
practicable | practicable: adj. doable, feasible, workable, performable, achievable, attainable, accomplishable, possible, viable: We climbed up the glacier as far as was practicable. At last we had a practicable flying machine.
practical | practical: adj. 1 pragmatic, useful, usable or useable, functional, realistic, reasonable, sound, utilitarian, applicable, serviceable, empirical, efficient: Whether the device is practical will depend on its cost effectiveness. 2 sensible, reasonable, common-sense or common-sensical, everyday, ordinary, down-to-earth, expedient, matter-of-fact, mundane, business-like, hard-headed, judicious, Colloq hard-nosed: Put theory aside and focus on a practical solution to the problem. 3 applied, field, hands-on, personal, everyday: She has had practical experience in nursing the elderly.
practically | practically: adv. 1 almost, (very) nearly, wellnigh, virtually, in effect, just about, essentially, fundamentally, at bottom, basically, when all is said and done, at the end of the day, to all intents and purposes: We are practically there. I have practically finished the ironing. 2 realistically, matter-of-factly, clearly, simply, reasonably, rationally, sensibly: Practically, there was nothing to be done except let the fire burn itself out.
practice | practice: n. 1 custom, wont, habit, routine, convention, tradition, rule, procedure, usage, mode, style, way, modus operandi, technique or technic, Formal praxis, Colloq MO (= ''modus operandi''): She makes a practice of swimming for an hour every day. It is our practice to get patients out of bed as soon as possible after surgery. 2 exercise, discipline, drill, practising, repetition, rehearsal, training, preparation; workout, warm-up; application, study: She needs more practice on the beginner''s slope before going down the main piste. 3 pursuit, exercise, work, profession, career, vocation, conduct; business, office: He genuinely enjoys the practice of law. I heard of a veterinary practice for sale in Yorkshire. 4 in practice. practically, actually, day-to-day, realistically, in real life: In practice no one would ever treat an injury the way this book recommends. 5 out of practice. inexperienced, unpractised, unaccustomed, rusty: I once played a good game of chess, but I''m out of practice now.
practise | practise: v. 1 drill, exercise, work out, train, prepare, rehearse, run through, repeat, study, US practice: I am practising for Sunday''s tennis tournament. She practises the piano every day. You should practise your routine for the show. 2 carry on, make a practice of, perform, do, act, carry out, put into practice, US practice: She practises law. You should practise what you preach.
practised | practised: adj. 1 accomplished, proficient, expert, skilled, experienced, capable, adept, seasoned, able, qualified, gifted, talented, skilful, masterful, consummate, superb, superior, US practiced: She is a practised liar. 2 trained, rehearsed, versed, cultivated, schooled, finished, perfected, US practiced: He greeted them with the practised air of an veteran diplomat.
praise | praise: n. 1 acclaim, approval, approbation, applause, plaudits, kudos, endorsement, acclamation, tribute, accolade, compliments, commendation, encomium, eulogy, panegyric, ovation: Sheila has received well-deserved praise for her work with paraplegic children. Would you expect me to sing the praises of my rival? 2 honour, glorification, adoration, exaltation, devotion, homage, worship, veneration, adulation, reverence, glory, hymn or song of praise, paean, hosanna: The king rejoiced and said, ''Praise be to God''. --v. 3 acclaim, approve, laud, applaud, endorse, pay tribute to, compliment, commend, eulogize, extol, honour, sing the praises (of): The speaker praised Read for his many contributions to linguistics. 4 worship, revere, reverence, exalt, glorify, adore, pay homage to, venerate, give thanks to, hallow: Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.
praiseworthy | praiseworthy: adj. commendable, laudable, admirable, creditable, worthy, meritorious, deserving, exemplary: However praiseworthy your motives were, you did not stop to consider the consequences.
prance | prance: v. caper, dance, gambol, skip, cavort, romp, leap, frisk, jump, spring, bound, Dressage curvet, capriole: Ahead of the royal coach came a dozen riders on prancing horses.
prank | prank: n. trick, (practical) joke, frolic, escapade, antic, caper, stunt, lark, jest, jape, monkey tricks or esp. US monkeyshines, mischief: Those schoolboy pranks we once thought hilarious now seem quite silly.
prattle | prattle: v. 1 prate, babble, blather or blether, blither, gibber, jabber, jibber-jabber, palaver, tattle, twaddle, gabble, chatter, patter, drivel, twitter, rattle on, go on (and on), maunder, Brit natter, Colloq witter (on), gas, gab, spout, gush, run (on), US run off at the mouth, Slang jaw, ya(c)k, ya(c)kety-ya(c)k, shoot off one''s mouth: Do I have to listen to him prattle on and on about his grandchildren? --n. 2 prate, prating, babble, babbling, blather or blether, blathering or blethering, gibber, gibbering, jabber, jabbering, palaver, palavering, tattle, tattling, twaddle, chatter, chattering, gabble, gabbling, patter, drivel, twitter, twittering, rattling on, going on, maundering, cackle, US jibber-jabbering, twattle, clack, Colloq gas, gab, running off at the mouth, Slang jawing, ya(c)kety-ya(c)k: We were treated to constant prattle about eating healthy foods. 3 jabberwocky, gobbledegook or gobbledygook, mumbo-jumbo, rubbish, balderdash, (stuff and) nonsense, humbug, bunkum, tommy-rot, trash, rot, foolishness, Colloq pish and tush, hot air, flapdoodle, rigmarole or rigamarole, bunk, piffle, moonshine, poppycock, claptrap, bull, hogwash, swill, Brit tosh, fiddle-faddle, boloney, Chiefly US garbage, horse feathers, Slang crap, hooey, guff, Taboo slang bullshit, US crock (of shit): What they told you about guaranteeing your job is just a lot of prattle.
pray | pray: v. 1 beseech, ask, call upon or on, entreat, implore, request, appeal to, plead (with), beg (for), importune, solicit, petition, supplicate, Rare obsecrate: I pray you to find it in your heart to approve my work. 2 say one''s prayers, offer a prayer: We prayed for her safe return.
prayer | prayer: n. 1 petition, supplication, request, entreaty, plea, suit, appeal, Rare obsecration: Our prayers were answered, and she returned safely. 2 devotion, praying, invocation, (divine) service, Literary orison: Man ascends to God through prayer.
preach | preach: v. 1 deliver a sermon, evangelize, spread the Word or the Gospel; catechize: The Most Reverend John Attwood will preach next week at Winchester. 2 moralize, sermonize, advise, counsel, admonish, reprimand, lecture, harangue, pontificate; urge, inculcate, advocate: Mother used to preach to us about being charitable. Father preached restraint in all things.
preacher | preacher: n. minister, evangelist, clergyman, clergywoman, cleric, ecclesiastic, reverend, divine, Colloq tub-thumper: He studied for many years to become a preacher.
preamble | preamble: n. introduction, foreword, prologue, preface, Formal proem, prolegomenon, exordium: As a preamble to today''s proceedings, I should like to welcome our honoured guests.
precarious | precarious: adj. uncertain, unreliable, unsure, risky, hazardous, unpredictable, insecure, unstable, unsteady, unsettled, shaky, doubtful, dubious, questionable, tricky, delicate, ticklish, sensitive, slippery, touch-and-go, (hanging) in the balance, hanging by a thread, Damoclean, perilous, treacherous, dangerous, difficult, problematic, Colloq chancy, Brit dodgy, dicey, US iffy, Slang hairy: If sales continue to drop, the company will be in precarious condition. We followed a precarious trail down the mountainside.
precaution | precaution: n. 1 provision, preventive measure, safety measure, safeguard, insurance, protection, cover, escape: Unfortunately, he had failed to take any precautions against storm damage. 2 foresight, prudence, providence, forethought, caution, cautiousness, circumspection, care, attention, watchfulness, vigilance, alertness, wariness, chariness, apprehension, far-sightedness, anticipation: Precaution is wiser than hindsight.
precede | precede: v. come or go or proceed before or first, go ahead or in advance (of), lead (the way), pave the way (for), herald, usher in, introduce, antecede; foreshadow, antedate, predate: His wife preceded him into the room. The Decameron preceded The Canterbury Tales by about fifty years.
precedence | precedence: n. precedency, priority, pre-eminence, superiority, supremacy, preference, privilege, prerogative, importance, rank, position, primacy: Your school work must take precedence over football practice.
precedent | precedent: n. prototype, model, example, exemplar, pattern, paradigm, yardstick, criterion, standard, lead: The French considered the War of American Independence a precedent for their revolution.
preceding | preceding: adj. foregoing, former, previous, above, prior, earlier, above-mentioned, aforementioned, above-stated, above-named: The defendant in the preceding action was remanded in custody for a week.
precept | precept: n. 1 rule, guide, principle, unwritten law, canon, guideline, dictate, code, injunction, law, commandment, instruction, injunction, directive, prescription, mandate, charge; statute, regulation, edict, ukase, decree, order, fiat, ordinance: The Ten Commandments provide basic precepts of moral behaviour. 2 maxim, proverb, axiom, motto, slogan, saying, byword, aphorism, apophthegm or apothegm: Does anyone follow the precepts set forth in Scripture?
precinct | precinct: n. 1 Usually, precincts. area, territory, region, province, environs, purlieus, borders, bounds, confines: Does he have any authority outside the precincts of the city? 2 sphere, neighbourhood, zone, sector, section, quarter, district, locale: In some US cities, the area covered by a police station is called a precinct.
precious | precious: adj. 1 dear, dearest, costly, expensive, high-priced, valuable, invaluable, prized, priceless, irreplaceable, Colloq pricey: The entire cabinet was filled with precious jewels. 2 esteemed, choice, cherished, beloved, idolized, adored, loved, valued, prized, revered, venerated, venerable, hallowed: The church keeps its most precious relics in a special vault. 3 precise, exquisite, overrefined, chichi, over-nice, studied, artificial, effete, affected, overdone, pretentious, euphuistic, alembicated, Colloq Brit twee, Slang US cutesy: His style is characterized by somewhat precious language.
precipice | precipice: n. cliff, escarpment, bluff, crag: We looked nervously over the edge of the precipice at the raging sea below.
precipitate | precipitate: v. 1 accelerate, hasten, speed (up), advance, hurry, quicken, expedite, bring on or about, trigger, provoke, instigate, incite, facilitate, further, press, push forward: The rise in interest rates precipitated many bankruptcies. 2 hurl, fling, cast, launch, project: The force of the impact precipitated him through the windscreen. --adj. 3 headlong, violent, rapid, swift, quick, speedy, meteoric, fast: A powerful counter-attack brought about the enemy''s precipitate rout. 4 sudden, abrupt, unannounced, unexpected, unanticipated: Today''s fall in share prices was as precipitate as yesterday''s rise. 5 rash, impetuous, hasty, volatile, hotheaded, careless, reckless, incautious, injudicious, foolhardy, impulsive, unrestrained: The selection of a career should not be a precipitate decision.
