Etymology From pre- + view; compare Old French preveü, past participle of preveoir (“to foresee”).
1
An experience of something in advance.
It is tempting to speculate about the incentives or compulsions that might explain why anyone would take to the skies in [the] basket [of a balloon]: perhaps out of a desire to escape the gravity of this world or to get a preview of the next; […].2013 June 7, David Simpson, “Fantasy of navigation”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 26, page 36:
2
Colloquial An advance showing of a film, exhibition etc.
3
A short collection of clips edited together to advertise a film, television show, etc.; a trailer.
4
The act of seeing something in advance.
5
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A facility for viewing and checking a document or photo, or changes to it, before saving or printing it.
Etymology From pre- + view; compare Old French preveü, past participle of preveoir (“to foresee”).
1
To show or watch something, or part of it, before it is complete.
Vidal's talk was caled "The Screening Of History," and it was a free-ranging meditation on the United States, the movies, on Vidal's personal history and numerous interconnections. (It also previewed a forthcoming book by the same name.)1991 August 24, Lewis Gannett, “Gore Stories”, in Gay Community News, volume 19, number 6, page 8:
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To show something in advance, a facility for viewing and checking a document or photo, or changes to it, before saving or printing it.