P P (pe), (continued 20)

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A subdivision of the tænioglossate gastropods, including the fig-shells (Pyrula), the helmet shells (Cassis), the tritons, and allied genera.

PROBOSCIDIFORM Pro`bos*cid"i*form a.

Defn: Having the form or uses of a proboscis; as, a proboscidiform mouth.

PROBOSCIS Pro*bos"cis, n.; pl. Proboscides. Etym: [L. fr. Gr.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A hollow organ or tube attached to the head, or connected with the mouth, of various animals, and generally used in taking food or drink; a snout; a trunk.

Note: The proboscis of an elephant is a flexible muscular elongation of the nose. The proboscis of insects is usually a chitinous tube formed by the modified maxillæ, or by the labium. See Illusts. of Hemiptera and Lepidoptera.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: By extension, applied to various tubelike mouth organs of the lower animals that can be everted or protruded.

Note: The proboscis of annelids and of mollusks is usually a portion of the pharynx that can be everted or protruded. That of nemerteans is a special long internal organ, not connected with the mouth, and not used in feeding, but capable of being protruded from a pore in the head. See Illust. in Appendix.

3. The nose. [Jocose] Proboscis monkey. (Zoöl.) See Kahau.

PROCACIOUS Pro*ca"cious, a. Etym: [L. procax, -acis, fr. procare to ask, demand.]

Defn: Pert; petulant; forward; saucy. [R.] Barrow.

PROCACITY Pro*cac"i*ty n. Etym: [L. procacitas.]

Defn: Forwardness; pertness; petulance. [R.] Burton.

PROCAMBIUM Pro*cam"bi*um n. Etym: [NL. See Pro-, and Cambium.] (Bot.)

Defn: The young tissue of a fibrovascular bundle before its component cells have begun to be differentiated. Sachs.

PROCATARCTIC Pro`cat*arc"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. procatarctique. ] (Med.)

Defn: Beginning; predisposing; exciting; initial. [Obs.]

Note: The words procatarctic causes have been used with different significations. Thus they have been employed synonymously with prime causes, exciting causes, and predisposing or remote causes. The physician inquires into the procatarctic causes. Harvey.

PROCATARXIS Pro`cat*arx"is, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: The kindling of a disease into action; also, the procatarctic cause. Quincy.

PROCEDENDO Pro`ce*den"do, n. Etym: [Abl. of the gerundive of L. procedere. see Proceed.] (Law) (a) A writ by which a cause which has been removed on insufficient grounds from an inferior to a superior court by certiorari, or otherwise, is sent down again to the same court, to be proceeded in there. (b) In English practice, a writ issuing out of chancery in cases where the judges of subordinate courts delay giving judgment, commanding them to proceed to judgment. (c) A writ by which the commission of the justice of the peace is revived, after having been suspended. Tomlins. Burrill.

PROCEDURE Pro*ce"dure, n. Etym: [F. procédure. See Proceed.]

1. The act or manner of proceeding or moving forward; progress; process; operation; conduct. "The true procedure of conscience." South.

2. A step taken; an act performed; a proceeding; the steps taken in an action or other legal proceeding. "Gracious procedures." I. Taylor.

3. That which results; issue; product. [Obs.] Bacon.

PROCEED Pro*ceed" v. i. [imp. & p. p. Proceeded; p. pr. & vb. n. Proceeding.] Etym: [F. procéder. fr. L. procedere, processum, to go before, to proceed; pro forward + cedere to move. See Cede.]

1. To move, pass, or go forward or onward; to advance; to continue or renew motion begun; as, to proceed on a journey. If thou proceed in this thy insolence. Shak.

2. To pass from one point, topic, or stage, to another; as, to proceed with a story or argument.

3. To issue or come forth as from a source or origin; to come from; as, light proceeds from the sun. I proceeded forth and came from God. John viii. 42. It proceeds from policy, not love. Shak.

4. To go on in an orderly or regulated manner; to begin and carry on a series of acts or measures; to act by method; to prosecute a design. He that proceeds upon other principles in his inquiry. Locke.

5. To be transacted; to take place; to occur. [Obs.] He will, after his sour fashion, tell you What hath proceeded worthy note to-day. Shak.

6. To have application or effect; to operate. This rule only proceeds and takes place when a person can not of common law condemn another by his sentence. Ayliffe.

7. (Law)

Defn: To begin and carry on a legal process.

Syn. — To advance; go on; continue; progress; issue; arise; emanate.

PROCEED Pro"ceed n.

Defn: See Proceeds. [Obs.] Howell.

PROCEEDER Pro*ceed"er, n.

Defn: One who proceeds.

PROCEEDING Pro*ceed"ing, n.

1. The act of one who proceeds, or who prosecutes a design or transaction; progress or movement from one thing to another; a measure or step taken in a course of business; a transaction; as, an illegal proceeding; a cautious or a violent proceeding. The proceedings of the high commission. Macaulay.

2. pl. (Law)

Defn: The course of procedure in the prosecution of an action at law. Blackstone. Proceedings of a society, the published record of its action, or of things done at its meetings.

Syn. — Procedure; measure; step, See Transaction.

PROCEEDS Pro"ceeds, n. pl.

Defn: That which comes forth or results; effect; yield; issue; product; sum accruing from a sale, etc.

PROCELEUSMATIC Proc`e*leus*mat"ic, a. Etym: [L. proceleusmaticus, Gr. procéleusmatique.]

1. Inciting; animating; encouraging. [R.] Johnson.

2. (Pros.)

Defn: Consisting of four short syllables; composed of feet of four short syllables each.

PROCELEUSMATIC Proc`e*leus*mat"ic, n. (Pros.)

Defn: A foot consisting of four short syllables.

PROCELLARIAN Pro`cel*la"ri*an, n. Etym: [L. procella a storm.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of a family of oceanic birds (Procellaridæ) including the petrels, fulmars, and shearwaters. They are often seen in great abundance in stormy weather.

PROCELLOUS Pro*cel"lous, a. Etym: [L. procellosus, fr. procella a storm.]

Defn: Stormy. [Obs.] Bailey.

PROCEPHALIC Pro`ce*phal"ic, a. Etym: [Pref. pro- + cephalic.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or forming, the front of the head. Procephalic lobe (Zoöl.), that part of the head of an invertebrate animal which is in front of the mouth.

PROCEPTION Pro*cep"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + L. capere to take.]

Defn: Preoccupation. [Obs.] Eikon Basilik

PROCERE Pro*cere", a. Etym: [L. procerus tall.]

Defn: Of high stature; tall. [Obs.] Evelyn.

PROCEREBRUM Pro*cer"e*brum n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + cerebrum.] (Anat.)

Defn: The prosencephalon.

PROCERES Proc"e*res n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. procer (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of large birds; the Ratitæ; — called also Proceri.

PROCERITE Proc"er*ite, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The segment next to the flagellum of the antennæ of Crustacea.

PROCERITY Pro*cer"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. proceritas.]

Defn: Height of stature; tallness. [R.] Johnson.

PROCESS Proc"ess, n. Etym: [F. procès, L. processus. See Proceed.]

1. The act of proceeding; continued forward movement; procedure; progress; advance. "Long process of time." Milton. The thoughts of men are widened with the process of the suns. Tennyson.

2. A series of actions, motions, or occurrences; progressive act or transaction; continuous operation; normal or actual course or procedure; regular proceeding; as, the process of vegetation or decomposition; a chemical process; processes of nature. Tell her the process of Antonio's end. Shak.

3. A statement of events; a narrative. [Obs.] Chaucer.

4. (Anat. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Any marked prominence or projecting part, especially of a bone; anapophysis.

5. (Law)

Defn: The whole course of proceedings in a cause real or personal, civil or criminal, from the beginning to the end of the suit; strictly, the means used for bringing the defendant into court to answer to the action; — a generic term for writs of the class called judicial. Deacon's process Etym: [from H. Deacon, who introduced it] (Chem.), a method of obtaining chlorine gas by passing hydrochloric acid gas over heated slag which has been previously saturated with a solution of some metallic salt, as sulphate of copper. — Final process (Practice), a writ of execution in an action at law. Burrill. — In process, in the condition of advance, accomplishment, transaction, or the like; begun, and not completed. — Jury process (Law), the process by which a jury is summoned in a cause, and by which their attendance is enforced. Burrill. — Leblanc's process (Chem.), the process of manufacturing soda by treating salt with sulphuric acid, reducing the sodium sulphate so formed to sodium sulphide by roasting with charcoal, and converting the sodium sulphide to sodium carbonate by roasting with lime. — Mesne process. See under Mesne. — Process milling, the process of high milling for grinding flour. See under Milling. — Reversible process (Thermodynamics), any process consisting of a cycle of operations such that the different operations of the cycle can be performed in reverse order with a reversal of their effects.

PROCESSION Pro*ces"sion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. processio. See Proceed.]

1. The act of proceeding, moving on, advancing, or issuing; regular, orderly, or ceremonious progress; continuous course. Bp. Pearson. That the procession of their life might be More equable, majestic, pure, and free. Trench.

2. That which is moving onward in an orderly, stately, or solemn manner; a train of persons advancing in order; a ceremonious train; a retinue; as, a procession of mourners; the Lord Mayor's procession. Here comes the townsmen on procession. Shak.

3. (Eccl.)

Defn: An orderly and ceremonial progress of persons, either from the sacristy to the choir, or from the choir around the church, within or without. Shipley.

4. pl. (Eccl.)

Defn: An old term for litanies which were said in procession and not kneeling. Shipley. Procession of the Holy Ghost, a theological term applied to the relation of the Holy Spirit to the Father and the Son, the Eastern Church affirming that the Spirit proceeds from the Father only, and the Western Church that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Shipley. — Procession week, a name for Rogation week, when processions were made; Cross-week. Shipley.

PROCESSION Pro*ces"sion, v. t. (Law)

Defn: To ascertain, mark, and establish the boundary lines of, as lands. [Local, U. S. (North Carolina and Tennessee).] "To procession the lands of such persons as desire it." Burrill.

PROCESSION Pro*ces"sion, v. i.

Defn: To march in procession. [R.]

PROCESSION Pro*ces"sion, v. i.

Defn: To honor with a procession. [R.]

PROCESSIONAL Pro*ces"sion*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a procession; consisting in a procession. The processional services became more frequent. Milman.

PROCESSIONAL Pro*ces"sion*al, n. Etym: [F. processionnal, LL. processionale.]

1. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A service book relating to ecclesiastical processions. J. Gregory.

2. A hymn, or other selection, sung during a church procession; as, the processional was the 202d hymn.

PROCESSIONALIST Pro*ces"sion*al*ist, n.

Defn: One who goes or marches in a procession. [R.]

PROCESSIONARY Pro*ces"sion*a*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. LL. processionarius, F. processionnaire.]

Defn: Pertaining to a procession; consisting in processions; as, processionary service. Processionary moth (Zoöl.), any moth of the genus Cnethocampa, especially C. processionea of Europe, whose larvæ make large webs on oak trees, and go out to feed in regular order. They are covered with stinging hairs.

PROCESSIONER Pro*ces"sion*er, n.

1. One who takes part in a procession.

2. A manual of processions; a processional. Fuller.

3. An officer appointed to procession lands. [Local, U. S. (North Carolina and Tennessee).] Burrill.

PROCESSIONING Pro*ces"sion*ing, n.

Defn: A proceeding prescribed by statute for ascertaining and fixing the boundaries of land. See 2d Procession. [ Local, U. S.] Bouvier.

PROCESSIVE Pro*ces"sive, a.

Defn: Proceeding; advancing. Because it is language, — ergo, processive. Coleridge.

PROCESS PLATE Proc"ess plate. (a) A plate prepared by a mechanical process, esp. a photomechanical process. (b) A very slow photographic plate, giving good contrasts between high lights and shadows, used esp. for making lantern slides.

PROCES VERBAL Pro`cès" ver`bal". Etym: [ F.] (French Law)

Defn: An authentic minute of an official act, or statement of facts.

PROCHEIN Pro"chein, a. Etym: [F. prochain, fr. L. (assumed) proximanus, fr. proximus.]

Defn: Next; nearest. Prochein ami or amy ( (Law), the next friend. See under Next.

PROCHORDAL Pro*chor"dal, a. Etym: [Pref. pro + chordal.] (Anat.)

Defn: Situated in front of the notochord; — applied especially to parts of the cartilaginous rudiments in the base of the skull.

PROCHRONISM Pro"chro*nism n. Etym: [Gr. prochronisme.]

Defn: The dating of an event before the time it happened; an antedating; — opposed to Ant: metachronism.

PROCHRONIZE Pro"chro*nize, v. t.

Defn: To antedate. Fitzed. Hall.

