distinct rule for the construction of the preposition itself. See
Rule 23d.

OBS. 3.--Prepositions are sometimes _elliptically_ construed with
_adjectives_, the real object of the relation being thought to be some
objective noun understood: as, _in vain, in secret, at first, on high_; i.
e. _in a vain manner, in secret places, at the first time, on high places_.
Such phrases usually imply time, place, degree, or manner, and are
equivalent to adverbs. In parsing, the learner may supply the ellipsis.

OBS. 4.--In some phrases, a preposition seems to govern a _perfect
participle_; but these expressions are perhaps rather to be explained as
being elliptical: as, "To give it up _for lost_;"--"To take that _for
granted_ which is disputed."--_Murray's Gram._, Vol. i, p. 109. That is,
perhaps, "To give it up for _a thing_ lost;"--"To take that for _a thing_
granted," &c. In the following passage the words _ought_ and _should_ are
employed in such a manner that it is difficult to say to what part of
speech they belong: "It is that very character of _ought_ and _should_
which makes justice a law to us; and the same character is applicable to
propriety, though perhaps more faintly than to justice."--_Kames, El. of
Crit._, Vol. i, p. 286. The meaning seems to be, "It is that very character
of _being owed_ and _required, that_ makes justice a law to us;" and this
mode of expression, as it is more easy to be _parsed_, is perhaps more
grammatical than his Lordship's. But, as preterits are sometimes put by
_enallage_ for participles, a reference of them to this figure may afford a
mode of explanation in parsing, whenever they are introduced by a
preposition, and not by a nominative: as, "A kind of conquest Caesar made
here; but made not here his brag Of, _came_, and _saw_, and
_overcame_"--_Shak., Cymb._, iii, 1. That is,--"of _having come_, and
_seen_, and _overcome_." Here, however, by assuming that a _sentence_ is
the object of the preposition, we may suppose the pronoun _I_ to be
understood, as _ego_ is in the bulletin referred to, "_Veni, vidi, vici_."
For, as a short sentence is sometimes made the subject of a verb, so is it
sometimes made the object of a preposition; as,

"Earth's highest station ends _in, 'here he lies;'_
And '_dust to dust_,' concludes her noblest song."--_Young_.

OBS. 5.--In some instances, prepositions precede _adverbs_; as, _at once,
at unawares, from thence, from above, till now, till very latel