precipitation | precipitation: n. showers, drizzle, downpour, rain, rainfall, snow, snowfall, hail, sleet: Precipitation can be expected in advance of the low-pressure area pushing down from the north.
precipitous | precipitous: adj. 1 abrupt, steep, perpendicular, sheer, bluff, acclivitous, declivitous: I cannot see how anyone can climb up the precipitous face of that crag. 2 See precipitate, 5, above.
pr�cis | pr�cis: n. outline, summary, synopsis, aper�u, r�sum�, conspectus, survey, overview, abstract, abridgement, digest, compendium, recapitulation; table of contents: As I haven''t the time to read the entire study document, let me have a pr�cis of it.
precise | precise: adj. 1 correct, exact, definite, well-defined, explicit, word-for-word, verbatim, literal, letter-for-letter, literatim, faithful, specific, unambiguous, unequivocal, strict, authentic, perfect, true, veracious, truthful, unerring, error-free, accurate: Errors show that medieval scribes did not always succeed in making precise copies. 2 strict, meticulous, scrupulous, careful, conscientious, exact, unconditional, rigorous, rigid, puritanical, unbending, inflexible, unyielding, demanding, severe, prim, absolute: He has been very precise about dates and facts. Margaret is precise in insisting on obedience to her orders. 3 fastidious, particular, finicky, finical, fussy, meticulous, scrupulous, careful, conscientious, nice, exacting, critical, demanding: Painting miniatures is very precise work. 4 exact, very: This is the precise spot where I found the body.
precisely | precisely: adv. 1 exactly, just, strictly, Colloq on the nail, smack, slap, on the nose, Brit bang on, spot on: His view is precisely the opposite of hers. We left precisely at five o''clock. You phoned, and that is precisely why I came. The two paintings are not precisely the same. 2 exactly, exactingly, correctly, rigorously, absolutely, punctiliously, minutely, carefully, meticulously, scrupulously, conscientiously, strictly, rigidly, inflexibly; in all respects, in every way: This judge follows the letter of the law precisely.
precision | precision: n. 1 correctness, exactness, fidelity, faithfulness, exactitude, preciseness, accuracy, rigour, perfection, flawlessness, faultlessness, literalism, faithfulness, unerringness: This copy follows the original with precision. 2 definiteness, care, nicety, meticulousness, rigorousness, rigour, fastidiousness, punctiliousness, scrupulousness, unambiguousness, nicety, strictness, explicitness: The precision of the wording leaves no doubt about what the writer intended.
preclude | preclude: v. obviate, bar, prevent, stop, exclude, prohibit, shut out, forestall, rule out, debar, check, block, obstruct, avert, avoid, thwart, frustrate, impede, inhibit, hinder, interfere with: To preclude misunderstanding, please repeat what you said. They may not engage in activities that preclude them from performing their regular duties.
precocious | precocious: adj. advanced, mature, bright, gifted, intelligent, smart, quick: It is hard to believe that Oliver was a precocious child.
preconceived | preconceived: adj. beforehand, predisposed, prejudged, predetermined, prejudiced, biased, anticipatory: He has many false preconceived notions about people.
preconception | preconception: n. predisposition, prejudgement, predetermination, prejudice, bias, presumption, presupposition, assumption, id�e fixe, prepossession, preconceived notion or idea: This production of King Lear will challenge your preconceptions of the play.
precondition | precondition: n. prerequisite, stipulation, condition, essential, must, sine qua non, imperative, requirement, proviso, provision, qualification, necessity: The release of the prisoners is a precondition for talks. Is great humanity a precondition of great music, or is it just a matter of the notes?
precursor | precursor: n. 1 harbinger, herald, vanguard: The glow on the eastern horizon is the precursor of another day. 2 See predecessor, 1, below
predatory | predatory: adj. 1 predacious or predaceous, carnivorous, preying, raptorial: Despite domestication, dogs and cats are predatory animals. 2 rapacious, ravenous, plundering, robbing, pillaging, marauding, despoiling, looting, piratical, vulturine, avaricious, greedy, voracious, larcenous, thieving, extortionate, usurious: Predatory pirates once ravaged the Mediterranean. Keep out of the hands of predatory money-lenders, my son.
predecessor | predecessor: n. 1 forerunner, predecessor, antecedent: I could not match the accomplishments of my predecessor in this post. 2 forebear, forefather, ancestor, antecedent: Can you name the Tudor predecessors of Elizabeth I?
predestination | predestination: n. destiny, future, lot, fortune, kismet, karma; doom, fate; foreordainment, foreordination: Meeting like this must have been predestination.
predetermined | predetermined: adj. 1 fixed, prearranged, pre-established, set (up), foregone, preplanned, pre-set: A predetermined amount of milk is automatically poured into each cup of coffee. 2 fated, doomed, destined, ordained, foreordained, Colloq cut and dried, Brit on the cards, US in the cards: One gets the feeling that the outcome was predetermined.
predicament | predicament: n. dilemma, quandary, difficulty, trial, situation, state, condition, imbroglio, emergency, crisis, impasse, Colloq pickle, jam, fix, pinch, scrape, spot, bind, corner, hole, mess, US box: I was hoping that you might help me out of a very awkward predicament.
predict | predict: v. foretell, prophesy, forecast, foresee, augur, prognosticate, forewarn, presage, vaticinate; portend, foreshadow, foretoken, forebode; intimate, hint, suggest: My mother predicted that there would be moments like this. If only I could predict the winner of the 2.30!
predictable | predictable: adj. foreseeable, foreseen, probable, likely, liable, expected, anticipated, (reasonably) sure or certain, Colloq Brit on the cards, US in the cards: Her angry reaction at being dismissed was quite predictable.
prediction | prediction: n. forecast, prophecy, augury, prognosis; intimation, hint, suggestion: The weatherman''s predictions are more accurate than one might think. The prediction that he might be released the next day did not come true.
predominance | predominance: n. predominancy, superiority, influence, dominance, pre-eminence, preponderance, ascendancy, precedence, power, supremacy, hold, sway, hegemony, leadership, mastery, control, dominion, sovereignty, transcendence or transcendency, authority, the upper hand, the whip hand, advantage, the edge: We must re-establish the predominance of intellectual vigour over crass commercialism.
predominant | predominant: adj. dominant, predominating, controlling, sovereign, ruling, pre-eminent, preponderant, ascendant, superior, supreme, leading, paramount, main, chief, transcendant, important, telling, influential, primary, prevailing, prevalent: England was the predominant power in the world during the 19th century. The phlogiston theory was once predominant among scientists.
predominate | predominate: v. Often, predominate over. dominate, control, rule, reign, preponderate, outweigh, obtain, prevail, overshadow, get or have the upper hand, lord it over, hold sway, overrule: Though the American president is a Republican, the Democrats predominate in Congress.
pre-eminence | pre-eminence: n. 1 See predominance, above. 2 peerlessness, magnificence, excellence, distinction, eminence, inimitability, superiority: There is no gainsaying the pre-eminence of Shakespeare as a poet and playwright.
pre-eminent | pre-eminent: adj. 1 See predominant, above. 2 peerless, excellent, distinguished, eminent, inimitable, superb, unequalled, matchless, incomparable, outstanding, unique, unrivalled, unsurpassed, supreme, superior: In her opinion, Craig is the pre-eminent authority on the subject.
pre-eminently | pre-eminently: adv. primarily, principally, by far, far and away, manifestly, eminently, notably, conspicuously, prominently, signally, uniquely, extraordinarily, supremely, superbly, matchlessly, incomparably, outstandingly: There is no doubt that Nathalie is pre-eminently qualified to direct the play.
pre-empt | pre-empt: v. appropriate, usurp, arrogate, take over, assume, take possession of, seize, acquire, take, possess, expropriate: All the seats on the committee had been pre-empted by the ruling faction.
preen | preen: v. 1 trim, clean, plume, groom: The gliding swans stopped now and then to preen their feathers. 2 primp, dress up, titivate or tittivate, prettify, beautify, prink, spruce up, deck (out), Colloq doll up, Brit tart up: He made Sonia wait while he preened himself before the mirror.
preface | preface: n. 1 introduction, foreword, prologue, preamble, Formal proem, prolegomenon, exordium: By way of preface, I should like to say how happy I am to be here. The preface to the book is far too long. --v. 2 precede, introduce, prefix, begin, open: The speaker prefaced his acceptance speech with a tribute to his predecessor.
prefatory | prefatory: adj. opening, introductory, preliminary, preparatory: Would you like to make a few prefatory remarks introducing this evening''s speaker?
prefer | prefer: v. 1 favour, like better, fancy, lean or incline towards or on the side of, be inclined, be partial to, pick, select, opt for, choose, single out, take a fancy to, embrace, espouse, approve, esteem: Which flavour do you prefer, chocolate or coffee? I should prefer to take my own car. 2 present, offer, propose, proffer, advance, submit, tender, put forward, file, lodge, enter: They preferred charges against the hooligans for criminal damage.
preference | preference: n. 1 favourite, choice, selection, desire, option, pick: My preference is the Dover sole meuni�re. 2 partiality, proclivity, prejudice, favouritism, predilection, liking, fancy, predisposition, bent, inclination, leaning: She shows a marked preference for short men.
preferential | preferential: adj. advantageous, biased, prejudiced, favourable, privileged, partial, better, favoured, superior: What entitles her to preferential treatment?
pregnant | pregnant: adj. 1 gravid, parturient, expectant, (heavy) with child, enceinte, Colloq expecting, in a family way, Brit preggers, Slang having a bun in the oven, Brit in the (pudding) club, up the spout: Her twins are only seven months old and now she''s pregnant again. 2 charged, fraught, loaded, weighty, significant, meaningful, suggestive, eloquent, expressive, pointed: Although she said nothing, her smile was pregnant with meaning. 3 fruitful, teeming, fertile, fecund, rich, abounding, replete, productive: My mind was so pregnant with ideas that I couldn''t wait to get down to work.
prehistoric | prehistoric: adj. 1 primordial, primal, primeval, primitive, earliest, early, antediluvian, Noachian or Noachic, fossil, ancient: The prehistoric remains of yet another skeleton have been found in the peat bogs. 2 antiquated, out-dated, old-fashioned, pass�: My mother makes me wear these absolutely prehistoric clothes to school.