PROCIDENCE; PROCIDENTIA Proc"i*dence, Proc*i*den"ti*a, n. Etym: [L. procidentia, fr. procidens, p. pr. of procidere to fall down forward.] (Med.)

Defn: A falling down; a prolapsus. [R.] Parr.

PROCIDUOUS Pro*cid"u*ous (, a. Etym: [ L. prociduus.]

Defn: Falling from its proper place.

PROCINCT Pro*cinct" n. Etym: [L. procinctus, fr. procingere, procinctum, to gird up.]

Defn: A state of complete readiness for action. [Obs.] "War in procinct." Milton.

PROCLAIM Pro*claim", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Proclaimed; p. pr. & vb. n. Proclaiming.] Etym: [OE. proclamen, L. proclamare; pro before, forward + clamare to call or cry out: cf. F. proclamer. See Claim.]

1. To make known by public announcement; to give wide publicity to; to publish abroad; to promulgate; to declare; as, to proclaim war or peace. To proclaim liberty to the captives. Isa. lxi. 1. For the apparel oft proclaims the man. Shak. Throughout the host proclaim A solemn council forthwith to be held. Milton.

2. To outlaw by public proclamation. I heard myself proclaimed. Shak.

Syn. — To publish; promulgate; declare; announce. See Announce.

PROCLAIMER Pro*claim"er, n.

Defn: One who proclaims.

PROCLAMATION Proc`la*ma"tion n. Etym: [F. proclamation, L. proclamatio. See Proclaim.]

1. The act of proclaiming; official or general notice; publication. King Asa made a proclamation throughout all Judah; none was exempted. 1 Kings xv. 22.

2. That which is proclaimed, publicly announced, or officially declared; a published ordinance; as, the proclamation of a king; a Thanksgiving proclamation.

PROCLITIC Pro*clit"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. Enclitic.] (Gr. Gram.)

Defn: Leaning forward; — said of certain monosyllabic words which are so closely attached to the following word as not to have a separate accent.

PROCLIVE Pro*clive" a. Etym: [L. proclivis sloping, inclined; pro forward + clivus hill: cf. F. proclive. See Declivity, and cf. Proclivous.]

Defn: Having a tendency by nature; prone; proclivous. [R.] Mrs. Browning.

PROCLIVITY Pro*cliv"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. proclivitas: cf. F. proclivité.]

1. Inclination; propensity; proneness; tendency. "A proclivity to steal." Abp. Bramhall.

2. Readiness; facility; aptitude. He had such a dexterous proclivity as his teachers were fain to restrain his forwardness. Sir H. Wotton.

PROCLIVOUS Pro*cli"vous, a. Etym: [L. proclivus. See Proclive.]

1. Inclined; tending by nature. [R.]

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the incisor teeth directed forward.

PROCOELE Pro*coele", n. Etym: [Pref. pro + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: A lateral cavity of the prosencephalon; a lateral ventricle of the brain. B. G. Wilder.

PROCOELIA Pro*coe"li*a n.; pl. Procoeliæ (. Etym: [ NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: Same as Procoele.

PROCOELIA Pro*coe"li*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Crocodilia, including the true crocodiles and alligators, in which the dorsal vertebræ are concave in front.

PROCOELIAN Pro*coe"li*an a. Etym: [See Procoele.] (Anat & Zoöl.)

Defn: Concave in front; as, procoelian vertebræ, which have the anterior end of the centra concave and the posterior convex.

PROCOELIAN Pro*coe"li*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A reptile having procoelian vertebræ; one of the Procoelia.

PROCOELOUS Pro*coe"lous, a.

Defn: Same as Procoelian.

PROCONSUL Pro*con"sul, n. Etym: [L., fr. pro for + consul consul.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: An officer who discharged the duties of a consul without being himself consul; a governor of, or a military commander in, a province. He was usually one who had previously been consul.

PROCONSULAR; PROCONSULARY Pro*con"su*lar, Pro*con"su*la*ry, a. Etym: [L. proconsularis: cf. F. proconsulaire.]

1. Of or pertaining of a proconsul; as, proconsular powers.

2. Under the government of a proconsul; as, a proconsular province.

PROCONSULATE Pro*con"su*late, n. Etym: [L. proconsulatus: cf. F. proconsulat.]

Defn: The office jurisdiction of a proconsul, or the term of his office.

PROCONSULSHIP Pro*con"sul*ship n.

Defn: Proconsulate.

PROCRASTINATE Pro*cras"ti*nate v. t. [imp. & p. p. Procrastinated; p. pr. & vb. n. Procrastinating.] Etym: [L. procrastinatus, p. p. of procrastinare to procrastinate; pro forward + crastinus of to-morrow, fr. cras to- morrow.]

Defn: To put off till to-morrow, or from day to day; to defer; to postpone; to delay; as, to procrastinate repentance. Dr. H. More. Hopeless and helpless Ægeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. Shak.

Syn. — To postpone; adjourn; defer; delay; retard; protract; prolong.

PROCRASTINATE Pro*cras"ti*nate, v. i.

Defn: To delay; to be dilatory. I procrastinate more than I did twenty years ago. Swift.

PROCRASTINATION Pro*cras`ti*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. procrastinatio: cf. F. procrastination.]

Defn: The act or habit of procrastinating, or putting off to a future time; delay; dilatoriness. Procrastination is the thief of time. Young.

PROCRASTINATOR Pro*cras"ti*na`tor n.

Defn: One who procrastinates, or defers the performance of anything.

PROCRASTINATORY Pro*cras"ti*na*to*ry a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to procrastination; dilatory.

PROCRASTINE Pro*cras"tine v. t.

Defn: To procrastinate. [Obs.]

PROCREANT Pro"cre*ant, a. Etym: [L. procreans, p. pr. of procreare. See Procreate.]

Defn: Generating; producing; productive; fruitful; assisting in procreation. [R.] "His pendent bed and procreant cradle." Shak.

PROCREANT Pro"cre*ant, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, procreates.

PROCREATE Pro"cre*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Procreated; p. pr. & vb. n. Procreating.] Etym: [L. procreatus, p. p. of procreare; pro forward, forth + create to create.]

Defn: To generate and produce; to beget; to engender.

PROCREATION Pro`cre*a"tion n. Etym: [F. procréation, L, procreatio.]

Defn: The act of begetting; generation and production of young. South.

PROCREATIVE Pro"cre*a`tive, a.

Defn: Having the power to beget; generative. Sir M. Hale.

PROCREATIVENESS Pro"cre*a`tive*ness, n.

Defn: The power of generating.

PROCREATOR Pro"cre*a`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who begets; a father or sire; a generator.

PROCRIS Pro"cris n. Etym: [L., the wife of Cephalus, Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of small moths of the genus Procris. The larvæ of some species injure the grapevine by feeding in groups upon the leaves.

PROCRUSTEAN Pro*crus"te*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Procrustes, or the mode of torture practiced by him; producing conformity by violent means; as, the Procrustean treatment; a Procrustean limit. See Procrustes.

PROCRUSTEANIZE Pro*crus"te*an*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Procrusteanized; p. pr. & vb. n. Procrusteanizing.]

Defn: To stretch or contract according to some rule or standard.

PROCRUSTES Pro*crus"tes n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A celebrated legendary highwayman of Attica, who tied his victims upon an iron bed, and, as the case required, either stretched or cut of their legs to adapt them to its length; — whence the metaphorical phrase, the bed of Procrustes.

PROCRUSTESIAN Pro`crus*te"si*an, a.

Defn: See Procrustean.

PROCTITIS Proc*ti"tis, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the rectum.

PROCTOCELE Proc"to*cele, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Inversion and prolapse of the mucous coat of the rectum, from relaxation of the sphincter, with more or less swelling; prolapsus ani. Dunglison.

PROCTODAEUM Proc`to*dæ"um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: See Mesenteron.

PROCTOR Proc"tor, n. Etym: [OE. proketour, contr. fr. procurator. See Procurator.]

Defn: One who is employed to manage to affairs of another. Specifically: (a) A person appointed to collect alms for those who could not go out to beg for themselves, as lepers, the bedridden, etc.; hence a beggar. [Obs.] Nares. (b) (Eng. Law) An officer employed in admiralty and ecclesiastical causes. He answers to an attorney at common law, or to a solicitor in equity. Wharton. (c) (Ch. of Eng.) A representative of the clergy in convocation. (d) An officer in a university or college whose duty it is to enforce obedience to the laws of the institution.

PROCTOR Proc"tor, v. t.

Defn: To act as a proctor toward; to manage as an attorney or agent. Bp. Warburton.

PROCTORAGE Proc"tor*age n.

Defn: Management by a proctor, or as by a proctor; hence, control; superintendence; — in contempt. "The fogging proctorage of money." Milton.

PROCTORIAL Proc*to"ri*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a proctor, esp. an academic proctor; magisterial.

PROCTORICAL Proc*tor"ic*al, a.

Defn: Proctorial. [R.]

PROCTORSHIP Proc"tor*ship n.

Defn: The office or dignity of a proctor; also, the term of his office. Clarendon.

PROCTOTOMY Proc*tot"o*my, n. Etym: [Gr. (Surg.)

Defn: An incision into the rectum, as for the division of a stricture.

PROCTUCHA Proc"tu*cha, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) A division of Turbellaria including those that have an intestine terminating posteriorly. (b) The Nemertina.

PROCUMBENT Pro*cum"bent, a. Etym: [L. procumbens, -entis, p. pr. of procumbere to fall, bend, or lean forward; pro forward + cumbere (in comp.), akin to cubare to lie down: cf. F. procombant. Cf. Incumbent.]

1. Lying down, or on the face; prone. " Procumbent each obeyed." Cowper.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Lying on the ground, but without putting forth roots; trailing; prostrate; as, a procumbent stem.

PROCURABLE Pro*cur"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being procured; obtainable. Boyle.

PROCURACY Proc"u*ra*cy, n.; pl. Procuracies. Etym: [LL. procuratia: cf. F. procuratie. See Procuration, and cf,. Proxy.]

1. The office or act of a proctor or procurator; management for another.

2. Authority to act for another; a proxy. [Obs.]

PROCURATION Proc`u*ra"tion n. Etym: [L. procuratio: cf. F. procuration. See Procure.]

1. The act of procuring; procurement.

2. The management of another's affairs.

3. The instrument by which a person is empowered to transact the affairs of another; a proxy.

4. (Ch. of Eng.)

Defn: A sum of money paid formerly to the bishop or archdeacon, now to the ecclesiastical commissioners, by an incumbent, as a commutation for entertainment at the time of visitation; — called also proxy. Procuration money (Law), money paid for procuring a loan. Blackstone.

PROCURATOR Proc"u*ra`tor, n. Etym: [L.: cf. F. procurateur. See Procure, and cf. Proctor. ]

1. (Law)

Defn: One who manages another's affairs, either generally or in a special matter; an agent; a proctor. Chaucer. Shak.

2. (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A governor of a province under the emperors; also, one who had charge of the imperial revenues in a province; as, the procurator of Judea. Procurator fiscal (Scots Law), public prosecutor, or district attorney.

PROCURATORIAL Proc`u*ra*to"ri*al (, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a procurator, or proctor; made by a proctor. Ayliffe.

PROCURATORSHIP Proc"u*ra`tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office or term of a procurator. Bp. Pearson.

PROCURATORY Pro*cu"ra*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. procuratorius.]

Defn: Tending to, or authorizing, procuration.

PROCURE Pro*cure", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Procured; p. pr. & vb. n. Procuring.] Etym: [F. procurer, L. procurare, procuratum, to take care of; pro for + curare to take care, fr. cura care. See Cure, and cf. Proctor, Proxy.]

1. To bring into possession; to cause to accrue to, or to come into possession of; to acquire or provide for one's self or for another; to gain; to get; to obtain by any means, as by purchase or loan. If we procure not to ourselves more woe. Milton.

2. To contrive; to bring about; to effect; to cause. By all means possible they procure to have gold and silver among them in reproach. Robynson (More's Utopia) . Proceed, Solinus, to procure my fall. Shak.

3. To solicit; to entreat. [Obs.] The famous Briton prince and faery knight, . . . Of the fair Alma greatly were procured To make there longer sojourn and abode. Spenser.

4. To cause to come; to bring; to attract. [Obs.] What unaccustomed cause procures her hither Shak.

5. To obtain for illicit intercourse or prostitution.

Syn. — See Attain.

PROCURE Pro*cure", v. i.

1. To pimp. Shak.

2. To manage business for another in court. [Scot.]

PROCUREMENT Pro*cure"ment, n.

1. The act of procuring or obtaining; obtainment; attainment.

2. Efficient contrivance; management; agency. They think it done By her procurement. Dryden.

PROCURER Pro*cur"er, n. Etym: [Cf. F. procureur.]

