[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

previous \pre"vious\, a. l. praevius going before, leading the
   way; prae before + via the way. see voyage.
   going before in time; being or happening before something
   else; antecedent; prior; as, previous arrangements; a
   previous illness.
   1913 webster

         the dull sound . . . previous to the storm,
         rolls o'er the muttering earth.          --thomson.
   1913 webster

   previous question. parliamentary practice see under
      question, and compare closure.

   previous to, before; -- often used adverbially for
      previously. "previous to publication." --m. arnold. "a
      policy . . . his friends had advised previous to 1710."
      --j. h. newman.
      1913 webster

   syn: antecedent; preceding; anterior; prior; foregoing;
        former.
        1913 webster
see also:
voyage previous question question closure previous to 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

question \ques"tion\, n. f., fr. l. quaestio, fr. quaerere,
   quaesitum, to seek for, ask, inquire. see quest, n.
   1. the act of asking; interrogation; inquiry; as, to examine
      by question and answer.
      1913 webster

   2. discussion; debate; hence, objection; dispute; doubt; as,
      the story is true beyond question; he obeyed without
      question.
      1913 webster

            there arose a question between some of john's
            disciples and the jews about purifying. -- john iii.
                                                  25.
      1913 webster

            it is to be to question, whether it be lawful for
            christian princes to make an invasive war simply for
            the propagation of the faith.         -- bacon.
      1913 webster

   3. examination with reference to a decisive result;
      investigation; specifically, a judicial or official
      investigation; also, examination under torture.
      --blackstone.
      1913 webster

            he that was in question for the robbery. shak.
            the scottish privy council had power to put state
            prisoners to the question.            --macaulay.
      1913 webster

   4. that which is asked; inquiry; interrogatory; query.
      1913 webster

            but this question asked
            puts me in doubt. lives there who loves his pain ?
                                                  --milton.
      1913 webster

   5. hence, a subject of investigation, examination, or debate;
      theme of inquiry; matter to be inquired into; as, a
      delicate or doubtful question.
      1913 webster

   6. talk; conversation; speech; speech. obs. --shak.
      1913 webster

   in question, in debate; in the course of examination or
      discussion; as, the matter or point in question.

   leading question. see under leading.

   out of question, unquestionably. "out of question, 't is
      maria's hand." --shak.

   out of the question. see under out.

   past question, beyond question; certainly; undoubtedly;
      unquestionably.

   previous question, a question put to a parliamentary
      assembly upon the motion of a member, in order to
      ascertain whether it is the will of the body to vote at
      once, without further debate, on the subject under
      consideration.

   note: the form of the question is: "shall the main question
         be now put?" if the vote is in the affirmative, the
         matter before the body must be voted upon as it then
         stands, without further general debate or the
         submission of new amendments. in the house of
         representatives of the united states, and generally in
         america, a negative decision operates to keep the
         business before the body as if the motion had not been
         made; but in the english parliament, it operates to
         postpone consideration for the day, and until the
         subject may be again introduced. in american practice,
         the object of the motion is to hasten action, and it is
         made by a friend of the measure. in english practice,
         the object is to get rid of the subject for the time
         being, and the motion is made with a purpose of voting
         against it. --cushing.

   to beg the question. see under beg.

   to the question, to the point in dispute; to the real
      matter under debate.
      1913 webster

   syn: point; topic; subject.
        1913 webster
see also:
quest in question leading question leading out of question out of the question 
out past question previous question to beg the question beg 
to the question 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

previous question
     n : a motion calling for an immediate vote on the main question
         under discussion by a deliberative assembly

Question >> Q Words
Question, definition of term: Question
question_pag1.html

Previous >> P Words
Previous, definition of term: Previous
previous_pag1.html

Question Mark >> Q Words
Question Mark, definition of term: Question Mark
question+mark_pag1.html

In Question >> I Words
In Question, definition of term: In Question
in+question_pag1.html