prejudice | prejudice: n. 1 partiality, preconception, prejudgement, bias, leaning, warp, twist, preconceived notion, predisposition, predilection, jaundiced eye, jaundice: The judge showed an unfortunate prejudice against my client. 2 bigotry, unfairness, bias, partisanship, favouritism, cronyism, discrimination, intolerance, inequality; racism, racialism, apartheid, Jim Crowism, sexism, (male) chauvinism: There is still prejudice against many minority groups in society. --v. 3 bias, influence, warp, twist, distort, slant; colour, jaundice, poison: Stop trying to prejudice me against the book, and let me form my own opinion. Are you prejudiced in favour of Anita''s getting the job?
prejudiced | prejudiced: adj. 1 unfair, one-sided, biased, jaundiced, opinionated, predisposed, partial, partisan, non-objective, unobjective: The prosecution objected to him as a prejudiced witness. 2 bigoted, intolerant, narrow-minded, closed-minded, parochial, sexist, racist, chauvinistic: We have no room in our organization for people who are prejudiced.
prejudicial | prejudicial: adj. injurious, damaging, detrimental, harmful, unfavourable, inimical, deleterious, disadvantageous, counter-productive, pernicious: Such an investment decision might prove prejudicial to her financial security.
preliminary | preliminary: adj. 1 advance, prior, introductory, beginning, initial, opening, preparatory, prefatory, preceding, antecedent, forerunning; premonitory; Formal or technical prodromal or prodromic: The preliminary design for the swimming-pool is ready. After some preliminary remarks, the ceremonies got under way. --n. 2 introduction, beginning, opening, preparation, groundwork, prelude, precedence; overture: We insist on rigorous training as a preliminary to working in the field. 3 prelims. Rarely, preliminaries. introduction, preface, foreword, preamble, prologue, front matter, Formal proem, exordium, prolegomenon, prodromus, prodrome: The manuscript is finished and we are waiting for the prelims.
premature | premature: adj. 1 immature, undeveloped, underdeveloped, unfledged, untimely, unready, early, unripe, green: Much premature fruit has been blown down in the winds. 2 hasty, untimely, ill-timed, too early, too soon, beforehand, unseasonable, overhasty, impulsive, inopportune: The post may be slow, but still I think September a bit premature to send Christmas cards. The discovery that money was missing accounts for his premature departure.
prematurely | prematurely: adv. 1 untimely, too soon, too early: He died prematurely at the age of 46. 2 rashly, (over-)hastily, at half-cock, half-cocked: She dismissed him prematurely, before he had the time to prove himself. The gun went off prematurely, with no chance to aim it.
premeditated | premeditated: adj. planned, conscious, intentional, intended, wilful, deliberate, studied, purposive; contrived, preplanned, calculated, preconceived: The murder was coldly premeditated. I admit to being wrong, and I have no premeditated excuses.
premier | premier: n. 1 prime minister, PM, head of state, chief executive, president, chancellor: The premiers of the Commonwealth met at Kuala Lumpur in 1989. --adj. 2 first, prime, primary, chief, principal, head, main, foremost, top-ranking, highest-ranking, ranking, leading, top, pre-eminent: He is the premier expert in his field.
premi�re | premi�re: n. 1 premiere, first night, opening (night), debut: The premi�re of A�da was at the opening of the Suez Canal. --v. 2 open, debut: The film will premi�re at the Festival Cinema tomorrow. --adj. 3 opening, debut, first, original, initial: The premi�re West-End performance is scheduled for May after a provincial tour.
premise | premise: n. 1 premiss, assumption, proposition, postulate, hypothesis, conjecture, assertion, supposition, thesis, presupposition, proposal, theorem, surmise, basis, ground: He started out with the premise that time had a beginning and will have an end. --v. 2 assume, propose, postulate, hypothesize, hypothecate, conjecture, posit, assert, suppose, presuppose, theorize, surmise, put or set forth, predicate, argue: If you accept what Einstein premised in the Special Theory of Relativity, then you accept that space is curved.
premium | premium: n. 1 bonus, extra, dividend, prize, award, reward, perquisite: In our slimming competition, a premium will be paid for each pound that you lose beyond five. 2 incentive, inducement, stimulus, incitement, lure, bait, spur, goad, reward, Colloq come-on, Slang US and Canadian freebie: Many Building Societies offer premiums to first-time buyers. 3 value, importance, regard, stock, store, appreciation: We place a premium on the way our staff treat customers. 4 at a premium. a scarce, rare, scant, scanty, sparse, hard to come by, in short supply, Colloq scarce as hen''s teeth, Chiefly Brit thin on the ground: Proficient, literate, experienced editors are at a premium these days. b costly, expensive, dear, high-priced, Colloq steep, stiff: The convertible model of this car is at a premium.
premonition | premonition: n. intuition, foreboding, presentiment, forewarning, suspicion, feeling, hunch, Colloq funny feeling, sneaking suspicion: I had a premonition that something terribly evil was lurking in store for me.
preoccupied | preoccupied: adj. 1 engrossed, lost in thought, rapt, thoughtful, pensive, absorbed, cogitating, cogitative, meditating, musing, reflecting, reflective, contemplative, contemplating, pondering, brooding, ruminating, in a brown study: John is preoccupied, thinking about the speech he has to deliver tonight. 2 vague, offhand, far-away, absent-minded, abstracted, oblivious, unaware, wrapped up, immersed, inattentive, distracted, distrait, Colloq turned off, US out of it: From her preoccupied air it was obvious that something was wrong.
preparation | preparation: n. 1 Often, preparations. a groundwork, spadework, provision(s), foundation, preparing, measures, proceedings: Nothing will interfere with our preparation for the royal visit. b plans, arrangements: We are making preparations to leave tomorrow. 2 fitness, readiness, readying, preparing, training, education, teaching, instruction, instructing, tuition, briefing, grooming, Colloq gearing up, prep, US prepping: The preparation of the students was your responsibility. 3 drawing up, draughting, planning, setting up, putting together, organizing, organization, composing, making: How is your preparation of the new proposal coming along? 4 work, preparing, getting ready, study, studying, practising, practice, Colloq cramming, Brit swotting: All my preparation for the exam was to no avail. 5 substance, compound, concoction, mixture, product, material, stuff, composition: This preparation is a furniture wax, not a suntan lotion.
preparatory | preparatory: adj. 1 preparative, preliminary, introductory, prefatory, opening: After some preparatory warnings about safety, the scuba-diving lessons began. 2 elementary, basic, essential, fundamental, primary, rudimentary: His preparatory training left him ill equipped to deal with such a major problem. 3 preparatory to. before, in preparation for, preceding: Preparatory to the mission, we were briefed by MI5.
prepare | prepare: v. 1 (get or make) ready, prime, arrange, (put in) order, organize, provide for, make provision(s) for, lay the groundwork (for), (make) fit, fit (out), equip, outfit, adapt: Have you prepared adequately for the meeting? We prepared the house to receive guests. 2 train, (get or make) ready, study, practise, Colloq cram, Brit swot, get up: He is preparing to take an exam. 3 train, educate, teach, (get or make) ready, groom, brief, develop: Her mother is preparing her for the next Olympics. 4 cook (up), make, do, Colloq whip up, US and Canadian fix: I shall prepare dinner for eight o''clock. 5 manufacture, fabricate, produce, make, put out, build, construct, assemble, put together, turn out, fashion, forge, mould: Our company prepares components for the printing industry. 6 brace, strengthen, steel, fortify, ready: When I saw the doctor''s face, I prepared myself for bad news. 7 process, produce, make, treat, change, modify, transform: This fabric has been specially prepared to repel stains.
prepared | prepared: adj. 1 ready, set, advance, prearranged, planned: We have six prepared questions for the interview. 2 treated, processed, modified, changed: Using an etching needle, incise the lines on the prepared surface of the steel plate. 3 willing, disposed, predisposed, able, inclined, of a mind; ready, (all) set: Are you prepared to apologize? 4 oven-ready, microwave-ready, microwavable, instant, convenience, ready-to-eat, ready-to-serve, precooked, ready-made: He lives alone and usually buys prepared dinners that just need reheating.
preparedness | preparedness: n. vigilance, alertness, readiness, fitness: The armed forces were kept in a continuous state of preparedness.
preponderance | preponderance: n. 1 majority, greater part, bulk, mass, lion''s share: The preponderance of voters want a change of government. 2 weight, influence, weightiness, superiority, supremacy, predominance, primacy, ascendancy, sway, strength, force, power, advantage, control, authority, hegemony, leadership, rule: Good has always appeared to have an incontestable preponderance over evil.
prepossessing | prepossessing: adj. attractive, appealing, pleasing, favourable, engaging, charming, captivating, fascinating, winsome, winning, magnetic, alluring, bewitching, taking, fetching, inviting, good-looking, handsome, lovely, beautiful: She is a woman of prepossessing appearance and a delightful nature.
preposterous | preposterous: adj. absurd, ridiculous, ludicrous, laughable, risible, asinine, foolish, senseless, irrational, nonsensical, fatuous, fatuitous, mindless, insane, crazy, crack-brained, mad, idiotic, moronic, imbecilic, incredible, unbelievable, outrageous, extravagant, extraordinary, extreme, exorbitant, outlandish, outr�, weird, bizarre, Slang barmy, nutty, screwy, batty, dotty, wacky, loony, cuckoo, US balmy: To claim that it is all my fault is simply preposterous!
prerequisite | prerequisite: adj. 1 essential, necessary, requisite, imperative, indispensable, obligatory, required, called-for, demanded: Naval service is a prerequisite condition for joining the club. --n. 2 precondition, requirement, qualification, requisite, condition, sine qua non, proviso, provision, necessity: A thorough grounding in mathematics is a prerequisite for the study of advanced physics.
prerogative | prerogative: n. privilege, right, liberty, power, due, advantage, licence, franchise, claim, sanction, authority, authorization: As managing director, she exercises her prerogative to park her car closest to the door.
prescribe | prescribe: v. ordain, order, direct, dictate, demand, decree, require, enjoin, rule, set (down), stipulate, command, instruct, define, specify, impose, lay down, exact, constrain: The doctor prescribed rest. An independent journalist, Healey would not let anyone prescribe what he could or could not write.
prescription | prescription: n. 1 formula, recipe, instruction, direction: The prescription is for three tablets a day, and this dose must not be exceeded. 2 remedy, medication, medicine, drug, preparation, medicament: That prescription had no effect at all on my headache.
prescriptive | prescriptive: adj. dictatorial, constrictive, didactic, restrictive, dogmatic, authoritarian, overbearing, autocratic, imperious: As grammar is a description of how language works, it cannot be prescriptive.
