Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Prōm'i-nent, a. p. 1046Standing out beyond the line or surface of something; jutting; protuberant; in high relief; as, a prominent figure on a vase. 2. Hence, distinctly manifest; conspicuous; likely to attract attention…Prōm'i-nent-ly, adv. p. 1046In a prominent manner; eminently; conspicuously.Prō′/mis-ēu′i-ty, n. p. 1046The state or quality of being promiscuous; promiscuousness.Pro-mīs'e-nō-ūs, a. p. 1046Consisting 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.…Pro-mis'cu-ous-ly, adv. p. 1046In a promiscuous manner; without order; with confused mixture; indiscriminately. Like beasts and birds promiscuously they join. Pope.Pro-mis'cu-ons-ness, n. p. 1046A state of being promiscuous.Prŏm'ise, n. p. 1046A declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it to do or forbear a specified act; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made a…Prŏm'ise, v. t. p. 1046To 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 a friend; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise…Prŏm'ise, v. t. p. 1046To give assurance by a promise or binding declaration; as, the man promises fairly. 2. To afford hopes or expectations; to give ground to expect good; rarely, to give reason to expect evil. Will not…Prōm'ise-brēach or Prōm'ise-break'er, n. p. 1046Violation of promise. Shak. Prōm'ise-break'er, n. A violator of promises.Prôm'is-ee', n. p. 1046The person to whom a promise is made.Prōm'is-er, n. p. 1046One who promises; one who engages, assures, stipulates, or covenants.Prōm'is-ing-ly, adv. p. 1046In a promising manner.Prōm'is-ôr, n. p. 1046(Law.) One who engages or undertakes; a promiser. Burrill.Pro-mis'sive, a. p. 1046Making a promise; implying a promise; promising. [Rare.]Prŏm'is-so-ri-ly, adv. p. 1046By way of promise.Prŏm'is-so-ry, a. p. 1046Containing 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, a certain sum…Prŏm'ont, n. p. 1046A promontory. [Obs.] Drayton.Prŏm'on-to-ry, n. p. 1046(Geog.) A high point of land or rock projecting into the sea beyond the line of coast; a headland. If you drink tea on a promontory that overhangs the sea, it is preferable to an assembly. Pope. ☞ It…Pro-mōte', v. t. p. 1046To contribute to the growth, enlargement, or excellence of, as any thing valuable; to contribute to the increase or power of, as any thing evil; to forward; to advance; as, to promote learning…Pro-mōte', v. i. p. 1047To incite or urge on another, as to strife; also, to act as informer; to inform against a person. [Obs.] Syn.—To forward; advance; further; patronize; help; exalt; prefer; elevate; dignify.Pro·mōt’er, n. p. 1047One who, or that which, forwards, advances, or promotes; an encourager; as, a promoter of charity: 2. One who excites; as, a promoter of sedition. 3. An informer; a make-bate. [Obs.]Pro-mō'tion, n. p. 1047The act of promoting, advancing, or encouraging; the act of exalting in rank or honor; as, the promotion of virtue or morals; the promotion of peace or of discord. 2. The condition of being advanced…Pro-mō'tive, a. p. 1047Tending to advance or promote; tending to encourage. Hume.Pro-mōve′, v. t. p. 1047To move forward; to advance. [Obs.] Fell.Pro·mōv'er, n. p. 1047One who promotes, or promotes; a promoter. [Obs.]Prōmpt, a. p. 1047Ready and quick to act as occasion demands; acting with cheerful alacrity; as, prompt in obedience or compliance; —said of persons. Very discerning and prompt in giving orders. Clarendon. Tell him…Prŏmpt, n. p. 1047(Com.) A limit of time given for payment of an account for produce purchased, this limit varying with different goods. Simmonds. Speculators . . . are required to pay £2 per chest, to cover any…Prōmpt, v. t. p. 1047To move or excite to action or exertion; to instigate; to incite. God first . . . prompted on the infirmities of the infant world by temporal prosperity. Bp. Taylor. 