Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Prānçe, v. i. p. 1022To spring or bound, as a horse in high mettle. Now rule thy prancing steed. Gay. 2. To ride with bounding movements; to ride ostentatiously. The insulting tyrant prancing o'er the field. Addison. 3.…Prân'çer, n. p. 1022A horse which prances. Then came the captain, or governor, of the Castle of St. Angelo upon a brave prancer. Evelyn.Prăn'di-al, a. p. 1022Relating to a repast.Prân'gos, n. p. 1022(Bot.) A genus of umbelliferous plants, of which one species (P. pabularia), found in Tartary, and having leaves about two feet in length, with a highly fragrant smell resembling that of new clover…Prānk, v. t. p. 1022To adorn in a showy manner; to dress or adjust to ostentation. See PRINK. In sumptuous tire she joyed herself to prank. Milton. Some prank up their bodies, and have their minds full of execrable…Prănk, n. p. 1022A gay or sportive action; a caprice; a ludicrous or merry trick; a playfully mischievous act. In came the harpies, and played their accustomed pranks. Raleigh.Prānk, a. p. 1022Full of gambols or tricks; frolicsome. [Obs.] Brewer.Prănk'er, n. p. 1022One who pranks or dresses in a showy manner; a prinker.Prănk'ish, a. p. 1022Full of pranks.Prā'se, n. p. 1022(Min.) A variety of quartz, of a leek-green color. Dunn.Prās'e-o-līte p. 1022A variety of altered iolite of a green color and greasy luster. Dana.Prāś'i-noûs, a. p. 1022Grass-green; clear, lively green, without any mixture. Lindley.Pră-sī'tēs, n. p. 1022(Med.) Wine in which the leaves of hoar-hound have been infused. Dunglison.Prā′soid, a. p. 1022Resembling prase. Dana.Prā′son, n. p. 1022A leek; also, a sea-weed as green as a leek. Bailey.Prāte, v. i. p. 1022To talk much and without weight, or to little purpose; to be loquacious. To prate and talk for life and honor. Shak. And make a fool presume to prate of love. Dryden.Prāte, v. t. p. 1022To utter foolishly; to speak without meaning. What nonsense would the fool, thy master, prate, When thou, his knave, canst talk at such a rate! Dryden.Prāte, n. p. 1022Talk to little purpose; trifling talk; unmeaning loquacity. “Sick of fops, and poetry, and prate.” Pope.Prāt'er, n. p. 1022One who prates; one who talks much to little purpose, or on trifling subjects.Prāt'le, n. p. 1022The same as PRATIQUE, q. v.Prā'tin-cōle, n. p. 1022(Ornith.) A bird of the genus Glareola, belonging to the family of the plovers, and found only in the old world. Eng. Cyc.Prāt'ing-ly, adv. p. 1022With idle talk; with loquacity.Prāt'ique, n. p. 1022(Com.) Primarily, liberty of converse; intercourse; the communication between a ship and the port at which she arrives; hence, a license or permission to hold intercourse and trade with the…Prăt'tle, v. i. p. 1022To talk much and idly; to be loquacious on trifling subjects; to prate; hence, to talk lightly and artlessly, like a child; to utter child's talk.Prăt'tle, n. p. 1022Trifling or childish tattle; loquacity on trivial subjects; prate. Mere prattle, without practice, Is all his soldiership. Shak.Prăt'tle-ment, n. p. 1022Prattle. Jeffrey.Prāt'tler, n. p. 1022An idle talker. Herbert.Prăv'i-ty, n. p. 1022Deterioration; degeneracy; corruption; depravity; especially, moral corruption; moral perversion; want of rectitude; as, the pravity of human nature. “The pravity of the will.” South.Prawn, n. p. 1022(Zool.) A small crustacean (Palæmon serratus of Europe, P. vulgaris of the United States), allied to the shrimp. It is highly prized for food.Prāx'is, n. p. 1022Use; practice; especially, exercise or discipline for a specific purpose or object. 2. An example or form to teach practice. Locke.Prāy, v. i. p. 1022To ask with earnestness or zeal, as for a favor, or for something desirable; to entreat; to supplicate. “A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness.” Shak. 2. Especially, to offer prayer to God…Prāy, v. t. p. 1022To address earnest request to; to supplicate; to entreat; to urge. We pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 2 Cor. v. 20. 2. To ask earnestly for; to seek to obtain by supplication…Prāy'er, n. p. 1023One who prays; a supplicant.Prāyer, n. p. 1023The act of praying or of asking a favor; earnest request; hence, an earnest memorial to a court or a legislative body. 2. Especially, the act of addressing supplication to God; the offering up to the…Prâyer'-bōōk, n. p. 1023A book containing prayers or the forms of devotion, public or private.Prāyer'ful, a. p. 1023Given to prayer; using much prayer; devotional; as, a prayerful frame of mind.Prāy'er'ful-ly, adv. p. 1023In a prayerful manner.Prāyer'ful-ness, n. p. 1023The quality of being prayerful.Prāyer'less, a. p. 1023Not using prayer; habitually neglecting the duty of prayer to God; as, a prayerless family, or man. “The next time you go prayerless to bed.” Baxter.Prāyer'less-ly, adv. p. 1023In a prayerless manner.Prâyer'less-ness, n. p. 1023Total or habitual neglect of prayer.Prāyer'-meet-ing, n. p. 1023A meeting or gathering for prayer.Prāy'ing, n. p. 1023Act of making a prayer; a prayer made. “Masses and prayings for the dead.” Bale.Prāy'ing-ly, adv. p. 1023With supplication to God.Pre. p. 1023An English form of the Lat. prefix præ, be-\nfore, originally dat. f., answering to pro, as dat. m.,\nof per, through. It expresses priority of time, place,\nor rank. It sometimes signifies beyond…Prē-ăc'cu-sā'tion, n. p. 1023Previous accusation.Prēach, v. i. p. 1023To pronounce a public discourse on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture; to deliver a sermon. From that time Jesus began to preach. Matt. iv. 17. 2. To give earnest advice on moral or…Prēach, v. t. p. 1023To proclaim or publish in religious discourses; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue. The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. Is. lxi. 1. 2. To inculcate in…Prēach, n. p. 1023A religious discourse. [Obs.] “To term religion, in that sort exercised, a mere preach.” Hooker.Preach'er, n. p. 1023One who preaches; one who discourses publicly on religious subjects. 2. One who inculcates any thing with earnestness. No preacher is listened to but Time. Swift.Prēach'er-ship, n. p. 1023The office of a preacher. [Rare.] “Turned out of the preachership of the Rolls.” Macaulay.Prēach'ing, n. p. 1023The act of one who preaches; a public religious discourse. Milner.Prēach'man, n. p. 1023A preacher;—so called in contempt. Howell.Préach'ment, n. p. 1023A discourse or sermon; a religious harangue;—used depreciatingly or in contempt. Shak.Pré'ac-quāint', v. t. p. 1023To acquaint previously or beforehand. Sheridan.Pré'ac-quäint'ance, n. p. 1023Previous acquaintance or knowledge. Harris.Pré-âct', v. t. p. 1023To act beforehand; to perform previously. “Those which, though acted after evening service, must needs be preacted by the fancy . . . all the day before.” Fuller.Pre-ăc'tion, n. p. 1023Previous action.Prē'-a-dăm'ic, a. p. 1023Prior to Adam. Bp. Taylor.Prē-ăd'ăm-īte, n. p. 1023An inhabitant of the earth before Adam.