presence | presence: n. 1 proximity, nearness, closeness, adjacency, vicinity, Formal propinquity: The presence of a hospital near her home made Aunt Mary feel more secure. 2 attendance, company, companionship, society, association, existence, manifestation, manifestness, being: The Queen honoured us by her presence at the unveiling of the plaque. 3 poise, self-assurance, bearing, self-possession, confidence, mien, carriage, comportment, deportment, air, personality, aspect, aura, appearance: When Geoffrey entered, his presence created quite a stir. 4 spirit, wraith, spectre, shade: I had the vague but pervading sense that a unidentifiable presence was with me in the empty room. 5 presence of mind. aplomb, sophistication, coolness, cool-headedness, composure, imperturbability, phlegm, sang-froid, self-possession, self-assurance, calm, equanimity, level-headedness, quick-wittedness, alertness, Colloq cool: With great presence of mind, Grainger walked up to the man and took the gun from him.
present� | present�: adj. 1 current, contemporary, present-day, existing, existent, up to date, Colloq now: Do you understand the present generation? 2 nearby, nearest, immediate, closest, adjacent, proximate, propinquitous; close, remaining; accounted for: Everybody has been awful to me - present company excepted. All those present heard what she said to me. --n. 3 at present. (right or just) now, for the time being, for the present, today, these days, Non-Standard presently, Colloq at this point in time: I am not ready to invest at present. 4 the present. the time being, the moment, the hour, the nonce, this juncture, these days, our times; today, (right) now, nowadays; Colloq this point in time: She lives for the present, and never thinks of the consequences.
present� | present�: n. 1 gift: May I open my birthday presents now? 2 donation, offering, bounty, grant, largesse, contribution, endowment: I''ll make you a present of the painting if you like it. 3 tip, gratuity, pourboire, baksheesh or backsheesh, bonus; alms, hand-out, dole, aid, allowance: She gave the ma�tre d''h�tel a present for looking after us so well. --v. 4 introduce, acquaint with, make known: I''d like to present my wife, Cordelia, who has been looking forward to meeting you. 5 offer, give, stage, show, exhibit, put on (show), mount, produce: The local players will present a new production of Blithe Spirit tonight. 6 give (out), award, confer (on), bestow (on), turn or hand over, grant, provide, furnish; dispense, distribute, dole out, pass out, deal out, mete out: They presented her with a prize for the best poem. Is it tonight that they present the awards? 7 offer, bring (in or up), proffer, tender, introduce, produce, submit, set or put forth, put forward, adduce; register, file, record: The lawyer for the defence presented evidence of his client''s alibi. 8 introduce, announce, Brit comp�re, Colloq emcee: And here, to present our show, is the inimitable Reginald Norton!
presentable | presentable: adj. 1 fit, fitting, suitable, acceptable, satisfactory, adequate, passable, tolerable, admissible, all right, allowable, up to par or standard or the mark, good enough, Colloq up to scratch, OK or okay, up to snuff: Whether that argument is presentable in a court of law is disputable. 2 decent, proper, polite, decorous, respectable, well-bred, well-mannered, fit to be seen: After a bath, shave, and change of clothing he looked quite presentable.
presentation | presentation: n. 1 giving, bestowal, offering, proffering, presenting, award, awarding, conferral, conferring, delivery; donation: The presentation of the prizes will be at the annual dinner. 2 appearance, image, display, visual(s), spectacle, show, performance, demonstration, production: The text of the proposal was fine, but the presentation could be improved. 3 debut, launch, introduction, unveiling, disclosure: We attended the presentation of the latest electric car.
presently | presently: adv. soon, by and by, in a little while, shortly, after a short time, in due course, after a while or a time, before long, in a moment or a minute or a while, Archaic or literary anon, Colloq in a jiffy, in two shakes (of a lamb''s tail), Non-Standard now, at present: The show opens presently in the West End. I shall be with you presently.
preservation | preservation: n. 1 upkeep, maintenance, care, conservation: The preservation of old paintings has become an art in itself. 2 keeping, retention, retaining, perpetuation, perpetuating, continuation, safe keeping, security, safeguarding, protection, protecting, conservation: Several charities are dedicated to the preservation of our heritage.
preserve | preserve: v. 1 keep safe, protect, guard, take care of, care for, safeguard, watch over, shield, shelter, defend, spare: What can we do to preserve ourselves from this terrible pestilence? May God preserve me, I never expected to see you again! 2 keep (up), maintain, conserve, spare, perpetuate; continue, support, sustain, save: We developed a technique to preserve antique furniture. The sea preserves much of the heat it absorbs in the summer. It is difficult to preserve one''s sanity in this madhouse. 3 conserve, put up, pickle, cure, smoke, kipper, salt, corn, marinate, can, freeze, freeze-dry, refrigerate, dry, dehydrate, vacuum-pack; embalm, mummify: The berries were preserved by bottling and freezing. Some of the remains were preserved for hundreds of years. --n. 4 Often, preserves. conserve(s), jam, jelly, confiture, marmalade: Susan likes thick toast with butter and preserves for tea. 5 (game) reserve, reservation, sanctuary, Brit park: No hunting is allowed in this preserve.
preside | preside: v. supervise, run, oversee, direct, operate, lead, head (up), govern, rule, manage, handle, control, direct, chair, administer, administrate, regulate, officiate: Melissa presides over the meetings of the board.
press | press: v. 1 subject to or exert pressure or force, force, push, impel, thrust, bear (on), weigh on or upon, jam, cram, crush; pressure or Brit also pressurize: The crowd was pressing against the door. Although hard pressed at first, we eventually won. 2 squeeze, compress, depress, push: When the picture is in focus, press this button to release the shutter. 3 squeeze, crush, compress, mash: After harvesting, the grapes are pressed to extract the juice. 4 iron, smooth, flatten, put through a mangle; steam: I shall have to press my jacket before going out to dinner. 5 clasp, embrace, hug, hold (close or tight(ly)), take in one''s arms, throw one''s arms about or around, cleave to, Archaic clip: She pressed the child to her with great affection. 6 constrain, urge, force, pressure, compel, demand, persuade, induce, prod, provoke, importune, beseech, ask, request, beg, entreat: They pressed me to tell where the money was hidden. 7 crowd, flock, gather, mill, swarm, throng, seethe, cluster, congregate, meet, converge, huddle: The reporters pressed round the chancellor to catch every word. --n. 8 crowding, gathering, thronging, converging, convergence, crowd, throng, swarm, cluster, huddle, pack, herd, host, multitude, horde, mob, crush: When the doors opened, the huge press of people pushed onto the train. 9 urgency, haste, hurry, hustle, bustle, pressure, stress: The press of business required me to postpone my trip to Paris. 10 the press. a newspapers, the papers, Fleet Street, the fourth estate, the media, the wire or news services, broadcasting, television, radio: The press will have a field-day when this news gets out. b newspaper people, newspapermen or newspaperwomen, newsmen or newswomen, reporters, correspondents, ladies or gentlemen of the press, journalists, commentators, paparazzi, Brit leader-writers, US editorial writers, Colloq news-hounds, Brit journos: The doors were opened and the press were invited in.
pressing | pressing: adj. urgent, compelling, crucial, pivotal, burning, grave, serious, major, important, vital, high-priority, critical, portentous, momentous, profound, significant: Some pressing matters kept me late at the office.
pressure | pressure: n. 1 force, compression; weight, power, strength: The air pressure in your tyres is low. The pressure of the water burst the pipe. 2 compression, pressing, squeezing, compressing, tension, stress, crushing: The pressure of a tourniquet has to be loosened now and then. 3 affliction, oppression, press, weight, burden, load, albatross, strain, stress, urgency, demands, exigency or exigencies, vexation, distress, trouble(s), adversity, difficulty or difficulties, straits, constraint(s), problem(s): Pressure of work prevents me from taking any time away from the office. When interest rates increase, we all feel financial pressure. 4 influence, power, sway, constraint, insistence, coercion, intimidation, arm-twisting; inducement, persuasion, urging, pressing: Without more pressure from local residents, the roadworks will not be completed in time. --v. 5 persuade, influence; prevail upon or on, press, urge, sway, intimidate, bring pressure to bear (on), apply pressure (on or to), coerce, force, compel, constrain, require, demand, make, insist upon or on, Brit pressurize, Colloq twist (someone''s) arm, lean on, turn the heat on, Slang put the screws on or to: They pressured him to take the assignment in New Zealand.
prestige | prestige: n. status, reputation, standing, rank, stature, importance, significance, eminence, esteem, pre-eminence, prominence, predominance, primacy, superiority, supremacy, ascendancy, distinction, renown, regard, fame, cachet, repute, celebrity, glamour, stardom: To raise money, someone with prestige must be found to serve as director of the charity.
prestigious | prestigious: adj. important, significant, eminent, estimable, imposing, impressive, pre-eminent, prominent, distinguished, august, dignified, renowned, famous, famed, well-known, illustrious, acclaimed, respected, celebrated, noted, notable, noteworthy, outstanding, glorious, honoured, glamorous: She may be a prestigious author, but she does not live at a very prestigious address.
presumably | presumably: adv. probably, in all likelihood, (very or most) likely, in all probability, seemingly, doubtless(ly), indubitably, no doubt, undoubtedly, unquestionably, without a doubt, surely, certainly, on the face of it, all things considered, all things being equal: Presumably, you have heard the one about the colonel''s poodle.
presume | presume: v. 1 assume, take for granted, suppose, surmise, infer, suppose, presuppose, take it, gather, understand, think, believe, imagine, suspect, fancy, conjecture, postulate, posit, theorize, speculate, hypothesize, hypothecate, US and Canadian guess: For some unaccountable reason, we presumed that your train would arrive on time. Dr Livingstone, I presume? 2 dare, take the liberty, be so presumptuous as, make (so) bold (as), have the audacity or effrontery, go so far as, venture: Who is he to presume to judge others? 3 Often, presume on or upon. encroach (on or upon), impose (on or upon), take liberties (with), intrude (on or upon or into): I hate to presume on our friendship, but could you lend me some money?
presumption | presumption: n. 1 arrogance, pride, effrontery, audacity, boldness, brazenness, impudence, impertinence, insolence, temerity, overconfidence, presumptuousness, forwardness, immodesty, Colloq pushiness, cheek, cheekiness, nerve, gall, chutzpah, brass, Brit brass neck: He had the presumption to ask my age. 2 assumption, supposition, presupposition, preconception, premise or premiss, surmise, proposition, postulation; probability, likelihood, plausibility, feasibility: The presumption of the innocence of a person accused of a crime is established in law. 3 assumption, stand, position, inference, feeling, deduction, conclusion, conviction, bias, guess, theory, hypothesis, conjecture, belief, thought; suspicion: Having examined the evidence, the pathologist''s presumption was that the victim had died of natural causes. 4 ground(s), reason, basis, evidence: What is your presumption for thinking that you might win the lottery?