1. One who procures, or obtains; one who, or that which, brings on, or causes to be done, esp. by corrupt means.

2. One who procures the gratification of lust for another; a pimp; a pander. South.

PROCURESS Pro*cur"ess, n.

Defn: A female procurer, or pander.

PROCYON Pro"cy*on, n. Etym: [L., a constellation which rises before the Dog Star, Gr.

1. (Astron.)

Defn: a star of the first magnitude in the constellation Canis Minor, or the Little Dog.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of mammals including the raccoon.

PROD Prod, n. Etym: [Cf. Gael. & Ir. brod goad, prickle, sting, and E. brad, also W. procio to poke, thrust.]

1. A pointed instrument for pricking or puncturing, as a goad, an awl, a skewer, etc.

2. A prick or stab which a pointed instrument.

3. A light kind of crossbow; — in the sense, often spelled prodd. Fairholt.

PROD Prod, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prodded; p. pr. & vb. n. Prodding.]

Defn: To thrust some pointed instrument into; to prick with something sharp; as, to prod a soldier with a bayonet; to prod oxen; hence, to goad, to incite, to worry; as, to prod a student. H. Taylor.

PRODD Prodd, n.

Defn: A crossbow. See Prod, 3.

PRODIGAL Prod"i*gal, a. Etym: [L. prodigus, from prodigere to drive forth, to squander away; pro forward, forth + agere to drive; cf. F. prodigue. See Agent. ]

Defn: Given to extravagant expenditure; expending money or other things without necessity; recklessly or viciously profuse; lavish; wasteful; not frugal or economical; as, a prodigal man; the prodigal son; prodigal giving; prodigal expenses. In fighting fields [patriots] were prodigal of blood. Dryden.

Syn. — Profuse; lavish; extravagant; squandering; wasteful. See Profuse.

PRODIGAL Prod"i*gal, n.

Defn: One who expends money extravagantly, viciously, or without necessity; one that is profuse or lavish in any expenditure; a waster; a spendthrift. "Noble prodigals of life." Trench.

PRODIGALITY Prod`i*gal"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. prodigalité, L. prodigalitas. See Prodigal.]

Defn: Extravagance in expenditure, particularly of money; excessive liberality; profusion; waste; — opposed to frugality, economy, and parsimony."The prodigality of his wit." Dryden.

PRODIGALIZE Prod"i*gal*ize, v. i.

Defn: To act as a prodigal; to spend liberally. Sherwood.

PRODIGALIZE Prod"i*gal*ize, v. t.

Defn: To expend lavishly. Ld. Lytton.

PRODIGALLY Prod"i*gal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a prodigal manner; with profusion of expense; extravagantly; wasteful; profusely; lavishly; as, an estate prodigally dissipated. Nature not bounteous now, but lavish grows; Our paths with flowers she prodigally strows. Dryden.

PRODIGATE Prod"i*gate, v. t.

Defn: To squander. Thackeray.

PRODIGENCE Prod"i*gence, n. Etym: [L. prodigentia, fr. prodigens, p. pr. of prodigere. See Prodigal. ]

Defn: Waste; profusion; prodigality. [R.] Bp. Hall.

PRODIGIOUS Pro*di"gious, a. Etym: [L. prodigiosus, fr. prodigium a prodigy; cf. F. prodigieux. See Prodigy.]

1. Of the nature of a prodigy; marvelous; wonderful; portentous. [Obs. or R.] Spenser. It is prodigious to have thunder in a clear sky. Sir T. Browne.

2. Extraordinary in bulk, extent, quantity, or degree; very great; vast; huge; immense; as, a prodigious mountain; a prodigious creature; a prodigious blunder. "Prodigious might." Milton.

Syn. — Huge; enormous; monstrous; portentous; marvelous; amazing; astonishing; extraordinary.

PRODIGIOUSLY Pro*di"gious*ly, adv.

1. Enormously; wonderfully; astonishingly; as, prodigiously great.

2. Very much; extremely; as, he was prodigiously pleased. [Colloq.] Pope.

PRODIGIOUSNESS Pro*di"gious*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being prodigious; the state of having qualities that excite wonder or astonishment; enormousness; vastness.

PRODIGY Prod"i*gy, n.; pl. Prodigies. Etym: [ L. prodigium; pro before + (perh.) a word appearing in adagium adage: cf. F. prodige. Cf. Adage. ]

1. Something extraordinary, or out of the usual course of nature, from which omens are drawn; a portent; as, eclipses and meteors were anciently deemed prodigies. So many terrors, voices, prodigies, May warn thee, as a sure foregoing sign. Milton.

2. Anything so extraordinary as to excite wonder or astonishment; a marvel; as, a prodigy of learning.

3. A production out of ordinary course of nature; an abnormal development; a monster. B. Jonson.

Syn. — Wonder; miracle; portent; marvel; monster.

PRODITION Pro*di"tion, n. Etym: [L. proditio, from prodere to give forth, betray: cf. OF. prodition.]

Defn: Disclosure; treachery; treason. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

PRODITOR Prod"i*tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A traitor. [Obs.]

PRODITORIOUS Prod`i*to"ri*ous, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. proditoire.]

1. Treacherous; perfidious; traitorous. [Obs.] Daniel.

2. Apt to make unexpected revelations. [Obs.] "Nature is proditorious." Sir H. Wotton.

PRODITORY Prod"i*to*ry, a.

Defn: Treacherous. [Obs.]

PRODROMAL Prod"ro*mal, a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to prodromes; as, the prodromal stage of a disease.

PRODROME Pro"drome, n. Etym: [Gr. prodrome.]

Defn: A forerunner; a precursor.

PRODROMOUS Prod"ro*mous, a.

Defn: Precursory. [R.]

PRODROMUS Prod"ro*mus, n. Etym: [NL.]

1. A prodrome.

2. A preliminary course or publication; — used esp. in the titles of elementary works.

PRODUCE Pro*duce", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Produced; p. pr. & vb. n. Producing.] Etym: [L. producere, productum, to bring forward, beget, produce; pro forward, forth + ducere to lead. See Duke.]

1. To bring forward; to lead forth; to offer to view or notice; to exhibit; to show; as, to produce a witness or evidence in court. Produce your cause, saith the Lord. Isa. xli. 21. Your parents did not produce you much into the world. Swift.

2. To bring forth, as young, or as a natural product or growth; to give birth to; to bear; to generate; to propagate; to yield; to furnish; as, the earth produces grass; trees produce fruit; the clouds produce rain. This soil produces all sorts of palm trees. Sandys. [They] produce prodigious births of body or mind. Milton. The greatest jurist his country had produced. Macaulay.

3. To cause to be or to happen; to originate, as an effect or result; to bring about; as, disease produces pain; vice produces misery.

4. To give being or form to; to manufacture; to make; as, a manufacturer produces excellent wares.

5. To yield or furnish; to gain; as, money at interest produces an income; capital produces profit.

6. To draw out; to extend; to lengthen; to prolong; as, to produce a man's life to threescore. Sir T. Browne.

7. (Geom.)

Defn: To extend; — applied to a line, surface, or solid; as, to produce a side of a triangle.

PRODUCE Pro*duce", v. i.

Defn: To yield or furnish appropriate offspring, crops, effects, consequences, or results.

PRODUCE Prod"uce, n.

Defn: That which is produced, brought forth, or yielded; product; yield; proceeds; result of labor, especially of agricultural labors; hence, specifically, agricultural products.

PRODUCEMENT Pro*duce"ment, n.

Defn: Production. [Obs.]

PRODUCENT Pro*du"cent, n. Etym: [L. producens, p. pr.]

Defn: One who produces, or offers to notice. [Obs.] Ayliffe.

PRODUCER Pro*du"cer, n.

1. One who produces, brings forth, or generates.

2. One who grows agricultural products, or manufactures crude materials into articles of use.

3. (Iron & Steel Manuf.)

Defn: A furnace for producing combustible gas which is used for fuel.

PRODUCE RACE Prod"uce race. (Horse Racing)

Defn: A race to be run by the produce of horses named or described at the time of entry.

PRODUCER'S GOODS Pro*duc"er's goods. (Polit. Econ.)

Defn: Goods that satisfy wants only indirectly as factors in the production of other goods, such as tools and raw material; — called also instrumental goods, auxiliary goods, intermediate goods, or goods of the second and higher orders, and disting. from consumers' goods.

PRODUCER'S SURPLUS; PRODUCER'S RENT Producer's surplus. (Polit. Econ.)

Defn: Any profit above the normal rate of interest and wages accruing to a producer on account of some monopoly (temporary or permanent) of the means or materials of production; — called also Producer's rent.

PRODUCIBILITY Pro*du`ci*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being producible. Barrow.

PRODUCIBLE Pro*du"ci*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being produced, brought forward, brought forth, generated, made, or extended. — Pro*du"ci*ble*ness, n.

PRODUCT Prod"uct, n. Etym: [L. productus, p. pr. of producere. See Produce.]

1. Anything that is produced, whether as the result of generation, growth, labor, or thought, or by the operation of involuntary causes; as, the products of the season, or of the farm; the products of manufactures; the products of the brain. There are the product Of those ill-mated marriages. Milton. These institutions are the products of enthusiasm. Burke.

2. (Math.)

Defn: The number or sum obtained by adding one number or quantity to itself as many times as there are units in another number; the number resulting from the multiplication of two or more numbers; as, the product of the multiplication of 7 by 5 is 35. In general, the result of any kind of multiplication. See the Note under Multiplication.

Syn. — Produce; production; fruit; result; effect; consequence; outcome; work; performance.

PRODUCT Pro*duct", v. t.

1. To produce; to bring forward. "Producted to . . . examination." [Obs.] Foxe.

2. To lengthen out; to extend. [Obs.] He that doth much . . . products his mortality. Hackett.

3. To produce; to make. [Obs.] Holinshed.

PRODUCTIBILITY Pro*duct`i*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state of being productible; producibility. Ruskin.

PRODUCTIBLE Pro*duct"i*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. F. productible.]

Defn: Capable of being produced; producible.

PRODUCTILE Pro*duc"tile, a. Etym: [L. productilis, fr. producere to stretch out.]

Defn: Capable of being extended or prolonged; extensible; ductile.

PRODUCTION Pro*duc"tion, n. Etym: [L. productio a lengthening, prolonging: cf. F. production. See Produce. ]

1. The act or process or producing, bringing forth, or exhibiting to view; as, the production of commodities, of a witness.

2. That which is produced, yielded, or made, whether naturally, or by the application of intelligence and labor; as, the productions of the earth; the productions of handicraft; the productions of intellect or genius.

3. The act of lengthening out or prolonging.

Syn. — Product; produce; fruit; work; performance; composition.

PRODUCTIVE Pro*duc"tive, a. Etym: [F. productif, L. productivus fit for prolongation.]

1. Having the quality or power of producing; yielding or furnishing results; as, productive soil; productive enterprises; productive labor, that which increases the number or amount of products.

2. Bringing into being; causing to exist; producing; originative; as, an age productive of great men; a spirit productive of heroic achievements. And kindle with thy own productive fire. Dryden. This is turning nobility into a principle of virtue, and making it productive of merit. Spectator.

3. Producing, or able to produce, in large measure; fertile; profitable. — Pro*duc"tive*ly, adv. — Pro*duc"tive*ness, n.

PRODUCTIVITY Pro`duc*tiv"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being productive; productiveness. Emerson. Not indeed as the product, but as the producing power, the productivity. Coleridge.

PRODUCTRESS Pro*duc"tress, n.

Defn: A female producer.

PRODUCTUS Pro*duc"tus, n. Etym: [NL. See Product.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of brachiopods, very characteristic of the Carboniferous rocks.

PROEGUMINAL Pro`e*gu"mi*nal, a. Etym: [Gr. proégumène.] (Med.)

Defn: Serving to predispose; predisposing; as, a proeguminal cause of disease.

PROEM Pro"em, n. Etym: [L. prooemium, Gr. proème.]

Defn: Preface; introduction; preliminary observations; prelude. Thus much may serve by way of proem. Swift.

PROEM Pro"em, v. t.

Defn: To preface. [Obs.] South.

PROEMBRYO Pro*em"bry*o, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + embryo. ] (Bot.) (a) The series of cells formed in the ovule of a flowering plant after fertilization, but before the formation of the embryo. (b) The primary growth from the spore in certain cryptogamous plants; as, the proembryo, or protonema, of mosses.

PROEMIAL Pro*e"mi*al, a.

Defn: Introductory; prefatory; preliminary. [R.] Hammond.

PROEMPTOSIS Pro`emp*to"sis, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Chron.)

Defn: The addition of a day to the lunar calendar. [R.] See Metemptosis.

PROFACE Pro"face, interj. Etym: [OF. prou face, prou fasse; prou profit + faire to make, do.]

