Chapter 1227

Am I not sung and proverbed for a fool ? Milton.

2. To provide with a proverb. [R.]

I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase. Shak.

Proverb <Xpage=1154>

Prov"erb , v. i. To write or utter proverbs. [R.]

Proverbial <Xpage=1154>

Pro*ver"bi*al (?) , a. [L. proverbialis : cf. F. proverbial .] 1. Mentioned or comprised in a proverb; used as a proverb; hence, commonly known; as, a proverbial expression; his meanness was proverbial .

In case of excesses, I take the German proverbial cure, by a hair of the same beast, to be the worst. Sir W. Temple.

2. Of or pertaining to proverbs; resembling a proverb. "A proverbial obscurity."

Sir T. Browne.

Proverbialism <Xpage=1154>

Pro*ver"bi*al*ism (?) , n. A proverbial phrase.

Proverbialist <Xpage=1154>

Pro*ver"bi*al*ist , n. One who makes much use of proverbs in speech or writing; one who composes, collects, or studies proverbs.

Proverbialize <Xpage=1154>

Pro*ver"bi*al*ize (?) , v. t. & i. [Cf. F. proverbialiser .] To turn into a proverb; to speak in proverbs.

Proverbially <Xpage=1154>

Pro*ver"bi*al*ly , adv. In a proverbial manner; by way of proverb; hence, commonly; universally; as, it is proverbially said; the bee is proverbially busy.

Provexity <Xpage=1154>

Pro*vex"i*ty (?) , n. [L. provehere to advance. Cf. Provect .] Great advance in age. [Obs.]

Provide <Xpage=1154>

Pro*vide" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Provided ; p. pr. & vb. n. Providing .] [L. providere , provisum ; pro before + videre to see. See Vision , and cf. Prudent , Purvey .] 1. To look out for in advance; to procure beforehand; to get, collect, or make ready for future use; to prepare. " Provide us all things necessary."

Shak.

2. To supply; to afford; to contribute.

Bring me berries, or such cooling fruit As the kind, hospitable woods provide . Milton.

3. To furnish; to supply; -- formerly followed by of , now by with . "And yet provided him of but one." Jer. Taylor . "Rome . . . was well provided with corn." Arbuthnot .

4. To establish as a previous condition; to stipulate; as, the contract provides that the work be well done .

5. To foresee. [A Latinism ] [Obs.]

B. Jonson.

6. To appoint to an ecclesiastical benefice before it is vacant. See Provisor .

Prescott.

Provide <Xpage=1154>

Pro*vide" , v. i. 1. To procure supplies or means in advance; to take measures beforehand in view of an expected or a possible future need, especially a danger or an evil; -- followed by against or for ; as, to provide against the inclemency of the weather; to provide for the education of a child.

Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Burke.

2. To stipulate previously; to condition; as, the agreement provides for an early completion of the work .

Provided <Xpage=1154>

Pro*vid"ed (?) , conj. On condition; by stipulation; with the understanding; if; -- usually followed by that ; as, provided that nothing in this act shall prejudice the rights of any person whatever .

Provided the deductions are logical, they seem almost indifferent to their truth. G. H. Lewes.

&hand; This word is strictly a participle, and the word being is understood, the participle provided agreeing with the whole sentence absolute, and being equivalent to this condition being previously stipulated or established .

Providence <Xpage=1154>

Prov"i*dence (?) , n. [L. providentia : cf. F. providence . See Provident , and cf. Prudence .] 1. The act of providing or preparing for future use or application; a making ready; preparation.

Providence for war is the best prevention of it. Bacon.

2. Foresight; care; especially, the foresight and care which God manifests for his creatures; hence, God himself, regarded as exercising a constant wise prescience.

The world was all before them, where to choose Their place of rest, and Providence their guide. Milton.

3. (Theol.) A manifestation of the care and superintendence which God exercises over his creatures; an event ordained by divine direction.

He that hath a numerous family, and many to provide for, needs a greater providence of God. Jer. Taylor.

