Chapter 78

Her presence was in some measure a restraint on the worthy divine, whose prolusion lasted.

Sir W. Scott.

Prom`a*na"tion (?), n. [Pref. pro- + L. manatio a flowing, fr. manare to flow.] The act of flowing forth; emanation; efflux. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

Prom`e*nade" (?), n. [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.

Prom`e*nade", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Promenaded; p. pr. & vb. n. Promenading.] To walk for pleasure, display, or exercise.

Prom`e*nad"er (?), n. One who promenades.

Pro*mer"it (?), v. t. [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.

||Prom"e*rops (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; before + &?; bee-eater.] ||(Zoˆl.) 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.

||Pro*me"the*a (?), n. [NL. See Prometheus.] (Zoˆl.) 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.

Pro*me"the*an (?), a. [L. Prometh&?;us: cf. F. promÈthÈen.]

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

2. Having a life-giving quality; inspiring.

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

Pro*me"the*us (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, from &?; to have forethought for.] (Class. Myth.) 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.

{ Prom"i*nence (?), Prom"i*nen*cy (?), } n. [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.

Prom"i*nent (?), a. [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 (Zoˆl.), any moth of the family NotodontidÊ; a notodontian; -- so called because the larva has a hump or prominence on its back. Several of the species are injurious to fruit trees.

Prom"i*nent*ly, adv. In a prominent manner.

Pro`mis*cu"i*ty (?), n. Promiscuousness; confusion. H. Spencer.

Pro*mis"cu*ous (?), a. [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.

Pro*mis"cu*ous*ly, adv. In a promiscuous manner.

Pro*mis"cu*ous*ness, n. The quality or state of being promiscuous.

Prom"ise (?), a. [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) 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.

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.

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.

Prom`is*ee" (?), n. (Law) The person to whom a promise is made.

Prom"is*er (?), n. One who promises.

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

Prom"is*or (?), n. (Law) One who engages or undertakes; a promiser. Burrill.

Pro*mis"sive (?), a. Making a promise; implying a promise; promising. [R.]

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Prom"is*so*ri*ly (?), adv. In a promissory manner. Sir T. Browne.

Prom"is*so*ry (?), a. 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.

Prom"ont (?), n. Promontory. [R.] Drayton.

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

1. (Phys. Geog.) 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.) 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.

Pro*mor`pho*log"ic*al (?), a. (Biol.) Relating to promorphology; as, a promorphological conception.

Pro`mor*phol"o*gist (?), n. (Biol.) One versed in the science of promorphology.

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

Pro*mote" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Promoting.] [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.

Pro*mote", v. i. To urge on or incite another, as to strife; also, to inform against a person. [Obs.]

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.

Pro*mo"tion (-m"shn), n. [L. promotio: cf. F. promotion.] 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.

Pro*mo"tive (?), a. Tending to advance, promote, or encourage. Hume.

Pro*move" (?), v. t. [See Promote.] To move forward; to advance; to promote. [Obs.] Bp. Fell.

Pro*mov"er (?), n. A promoter. [Obs.]

Prompt (prmt; 215), a. [Compar. Prompter (?); superl. Promptest.] [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.

And 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, n. (Com.) 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, 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` (&?;), n. The book used by a prompter of a theater.

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.

Prompt"i*tude (?), n. [F., fr. L. promptitudo. See Prompt, a.] 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.

Prompt"ly, adv. In a prompt manner.

Prompt"ness, n.

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

2. Cheerful willingness; alacrity.

Prompt"-note` (?), n. (Com.) A memorandum of a sale, and time when payment is due, given to the purchaser at a sale of goods.

Promp"tu*a*ry (?), a. Of or pertaining to preparation. [R.] Bacon.

Promp"tu*a*ry, n. [L. promptuarium, fr. promptuarius belonging to distribution, distributing: cf, F. promptuaire. See Prompt, a.] That from which supplies are drawn; a storehouse; a magazine; a repository. Woodward.

Promp"ture (?; 135), n. [See Prompt, a.] Suggestion; incitement; prompting. [R.] Shak. Coleridge.

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

Pro`mul*ga"tion (?), n. [L. promulgatio: cf. F. promulgation.] The act of promulgating; publication; open declaration; as, the promulgation of the gospel. South.

Pro"mul*ga`tor (?), n. [L.] One who promulgates or publishes. Dr. H. More.

Pro*mulge" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Promulged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Promulging (?).] [Cf. F. promulguer. See Promulgate.] To promulgate; to publish or teach. Blackstone.

Extraordinary doctrines these for the age in which they were promulged.

Prescott.