presumptive | presumptive: adj. 1 likely, reasonable, plausible, tenable, believable, credible, conceivable, acceptable, justifiable, sensible, rational, sound: There is strong presumptive evidence, but we need proof. 2 inferred, presumed, assumed, supposed, understood, predicted, predicated: As King Richard was childless, his brother was heir presumptive to the Crown.
presumptuous | presumptuous: adj. arrogant, proud, prideful, audacious, bold, brazen, saucy, impudent, impertinent, insolent, temerarious, brash, overconfident, overweening, forward, presuming, immodest, egotistical, Colloq pushy, cheeky, too big for one''s boots, Brit uppish: He is presumptuous enough to think he can do no wrong.
presuppose | presuppose: v. See presume, 1, above.
presupposition | presupposition: n. See presumption, 1, 2, above.
pretence | pretence: n. 1 show, display, pretension, ostentation, airs, front, fa�ade, appearance, make-believe, fiction, hypocrisy, fakery, faking, feigning, humbuggery, humbug, deception, artifice, pretext, posturing, pretentiousness, pretending, camouflage, cover-up: Her charming manner was all pretence, for in reality she despised him. 2 hoax, humbug, artifice, pretext, sham, show, pose, fa�ade, front, cover-up, cover, cloak, veil, mask, masquerade, disguise, guise, deception, ruse, dodge, blind, fabrication, invention, fiction, story, fable, make-believe, fairy tale, figment, falsification, impression: His loyalty was a pretence under which he carried on many liaisons. 3 excuse, pretext, pretension: They would ring for the butler on the slightest pretence, just to impress us.
pretend | pretend: v. 1 feign, profess, represent, allege, make believe, make out: Let''s pretend that we are royalty. Often, he pretends to be me. 2 try, attempt, endeavour, venture, presume, undertake: I could not pretend to guess the number of people attending last night''s meeting. 3 make believe, act or play, play-act, fake, feign, put on an act, dissemble, sham, sail under false colours: Is she serious about wanting you to leave or was she just pretending?
pretended | pretended: adj. so-called, alleged, asserted, reputed, professed, ostensible, purported, so-called, imaginary, make-believe, fictitious, fictional, sham, false, fake, feigned, bogus, counterfeit, spurious, Colloq phoney or US also phony, pseudo, pretend: So this is the pretended hero of yesterday''s battle!
pretender | pretender: n. claimant, aspirant, candidate, suitor, rival, seeker: He was the pretender to the Scottish throne.
pretension | pretension: n. 1 Often, pretensions. claim(s), pretence(s), aspiration(s), ambitiousness, ambition(s): He is known to have pretensions to the chancellorship. 2 pretext, pretence, pretentiousness, ostentation, pretending, affectation, hypocrisy: Gladys has behaved without pretension and with great sincerity.
pretentious | pretentious: adj. 1 ostentatious, showy, superficial, pompous, arrogant, bombastic, inflated, high-flown, exaggerated, vainglorious, fastuous, grandiose, grandiloquent, extravagant, magniloquent: The minister''s pretentious language is a bit too much to take. 2 snobbish, lofty, haughty, flaunting, Colloq high and mighty, highfalutin or hifalutin, hoity-toity, high-hat, Slang snotty, Brit toffee-nosed: That new couple next door are so pretentious - they think that nobody is good enough to associate with them!
pretext | pretext: n. 1 pretence, excuse, camouflage, guise, disguise, cover, veil, cloak, colour: They carried on the surveillance under pretext of working on the sewer. 2 ruse, red herring, cover (story), rationale, pretence, rationalization, explanation: What pretext did the thief use that made you let him in?
pretty | pretty: adj. 1 comely, attractive, good-looking, nice-looking, appealing, lovely, cute, mignon(ne), graceful, fair, bonny, fetching, charming, winsome, beautiful, pulchritudinous, Colloq easy on the eye(s): A pretty girl is like a melody. That''s a very pretty cottage. 2 tuneful, melodic, melodious, dulcet, musical, lyrical, harmonious, catchy, mellifluous, euphonious: He played a pretty tune on the piano. --adv. 3 rather, quite, fairly, moderately, reasonably, tolerably; somewhat; very, extremely, unbelievably, incredibly: The children put on a pretty good performance, I thought. He had become pretty fat since we last saw him.
prevail | prevail: v. 1 hold sway, win (out), predominate, succeed, triumph, gain or achieve a victory, prove superior, gain mastery or control: It is sometimes disappointing to learn that right does not always prevail. 2 predominate, be prevalent or widespread or current, preponderate, dominate, be the order of the day: As usual during Oktoberfest in Bavaria, revelry prevailed. 3 prevail on or upon. persuade, induce, influence, sway, dispose; incline, win over, bring round, convince: We prevailed on the guard to let us through the gate.
prevailing | prevailing: adj. 1 dominant, predominant, prevalent, main, chief, principal, common(est), usual, customary, universal: The prevailing winds are westerlies. 2 influential, effective, effectual, dominating, affecting, powerful, potent, forceful, ruling, telling, main, principal: The prevailing religion there is Buddhism.
prevalence | prevalence: n. 1 prevalency, frequency, commonness, currency, universality, ubiquitousness, ubiquity, pervasiveness, omnipresence, extensiveness; predominance, practice, acceptance, popularity: The prevalence of disease among the population is distressing. 2 sway, control, rule, primacy, ascendancy, mastery, predominance: The prevalence of bushido in Japan has diminished little since 1945.
prevalent | prevalent: adj. universal, catholic, common, frequent, prevailing, current, ubiquitous, pervasive, omnipresent, general, usual, customary, commonplace, extensive, widespread, established, ascendant, dominant, predominant, governing, ruling: A desire for change is prevalent throughout the country.
prevent | prevent: v. anticipate, preclude, obviate, forestall, avert, avoid, prohibit, ban, bar, forbid, interdict, taboo, enjoin, proscribe, foil, frustrate, obstruct, debar, intercept, nip in the bud, abort, thwart, check, block, ward or fend or stave off, baffle, balk or baulk, (put a) stop (to), arrest, (bring to a) halt, hinder, impede, curb, restrain, hamper, inhibit, delay, retard, slow, mitigate, control: Some diseases can be prevented by inoculation or vaccination. There is nothing to prevent us from leaving. The barrier was built to prevent flooding.
prevention | prevention: n. preventing, anticipation, preclusion, obviation, forestalling, avoidance, avoiding, prohibition, prohibiting, ban, banning, bar, barring, forbiddance, forbidding, interdiction, interdicting, taboo, tabooing, enjoining, injunction, proscription, proscribing, foiling, frustration, frustrating, obstruction, obstructing, debarment, debarring, interception, intercepting, abortion, aborting, thwarting, checking, check, blocking, block, warding or fending or staving off, balk or baulk, balking or baulking, stopping, arrest, arresting, halt, halting, hindrance, hindering, impedance, impeding, curb, curbing, restraint, restraining, hampering, inhibition, inhibiting, delay, delaying, retardation, retarding, slowing, mitigation, mitigating, control, controlling: The first item on the agenda is the prevention of cruelty to children. As the total prevention of crime is impossible, we must at least try to curb it.
preventive | preventive: adj. 1 preventative, preventing, hindering, impeding, restraining, hampering, inhibitive or inhibitory, inhibiting, restrictive: We must take preventive steps to ensure the stability of the rate of exchange. 2 preventative, prophylactic, precautionary, anticipatory or anticipative, protective, counteractive: Preventive means are available to limit heart disease. --n. 3 preventative, hindrance, curb, inhibition, impediment, block, barrier, obstacle, obstruction: Caffeine is one of the most powerful preventives of sleep that exists. 4 preventative, prophylactic, protection, shield, safeguard, prevention, countermeasure, counteractant, counter-agent, inoculum or inoculant, vaccine, serum, antidote, remedy: Heart specialists have recommended an aspirin every other day as a preventive to arterial blood clotting.
preview | preview: n. advance showing, private showing; opening, vernissage: We saw the Picasso exhibition at a preview held for friends of the gallery.
previous | previous: adj. 1 former, prior, past, earlier, one-time, foregoing, sometime, erstwhile, preceding, Literary quondam, Archaic whilom: A previous owner of the house filled in the fish-pond. 2 prior, former, foregoing, above, preceding, Formal antecedent, anterior, aforementioned, above-mentioned, before-mentioned, aforesaid, above-named: Please see the previous examples in the Foreword. 3 premature, untimely, too soon or early: Isn''t putting up Christmas decorations in October being a bit previous? 4 previous to. previously to, before, prior to, preceding, anterior to, antecedent to: Previous to the advent of motor cars, we had traffic jams of horse-drawn vehicles.
previously | previously: adv. before, once, formerly, earlier, at one time, then, beforehand, heretofore, theretofore, hitherto, thitherto, in the past, in days gone by, in days of old, in days or time past, in the old days, some time ago, a while ago, once upon a time, yesterday, Literary in days of yore, in olden days or times: The same thing had happened previously when I was in London. Previously, people lived more relaxed lives - or so we like to think.
prey | prey: n. 1 quarry, kill, game, objective, target: The lioness singled out her prey from the herd of zebra. 2 victim, target, objective; dupe, Colloq mark, Slang fall guy, pushover, Brit mug: A public company with huge cash reserves, United Vector seemed easy prey for a take-over bid. --v. 3 prey on or upon. a live off, feed on or upon, eat, consume, devour, kill, destroy, stalk, pursue, hunt, seize: These snakes prey mostly upon other snakes. b victimize, go after, exploit, use, take advantage of, intimidate, bully, cheat, dupe, swindle, gull, trick, snooker, defraud, outwit, outsmart, outfox, hoodwink, Literary cozen, Colloq rook, bamboozle, flimflam: An unscrupulous gang is preying on the elderly, persuading them to invest in non-existent properties. c oppress, weigh on or upon, burden, depress, distress, strain, vex, worry: His wretched condition preyed very much on her mind.
price | price: n. 1 charge, cost, expense, expenditure, outlay, payment, amount, figure, fee; quotation, appraisal, value, valuation, evaluation, worth: The price of this lamp is too high. What is the price of that box? Can he afford the price of a ticket? The current price of a London flat is out of my reach. 2 sacrifice, toll, penalty, cost, consequence: Loss of his freedom was too high a price for standing by his principles. 3 reward, bounty, premium, prize, payment, bonus, honorarium, Literary guerdon: The gunfighter had a price of �1000 on his head. 4 without price. See priceless, 1, below. --v. 5 value, evaluate, rate, assay, assess, cost (out): How would you price a piece of furniture like this chair?