Defn: Much good may it do you! — a familiar salutation or welcome. [Obs.] Master page, good master page, sit. Proface! Shak.

PROFANATE Prof"a*nate, v. t.

Defn: To profane. [Obs.]

PROFANATION Prof`a*na"tion, n. Etym: [L. profanatio: cf. F. profanation. See Profane, v. t.]

1. The act of violating sacred things, or of treating them with contempt or irreverence; irreverent or too familiar treatment or use of what is sacred; desecration; as, the profanation of the Sabbath; the profanation of a sanctuary; the profanation of the name of God.

2. The act of treating with abuse or disrespect, or with undue publicity, or lack of delicacy. 'T were profanation of our joys To tell the laity our love. Donne.

PROFANE Pro*fane", a. Etym: [F., fr. L. profanus, properly, before the temple, i. e., without the temple, unholy; pro before + fanum temple. See 1st Fane.]

1. Not sacred or holy; not possessing peculiar sanctity; unconsecrated; hence, relating to matters other than sacred; secular; — opposed to sacred, religious, or inspired; as, a profane place. "Profane authors." I. Disraeli. The profane wreath was suspended before the shrine. Gibbon.

2. Unclean; impure; polluted; unholy. Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things. Sir W. Raleigh.

3. Treating sacred things with contempt, disrespect, irreverence, or undue familiarity; irreverent; impious. Hence, specifically; Irreverent in language; taking the name of God in vain; given to swearing; blasphemous; as, a profane person, word, oath, or tongue. 1 Tim. i. 9.

Syn. — Secular; temporal; worldly; unsanctified; unhallowed; unholy; irreligious; irreverent; ungodly; wicked; godless; impious. See Impious.

PROFANE Pro*fane", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Profaned; p. pr. & vb. n. Profaning.] Etym: [L. profanare: cf. F. profaner. See Profane, a.]

1. To violate, as anything sacred; to treat with abuse, irreverence, obloquy, or contempt; to desecrate; to pollute; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the Scriptures, or the ordinance of God. The priests in the temple profane the sabbath. Matt. xii. 5.

2. To put to a wrong or unworthy use; to make a base employment of; to debase; to abuse; to defile. So idly to profane the precious time. Shak.

PROFANELY Pro*fane"ly, adv.

Defn: In a profane manner. The character of God profanely impeached. Dr. T. Dwight.

PROFANENESS Pro*fane"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being profane; especially, the use of profane language.

PROFANER Pro*fan"er, n.

Defn: One who treats sacred things with irreverence, or defiles what is holy; one who uses profane language. Hooker.

PROFANITY Pro*fan"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. profanitas.]

1. The quality or state of being profane; profaneness; irreverence; esp., the use of profane language; blasphemy.

2. That which is profane; profane language or acts. The brisk interchange of profanity and folly. Buckminster.

PROFECTION Pro*fec"tion, n. Etym: [See Proficient.]

Defn: A setting out; a going forward; advance; progression. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PROFECTITIOUS Pro`fec*ti"tious, a. Etym: [L. profectitius, fr. proficisci to set out, proceed.]

Defn: Proceeding from, as from a parent; derived, as from an ancestor. [R.] The threefold distinction of profectitious, adventitious, and professional was ascertained. Gibbon.

PROFERT Pro"fert, n. Etym: [L., he brings forward, 3d pers. pr. of proferre. See Proffer. ] (Law)

Defn: The exhibition or production of a record or paper in open court, or an allegation that it is in court.

PROFESS Pro*fess", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Professed; p. pr. & vb. n. Professing.] Etym: [F. profès, masc., professe, fem., professed (monk or nun), L. professus, p. p. of profiteri to profess; pro before, forward + fateri to confess, own. See Confess.]

1. To make open declaration of, as of one's knowledge, belief, action, etc.; to avow or acknowledge; to confess publicly; to own or admit freely. "Hear me profess sincerely." Shak. The best and wisest of them all professed To know this only, that he nothing knew. Milton.

2. To set up a claim to; to make presence to; hence, to put on or present an appearance of. I do profess to be no less than I seem. Shak.

3. To present to knowledge of, to proclaim one's self versed in; to make one's self a teacher or practitioner of, to set up as an authority respecting; to declare (one's self to be such); as, he professes surgery; to profess one's self a physician.

PROFESS Pro*fess", v. i.

1. To take a profession upon one's self by a public declaration; to confess. Drayton.

2. To declare friendship. [Obs.] Shak.

PROFESSED Pro*fessed", a.

Defn: Openly declared, avowed, acknowledged, or claimed; as, a professed foe; a professed tyrant; a professed Christian. The professed (R. C. Ch.) , a certain class among the Jesuits bound by a special vow. See the note under Jesuit.

PROFESSEDLY Pro*fess"ed*ly, adv.

Defn: By profession.

PROFESSION Pro*fes"sion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. professio. See Profess, v.]

1. The act of professing or claiming; open declaration; public avowal or acknowledgment; as, professions of friendship; a profession of faith. A solemn vow, promise, and profession. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

2. That which one professed; a declaration; an avowal; a claim; as, his professions are insincere. The Indians quickly perceive the coincidence or the contradiction between professions and conduct. J. Morse.

3. That of which one professed knowledge; the occupation, if not mechanical, agricultural, or the like, to which one devotes one's self; the business which one professes to understand, and to follow for subsistence; calling; vocation; employment; as, the profession of arms; the profession of a clergyman, lawyer, or physician; the profession of lecturer on chemistry. Hi tried five or six professions in turn. Macaulay.

Note: The three professions, or learned professions, are, especially, theology, law, and medicine.

4. The collective body of persons engaged in a calling; as, the profession distrust him.

5. (Eccl. Law.)

Defn: The act of entering, or becoming a member of, a religious order.

PROFESSIONAL Pro*fes"sion*al, a.

1. Of or pertaining to a profession, or calling; conforming to the rules or standards of a profession; following a profession; as, professional knowledge; professional conduct. "Pride, not personal, but professional." Macaulay. "A professional sneerer." De Quincey.

2. Engaged in by professionals; as, a professional race; — opposed to amateur.

PROFESSIONAL Pro*fes"sion*al, n.

Defn: A person who prosecutes anything professionally, or for a livelihood, and not in the character of an amateur; a professional worker.

PROFESSIONALISM Pro*fes"sion*al*ism, n.

Defn: The following of a profession, sport, etc., as an occupation; - - opposed to Ant: amateurism.

PROFESSIONALIST Pro*fes"sion*al*ist, n.

Defn: professional person. [R.]

PROFESSIONALLY Pro*fes"sion*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a professional manner or capacity; by profession or calling; in the exercise of one's profession; one employed professionally.

PROFESSOR Pro*fess"or, n. Etym: [L., a teacher, a public teacher: cf. F. professeur. See Profess.]

1. One who professed, or makes open declaration of, his sentiments or opinions; especially, one who makes a public avowal of his belief in the Scriptures and his faith in Christ, and thus unites himself to the visible church. "Professors of religion." Bacon.

2. One who professed, or publicly teaches, any science or branch of learning; especially, an officer in a university, college, or other seminary, whose business it is to read lectures, or instruct students, in a particular branch of learning; as a professor of theology, of botany, of mathematics, or of political economy.

PROFESSORIAL Pro`fes*so"ri*al, a. Etym: [L. professorius: cf. F. professorial.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a professor; as, the professional chair; professional interest.

PROFESSORIALISM Pro`fes*so"ri*al*ism, n.

Defn: The character, manners, or habits of a professor. [R.]

PROFESSORIAT Pro`fes*so"ri*at, n.

Defn: See Professoriate.

PROFESSORIATE Pro`fes*so"ri*ate, n.

1. The body of professors, or the professorial staff, in a university or college.

2. A professorship.

PROFESSORSHIP Pro*fess"or*ship, n.

Defn: The office or position of a professor, or public teacher. Walton.

PROFESSORY Pro*fes"so*ry, a. Etym: [L. professorius.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a professor; professorial. [R.] Bacon.

PROFFER Prof"fer, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Proffered; p. pr. & vb. n. Proffering.] Etym: [OE. profren, proferen, F. proférer, fr. L. proferre to bring forth or forward, to offer; pro forward + ferre to bring. See Bear to produce.]

1. To offer for acceptance; to propose to give; to make a tender of; as, to proffer a gift; to proffer services; to proffer friendship. Shak. I reck not what wrong that thou me profre. Chaucer.

2. To essay or attempt of one's own accord; to undertake, or propose to undertake. [R.] Milton.

PROFFER Prof"fer, n.

1. An offer made; something proposed for acceptance by another; a tender; as, proffers of peace or friendship. He made a proffer to lay down his commission. Clarendon.

2. Essay; attempt. [R.] Bacon.

PROFFERER Prof"fer*er, n.

Defn: One who proffers something.

PROFICIENCE; PROFICIENCY Pro*fi"cience, Pro*fi"cien*cy, n.

Defn: The quality of state of being proficient; advance in the acquisition of any art, science, or knowledge; progression in knowledge; improvement; adeptness; as, to acquire proficiency in music.

PROFICIENT Pro*fi"cient, n. Etym: [L. proficiens, -entis, p. pr. of proficere to go forward, make progress; pro forward + facere to make. See Fact, and cf. Profit, (

Defn: One who has made considerable advances in any business, art, science, or branch of learning; an expert; an adept; as, proficient in a trade; a proficient in mathematics, music, etc.

PROFICIENT Pro*fi"cient, a.

Defn: Well advanced in any branch of knowledge or skill; possessed of considerable acquirements; well-skilled; versed; adept,

PROFICIENTLY Pro*fi"cient*ly, adv.

Defn: In a proficient manner.

PROFICUOUS Pro*fic"u*ous, a. Etym: [L. proficuus.]

Defn: Profitable; advantageous; useful. [Obs.] Harvey.

PROFILE Pro"file, n. Etym: [It. profilo, fr. L. pro before + filum a thread, an outline, shape: cf. F. profil. See File arow, and cf. Purfle, Purl, a fringe.]

1. An outline, or contour; as, the profile of an apple.

2. (Paint & Sculp.)

Defn: A human head represented sidewise, or in a side view; the side face or half face.

3. (a) (Arch.) A section of any member, made at right angles with its main lines, showing the exact shape of moldings and the like. (b) (Civil Engin.) A drawing exhibiting a vertical section of the ground along a surveyed line, or graded work, as of a railway, showing elevations, depressions, grades, etc. Profile paper (Civil Engin.), paper ruled with vertical and horizontal lines forming small oblong rectangles, adapted for drawing profiles.

PROFILE Pro"file, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Profiled; p. pr. & vb. n. Profiling] Etym: [Cf. F. profiler, It. profilare. See Profile, n.]

1. to draw the outline of; to draw in profile, as an architectural member.

2. (Mech.)

Defn: To shape the outline of an object by passing a cutter around it. Profiling machine, a jigging machine.

PROFILING Pro"fil*ing, n. (Fort.)

Defn: In the construction of fieldworks, the erection at proper intervals of wooden profiles, to show to the workmen the sectional form of the parapets at those points.

PROFILIST Pro"fil*ist, n.

Defn: One who takes profiles.

PROFIT Pro"fit, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. profectus advance, progress, profit, fr. profectum. See Proficient.]

1. Acquisition beyond expenditure; excess of value received for producing, keeping, or selling, over cost; hence, pecuniary gain in any transaction or occupation; emolument; as, a profit on the sale of goods. Let no man anticipate uncertain profits. Rambler.

2. Accession of good; valuable results; useful consequences; benefit; avail; gain; as, an office of profit, This I speak for your own profit. 1 Cor. vii. 35. If you dare do yourself a profit and a right. Shak.

Syn. — Benefit; avail; service; improvement; advancement; gain; emolument.

PROFIT Prof"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Profited; p. pr. & vb. n. Profiting.] Etym: [F. profiter. See Profit, n.]

Defn: To be of service to; to be good to; to help on; to benefit; to advantage; to avail; to aid; as, truth profits all men. The word preached did not profit them. Heb. iv. 2. It is a great means of profiting yourself, to copy diligently excellent pieces and beautiful designs. Dryden.

PROFIT Prof"it, v. i.

1. To gain advantage; to make improvement; to improve; to gain; to advance. I profit not by thy talk. Shak.

2. To be of use or advantage; to do or bring good. Riches profit not in the day of wrath. Prov. xi. 4.

PROFITABLE Prof"it*a*ble, a. Etym: [F. profitable.]

Defn: Yielding or bringing profit or gain; gainful; lucrative; useful; helpful; advantageous; beneficial; as, a profitable trade; profitable business; a profitable study or profession. What was so profitable to the empire became fatal to the emperor. Arbuthnot. — Prof"it*a*ble*ness, n. — Prof"it*a*bly, adv.

PROFITING Prof"it*ing, n.