<page="1155"> Page 1155

4. Prudence in the management of one's concerns; economy; frugality.

It is a high point of providence in a prince to cast an eye rather upon actions than persons. Quarles.

Provident <Xpage=1155>

Prov"i*dent (?) , a. [L. providens , -entis , p . pr . of providere : cf. F. provident . See Provide , and cf. Prudent .] Foreseeing wants and making provision to supply them; prudent in preparing for future exigencies; cautious; economical; -- sometimes followed by of ; as, a provident man; an animal provident of the future.

And of our good and of our dignity, How provident he is. Milton.

Syn. -- Forecasting; cautious; careful; prudent; frugal; economical.

Providential <Xpage=1155>

Prov`i*den"tial (?) , a. [Cf. F. providentiel .] Effected by, or referable to, divine direction or superintendence; as, the providential contrivance of thing; a providential escape. -- Prov"i*den"tial*ly , adv.

Providently <Xpage=1155>

Prov"i*dent*ly (?) , adv. In a provident manner.

Providentness <Xpage=1155>

Prov"i*dent*ness , n. The quality or state of being provident; carefulness; prudence; economy.

Provider <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vid"er (?) , n. One who provides, furnishes, or supplies; one who procures what is wanted.

Providore <Xpage=1155>

Prov"i*dore (?) , n. [See Provedore .] One who makes provision; a purveyor. [R.]

De Foe.

Province <Xpage=1155>

Prov"ince (?) , n. [F., fr. L. provincia ; prob. fr. pro before, for + the root of vincere to conquer. See Victor .] 1. (Roman Hist.) A country or region, more or less remote from the city of Rome, brought under the Roman government; a conquered country beyond the limits of Italy.

Wyclif (Acts xiii. 34). Milton.

2. A country or region dependent on a distant authority; a portion of an empire or state, esp. one remote from the capital. "Kingdoms and provinces ."

Shak.

3. A region of country; a tract; a district.

Over many a tract of heaven they marched, and many a province wide. Milton.

Other provinces of the intellectual world. I. Watts.

4. A region under the supervision or direction of any special person; the district or division of a country, especially an ecclesiastical division, over which one has jurisdiction; as, the province of Canterbury, or that in which the archbishop of Canterbury exercises ecclesiastical authority .

5. The proper or appropriate business or duty of a person or body; office; charge; jurisdiction; sphere.

The woman's province is to be careful in her economy, and chaste in her affection. Tattler.

6. Specif.: Any political division of the Dominion of Canada, having a governor, a local legislature, and representation in the Dominion parliament. Hence, colloquially, The Provinces , the Dominion of Canada.

Provincial <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"cial (?) , a. [L. provincialis : cf. F. provincial . See Province , and cf. Provencal .] 1. Of or pertaining to province; constituting a province; as, a provincial government; a provincial dialect.

2. Exhibiting the ways or manners of a province; characteristic of the inhabitants of a province; not cosmopolitan; countrified; not polished; rude; hence, narrow; illiberal. " Provincial airs and graces."

Macaulay.

3. Of or pertaining to an ecclesiastical province, or to the jurisdiction of an archbishop; not ecumenical; as, a provincial synod .

Ayliffe.

4. Of or pertaining to Provence; Provencal. [Obs.]

With two Provincial roses on my razed shoes. Shak.

Provincial <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"cial , n. 1. A person belonging to a province; one who is provincial.

2. (R. C. Ch.) A monastic superior, who, under the general of his order, has the direction of all the religious houses of the same fraternity in a given district, called a province of the order.

Provincialism <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"cial*ism (?) , n. [Cf. F. provincialisme .] A word, or a manner of speaking, peculiar to a province or a district remote from the mother country or from the metropolis; a provincial characteristic; hence, narrowness; illiberality.

M. Arnold.

Provincialist <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"cial*ist , n. One who lives in a province; a provincial.

Provinciality <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin`ci*al"i*ty (?) , n. The quality or state of being provincial; peculiarity of language characteristic of a province.