priceless | priceless: adj. 1 costly, dear, expensive, high-priced, valuable, invaluable, precious, inestimable, incalculable; irreplaceable, unique: The vaults in the Vatican contain a king''s ransom in priceless jewels. 2 hilarious, riotous, (screamingly) funny, side-splitting, hysterical, droll, comical, amusing: The expression on his face when he realized it was a joke was priceless.
pricey | pricey: adj. pricy, expensive, dear, costly, exorbitant, outrageous, excessive, extortionate, Colloq steep, Brit over the odds: The restaurant where she took him was certainly pricey, but the food was excellent.
prick | prick: n. 1 puncture, pinhole, pinprick; hole, perforation: For the blood test, the doctor made a tiny prick in my finger with a needle. 2 sting, pinch, twinge, prickle, tingle, pain: The teacher leapt from her chair the instant she felt the prick of the tack. --v. 3 puncture, pierce, stab, jab, punch, perforate, riddle; lance: Using a pin, prick tiny holes in the paper to let the steam escape. The doctor pricked a boil on my neck. 4 stab, sting, hurt, prickle, pinch, bite, smart: The hypodermic needle really pricked me when it went in.
prickle | prickle: n. 1 spine, bristle, barb, thorn, bur, needle, tine, spike, spur, prong: The prickles make the brambles cling to your clothes. 2 pricking, prickliness, itch, itchiness, sting, tingling, tingle: I felt the prickle of the rough wool against my skin. --v. 3 tingle, sting, itch, smart: Sloane complained that the beard he had to grow for the pirate role made his face prickle. 4 stick, jab, prick: The child''s hands had been prickled by the chestnuts.
prickly | prickly: adj. 1 bristly, thorny, brambly, spiny, barbed, briery, spinous, spiky, Technical setaceous, setose, acanthoid, aciculate, aculeate, muricate, spiculate: Dad''s face is all prickly when he hasn''t shaved. 2 tingling, stinging, pricking, prickling, itchy, crawly, crawling: The squeak of the chalk on the blackboard gives me a prickly feeling. 3 touchy, irritable, petulant, cantankerous, testy, waspish, bad-tempered, peevish, fractious, short-tempered, curmudgeonly, Colloq cranky: Moira gets a bit prickly if you ask her why she married Noel. 4 nettlesome, thorny, ticklish, touchy, troublesome, intricate, complicated, complex, knotty, hard, difficult, contentious: The prickly problem of how to pay for the university must still be faced.
pride | pride: n. 1 honour, proudness, self-esteem, self-respect, amour propre, dignity: It is gratifying to be able to look with pride on one''s children''s achievements. 2 conceit, egotism, self-importance, vanity, hubris, arrogance, overconfidence, overweeningness, self-admiration, self-love, self-importance, smugness, haughtiness, hauteur, snobbery, snobbishness, Colloq uppitiness: Pride goeth before a fall. Her pride stems from an exaggerated notion of her own worth. 3 boast, flower, best, prize, pride and joy, treasure, jewel, gem: Those model railway trains are Eustace''s pride and joy. --v. 4 Usually, pride oneself on. be proud of, take pride in, delight in, revel in, celebrate, glory in: Irena prides herself on having made her own way in life, without anyone''s help.
priest | priest: n. priestess, clergyman or clergywoman, ecclesiastic, cleric, churchman or churchwoman, reverend, vicar, divine, man or woman of the cloth, man or woman of God, curate, confessor, minister (of the Gospel), servant of God, father, mother, holy man or woman, preacher, missionary, evangelist, abb�, abbot or abbess, Colloq padre: The high priest muttered some incantations over the body of the sacrificial victim.
priestly | priestly: adj. clerical, ecclesiastic, pastoral, hieratic, sacerdotal; ministerial, canonical, missionary: She has taken her priestly vows.
prig | prig: n. (ultra-)conservative, prude, purist, pedant, school-ma''m, puritan, (Mrs) Grundy, Grundyite, Grundyist, precisionist, precisian, conformist, formalist, Colloq stuffed shirt, stick-in-the-mud, goody-goody: A terrible prig, the headmaster forbade even the slightest hint of slang usage.
priggish | priggish: adj. (ultra-)conservative, prim, demure, prudish, purist, puristic, pedantic, school-marmish, strait-laced, hidebound, stiff-necked, puritanical, conformist, (Mrs) Grundyish, punctilious, formal, formalistic, strict, severe, fastidious, fussy, particular; precious, pr�cieux or pr�cieuse, niminy-piminy, over-nice, Colloq stick-in-the-mud, goody-goody, prissy, old-maidish, stuffed-shirt, stuffy, uptight, nit-picking, Brit twee: Victorians were less priggish in their private behaviour than in their public image.
primarily | primarily: adv. 1 principally, mainly, chiefly, especially, at bottom, particularly, first of all, pre-eminently, basically, essentially, fundamentally, on the whole, for the most part, mostly, predominantly or predominately, generally: The rain in Spain falls primarily in the plain. 2 initially, originally, from or at the start, first (and foremost, in the first instance, ab initio: The colonists, primarily refugees from England, began to settle the New World in the 17th century.
primary | primary: adj. 1 first, prime, principal, chief, main, leading, pre-eminent, cardinal, fundamental, basic, essential, predominant, elementary, elemental, underlying: The primary reason I want to see you is to discuss your future with the company. The primary meaning of a word is given first. 2 earliest, first, original, initial, primitive, primeval, primordial, embryonic, germinal, beginning, ultimate: The primary source of life was possibly a sort of soup containing proteins and other molecules. 3 firsthand, direct, immediate: Bauxite is the primary source of aluminium ore. 4 elementary, basic, rudimentary, fundamental: One of the primary lessons we are taught is consideration for others. 5 unmixed, unadulterated, pure, simple, rudimentary, fundamental, principal: The primary colours in art are red, yellow, and blue.
prime | prime: adj. 1 See primary, 1, above. 2 best, foremost, chief; first-rate, first-class, choice, select, superior, pre-eminent, leading, ranking, predominant, unparalleled, matchless, peerless, noteworthy, outstanding, admirable, worthy, exceptional, excellent, extraordinary, exceptional: She is a prime example of the results of a modern education. Arthur is certainly a prime candidate for the position. 3 original, fundamental, basic, elemental, elementary: The prime cause of scurvy is lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. --n. 4 youth, springtime; best years, heyday, pinnacle, acme, peak, zenith: Some people reach the prime of life at 60. --v. 5 (make or get) ready, prepare, educate, teach, instruct, coach, train, tutor, drill: Has Sonia been fully primed to take over the chairmanship when Sir William steps down? 6 inform, advise, notify, apprise, brief: Having read your book, I am fully primed on American history.
primitive | primitive: adj. 1 first, original, aboriginal, earliest, primordial, primal, primeval or Brit also primaeval, pristine, prehistoric; antediluvian, Noachian or Noachic, old, ancient: In its most primitive state, life probably originated from some random strings of molecules. The most primitive farming tools date from some 10,000 years ago. 2 crude, rude, unrefined, raw, barbaric, uncultured, barbarian, coarse, rough, uncivilized, savage, uncultivated, unsophisticated, uncouth: I cannot tolerate Nigel''s primitive table manners. 3 simple, basic, simplistic, na�ve, childlike, unsophisticated, uncultivated, unrefined, unpolished, rough, untutored, untaught, untrained, unschooled, undeveloped: Gary collects paintings of the primitive school and has one by Grandma Moses.
primp | primp: v. preen, prink, prettify, titivate or tittivate, plume, dress up, groom, Colloq doll up, get (all) dolled up, spruce up, put on one''s best bib and tucker, Chiefly Brit tart up, get (all) tarted up, Slang deck out, trick out or up, put on one''s glad rags, Brit fig out, US gussy up, get (all) gussied up, dude up: She was primping before the mirror, awaiting the arrival of her beau.
princely | princely: adj. 1 lavish, bountiful, generous, liberal, ample, substantial, huge, enormous: They paid a princely sum for their stately home in Surrey. 2 lavish, magnificent, splendid, luxurious, majestic, royal, regal, sumptuous, superb, Colloq ritzy, swank(y), posh, plush: The hotel laid on princely accommodation for us with rooms overlooking the sea. 3 royal, noble, regal, sovereign, of royal or noble blood or rank: Who would have thought that our humble home would ever shelter a princely guest?
principal | principal: adj. 1 chief, primary, prime, paramount, main, first, foremost, ranking, pre-eminent, predominant, dominant, prevailing; leading, starring: The principal reason I''m here is to see you. The principal food of the people is corn. The principal role was sung by Pavarotti. 2 important, prominent, leading, key, cardinal: Cuba is a principal source of sugar. --n. 3 owner, proprietor, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson, (managing) director, head, president, chief, chief executive officer, CEO, manager or Brit manageress, superintendent, supervisor, Colloq boss, US (head or chief) honcho: We should talk to the principals about buying that company. 4 dean, director, Chiefly Brit headmaster, headmistress, master, rector, (vice-)chancellor: His appointment as principal is for a two-year period. 5 (working) capital, capital funds, resources, investment, backing, (cash) reserve(s), assets; money: She is fortunate to be able to live on the income from her investments, without touching the principal. 6 star, lead, heroine, hero, leading lady or man, leading role, main part; diva, premi�re danseuse, premier danseur, prima donna, prima ballerina: The principal in the ballet company was a Russian.
principally | principally: adv. chiefly, mainly, first (and foremost), primarily, above all, in the main, mostly, for the most part, largely, predominantly, on the whole, at bottom, in essence, essentially, basically, fundamentally; especially, particularly: He seems to be interested principally in money, with little regard for anything else.
principle | principle: n. 1 truth, given, precept, tenet, fundamental, grounds, law, rule, dictum, canon, doctrine, teaching, dogma, proposition, (basic) assumption, postulate, axiom, maxim, truism, guide, standard, criterion, model: The perpetual-motion machine violates a basic principle of physics. 2 Often, principles. philosophy, code, attitude, (point of) view, viewpoint, sentiment, belief, credo, creed, idea, notion, ethic, sense of right and wrong: He cynically conducts his life on the principle, ''Do unto others before they do unto you''. I am not sure I can condone his principles. 3 (sense of) honour, uprightness, honesty, morality, morals, probity, integrity, conscience: If you don''t think him a man of principle, don''t do business with him. 4 in principle. on principle, in theory, theoretically, basically, fundamentally, at bottom, in essence, essentially, ideally: I like your plan in principle, but in practice it cannot be accomplished that way.
