration of an opinion; a declaration of war, etc. <DT> <DD> <DT>preamble <DD> \Pre"am`ble\, n. [LL. praeambulum, from L. praeambulus walking before, fr. praeambulare to walk before; prae before + ambulare to walk: cf. F. pr['e]ambule. See Amble.] A introductory portion; an introduction or preface, as to a book, document, etc.; specifically, the introductory part of a statute, which states the reasons and intent of the law. </DL> </BODY> </HTML>