T. Warton.

Provincialize <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"cial*ize (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Provincialized (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Provincializing (?) .] To render provincial.

M. Arnold.

Provincially <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"cial*ly , adv. In a provincial manner.

Provinciate <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vin"ci*ate (?) , v. t. To convert into a province or provinces. [Obs.]

Howell.

Provine <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vine" (?) , v. i. [F. provingner , fr. provin a set, layer of a plant, OF. provain , from L. propago , -aginis , akin to propagare to propagate. See Propagate , Prune , v. t. ] To lay a stock or branch of a vine in the ground for propagation. [Obs.]

Johnson.

Provision <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sion (?) , n. [L. provisio : cf. F. provision . See Provide .] 1. The act of providing, or making previous preparation.

Shak.

2. That which is provided or prepared; that which is brought together or arranged in advance; measures taken beforehand; preparation.

Making provision for the relief of strangers. Bacon.

3. Especially, a stock of food; any kind of eatables collected or stored; -- often in the plural.

And of provisions laid in large, For man and beast. Milton.

4. That which is stipulated in advance; a condition; a previous agreement; a proviso; as, the provisions of a contract; the statute has many provisions .

5. (R. C. Ch.) A canonical term for regular induction into a benefice, comprehending nomination, collation, and installation.

6. (Eng. Hist.) A nomination by the pope to a benefice before it became vacant, depriving the patron of his right of presentation.

Blackstone.

Provision <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sion (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Provisioned (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Provisioning .] To supply with food; to victual; as, to provision a garrison .

They were provisioned for a journey. Palfrey.

Provisional <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sion*al (?) , a. [Cf. F. provisionnel .] Of the nature of a provision; serving as a provision for the time being; -- used of partial or temporary arrangements; as, a provisional government; a provisional treaty.

Provisionally <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sion*al*ly , adv. By way of provision for the time being; temporarily.

Locke.

Provisionary <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sion*a*ry (?) , a. Provisional.

Burke.

Proviso <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"so (?) , n. ; pl. Provisos (#) . [L., (it) being provided, abl. of provisus , p. p. of providere . See Provide , and cf. Purview .] An article or clause in any statute, agreement, contract, grant, or other writing, by which a condition is introduced, usually beginning with the word provided ; a conditional stipulation that affects an agreement, contract, law, grant, or the like; as, the contract was impaired by its proviso .

He doth deny his prisoners, But with proviso and exception. Shak.

Provisor <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sor (?) , n. [L., fr. providere : cf. F. proviseur . See Provide .] 1. One who provides; a purveyor. [Obs.] "The chief provisor of our horse."

Ford.

2. (R. C. Ch.) (a) The purveyor, steward, or treasurer of a religious house. Cowell . (b) One who is regularly inducted into a benefice. See Provision , 5. P. Plowman .

3. (Eng. Hist.) One who procures or receives a papal provision. See Provision , 6.

Provisorily <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"so*ri*ly (?) , adv. In a provisory manner; conditionally; subject to a proviso; as, to admit a doctrine provisorily .

Sir W. Hamilton.

Provisorship <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"sor*ship (?) , n. The office or position of a provisor. [R.]

J. Webster.

Provisory <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vi"so*ry (?) , a. [Cf. F. provisoire .] 1. Of the nature of a proviso; containing a proviso or condition; conditional; as, a provisory clause .

2. Making temporary provision; provisional.

Provocation <Xpage=1155>

Prov`o*ca"tion (?) , n. [F. provocation , L. provocatio . See Provoke .] 1. The act of provoking, or causing vexation or, anger.

Fabyan.

2. That which provokes, or excites anger; the cause of resentment; as, to give provocation .

Paley.

3. Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth .

4. (Law) Such prior insult or injury as may be supposed, under the circumstances, to create hot blood, and to excuse an assault made in retort or redress.

5. An appeal to a court. [A Latinism] [Obs.]

Ayliffe.

Provocative <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vo"ca*tive (?) , a. [L. provocativus : cf. OF. provocatif .] Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting.