Pro*mul"ger (?), n. One who promulges or publishes what was before unknown. Atterbury.

||Pro*mus"cis (?), n. [L., corruption of proboscis.] (Zoˆl.) The ||proboscis of hemipterous insects. See Illust. under Hemiptera.

||Pro*na"os (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;; &?; before + &?; temple.] (Arch.) ||The porch or vestibule of a temple.

Pro"nate (?), a. [L. pronatus, p. p. of pronare to bend forward. See Prone.] Somewhat prone; inclined; as, pronate trees. Kane.

Pro*na"tion (?), n. [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.

Pro*na"tor (?), n. [NL.] (Anat.) A muscle which produces pronation.

Prone (?), a. [L. pronus, akin to Gr. &?;, &?;, Skr. 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.

Prone"ly, adv. In a prone manner or position.

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.

2. The state of lying with the face down; -- opposed to supineness.

3. Descent; declivity; as, the proneness of a hill.

4. Inclination of mind, heart, or temper; propension; disposition; as, proneness to self- gratification.

Pro*neph"ric (?), a. (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the pronephros.

||Pro*neph"ros (?), ||Pro*neph"ron (&?;), n. [ NL., fr. Gr. &?; before ||+ &?; a kidney.] (Anat.) The head kidney. See under Head.

Prong (?), n. [Cf. D. prangen to pinch, press, LG. prange a stick, or W. procio to thrust, E. prowl, pang.]

1. A sharp-pointed instrument.

Prick it on a prong of iron.

Sandys.

2. The tine of a fork, or of a similar instrument; as, a fork of two or three prongs.

3. (Zoˆl.) (a) A sharp projection, as of an antler. (b) The fang of a tooth.

Prong"buck` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) (a) The springbuck. (b) The pronghorn.

Pronged (?), a. Having prongs or projections like the tines of a fork; as, a three-pronged fork.

Prong"-hoe` (?), n. A hoe with prongs to break the earth.

Prong"horn` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) An American antelope (Antilocapra Americana), native of the plain near the Rocky Mountains. The upper parts are mostly yellowish brown; the under parts, the sides of the head and throat, and the buttocks, are white. The horny sheath of the horns is shed annually. Called also cabrÈe, cabut, prongbuck, and pronghorned antelope.

Pro"ni*ty (?), n. [L. pronitas.] Proneness; propensity. [R.] Dr. H. More.

Pro*nom"i*nal (?), a. [L. pronominalis: cf. F. pronominal. See Pronoun.] Belonging to, or partaking of the nature of, a pronoun.

Pro*nom"i*nal*ize (?), v. t. To give the effect of a pronoun to; as, to pronominalize the substantives person, people, etc. Early.

Pro*nom"i*nal*ly, adv. In a pronominal manner&?; with the nature or office of a pronoun; as a pronoun.

||Pro`non`cÈ" (?), a. [F. See Pronounce.] Strongly marked; decided, as ||in manners, etc.

Pro*no"ta*ry (?), n. See Prothonotary.

||Pro*no"tum (?), n.; pl. Pronota (#). [NL. See Pro-, and Notum.] ||(Zoˆl.) The dorsal plate of the prothorax in insects. See Illust. of ||Coleoptera.

Pro"noun (?), n. [Pref. pro- + noun: cf. F. pronom, L. pronomen. See Noun.] (Gram.) A word used instead of a noun or name, to avoid the repetition of it. The personal pronouns in English are I, thou or you, he, she, it, we, ye, and they.

Pro*nounce" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pronounced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pronounging (?).] [F. prononcer, L. pronunciare; pro before, forth + nunciare, nuntiare, to announce. See Announce.]

1. To utter articulately; to speak out or distinctly; to utter, as words or syllables; to speak with the proper sound and accent as, adults rarely learn to pronounce a foreign language correctly.

2. To utter officially or solemnly; to deliver, as a decree or sentence; as, to pronounce sentence of death.

Sternly he pronounced The rigid interdiction.

Milton.

3. To speak or utter rhetorically; to deliver; to recite; as, to pronounce an oration.

Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you.

Shak.

4. To declare or affirm; as, he pronounced the book to be a libel; he pronounced the act to be a fraud.

The God who hallowed thee and blessed, Pronouncing thee all good.

Keble.

Syn. -- To deliver; utter; speak. See Deliver.

Pro*nounce", v. i.

1. To give a pronunciation; to articulate; as, to pronounce faultlessly. Earle.

2. To make declaration; to utter on opinion; to speak with confidence. [R.] Dr. H. More.

Pro*nounce", n. Pronouncement; declaration; pronunciation. [Obs.] Milton.