Defn: Gain; advantage; profit. That thy profiting may appear to all. 1 Tim. iv. 15.

PROFITLESS Prof"it*less, a.

Defn: Without profit; unprofitable. Shak.

PROFLIGACY Prof"li*ga*cy, n. Etym: [See Profligate, a.]

Defn: The quality of state of being profligate; a profligate or very vicious course of life; a state of being abandoned in moral principle and in vice; dissoluteness.

PROFLIGATE Prof"li*gate, a. Etym: [L. profligatus, p. p. of profligare to strike or dash to the ground, to destroy; pro before + a word akin to fligere to strike. See Afflict.]

1. Overthrown; beaten; conquered. [Obs.] The foe is profligate, and run. Hudibras.

2. Broken down in respect of rectitude, principle, virtue, or decency; openly and shamelessly immoral or vicious; dissolute; as, profligate man or wretch. A race more profligate than we. Roscommon. Made prostitute and profligate muse. Dryden.

Syn. — Abandoned; corrupt; dissolute; vitiated; depraved; vicious; wicked. See Abandoned.

PROFLIGATE Prof"li*gate, n.

Defn: An abandoned person; one openly and shamelessly vicious; a dissolute person. "Such a profligate as Antony." Swift.

PROFLIGATE Prof"li*gate, v. t.

Defn: To drive away; to overcome.

Note: [A Latinism] [Obs.] Harvey.

PROFLIGATELY Prof"li*gate*ly, adv.

Defn: In a profligate manner.

PROFLIGATENESS Prof"li*gate*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being profligate; an abandoned course of life; profligacy.

PROFLIGATION Prof`li*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. profligatio.]

Defn: Defeat; rout; overthrow. [Obs.] Bacon.

PROFLUENCE Prof"lu*ence, n. Etym: [L. profluentia.]

Defn: Quality of being profluent; course. [R.] Sir H. Wotton.

PROFLUENT Prof"lu*ent, a. Etym: [L. profluens, p. pr. of profluere; pro forward + fluere to flow.]

Defn: Flowing forward, [R.] "In the profluent stream." Milton.

PROFOUND Pro*found", a. Etym: [F. profond, L. profundus; pro before, forward + fundus the bottom. See Found to establish, Bottom lowest part.]

1. Descending far below the surface; opening or reaching to a great depth; deep. "A gulf profound." Milton.

2. Intellectually deep; entering far into subjects; reaching to the bottom of a matter, or of a branch of learning; thorough; as, a profound investigation or treatise; a profound scholar; profound wisdom.

3. Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; pervading; overmastering; far-reaching; strongly impressed; as, a profound sleep. "Profound sciatica." Shak. Of the profound corruption of this class there can be no doubt. Milman.

4. Bending low, exhibiting or expressing deep humility; lowly; submissive; as, a profound bow. What humble gestures! What profound reverence! Dupp

PROFOUND Pro*found", n.

1. The deep; the sea; the ocean. God in the fathomless profound Hath all this choice commanders drowned. Sandys.

2. An abyss. Milton.

PROFOUND Pro*found", v. t.

Defn: To cause to sink deeply; to cause to dive or penetrate far down. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PROFOUND Pro*found", v. i.

Defn: To dive deeply; to penetrate. [Obs.]

PROFOUNDLY Pro*found"ly, adv.

Defn: In a profound manner. Why sigh you so profoundly Shak.

PROFOUNDNESS Pro*found"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being profound; profundity; depth. Hooker.

PROFULGENT Pro*ful"gent, a. Etym: [Pref. pro- + L. fulgere to shine.]

Defn: Shining forth; brilliant; effulgent. [Obs.] "Profulgent in preciousness." Chaucer.

PROFUNDITY Pro*fun"di*ty, n.; pl. -ties. Etym: [L. profunditas: cf. F. profondite. See Profound.]

Defn: The quality or state of being profound; depth of place, knowledge, feeling, etc. "The vast profundity obscure." Milton.

PROFUSE Pro*fuse", a. Etym: [L. profusus, p. p. of profundere to pour forth or out; pro forward, forth + fundere to pour: cf. F. profus. See Fuse to melt.]

1. Pouring forth with fullness or exuberance; bountiful; exceedingly liberal; giving without stint; as, a profuse government; profuse hospitality. A green, shady bank, profuse of flowers. Milton.

2. Superabundant; excessive; prodigal; lavish; as, profuse expenditure. "Profuse ornament." Kames.

Syn. — Lavish; exuberant; bountiful; prodigal; extravagant. — Profuse, Lavish, Prodigal. Profuse denotes pouring out (as money, etc.) with great fullness or freeness; as, profuse in his expenditures, thanks, promises, etc. Lavish is stronger, implying unnecessary or wasteful excess; as, lavish of his bounties, favors, praises, etc. Prodigal is stronger still, denoting unmeasured or reckless profusion; as, prodigal of one's strength, life, or blood, to secure some object. Dryden.

PROFUSE Pro*fuse", v. t.

Defn: To pour out; to give or spend liberally; to lavish; to squander. [Obs.] Chapman.

PROFUSELY Pro*fuse"ly, adv.

Defn: In a profuse manner.

PROFUSENESS Pro*fuse"ness, n.

Defn: Extravagance; profusion. Hospitality sometimes degenerates into profuseness. Atterbury.

PROFUSION Pro*fu"sion, n. Etym: [L. profusio: cf. F. profusion.]

1. The act of one who is profuse; a lavishing or pouring out without sting. Thy vast profusion to the factious nobles Rowe.

2. Abundance; exuberant plenty; lavish supply; as, a profusion of commodities. Addison.

PROFUSIVE Pro*fu"sive, a.

Defn: Profuse; lavish; prodigal.[Obs.]

PROG Prog, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Progged (. p. pr. & vb. n. Progging.] Etym: [Cf. D. prachen, G. prachern, Dan. prakke, Sw. pracka, to beg, L. procare, procari, to ask, demand, and E. prowl.]

1. To wander about and beg; to seek food or other supplies by low arts; to seek for advantage by mean shift or tricks. [Low] A perfect artist in progging for money. Fuller. I have been endeavoring to prog for you. Burke.

2. To steal; to rob; to filch. [Low] Johnson.

3. To prick; to goad; to progue. [Scot.]

PROG Prog, n.

1. Victuals got by begging, or vagrancy; victuals of any kind; food; supplies. [Slang] Swift. So long as he picked from the filth his prog. R. Browning.

2. A vagrant beggar; a tramp. [Slang]

3. A goal; progue. [Scot.]

PROGENERATE Pro*gen"er*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. progeneratus, p. p. of progenerare to beget; pro forth, forward + generare to generate.]

Defn: To beget; to generate; to produce; to procreate; as, to progenerate a race. [R.] Landor.

PROGENERATION Pro*gen`er*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. progeneratio.]

Defn: The act of begetting; propagation. [R.]

PROGENITOR Pro*gen"i*tor, n. Etym: [OF. progeniteur, L. progenitor, fr. progignere, progenitum, to bring forth, to beget; pro forth + gignere to beget. See Gender kind.]

Defn: An ancestor in the direct line; a forefather. And reverence thee their great progenitor. Milton.

PROGENITORSHIP Pro*gen"i*tor*ship, n.

Defn: The state of being a progenitor.

PROGENITRESS Pro*gen"i*tress, n.

Defn: A female progenitor.

PROGENITURE Pro*gen"i*ture, n. Etym: [F. progéniture.]

Defn: A begetting, or birth. [R.]

PROGENY Prog"e*ny, n. Etym: [OE. progenie, F. progénie, fr. L. progenies, fr. progignere. See Progenitor.]

Defn: Descendants of the human kind, or offspring of other animals; children; offspring; race, lineage. " Issued from the progeny of kings." Shak.

PROGLOTTID Pro*glot"tid, n. (Zoöl)

Defn: Proglottis.

PROGLOTTIS Pro*glot"tis, n.; pl. Proglottides. Etym: [NL. fr. Gr. (Zoöl)

Defn: One of the free, or nearly free, segments of a tapeworm. It contains both male and female reproductive organs, and is capable of a brief independent existence.

PROGNATHI Prog"na*thi, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Prognathous.] (Zoöl)

Defn: A comprehensive group of mankind, including those that have prognathous jaws.

PROGNATHIC Prog*nath"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Prognathous.

PROGNATHISM Prog"na*thism, n. (Anat.)

Defn: Projection of the jaws. — Prog"na*thy, n.

PROGNATHOUS Prog"na*thous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the jaws projecting beyond the upper part of the face; - - opposed to orthognathous. See Gnathic index, under Gnathic. Their countenances had the true prognathous character. Kane.

PROGNE Prog"ne, n. Etym: [L., a swallow, traditionally said to be fr. Progne (The sister of Philomela), who was changed into a swallow, Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) A swallow. (b) A genus of swallows including the purple martin. See Martin. (c) An American butterfly (Polygonia, or Vanessa, Progne). It is orange and black above, grayish beneath, with an L-shaped silver mark on the hind wings. Called also gray comma.

PROGNOSIS Prog*no"sis, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Know.] (Med.)

Defn: The act or art of foretelling the course and termination of a disease; also, the outlook afforded by this act of judgment; as, the prognosis of hydrophobia is bad.

PROGNOSTIC Prog*nos"tic, a. Etym: [Gr. Prognosis.]

Defn: Indicating something future by signs or symptoms; foreshowing; aiding in prognosis; as, the prognostic symptoms of a disease; prognostic signs.

PROGNOSTIC Prog*nos"tic, n. Etym: [L. prognosticum, Gr. pronostic, prognostic. See Prognostic, a.]

1. That which prognosticates; a sign by which a future event may be known or foretold; an indication; a sign or omen; hence, a foretelling; a prediction. That choice would inevitably be considered by the country as a prognostic of the highest import. Macaulay.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A sign or symptom indicating the course and termination of a disease. Parr.

Syn. — Sign; omen; presage; token; indication.

PROGNOSTIC Prog*nos"tic, v. t.

Defn: To prognosticate. [Obs.]

PROGNOSTICABLE Prog*nos"tic*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being prognosticated or foretold. Sir T. Browne.

PROGNOSTICATE Prog*nos"ti*cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prognosticated; p. pr. & vb. n. Prognosticating.] Etym: [See Prognostic.]

Defn: To indicate as future; to foretell from signs or symptoms; to prophesy; to foreshow; to predict; as, to prognosticate evil. Burke. I neither will nor can prognosticate To the young gaping heir his father's fate. Dryden.

Syn. — To foreshow; foretoken; betoken; forebode; presage; predict; prophesy.

PROGNOSTICATION Prog*nos`ti*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. prognostication.]

1. The act of foreshowing or foretelling something future by present signs; prediction.

2. That which foreshows; a foretoken. Shak.

PROGNOSTICATOR Prog*nos"ti*ca`tor, n.

Defn: One who prognosticates; a foreknower or foreteller of a future course or event by present signs. Isa. xlvii. 13.

PROGRAM Pro"gram, n.

Defn: Same as Programme.

PROGRAMMA Pro*gram"ma, n.; pl. Programmata. Etym: [ L. See Programme.]

1. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: Any law, which, after it had passed the Athenian senate, was fixed on a tablet for public inspection previously to its being proposed to the general assembly of the people.

2. An edict published for public information; an official bulletin; a public proclamation.

3. See Programme.

4. A preface. [Obs.] T. Warton.

PROGRAMME Pro"gramme, n. Etym: [L. programma a public proclamation, manifesto, Gr. programme. See Graphic.]

Defn: That which is written or printed as a public notice or advertisement; a scheme; a prospectus; especially, a brief outline or explanation of the order to be pursued, or the subjects embraced, in any public exercise, performance, or entertainment; a preliminary sketch. Programme music (Mus.), descriptive instrumental music which requires an argument or programme to explain the meaning of its several movements.

PROGRESS Prog"ress, n. Etym: [L. progressus, from progredi, p. p. progressus, to go forth or forward; pro forward + gradi to step, go: cf. F. progrès. See Grade.]

1. A moving or going forward; a proceeding onward; an advance; specifically: (a) In actual space, as the progress of a ship, carriage, etc. (b) In the growth of an animal or plant; increase. (c) In business of any kind; as, the progress of a negotiation; the progress of art. (d) In knowledge; in proficiency; as, the progress of a child at school. (e) Toward ideal completeness or perfection in respect of quality or condition; — applied to individuals, communities, or the race; as, social, moral, religious, or political progress.

2. A journey of state; a circuit; especially, one made by a sovereign through parts of his own dominions. The king being returned from his progresse. Evelyn.

PROGRESS Pro*gress" (; formerly pronounced like Progress, n.), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Progressed; p. pr. & vb. n. Progressing.]

