From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprimerprim‧er /ˈpraɪmə $ -ər/ noun 1 [countable, uncountable]TBC paint that you put on the surface of wood, metal etc before you put on the main layer of paint2 [countable]PMW a tube that contains explosive and is used to fire a gun or explode a bomb3 [countable] American English a book that contains basic information about somethingprimer on/of a primer on Italian wines a primer of good management techniques4 [countable] old-fashionedSES a school book that contains very basic facts about a subject
Examples from the Corpus
primer• HyperCard was a primer for the digital age.• a primer of good management techniques• Once the surface is dry and dust-free, prime it with a 100-percent acrylic primer.• Grounds include traditional white lead primer, alkyd primer, acrylic primer, oil emulsion grounds and gesso.• It can be used on wood and metal, and needs no primer or undercoat.• We stripped a combination of primer and varnish from a plywood screen with comparative ease.• There is a range of five colours available in Homestyle's new spray-on radiator enamels, which includes a special primer.primer on/of• The book is a primer on these subjects.• Following is a primer on the realignment debate: Q: Why is realignment necessary?• Still, he believes movies provide a helpful primer on how to kiss stylishly.• Beyond that, it promises to provide a weekly primer on dopey and unctuous behavior among upscale hillbillies who dress well. 