principled | principled: adj. moral, righteous, right-minded, virtuous, noble, high-minded, ethical, honourable, proper, correct, right, just, upright, honest, scrupulous: Michael is too highly principled to take bribes.
print | print: v. 1 impress, imprint, stamp, publish, issue, run off, put out; copy; (pull a) proof: We decided to print 500 copies of the book. You may have your name printed on the cover for an additional amount. --n. 2 reproduction, copy, replica, facsimile; positive, photograph, etching, (steel or wood-)engraving, lithograph, woodcut, linocut, silk screen, rotogravure, Trade Mark Xerox; picture, illustration; Colloq photo, cut, pic (pl. pix): Today, a good print of a Picasso costs more than an original did fifty years ago. 3 text, printed matter, type, writing; language, wording, (choice of) words, phrasing: You''d be well advised to read the small print before signing the agreement.
prior | prior: adj. 1 former, previous, earlier, one-time, ex, erstwhile; old, last, late, latest, Literary quondam, whilom: If you overdraw your account without prior arrangement, you will automatically be charged a higher rate of interest. 2 prior to. before, previous to, previously to, till, until, preceding: Prior to the earthquake, Valdivia was a river port.
priority | priority: n. precedence, precedency, primacy, urgency, immediacy, predominance, pre-eminence, preference, rank, superiority, prerogative, right, seniority, importance, weight, immediacy: The applications for aid will be processed in order of priority.
prison | prison: n. jail or Brit also gaol, dungeon, oubliette, lock-up, penal institution, house of correction, correctional institution, reformatory, house of detention; confinement, detention; Old-fashioned reform school, Military guardhouse; Brit remand centre, detention centre, remand home, community home, Military glasshouse, Formal CHE (= ''community home with education on the premises''), Old-fashioned approved school; US penitentiary, Military brig; Archaic Brit bridewell; Slang clink, can, cooler, jug, stir, Brit quod, chokey or choky, US and Canadian pokey or poky; US pen, calaboose, slammer, hoosegow, Old-fashioned big house: He was released from prison last Friday after serving six months for burglary.
prisoner | prisoner: n. convict, trusty; internee, detainee; Colloq jailbird or Brit also gaolbird, lifer, Slang con, Brit (old) lag, Old-fashioned ticket-of-leave man, US two-time or three-time loser: Prisoners'' letters were censored.
prissy | prissy: adj. fussy, precious, over-nice, finicky or finical, strait-laced, school-marmish, prim (and proper), prudish, squeamish, fastidious, Colloq old-maidish: He is awfully prissy about changing on the beach.
pristine | pristine: adj. 1 original, primal, basic, primeval or Brit also primaeval, primitive, primordial, earliest, first, initial: It is impractical to try to return the world to what some regard as its pristine purity. 2 uncorrupted, pure, unsullied, undefiled, virginal, virgin, chaste, untouched, unspoiled, unpolluted, untarnished, spotless, immaculate, natural: One must travel far today to experience the pristine beauty of nature. The car was in pristine condition.
privacy | privacy: n. 1 seclusion, retirement, solitude, isolation, retreat, sequestration, reclusiveness, reclusion, solitariness; monasticism: Coleman very much enjoys the privacy of living alone. 2 secrecy, secretiveness, clandestineness, confidentiality, surreptitiousness, covertness, concealment: Many feel that the questions on census forms invade their privacy.
private | private: adj. 1 (top) secret, confidential, undisclosed, hidden, clandestine, concealed, covert, surreptitious, off the record, not for publication, unofficial, Colloq hush-hush: I think our relationship should be kept private for the time being. What I am about to tell you is strictly private. 2 privileged, restrictive, restricted, exclusive, special, reserved, personal, inaccessible, non-public; hidden, secluded, concealed, secret, sneaking: The house is situated on a private road. I had a private suspicion that they would cancel their trip. 3 personal, individual, own, intimate, particular: My private affairs are none of your business. 4 solitary, seclusive, reclusive, withdrawn, retiring, reticent, ungregarious, non-gregarious, unsocial, unsociable, antisocial, reserved, uncommunicative, hermitic(al), hermit-like, eremitic(al); sequestered, secluded, retired: You have to bear in mind that Edmund is a very private person. --n. 5 private soldier, infantryman, foot-soldier, US enlisted man, Colloq Brit Tommy, Tommy Atkins, squaddie, US GI (Joe), Slang US grunt: Before cashiering him, they reduced him from colonel to private. 6 in private. in secret, secretly, privately, sub rosa, personally, confidentially, behind closed doors, in camera, off the record, US on the q.t. or Q.T.; clandestinely, secretively, sneakily, sneakingly, surreptitiously, furtively, covertly, on the sly: Family matters should be discussed only in private. They met in private with agents of the rebel forces. 7 private parts or privates. genitals, sexual or sex organs, genitalia. The natives wore loincloths to cover their private parts.
privation | privation: n. need, neediness, want, deprivation, hardship, indigence, necessity, poverty, penury, destitution, strait(s), pauperism, beggary; distress, misery: The lower classes in Victorian England suffered terrible privation.
privilege | privilege: n. benefit, advantage, right, prerogative, concession, allowance, indulgence, immunity, exemption, dispensation, freedom, liberty, franchise, permission, consent, leave, authorization, sanction, authority, licence, carte blanche: The children were given the privilege of choosing where the family should go on holiday.
privileged | privileged: adj. 1 favoured, advantaged, indulged, entitled, �lite, special, honoured: John was one of the privileged few to be told her private telephone number. 2 protected, exempt(ed), immune; licensed, empowered, admitted, permitted, sanctioned, authorized, enfranchised, chartered: This is a privileged institution as far as the dispensation of grants is concerned. 3 powerful, ruling; wealthy, rich: He despised the privileged class till he became wealthy enough to be a member of it. 4 confidential, secret, private, privy, inside, off the record, not for publication, restricted, Colloq hush-hush: What I am about to tell you is privileged information.
privy | privy: adj. 1 See privileged, 4, above. 2 privy to. aware of, in on, on to or onto, sharing (in), cognizant of, apprised of, informed or advised about or of, informed on, knowledgeable about, Colloq in the know about, Slang hip to, wise to, Old-fashioned hep to: Was the minister''s wife privy to what was discussed at cabinet meetings? --n. 3 lavatory, (outside or outdoor) toilet, latrine, water-closet, WC, US outhouse, Colloq chiefly Brit loo, Slang Brit bog, US crapper, Taboo slang US shithouse: In those days, almost every home had an outside privy, as there was no interior plumbing.
prize� | prize�: n. 1 reward, award, trophy, premium; honour, accolade, Literary guerdon: The first prize was a week''s holiday in the Bahamas. 2 winnings, jackpot, purse, receipts, gain, windfall, stakes, Colloq haul, Chiefly US take: He used his prize from winning the lottery to buy a new car. 3 aim, goal: The prize they all strove for was a grant to carry on lexicographic research. 4 loot, booty, spoil(s), trophy, plunder, pickings: The pirates took the galleon as their prize. --adj. 5 choice, excellent, (prize)winning, best, champion, outstanding, select, superior, superlative, first-rate: This dairy owns a prize herd of Guernseys.
prize� | prize�: v. value, treasure, esteem, cherish, appreciate, rate highly, hold dear: I prize your friendship above all things.
probability | probability: n. likelihood, likeliness, odds, expectation, chance(s), (distinct) possibility, presumption: There is a high probability that it will rain.
probable | probable: adj. (most) likely, apt, (quite) possible, presumed, plausible, undoubted, indubitable, apparent, unquestionable, evident, ostensible, odds-on, feasible, believable, credible: The probable cause of the flooding was a blockage in the drains. It is probable that most medieval churches had paintings round the walls.
probably | probably: adv. (very) likely, in all likelihood, in all probability, undoubtedly, doubtlessly, indubitably, unquestionably, presumably, quite, all things considered, to all intents and purposes, possibly, perhaps, Colloq as likely as not, quite: She is probably the best tennis player in the world at the moment.
probe | probe: v. 1 explore, examine, scrutinize, investigate, search (into), look into, go into, study, dig into, delve into, poke about or around, Colloq poke into: They probed his background thoroughly but found nothing unusual. 2 poke, prod, explore, examine; plumb, dig: Snipe use their long bills to probe for worms in soft mud. --n. 3 investigation, examination, exploration, scrutiny, search, study, inquiry or enquiry, inquest: There will be a governmental probe into the mismanagement of the department.
probity | probity: n. integrity, uprightness, honesty, morality, rectitude, virtue, goodness, decency, righteousness, right-mindedness, sincerity, trustworthiness, honour, equity, justness, justice, fairness: Lord Chancellors have consistently been men of unquestioned probity.
problem | problem: n. 1 difficulty, trouble, question, dilemma, quandary, predicament, complication, hornet''s nest, imbroglio, mess, muddle, stew, Colloq can of worms, fine kettle of fish, (pretty) pickle, Brit facer: The Chancellor must constantly deal with the problems of the country''s economy. 2 puzzle, conundrum, poser, riddle, question, enigma, puzzler, Colloq mind-boggler, hard or tough nut to crack: The problem is how to get the yolk out without breaking the shell. --adj. 3 unruly, unmanageable, intractable, uncontrollable, difficult, ungovernable, refractory, incorrigible, obstreperous, delinquent, maladjusted, disturbed, emotionally upset: He teaches at a school where most of the students are problem children.
problematic | problematic: adj. problematical, difficult, uncertain, questionable, questioned, doubtful, doubted, debatable, disputable, disputed, unsettled, moot, undecided, controversial, tricky, touchy, sensitive, Colloq hairy, iffy: The value of treating colds with massive doses of vitamin C is problematic.
procedure | procedure: n. way, conduct, course, action, course of action, method, methodology, mode, form, system, approach, strategy, plan (of action), scheme, modus operandi, operation, policy, ways and means; routine, tradition, practice, custom, wont, standard operating procedure, Colloq MO (= ''modus operandi''), SOP (= ''standard operating procedure''), Chiefly Brit drill: What procedure will you follow to regain the stolen property? The procedure in ballroom dancing has always been for the man to lead.