Provocative <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vo"ca*tive , n. Anything that is provocative; a stimulant; as, a provocative of appetite .

Provocativeness <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vo"ca*tive*ness , n. Quality of being provocative.

Provocatory <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vo"ca*to*ry (?) , a. Provocative.

Provokable <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vok"a*ble (?) , a. That may be provoked.

Provoke <Xpage=1155>

Pro*voke" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Provoked (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Provoking .] [F. provoquer , L. provocare to call forth; pro forth + vocare to call, fr. vox , vocis , voice, cry, call. See Voice .] To call forth; to call into being or action; esp., to incense to action, a faculty or passion, as love, hate, or ambition; hence, commonly, to incite, as a person, to action by a challenge, by taunts, or by defiance; to exasperate; to irritate; to offend intolerably; to cause to retaliate.

Obey his voice, provoke him not. Ex. xxiii. 21.

Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. Eph. vi. 4.

Such acts Of contumacy will provoke the Highest To make death in us live. Milton.

Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust? Gray.

To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul. J. Burroughs.

Syn. -- To irritate; arouse; stir up; awake; excite; incite; anger. See Irritate .

Provoke <Xpage=1155>

Pro*voke" , v. i. 1. To cause provocation or anger.

2. To appeal. [A Latinism] [Obs.]

Dryden.

Provokement <Xpage=1155>

Pro*voke"ment (?) , n. The act that which, provokes; one who excites anger or other passion, or incites to action; as, a provoker of sedition .

Drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things. Shak.

Provoking <Xpage=1155>

Pro*vok"ing , a. Having the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to awaken passion or vexation; as, provoking words or treatment . -- Pro*vok"ing*ly , adv.

Provost <Xpage=1155>

Prov"ost (?) , n. [OF. provost (L. prae and pro being confused), F. prev\'93t , fr. L. praepositus placed before, a chief, fr. praeponere to place before: cf. AS. pr\'befost , pr&omac;fast . See Preposition , and cf. Propound .] 1. A person who is appointed to superintend, or preside over, something; the chief magistrate in some cities and towns; as, the provost of Edinburgh or of Glasgow, answering to the mayor of other cities; the provost of a college, answering to president; the provost or head of certain collegiate churches.

2. The keeper of a prison. [Obs.]

Shak.

&hand; In France, formerly, a provost was an inferior judge who had cognizance of civil causes. The grand provost of France , or of the household , had jurisdiction in the king's house, and over its officers.

Provost marshal (often pronounced <?/) . (a) (Mil.) An officer appointed in every army, in the field, to secure the prisoners confined on charges of a general nature. He also performs such other duties pertaining to police and discipline as the regulations of the service or the commander's orders impose upon him. (b) (Nav.) An officer who has charge of prisoners on trial by court-martial, serves notices to witnesses, etc.

Provostship <Xpage=1155>

Prov"ost*ship , n. The office of a provost.

Prow <Xpage=1155>

Prow (?) , n. [F. proue (cf. Sp. & Pg. proa , It. prua ), L. prora , Gr. <?/, akin to <?/ before. See Pro- , and cf. Prore .] The fore part of a vessel; the bow; the stem; hence, the vessel itself.

Wordsworth.

The floating vessel swum Uplifted, and secure with beaked prow rode tilting o'er the waves. Milton.

Prow <Xpage=1155>

Prow (?) , n. See Proa .

Prow <Xpage=1155>

Prow , a. [ Compar. Prower (?) ; superl. Prowest .] [OF. prou , preu , F. preux , fr. L. pro , prod , in prodesse to be useful. See Pro- , and cf. Prude .] Valiant; brave; gallant; courageous. [Archaic]

Tennyson.

The prowest knight that ever field did fight. Spenser.

Prow <Xpage=1155>

Prow , n. [OE. & OF. prou . See Prow , a. ] Benefit; profit; good; advantage. [Obs.]

That shall be for your hele and for your prow . Chaucer.

Prowess <Xpage=1155>