Opening lines of a drama

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 the first part of a play, in which the setting and characters are introduced 2 (context logic grammar English) the antecedent in a conditional sentence

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
For the concept of protasis in linguistics, see Conditional sentence . In drama , a protasis is the introductory part of a play, usually its first act. The term was coined by the fourth-century Roman grammarian Aelius Donatus . He defined a play as being ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Protasis \Prot"a*sis\ (pr[o^]t"[.a]*s[i^]s), n. [L., fr. Gr. pro`tasis, fr. protei`nein to stretch before, forward; pro` before + tei`nein to stretch.] A proposition; a maxim. --Johnson. (Gram.) The introductory or subordinate member of a sentence, generally ...