1. To make progress; to move forward in space; to continue onward in course; to proceed; to advance; to go on; as, railroads are progressing. "As his recovery progressed." Thackeray. Let me wipe off this honorable dew, That silverly doth progress on thy checks. Shak. They progress in that style in proportion as their pieces are treated with contempt. Washington. The war had progressed for some time. Marshall.

2. To make improvement; to advance. Bayard. If man progresses, art must progress too. Caird.

PROGRESS Prog"ress (; see Progress, v. i.), v. t.

Defn: To make progress in; to pass through. [Obs.] Milton.

PROGRESSION Pro*gres"sion, n. Etym: [L. progressio: cf. F. progression.]

1. The act of moving forward; a proceeding in a course; motion onward.

2. Course; passage; lapse or process of time. I hope, in a short progression, you will be wholly immerged in the delices and joys of religion. Evelyn.

3. (Math.)

Defn: Regular or proportional advance in increase or decrease of numbers; continued proportion, arithmetical, geometrical, or harmonic.

4. (Mus.)

Defn: A regular succession of tones or chords; the movement of the parts in harmony; the order of the modulations in a piece from key to key. Arithmetical progression, a progression in which the terms increase or decrease by equal differences, as the numbers 2, 4, 6, 8, 1010, 8, 6, 4, 2 — Geometrical progression, a progression in which the terms increase or decrease by equal ratios, as the numbers 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 6464, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 — Harmonic progression, a progression in which the terms are the reciprocals of quantities in arithmetical progression, as

PROGRESSIONAL Pro*gres"sion*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to progression; tending to, or capable of, progress.

PROGRESSIONIST Pro*gres"sion*ist, n.

1. One who holds to a belief in the progression of society toward perfection.

2. One who maintains the doctrine of progression in organic forms; — opposed to uniformitarian. H. Spencer.

PROGRESSIST Prog"ress*ist, n.

Defn: One who makes, or holds to, progress; a progressionist.

PROGRESSIVE Pro*gress"ive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. progressif.]

1. Moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; — opposed to retrograde.

2. Improving; as, art is in a progressive state. Progressive euchre or whist, a way of playing at card parties, by which after every game, the losers at the first table go to the last table, and the winners at all the tables, except the first, move up to the next table. — Progressive muscular atrophy (Med.), a nervous disorder characterized by continuous atrophy of the muscles. — Pro*gress"ive*ly, adv. — Pro*gress"ive*ness, n.

PROGRESSIVE PARTY Progressive party. (U. S. Politics)

Defn: The political party formed, chiefly out of the Republican party, by the adherents of Theodore Roosevelt in the presidential campaign of 1912. The name Progressive party was chosen at the meeting held on Aug. 7, 1912, when the candidates were nominated and the platform adopted. Among the chief articles in the platform are those demanding direct primaries, preferential primaries for presidential nominations, direct election of United States senators, women's suffrage, and recall of judicial decisions in certain cases.

PROGUE Progue, v. i.

Defn: To prog. [Obs.] P. Fletcher.

PROGUE Progue, n.

Defn: A sharp point; a goad. [ Scot. & Local, U. S.] — v. t.

Defn: To prick; to goad. [ Scot. & Local, U. S.].

PROHEME Pro"heme, n.

Defn: Proem. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PROHIBIT Pro*hib"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prohibited; p. pr. & vb. n. Prohibiting.] Etym: [L. prohibitus, p. p. of prohibere to prohibit; pro before, forth + habere to have, hold. See Habit.]

1. To forbid by authority; to interdict; as, God prohibited Adam from eating of the fruit of a certain tree; we prohibit a person from doing a thing, and also the doing of the thing; as, the law prohibits men from stealing, or it prohibits stealing.

Note: Prohibit was formerly followed by to with the infinitive, but is now commonly followed by from with the verbal noun in -ing.

2. To hinder; to debar; to prevent; to preclude. Gates of burning adamant, Barred over us, prohibit all egress. Milton.

Syn. — To forbid; interdict; debar; prevent; hinder. — Prohibit, Forbid. To forbid is Anglo-Saxon, and is more familiar; to prohibit is Latin, and is more formal or official. A parent forbids his child to be out late at night; he prohibits his intercourse with the profane and vicious.

PROHIBITER Pro*hib"it*er, n.

Defn: One who prohibits or forbids; a forbidder; an interdicter.

PROHIBITION Pro`hi*bi"tion, n. Etym: [L. prohibitio: cf. F. prohibition.]

1. The act of prohibiting; a declaration or injunction forbidding some action; interdict. The law of God, in the ten commandments, consists mostly of prohibitions. Tillotson.

2. Specifically, the forbidding by law of the sale of alcoholic liquors as beverages. Writ of prohibition (Law), a writ issued by a superior tribunal, directed to an inferior court, commanding the latter to cease from the prosecution of a suit depending before it. Blackstone.

Note: By ellipsis, prohibition is used for the writ itself.

PROHIBITIONIST Pro`hi*bi"tion*ist, n.

1. One who favors prohibitory duties on foreign goods in commerce; a protectionist.

2. One who favors the prohibition of the sale (or of the sale and manufacture) of alcoholic liquors as beverages.

PROHIBITIVE Pro*hib"it*ive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. prohibitif.]

Defn: That prohibits; prohibitory; as, a tax whose effect is prohibitive.

PROHIBITORY Pro*hib"it*o*ry, a. Etym: [L. prohibitorius.]

Defn: Tending to prohibit, forbid, or exclude; implying prohibition; forbidding; as, a prohibitory law; a prohibitory price. Prohibitory index. (R. C. Ch.) See under Index.

PROIN Proin (proin), v. t. Etym: [See Prune to trim.]

Defn: To lop; to trim; to prune; to adorn. [Obs.] Chaucer. The sprigs that did about it grow He proined from the leafy arms. Chapman.

PROIN Proin, v. i.

Defn: To employed in pruning. [Obs.]

PROJECT Proj"ect, n. Etym: [OF. project, F. projet, fr. L. projectus, p. p. of projicere to project; pro forward + jacere to throw. See Jet a shooting forth, and cf. Projet.]

1. The place from which a thing projects, or starts forth. [Obs.] Holland.

2. That which is projected or designed; something intended or devised; a scheme; a design; a plan. Vented much policy, and projects deep. Milton. Projects of happiness devised by human reason. Rogers. He entered into the project with his customary ardor. Prescott.

3. An idle scheme; an impracticable design; as, a man given to projects.

Syn. — Design; scheme; plan; purpose. — Project, Design. A project is something of a practical nature thrown out for consideration as to its being done. A design is a project when matured and settled, as a thing to be accomplished. An ingenious man has many projects, but, if governed by sound sense, will be slow in forming them into designs. See also Scheme.

PROJECT Pro*ject", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Projected; p. pr. & vb. n. Projecting.] Etym: [Cf. OF. projecter, F. projeter.]

1. To throw or cast forward; to shoot forth. Before his feet herself she did project. Spenser. Behold! th' ascending villas on my side Project long shadows o'er the crystal tide. Pope.

2. To cast forward or revolve in the mind; to contrive; to devise; to scheme; as, to project a plan. What sit then projecting peace and war Milton.

3. (Persp.)

Defn: To draw or exhibit, as the form of anything; to delineate; as, to project a sphere, a map, an ellipse, and the like; — sometimes with on, upon, into, etc.; as, to project a line or point upon a plane. See Projection, 4.

PROJECT Pro*ject", v. i.

1. To shoot forward; to extend beyond something else; to be prominent; to jut; as, the cornice projects; branches project from the tree.

2. To form a project; to scheme. [R.] Fuller.

PROJECTILE Pro*ject"ile, a. Etym: [Cf. F. projectile.]

1. Projecting or impelling forward; as, a projectile force.

2. Caused or imparted by impulse or projection; impelled forward; as, projectile motion. Arbuthnot.

PROJECTILE Pro*ject"ile, n. Etym: [Cf. F. projectile.]

1. A body projected, or impelled forward, by force; especially, a missile adapted to be shot from a firearm.

2. pl. (Mech.)

Defn: A part of mechanics which treats of the motion, range, time of flight, etc., of bodies thrown or driven through the air by an impelling force.

PROJECTION Pro*jec"tion, n. Etym: [L. projectio: cf. F. projection.]

1. The act of throwing or shooting forward.

2. A jutting out; also, a part jutting out, as of a building; an extension beyond something else.

3. The act of scheming or planning; also, that which is planned; contrivance; design; plan. Davenant.

4. (Persp.)

Defn: The representation of something; delineation; plan; especially, the representation of any object on a perspective plane, or such a delineation as would result were the chief points of the object thrown forward upon the plane, each in the direction of a line drawn through it from a given point of sight, or central point; as, the projection of a sphere. The several kinds of projection differ according to the assumed point of sight and plane of projection in each.

5. (Geog.)

Defn: Any method of representing the surface of the earth upon a plane. Conical projection, a mode of representing the sphere, the spherical surface being projected upon the surface of a cone tangent to the sphere, the point of sight being at the center of the sphere. — Cylindric projection, a mode of representing the sphere, the spherical surface being projected upon the surface of a cylinder touching the sphere, the point of sight being at the center of the sphere. — Globular, Gnomonic, Orthographic, projection,etc. See under Globular, Gnomonic, etc. — Mercator's projection, a mode of representing the sphere in which the meridians are drawn parallel to each other, and the parallels of latitude are straight lines whose distance from each other increases with their distance from the equator, so that at all places the degrees of latitude and longitude have to each other the same ratio as on the sphere itself. — Oblique projection, a projection made by parallel lines drawn from every point of a figure and meeting the plane of projection obliquely. — Polar projection, a projection of the sphere in which the point of sight is at the center, and the plane of projection passes through one of the polar circles. — Powder of projection (Alchemy.), a certain powder cast into a crucible or other vessel containing prepared metal or other matter which is to be thereby transmuted into gold. — Projection of a point on a plane (Descriptive Geom.), the foot of a perpendicular to the plane drawn through the point. — Projection of a straight line of a plane, the straight line of the plane connecting the feet of the perpendiculars let fall from the extremities of the given line.

Syn. — See Protuberance.

PROJECTMENT Pro*ject"ment, n.

Defn: Design; contrivance; projection. [Obs.] Clarendon.

PROJECTOR Pro*ject"or, n. Etym: [Cf. F. projeteur.]

Defn: One who projects a scheme or design; hence, one who forms fanciful or chimerical schemes. L'Estrange.

PROJECTURE Pro*jec"ture, n. Etym: [L. projectura: cf. F. projecture.]

Defn: A jutting out beyond a surface.

PROJET Pro`jet", n. Etym: [F. See Project, n.]

Defn: A plan proposed; a draft of a proposed measure; a project.

PROKE Proke, v. i.

Defn: To poke; to thrust. [Obs.] Holland.

PROLAPSE Pro*lapse", n. Etym: [L. prolapsus, fr. prolapsus, p. p. of prolabi to fall forward; pro forward + labi to glide, fall.] (Med.)

Defn: The falling down of a part through the orifice with which it is naturally connected, especially of the uterus or the rectum. Dunglison.

PROLAPSE Pro*lapse", v. i.

Defn: To fall down or out; to protrude.

PROLAPSION Pro*lap"sion, n. Etym: [L. prolapsio.] (Med.)

Defn: Prolapse. [ Written also prolaption.] [Obs.]

PROLAPSUS Pro*lap"sus, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: Prolapse.

PROLATE Pro"late, a. Etym: [L. prolatus, used as p. p. of proferre to bring forth, to extend; pro + latus, p. p. See Pro-, and Tolerate. ]

Defn: Stretched out; extended; especially, elongated in the direction of a line joining the poles; as, a prolate spheroid; — opposed to oblate. Prolate cycloid. See the Note under Cycloid. — Prolate ellipsoid or spheroid (Geom.), a figure generated by the revolution of an ellipse about its major axis. See Ellipsoid of revolution, under Ellipsoid.

PROLATE Pro*late", v. t.

Defn: To utter; to pronounce. [Obs.] "Foun-der-ed; prolate it right." B. Jonson.

PROLATION Pro*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. prolatio: cf. F. prolation.]

1. The act of prolating or pronouncing; utterance; pronunciation. [Obs.] Ray.

2. The act of deferring; delay. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: A mediæval method of determining of the proportionate duration of semibreves and minims. Busby.

PROLATUM Pro*la"tum, n.; pl. Prolata. Etym: [ NL. See Prolate.] (Geom.)

Defn: A prolate spheroid. See Ellipsoid of revolution, under Ellipsoid.

PROLEG Pro"leg, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- for, in place of + leg.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the fleshy legs found on the abdominal segments of the larvæ of Lepidoptera, sawflies, and some other insects. Those of Lepidoptera have a circle of hooks. Called also proped, propleg, and falseleg.

PROLEGATE Pro"leg`ate (; 48), n. Etym: [L. prolegatus; pro for + legatus legate.] (Rom. Hist.)