Pro*nounce"a*ble (?), a. [Cf. L. pronunciabilis declarative.] Capable of being pronounced.

Pro*nounced" (?), a. [F. prononcÈ.] Strongly marked; unequivocal; decided. [A Gallicism]

[His] views became every day more pronounced.

Thackeray.

Pro*nounce"ment (?), n. The act of pronouncing; a declaration; a formal announcement.

Pro*noun"cer (?), n. One who pronounces, utters, or declares; also, a pronouncing book.

Pro*noun"cing (?), a. Pertaining to, or indicating, pronunciation; as, a pronouncing dictionary.

Pro*nu"bi*al (?), a. [L. pronuba bridesmaid; pro before + nubere to marry.] Presiding over marriage. [R.]

Pro*nu"cle*us (?), n.; pl. Pronuclei (-). [NL. See Pro-, and Nucleus.] (Biol.) One of the two bodies or nuclei (called male and female pronuclei) which unite to form the first segmentation nucleus of an impregnated ovum.

In the maturing of the ovum preparatory to impregnation, a part of the germinal vesicle (see Polar body, under Polar) becomes converted into a number of small vesicles, which aggregate themselves into a single clear nucleus. which travels towards the center of the egg and is called the female pronucleus. In impregnation, the spermatozoˆn which enters the egg soon loses its tail, while the head forms a nucleus, called the male pronucleus, which gradually travels towards the female pronucleus and eventually fuses with it, forming the first segmentation nucleus.

Pro*nun"cial (?), a. Of or pertaining to pronunciation; pronunciative.

Pro*nun`ci*a*men"to (?), n. A proclamation or manifesto; a formal announcement or declaration.

||Pro*nun`ci*a`mi"en"to (?), n. [Sp. See Pronounce.] See ||Pronunciamento.

Pro*nun`ci*a"tion (?; 277), n. [F. pronunciation, L. pronunciatio. See Pronounce.]

1. The act of uttering with articulation; the act of giving the proper sound and accent; utterance; as, the pronunciation of syllables of words; distinct or indistinct pronunciation.

2. The mode of uttering words or sentences.

3. (Rhet.) The art of manner of uttering a discourse publicly with propriety and gracefulness; -- now called delivery. J. Q. Adams.

Pro*nun"ci*a*tive (?), a. [L. pronunciativus.]

1. Of or pertaining to pronunciation.

2. Uttering confidently; dogmatical. [Obs.] Bacon.

Pro*nun"ci*a`tor (?), n. [L., a reciter.] One who pronounces; a pronouncer.

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Pro*nun"ci*a*to*ry (?), a. Of or pertaining to pronunciation; that pronounces.

Proof (?), n. [OF. prove, proeve, F. preuve, fr. L. proba, fr. probare to prove. See Prove.]

1. Any effort, process, or operation designed to establish or discover a fact or truth; an act of testing; a test; a trial.

For whatsoever mother wit or art Could work, he put in proof.

Spenser.

You shall have many proofs to show your skill.

Ford.

Formerly, a very rude mode of ascertaining the strength of spirits was practiced, called the proof.

Ure.

2. That degree of evidence which convinces the mind of any truth or fact, and produces belief; a test by facts or arguments that induce, or tend to induce, certainty of the judgment; conclusive evidence; demonstration.

I'll have some proof.

Shak.

It is no proof of a man's understanding to be able to confirm whatever he pleases.

Emerson.

Properly speaking, proof is the effect or result of evidence, evidence is the medium of proof. Cf. Demonstration, 1.

3. The quality or state of having been proved or tried; firmness or hardness that resists impression, or does not yield to force; impenetrability of physical bodies.

4. Firmness of mind; stability not to be shaken.

5. (Print.) A trial impression, as from type, taken for correction or examination; -- called also proof sheet.

6. (Math.) A process for testing the accuracy of an operation performed. Cf. Prove, v. t., 5.

7. Armor of excellent or tried quality, and deemed impenetrable; properly, armor of proof. [Obs.] Shak.

Artist's proof, a very early proof impression of an engraving, or the like; -- often distinguished by the artist's signature. -- Proof reader, one who reads, and marks correction in, proofs. See def. 5, above.

Syn. -- Testimony; evidence; reason; argument; trial; demonstration. See Testimony.

Proof, a.

1. Used in proving or testing; as, a proof load, or proof charge.

2. Firm or successful in resisting; as, proof against harm; waterproof; bombproof.

I . . . have found thee Proof against all temptation.

Milton.

This was a good, stout proof article of faith.

Burke.