2. To suggest to the mind; to…Prŏmpt'-bŏŏk, n. p. 1047The book used by a prompter of a theater.Prōmpt'er, n. p. 1047One who prompts; one who admonishes or incites to action. 2. Especially, one who assists speakers, or actors in a play, when at a loss, by uttering the first words of a sentence, or words forgotten…Prōmpt'i-tūde, n. p. 1047Quality of being prompt; quickness of decision and action when occasion demands. “Men of action, of promptitude, and of courage.” I. Taylor. 2. Readiness of will; cheerful alacrity; as, promptitude…Prōmpt'ly, adv. p. 1047Readily; quickly; expeditiously; cheerfully.Prŏmpt'ness, n. p. 1047Promptitude; readiness; quickness of decision or action; as, the young man answered questions with great promptness. 2. Cheerful willingness; alacrity.Prŏmpt'-nōte, n. p. 1047(Com.) A note of reminder of the day of payment, sum due, &c., given to a purchaser at a sale of produce. Simmonds.Prŏmpt'ū-a-ry, a. p. 1047Pertaining to, or serving to make, preparation. [Rare.]Prŏmpt'ū-ā-ry, n. p. 1047That from which supplies are drawn; a store-house; a magazine; a repository. Woodward.Prŏmpt'ūre, n. p. 1047Suggestion; incitement; prompting. [Rare.] “Love's prompture deep.” Coleridge.Pro-mŭl'gāte, v. t. p. 1047To make known by open declaration, as laws, decrees, or tidings; to publish; as, to promulgate the secrets of a council. Syn.—To announce; publish; declare; proclaim. See ANNOUNCE.Prō'mul-gā'tion, n. p. 1047The act of promulgating; publication; open declaration; as, the promulgation of the law or of the gospel.Prō'mul-gā'tor, n. p. 1047One who promulgates or publishes.Pro-mūlge', v. t. p. 1047To promulgate; to publish or teach. [Rare.] Extraordinary doctrines these for the age in which they were promulged. Prescott.Pro-mŭl'ger, n. p. 1047One who promulgates or publishes what was before unknown. Atterbury.Pro-nā'os, n. p. 1047(Arch.) The porch or vestibule of a temple.Prō'nāte, a. p. 1047Somewhat prone; inclined. “Where the tree-growths of more favored regions have become pronate and vine-like.” Kane.Pro-nā'tion, n. p. 1047That motion of the fore-arm whereby the palm of the hand is turned downward; — opposed to supination. 2. That position of the hand when the thumb is turned toward the body, and the palm downward. 3.…Pro·nā'tor, n. p. 1047(Anat.) A muscle which serves to turn the palm of the hand downward;— opposed to supinator.Prōne, a. p. 1047Bending forward; inclined; not erect. Toward him they bend With awful reverence prone. Milton. 2. Flat on the face; lying with the face downward; — opposed to supine. Which, as the wind, Blew where…Prōne'ly, adv. p. 1047In a prone manner or position; so as to bend downward.Prōne'ness, n. p. 1047The state of being prone, or of bending downward; as, the proneness of beasts that look downward, opposed to the erectness of man. 2. The state of lying with the face downward; — opposed to…Prōng, n. p. 1047A 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. A pointed projection. The prickly prong has…Prŏng'-bōne p. 1047Prŏng'-bŭck, n. p. 1047The same as SPRING-BOC.Prŏnged, a. p. 1047Having prongs or projections like the tines of a fork.Prŏng'-hōe, n. p. 1047A hoe with prongs to break the earth.Prŏng'-hŏrn, n. p. 1047(Zoöl.) A species of antelope (the Antilope Americana), found in the western parts of North America, having horns curvated at the end.Prō'ni-ty, n. p. 1047The same as PRONENESS. [Obs.] Sir T. More.Pro-nōm'i-nal, a. p. 1047Belonging to, or partaking of, the nature of a pronoun.Pro-nōm'i-nal-ly, adv. p. 1047In a pronominal manner; with the nature or office of a pronoun.Prononcé, a. p. 1047Strongly marked; decided, as in manners, &c.