Defn: The deputy or substitute for a legate.

PROLEGOMENARY Prol`e*gom"e*na*ry, a.

Defn: Of the nature of a prolegomenon; preliminary; introductory; prefatory.

PROLEGOMENON Prol`e*gom"e*non, n.; pl. Prolegomena. Etym: [ NL., fr. Gr.

Defn: A preliminary remark or observation; an introductory discourse prefixed to a book or treatise. D. Stokes (1659). Sir W. Scott.

PROLEPSIS Pro*lep"sis, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Rhet.) (a) A figure by which objections are anticipated or prevented. Abp. Bramhall. (b) A necessary truth or assumption; a first or assumed principle.

2. (Chron.)

Defn: An error in chronology, consisting in an event being dated before the actual time.

3. (Gram.)

Defn: The application of an adjective to a noun in anticipation, or to denote the result, of the action of the verb; as, to strike one dumb.

PROLEPTIC; PROLEPTICAL Pro*lep"tic, Pro*lep"tic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. proleptique.]

1. Of or pertaining to prolepsis; anticipative. "A far-seeing or proleptic wisdom." De Quincey.

2. Previous; antecedent. Glanvill.

3. (Med.)

Defn: Anticipating the usual time; — applied to a periodical disease whose paroxysms return at an earlier hour at every repetition.

PROLEPTICALLY Pro*lep"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a proleptical manner.

PROLEPTICS Pro*lep"tics, n. (Med.)

Defn: The art and science of predicting in medicine. Laycock.

PROLETAIRE Pro`lé`taire", n. Etym: [F. See Proletary.]

Defn: One of the common people; a low person; also, the common people as a class or estate in a country.

PROLETANEOUS Prol`e*ta"ne*ous, a. Etym: [L. proletaneus.]

Defn: Having a numerous offspring. [R.]

PROLETARIAN Prol`e*ta"ri*an, a. Etym: [L. proletarius. See Proletary.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the proletaries; belonging to the commonalty; hence, mean; vile; vulgar. "Every citizen, if he were not a proletarian animal kept at the public cost." De Quincey. — n.

Defn: A proletary.

PROLETARIAT Prol`e*ta"ri*at, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: The indigent class in the State; the body of proletarians.

PROLETARIATE Prol`e*ta"ri*ate, n.

Defn: The lower classes; beggars. "The Italian proletariate." J. A. Symonds.

PROLETARY Prol"e*ta*ry, n.; pl. Proletaries. Etym: [ L. proletarius, fr. proles offspring. Cf. Prolétaire.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A citizen of the lowest class, who served the state, not with property, but only by having children; hence, a common person.

PROLICIDE Prol"i*cide, n. Etym: [L. proles offspring + caedere to kill.]

Defn: The crime of destroying one's offspring, either in the womb or after birth. Bouvier.

PROLIFERATE Pro*lif"er*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. proles offspring + ferre to bear.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: To produce or form cells; especially, to produce cells rapidly.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: To produce zooids by budding.

PROLIFERATION Pro*lif`er*a"tion, n.

1. (Biol.)

Defn: The continuous development of cells in tissue formation; cell formation. Virchow.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The production of numerous zooids by budding, especially when buds arise from other buds in succession.

PROLIFEROUS Pro*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. proles offspring + -ferous.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing offspring; — applied to a flower from within which another is produced, or to a branch or frond from which another rises, or to a plant which is reproduced by buds or gemmæ.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) Producing young by budding. (b) Producing sexual zooids by budding; — said of the blastostyle of a hydroid. (c) Producing a cluster of branchlets from a larger branch; — said of corals. Proliferous cyst (Med.), a cyst that produces highly- organized or even vascular structures. Paget. — Pro*lif"er*ous*ly, adv.

PROLIFIC Pro*lif"ic, a. Etym: [F. prolifique, fr. L. proles offspring (from pro for, forward + the root of alere to nourish) + facere to make. See Adult, Old, and Fact.]

1. Having the quality of generating; producing young or fruit; generative; fruitful; productive; — applied to plants producing fruit, animals producing young, etc.; — usually with the implied idea of frequent or numerous production; as, a prolific tree, female, and the like.

2. Serving to produce; fruitful of results; active; as, a prolific brain; a controversy prolific of evil.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: Proliferous.

PROLIFICACY Pro*lif"ic*a*cy, n.

Defn: Prolificness. [R.]

PROLIFICAL Pro*lif"ic*al, a.

Defn: Producing young or fruit abundantly; fruitful; prolific. — Pro*lif"ic*al*ly, adv.

PROLIFICATE Pro*lif"ic*ate, v. t. Etym: [See Prolific.]

Defn: To make prolific; to fertilize; to impregnate. Sir T. Browne.

PROLIFICATION Pro*lif`i*ca"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. prolification, LL. prolificatio.]

1. The generation of young.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Reproduction by the growth of a plant, or part of a plant, directly from an older one, or by gemmæ.

PROLIFICNESS Pro*lif"ic*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being prolific; fruitfulness; prolificacy.

PROLIX Pro*lix", a. Etym: [L. prolixus extended, long, prolix, probably fr. pro before, forward + liqui to flow, akin to liquidus liquid; cf. OL. lixa water: cf. F. prolixe. See Liquid.]

1. Extending to a great length; unnecessarily long; minute in narration or argument; excessively particular in detail; — rarely used except with reference to discourse written or spoken; as, a prolix oration; a prolix poem; a prolix sermon. With wig prolix, down flowing to his waist. Cowper.

2. Indulging in protracted discourse; tedious; wearisome; — applied to a speaker or writer.

Syn. — Long; diffuse; prolonged; protracted; tedious; tiresome; wearisome. — Prolix, Diffuse. A prolix writer delights in circumlocution, extended detail, and trifling particulars. A diffuse writer is fond of amplifying, and abounds in epithets, figures, and illustrations. Diffuseness often arises from an exuberance of imagination; prolixity is generally connected with a want of it.

PROLIXIOUS Pro*lix"ious, a.

Defn: Dilatory; tedious; superfluous. [Obs.] "Lay by all nicety, and prolixious blushes." Shak.

PROLIXITY Pro*lix"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. prolixitas: cf. F. prolixité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being prolix; great length; minute detail; as, prolixity in discourses and writings. "For fulsomeness of his prolixitee." Chaucer. Idly running on with vain prolixity. Drayton.

PROLIXLY Pro*lix"ly, adv.

Defn: In a prolix manner. Dryden.

PROLIXNESS Pro*lix"ness, n.

Defn: Prolixity. Adam Smith.

PROLL Proll, v. t. Etym: [See Prowl.] [imp. & p. p. Prolled (; p. pr. & vb. n. Prolling.]

Defn: To search or prowl after; to rob; to plunder. [Obs.] Barrow.

PROLL Proll, v. i.

Defn: To prowl about; to rob. [Obs.] South. Though ye prolle aye, ye shall it never find. Chaucer.

PROLLER Proll"er, n.

Defn: Prowler; thief. [Obs.] Chapman.

PROLOCUTOR Prol`o*cu"tor, n. Etym: [L., from proloqui, p. p. prolocutus, to speak out; pro for + loqui to speak.]

1. One who speaks for another. Jeffrey.

2. The presiding officer of a convocation. Macaulay.

PROLOCUTORSHIP Pro`lo*cu"tor*ship, n.

Defn: The office of a prolocutor.

PROLOG Pro"log, n. & v.

Defn: Prologue.

PROLOGIZE Pro"lo*gize, v. i. Etym: [Gr. Prologue.]

Defn: To deliver a Prologue. [R.] Whewell.

PROLOGIZER Pro"lo*gi`zer, n.

Defn: One who prologizes. [R.]

PROLOGUE Pro"logue, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. prologus, fr. Gr. Logic.]

1. The preface or introduction to a discourse, poem, or performance; as, the prologue of Chaucer's "Canterbury Tales;" esp., a discourse or poem spoken before a dramatic performance

2. One who delivers a prologue. [R.] Shak.

PROLOGUE Pro"logue, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prologued; p. pr. & vb. n. Prologuing.]

Defn: To introduce with a formal preface, or prologue. [R.] Shak.

PROLONG Pro*long", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prolonged; p. pr. & vb. n. Prolonging.] Etym: [F. prolonger, L. prolongare; pro before, forth + longus long. See Long, a., and cf. Prolongate, Purloin. ]

1. To extend in space or length; as, to prolong a line.

2. To lengthen in time; to extend the duration of; to draw out; to continue; as, to prolong one's days. Prolong awhile the traitor's life. Shak. The unhappy queen with talk prolonged the night. Dryden.

3. To put off to a distant time; to postpone. Shak.

PROLONGABLE Pro*long"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being prolonged; as, life is prolongable by care. Each syllable being a prolongable quantity. Rush.

PROLONGATE Pro*lon"gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prolongated; p. pr. & vb. n. Prolongating.] Etym: [L. prolongatus, p. p. of prolongare. See Prolong.]

Defn: To prolong; to extend in space or in time. [R.]

PROLONGATION Pro`lon*ga"tion, n. Etym: [F. prolongation.]

1. The act of lengthening in space or in time; extension; protraction. Bacon.

2. That which forms an additional length.

PROLONGE Pro*longe", n. Etym: [F. See Prolong.] (Field Artillery)

Defn: A rope with a hook and a toggle, sometimes used to drag a gun carriage or to lash it to the limber, and for various other purposes.

PROLONGER Pro*long"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, causes an extension in time or space.

PROLONGMENT Pro*long"ment, n.

Defn: Prolongation.

PROLUSION Pro*lu"sion, n. Etym: [L. prolusio, fr. proludere to prelude; pro before + ludere to play: cf. F. prolusion, It. prolusione.]

Defn: A trial before the principal performance; a prelude; hence, an introductory essay or exercise. "Domestic prolusions." Thackeray. Her presence was in some measure a restraint on the worthy divine, whose prolusion lasted. Sir W. Scott.

PROMANATION Prom`a*na"tion, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + L. manatio a flowing, fr. manare to flow.]

Defn: The act of flowing forth; emanation; efflux. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

PROMENADE Prom`e*nade", n. Etym: [F. (with a foreign suffix), from promener to lead, take for a walk, se promener to walk, from L. prominare to drive forward or along; pro forward + minare to drive animals. See Amenable, Menace.]

1. A walk for pleasure, display, or exercise. Burke.

2. A place for walking; a public walk. Bp. Montagu.

PROMENADE Prom`e*nade", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Promenaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Promenading.]

Defn: To walk for pleasure, display, or exercise.

PROMENADER Prom`e*nad"er, n.

Defn: One who promenades.

PROMERIT Pro*mer"it, v. t. Etym: [L. promeritus, p. p. of promerere to deserve; pro before + merere to merit.]

1. To oblige; to confer a favor on. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

2. To deserve; to procure by merit. [Obs.] Davenant.

PROMEROPS Prom"e*rops, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of several species of very brilliant birds belonging to Promerops, Epimarchus, and allied genera, closely related to the paradise birds, and mostly native of New Guinea. They have a long curved beak and a long graduated tail.

PROMETHEA Pro*me"the*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Prometheus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large American bombycid moth (Callosamia promethea). Its larva feeds on the sassafras, wild cherry, and other trees, and suspends its cocoon from a branch by a silken band.

PROMETHEAN Pro*me"the*an, a. Etym: [L. Promethus: cf. F. prométhéen.]

1. Of or pertaining to Prometheus. See Prometheus. "Promethean fire." Shak.

2. Having a life-giving quality; inspiring.

PROMETHEAN Pro*me"the*an, n. (Old Chem.) (a) An apparatus for automatic ignition. (b) A kind of lucifer match.

PROMETHEUS Pro*me"the*us, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The son of Iapetus (one of the Titans) and Clymene, fabled by the poets to have surpassed all mankind in knowledge, and to have formed men of clay to whom he gave life by means of fire stolen from heaven. Jupiter, being angry at this, sent Mercury to bind Prometheus to Mount Caucasus, where a vulture preyed upon his liver.

PROMINENCE; PROMINENCY Prom"i*nence, Prom"i*nen*cy, n. Etym: [L. prominentia: cf. F. prominence. See Prominent. ]

1. The quality or state of being prominent; a standing out from something; conspicuousness.

2. That which is prominent; a protuberance. Solar prominences. (Astron.) See Solar Protuberances, under Protuberance.

PROMINENT Prom"i*nent, a. Etym: [L. prominens, -entis, p. pr. of prominere to jut out, to project; pro before, forward + minere (in comp.) to jut, project: cf. F. prominent. See Imminent, Eminent.]

1. Standing out, or projecting, beyond the line surface of something; jutting; protuberant; in high relief; as, a prominent figure on a vase.

2. Hence; Distinctly manifest; likely to attract attention from its size or position; conspicuous; as, a prominent feature of the face; a prominent building.

3. Eminent; distinguished above others; as, a prominent character. Prominent' moth (Zoöl.), any moth of the family Notodontidæ; a notodontian; — so called because the larva has a hump or prominence on its back. Several of the species are injurious to fruit trees.

PROMINENTLY Prom"i*nent*ly, adv.

Defn: In a prominent manner.

PROMISCUITY Pro`mis*cu"i*ty, n.

Defn: Promiscuousness; confusion. H. Spencer.

PROMISCUOUS Pro*mis"cu*ous, a. Etym: [L. promiscuus; pro before, in place of, for + miscere to mix. See Mix. ]

1. Consisting of individuals united in a body or mass without order; mingled; confused; undistinguished; as, a promiscuous crowd or mass. A wild, where weeds and flowers promiscuous shoot. Pope.

2. Distributed or applied without order or discrimination; not restricted to an individual; common; indiscriminate; as, promiscuous love or intercourse.

PROMISCUOUSLY Pro*mis"cu*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a promiscuous manner.

PROMISCUOUSNESS Pro*mis"cu*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being promiscuous.

PROMISE Prom"ise, a. Etym: [F. promesse, L. promissum, fr. promittere, promissum, to put forth, foretell, promise; pro forward, for + mittere to send. See Mission. ]

1. In general, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do, or to forbear to do, a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of a specified act. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Gal. iii. 18.

2. (Law)

Defn: An engagement by one person to another, either in words or in writing, but properly not under seal, for the performance or nonperformance of some particular thing. The word promise is used to denote the mere engagement of a person, without regard to the consideration for it, or the corresponding duty of the party to whom it is made. Chitty. Parsons. Burrill.

3. That which causes hope, expectation, or assurance; especially, that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise. Shak. My native country was full of youthful promise. W. Irving.

4. Bestowal, fulfillment, or grant of what is promised. He . . . commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. Acts i. 4.

PROMISE Prom"ise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promised; p. pr. & vb. n. Promising.]

1. To engage to do, give, make, or to refrain from doing, giving, or making, or the like; to covenant; to engage; as, to promise a visit; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money. "To promise aid." Shak.

2. To afford reason to expect; to cause hope or assurance of; as, the clouds promise rain. Milton.

3. To make declaration of or give assurance of, as some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow; as, the proprietors promised large tracts of land; the city promised a reward. Promised land. See Land of promise, under Land. — To promise one's self. (a) To resolve; to determine; to vow. (b) To be assured; to have strong confidence. I dare promise myself you will attest the truth of all I have advanced. Rambler.

PROMISE Prom"ise, v. i.

1. To give assurance by a promise, or binding declaration.

2. To afford hopes or expectation; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil. Will not the ladies be afeard of the lion I fear it, I promise you. Shak.

PROMISEE Prom`is*ee", n. (Law)

Defn: The person to whom a promise is made.

PROMISER Prom"is*er, n.

Defn: One who promises.

PROMISING Prom"is*ing, a.

Defn: Making a promise or promises; affording hope or assurance; as, promising person; a promising day. — Prom"is*ing*ly, adv.

PROMISOR Prom"is*or, n. (Law)

Defn: One who engages or undertakes; a promiser. Burrill.

PROMISSIVE Pro*mis"sive, a.

Defn: Making a promise; implying a promise; promising. [R.]

PROMISSORILY Prom"is*so*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a promissory manner. Sir T. Browne.

PROMISSORY Prom"is*so*ry, a.

Defn: Containing a promise or binding declaration of something to be done or forborne. Promissory note (Law), a written promise to pay to some person named, and at a time specified therein, or on demand, or at sight, a certain sum of money, absolutely and at all events; — frequently called a note of hand. Kent. Byles. Story.

PROMONT Prom"ont, n.

Defn: Promontory. [R.] Drayton.

PROMONTORY Prom"on*to*ry, n.; pl. Promontories. Etym: [ L. promonturium, promunturium; pro before + mons, montis, mountain: cf. F. promontoire. See Mount, n.]

1. (Phys. Geog.)

Defn: A high point of land or rock projecting into the sea beyond the line of coast; a headland; a high cape. Like one that stands upon a promontory. Shak.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: A projecting part. Especially: (a) The projecting angle of the ventral side of the sacrum where it joins the last lumbar vertebra. (b) A prominence on the inner wall of the tympanum of the ear.

PROMORPHOLOGICAL Pro*mor`pho*log"ic*al, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Relating to promorphology; as, a promorphological conception.

PROMORPHOLOGIST Pro`mor*phol"o*gist, n. (Biol.)

Defn: One versed in the science of promorphology.

PROMORPHOLOGY Pro`mor*phol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + morphology.] (Biol.)

Defn: Crystallography of organic forms; — a division of morphology created by Haeckel. It is essentially stereometric, and relates to a mathematical conception of organic forms. See Tectology.

PROMOTE Pro*mote", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Promoting.] Etym: [L. promotus, p. p. of promovere to move forward, to promote; pro forward + movere to move. See Move.]

1. To contribute to the growth, enlargement, or prosperity of (any process or thing that is in course); to forward; to further; to encourage; to advance; to excite; as, to promote learning; to promote disorder; to promote a business venture. "Born to promote all truth." Milton.

2. To exalt in station, rank, or honor; to elevate; to raise; to prefer; to advance; as, to promote an officer. I will promote thee unto very great honor. Num. xxii. 17. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee. Prov. iv. 18.

Syn. — To forward; advance; further; patronize; help; exalt; prefer; elevate; dignify.

PROMOTE Pro*mote", v. i.

Defn: To urge on or incite another, as to strife; also, to inform against a person. [Obs.]

PROMOTER Pro*mot"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, forwards, advances, or promotes; an encourager; as, a promoter of charity or philosophy. Boyle.

2. Specifically, one who sets on foot, and takes the preliminary steps in, a scheme for the organization of a corporation, a joint- stock company, or the like.

3. One who excites; as, a promoter of sedition.

4. An informer; a makebate. [Obs.] Tusser.

PROMOTION Pro*mo"tion, n. Etym: [L. promotio: cf. F. promotion.]

Defn: The act of promoting, advancing, or encouraging; the act of exalting in rank or honor; also, the condition of being advanced, encouraged, or exalted in honor; preferment. Milton. Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. Ps. lxxv. 6.

PROMOTIVE Pro*mo"tive, a.

Defn: Tending to advance, promote, or encourage. Hume.

PROMOVE Pro*move", v. t. Etym: [See Promote.]

Defn: To move forward; to advance; to promote. [Obs.] Bp. Fell.

PROMOVER Pro*mov"er, n.

Defn: A promoter. [Obs.]

PROMPT Prompt, a. [Compar. Prompter; superl. Promptest.] Etym: [F. prompt, L. promptus, properly, brought forth (to light or view), hence, visible, evident, at hand, ready, quick, — p. p. of promere to take or bring forth; pro forth + emere to take. See Redeem. ]

1. Ready and quick to act as occasion demands; meeting requirements readily; not slow, dilatory, or hesitating in decision or action; responding on the instant; immediate; as, prompt in obedience or compliance; — said of persons. Very discerning and prompt in giving orders. Clarendon. Tell him I am prompt To lay my crown at's feet. Shak. Any you, perhaps, too prompt in your replies. Dryden.

2. Done or rendered quickly, readily, or immediately; given without delay or hesitation; — said of conduct; as, prompt assistance. When Washington heard the voice of his country in distress, his obedience was prompt. Ames.

3. Easy; unobstructed. [Obs.] The reception of the light into the body of the building was very prompt. Sir H. Wotton.

Syn. — Ready; expeditious; quick; agile; alert; brisk; nimble. — Prompt, Ready, Expeditious. One who is ready is prepared to act at the moment. One who is prompt acts at the moment. One who is expeditious carries through an undertaking with constant promptness.

PROMPT Prompt, n. (Com.)

Defn: A limit of time given for payment of an account for produce purchased, this limit varying with different goods. See Prompt-note. To cover any probable difference of price which might arise before the expiration of the prompt, which for this article [tea] is three months. J. S. Mill.

PROMPT Prompt, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prompted; p. pr. & vb. n. Prompting.]

1. To assist or induce the action of; to move to action; to instigate; to incite. God first . . . prompted on the infirmities of the infant world by temporal prosperity. Jer. Taylor.

2. To suggest; to dictate. And whispering angles prompt her golden dreams. Pope.

3. To remind, as an actor or an orator, of words or topics forgotten.

PROMPT-BOOK Prompt"-book` (, n.

Defn: The book used by a prompter of a theater.

PROMPTER Prompt"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, prompts; one who admonishes or incites to action.

2. One who reminds another, as an actor or an orator, of the words to be spoken next; specifically, one employed for this purpose in a theater.

PROMPTITUDE Prompt"i*tude, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. promptitudo. See Prompt, a.]

Defn: The quality of being prompt; quickness of decision and action when occasion demands; alacrity; as, promptitude in obedience. Men of action, of promptitude, and of courage. I. Taylor.

PROMPTLY Prompt"ly, adv.

Defn: In a prompt manner.

PROMPTNESS Prompt"ness, n.

1. Promptitude; readiness; quickness of decision or action.

2. Cheerful willingness; alacrity.

PROMPT-NOTE Prompt"-note`, n. (Com.)

Defn: A memorandum of a sale, and time when payment is due, given to the purchaser at a sale of goods.

PROMPTUARY Promp"tu*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to preparation. [R.] Bacon.

PROMPTUARY Promp"tu*a*ry, n. Etym: [L. promptuarium, fr. promptuarius belonging to distribution, distributing: cf, F. promptuaire. See Prompt, a.]

Defn: That from which supplies are drawn; a storehouse; a magazine; a repository. Woodward.

PROMPTURE Promp"ture, n. Etym: [See Prompt, a.]

Defn: Suggestion; incitement; prompting. [R.] Shak. Coleridge.

PROMULGATE Pro*mul"gate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promulgated; p. pr. & vb. n. Promulgating.] Etym: [L. promulgatus, p. p. of promulgare to promulgate; of unknown origin. Cf. Promulge.]

Defn: To make known by open declaration, as laws, decrees, or tidings; to publish; as, to promulgate the secrets of a council.

Syn. — To publish; declare; proclaim. See Announce.

PROMULGATION Pro`mul*ga"tion, n. Etym: [L. promulgatio: cf. F. promulgation.]

Defn: The act of promulgating; publication; open declaration; as, the promulgation of the gospel. South.

PROMULGATOR Pro"mul*ga`tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: One who promulgates or publishes. Dr. H. More.

PROMULGE Pro*mulge", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promulged; p. pr. & vb. n. Promulging.] Etym: [Cf. F. promulguer. See Promulgate.]

Defn: To promulgate; to publish or teach. Blackstone. Extraordinary doctrines these for the age in which they were promulged. Prescott.

PROMULGER Pro*mul"ger, n.

Defn: One who promulges or publishes what was before unknown. Atterbury.

PROMUSCIS Pro*mus"cis, n. Etym: [L., corruption of proboscis.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The proboscis of hemipterous insects. See Illust. under Hemiptera.

PRONAOS Pro*na"os, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Arch.)

Defn: The porch or vestibule of a temple.

PRONATE Pro"nate, a. Etym: [L. pronatus, p. p. of pronare to bend forward. See Prone.]

Defn: Somewhat prone; inclined; as, pronate trees. Kane.

PRONATION Pro*na"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pronation.] (Physiol.) (a) The act of turning the palm or palmar surface of the forefoot downward. (b) That motion of the forearm whereby the palm or palmar, surface is turned downward. (c) The position of the limb resulting from the act of pronation. Opposed to supination.

PRONATOR Pro*na"tor, n. Etym: [NL.] (Anat.)

Defn: A muscle which produces pronation.

PRONE Prone, a. Etym: [L. pronus, akin to Gr. pravana sloping, inclined, and also to L. pro forward, for. See Pro-.]

1. Bending forward; inclined; not erect. Towards him they bend With awful reverence prone. Milton.

2. Prostrate; flat; esp., lying with the face down; — opposed to supine. Which, as the wind, Blew where it listed, laying all things prone. Byron.

3. Headlong; running downward or headlong. "Down thither prone in flight." Milton.

4. Sloping, with reference to a line or surface; declivous; inclined; not level. Since the floods demand, For their descent, a prone and sinking land. Blackmore.

5. Inclined; propense; disposed; — applied to the mind or affections, usually in an ill sense. Followed by to. "Prone to mischief." Shak. Poets are nearly all prone to melancholy. Landor.

PRONELY Prone"ly, adv.

Defn: In a prone manner or position.

PRONENESS Prone"ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being prone, or of bending downward; as, the proneness of beasts is opposed to the erectness of man.