proceed | proceed: v. 1 Sometimes, proceed with. go or move (on or ahead or forward), advance, continue, progress, carry on, get or move along, get going or moving or under way, start, pass on, make progress or headway, push or press on or onward(s), forge ahead; resume, renew, go on with, pick up (where one left off): Proceed to the T-junction, then turn left. If the membership committee has finished, let us proceed to the report of the finance committee. After the break, the performance will proceed. 2 Often, proceed from or out of. result from, arise (from), come (from), stem from, spring from, develop (from), issue (from or forth), derive from, be derived (from), descend from, emerge (from), grow (from or out of), originate (in or from or with), begin (with), start (with or from): The outcropping proceeds from glaciation and erosion. They say that more than half of a person''s happiness proceeds from hope. --n. 3 proceeds. profit(s), gain, yield; income, receipts, return(s), gate, box office, US take: The proceeds from the charity auction were better than ever this year.
proceeding | proceeding: n. 1 measure, act, (course of) action, move, step, undertaking, deed, procedure, process, operation, transaction, manoeuvre, feat, accomplishment: Grace Darling''s rescue of the shipwrecked men was truly a heroic proceeding. 2 proceedings. a transactions, report(s), minutes, record(s), annals, affairs, dealings, business, account(s), archives, Formal acta: The proceedings of the Society are published annually. b events, goings-on, doings; celebration(s); performance(s): The proceedings were briefly interrupted while the hecklers were ejected from the hall.
process | process: n. 1 procedure, proceeding, operation, system, method, approach, technique; course of action: I am sure you understand how the process works. What process do they use to make paper out of wood? 2 activity, function, development: The process of photosynthesis is the means by which plants synthesize carbohydrates. --v. 3 treat, prepare, (make or get) ready, change, modify, transform, convert, alter: This is the room where the ingredients are processed before mixing. 4 handle, take care of, organize, deal with, manage; dispose of, answer, manipulate: After the earthquake the insurance companies processed thousands of claims.
procession | procession: n. 1 parade, march, cavalcade, motorcade, cortege or cort�ge, column, line, file, train, march past: A strange procession of thousands of beggars silently wound its way through the city. 2 succession, cycle, sequence, string, train, chain, series, course, run, progression, cavalcade: He began to recount the procession of events that led up to the murder.
proclaim | proclaim: v. 1 announce, advertise, circulate, declare, broadcast, pronounce, make known, bruit (about), trumpet, publish, promulgate, herald; profess, protest, enunciate, articulate: Edgar was proclaimed king. She proclaimed her innocence. 2 brand, accuse of being, stigmatize as, pronounce, rule, decree, characterize, report: She found herself proclaimed a traitor.
proclamation | proclamation: n. 1 announcement, advertisement, declaration, publication, promulgation, statement, manifesto, pronunciamento, notification, notice: A proclamation was issued granting amnesty to all political prisoners. 2 proclaiming, announcing, advertising, declaring, broadcasting, publishing, promulgating, heralding, making known, bruiting about: The proclamation of his appointment as Chancellor came at a bad time.
procrastinate | procrastinate: v. 1 temporize, act evasively, play for time, dally, delay, stall; postpone, defer, put off or aside, shelve, US table: I wish he would stop procrastinating and say what he plans to do. 2 hesitate, pause, waver, vacillate, be undecided, equivocate, tergiversate, shilly-shally: Helen procrastinates every time she is faced with making a decision.
procure | procure: v. 1 obtain, acquire, get, come by, secure, get or lay one''s hands on, get (a) hold of, gain, win, come into, pick up, find, appropriate, requisition; buy, purchase: I have been trying to procure early editions of Defoe''s works. 2 accomplish, bring about, effect, cause, produce: Using every resource available to her, she finally procured his release.
procurer | procurer: n. pander or panderer, pimp, White slaver, flesh-pedlar or US also flesh-peddler or flesh-pedler, Archaic whoremaster, bawd; madam, procuress: He became a procurer for the wealthy men in the village.
prod | prod: v. 1 jab, dig, poke, nudge, elbow: Every time the comedian said something risqu�, Aunt Flora would giggle and prod me in the ribs. 2 spur, urge, impel, egg on, push, thrust, prompt, rouse, stir, incite, move, motivate, actuate, activate, provoke, encourage, stimulate: My uncle keeps prodding me to continue with my studies. 3 incite, goad, needle, irritate, irk, annoy, pester, harass, hector, badger, plague, nag, hound, carp at, cavil; henpeck: My parents are constantly prodding me to go out and get a job. --n. 4 jab, dig, poke, nudge, elbow, push: I was quite black and blue from those prods I was getting from Aunt Flora. 5 goad, spur; needle, rowel: These days electrified cattle prods are available. 6 stimulus, push, prompt, reminder, signal, cue: Calvin needed that prod to make him finally go home after the party.
prodigal | prodigal: adj. 1 wasteful, extravagant, spendthrift, lavish, excessive, profligate, squandering, immoderate, intemperate, wanton, improvident, reckless: If the government were less prodigal, it would be possible to have a balanced budget. 2 generous, bountiful, copious, profuse, bounteous, lavish, liberal, luxuriant, sumptuous, abundant, abounding, rich, plentiful, plenteous, superabundant, thriving, swarming, teeming: He was prodigal of both compliments and criticism. --n. 3 wastrel, spendthrift, profligate, squanderer, waster, big spender: That prodigal went through his inheritance in less than a year.
prodigality | prodigality: n. 1 wastefulness, waste, extravagance, excess, excessiveness, immoderation, intemperateness, wantonness, recklessness, profligacy, improvidence, dissipation, squandering: Surely his contemporaries must have condemned Shah Jehan''s prodigality in building the Taj Mahal. 2 lavishness, profuseness, luxury, luxuriousness, luxuriance, abundance, plenty, bounty, bountifulness, bounteousness, copiousness, profusion, profuseness, sumptuousness, richness, plentifulness, plenteousness, superabundance, exuberance: The prodigality of Nature is unbounded.
prodigious | prodigious: adj. 1 vast, immeasurable, colossal, enormous, huge, giant, gigantic, immense, mammoth, monumental, tremendous, stupendous, titanic, Brobdingnagian, gargantuan, Herculean, cyclopean, leviathan, monstrous, extensive, Colloq US ginormous, humongous: There is a prodigious amount of water vapour contained in a cloudy sky. You may accuse her of being a workaholic, but consider the prodigious amount she gets done in a day. 2 amazing, astonishing, astounding, startling, extraordinary, exceptional, marvellous, wonderful, wondrous, fabulous, miraculous, phenomenal, spectacular, fantastic, sensational, unusual, staggering, striking, dumbfounding or dumfounding, remarkable, noteworthy, notable, Colloq flabbergasting, mind-boggling, mind-blowing: In those days, running a mile in four minutes was considered a prodigious feat.
prodigy | prodigy: n. 1 (child or girl or boy) genius, wonder child, Wunderkind, mastermind, talent, intellect, intellectual or mental giant, wizard, virtuoso, Colloq brain, Einstein, whiz-kid or whizz-kid, whiz or whizz, walking dictionary or encyclopedia or encyclopaedia: She was a prodigy at the age of six and went on to become a great concert performer. 2 wonder, marvel, phenomenon, sensation, miracle: Some regarded the painting Nude Descending a Staircase a prodigy of cubist art.
produce | produce: v. 1 make, develop, turn out, put or bring out, manufacture, fabricate, generate, create; construct, assemble, put together, compose; mould, cast; extrude: This machine is capable of producing 10,000 units an hour. 2 yield, give rise to, cause, bring up, bring forth, spark, initiate, occasion, bring about, prompt, evoke, start, create, generate, beget, originate: He was unprepared for the laughter produced by his slip of the tongue. 3 generate, beget, create, put out or forth, breed, propagate, bear, give birth to, hatch, grow: See how the plant is producing buds at these nodes? 4 bring forward or in or out, introduce, present, offer, show, exhibit, display, stage, put on, mount: She was the first to produce Japanese Noh drama in the west. 5 disclose, reveal, bring to light, show, display, draw: When I refused to give him the money, he produced a gun. 6 supply, furnish, provide, deliver, distribute: They are accused of continuing to produce fluorocarbons despite the government ban. --n. 7 vegetables, fruit, Chiefly Brit greengrocery: The produce is delivered to the markets from the farms at the crack of dawn.
producer | producer: n. 1 maker, manufacturer, fabricator, processor, creator; grower, farmer: That company is the largest producer of microchips in the world. 2 (in Britain) director, auteur, impresario, regisseur; (in US and Canada) entrepreneur, (business or financial) manager, organizer, impresario: He was a producer of TV soap operas.
product | product: n. 1 result, consequence, output, outcome, issue, effect, fallout, yield, upshot; spin-off, offshoot, by-product: It is evident that this work is the product of much thought. One product of her interest in literature is a new publishing company. 2 artefact or US artifact, good(s), produce, commodity, output, merchandise, offering, work: It doesn''t matter how good the product is if nobody knows about it.
production | production: n. 1 producing, manufacture, manufacturing, making, fabrication, preparation, origination, creation, output, putting out, development; formation, forming, forging, shaping, moulding, casting, assembly, building, construction: Our business is the production of insulating materials. 2 product, (end) result, work, effort, handiwork, output, opus, oeuvre: These paintings are clearly productions of a fertile imagination. 3 (in Britain) artistry, direction, staging; (in US and Canada) display, presentation, staging, mise en sc�ne, setting: Both the acting and the production were superb. 4 drama, play, (stage or television or radio) show, performance; film, motion or moving picture, movie: Our repertory company is putting on a production of Othello next week.
productive | productive: adj. 1 fruitful, fertile, rich, fecund, plentiful, plenteous, abundant, bountiful, bounteous, prolific, dynamic: Owing to a perfect balance of rain and sunshine, the earth has proved productive this year. 2 imaginative, creative, inventive, resourceful, generative, ingenious, fertile, vigorous: Her latest science-fiction trilogy is certainly evidence of a highly productive mind. 3 profitable, remunerative, rewarding, valuable, worthwhile: Years ago he made an investment in computer shares that has turned out to be very productive. Discussing sales strategy is not as productive as getting out there and selling.
profane | profane: adj. 1 irreverent, sacrilegious, blasphemous, idolatrous, irreligious, infidel, heathen, unbelieving, disbelieving, pagan, atheist(ic), impious, godless, ungodly, sinful, wicked, iniquitous, contemptuous, disrespectful: The faithful attacked anyone who was seen to perform a profane act. 2 unsanctified, unholy, unconsecrated, defiled, impure, unclean, unhallowed, non-religious, non-sacred, unsacred; lay, non-clerical, secular, temporal; Judaism tref or treif or treifa, non-kosher: The missionaries persuaded them to abandon their profane rites and practices. 3 bad, dirty, filthy, smutty, foul, foul-mouthed, obscene, vulgar, coarse, uncouth, low, taboo, blasphemous, bawdy, ribald, scurrilous, off colour, immodest, improper, naughty, indecent, unprintable, unmentionable, indecorous, indelicate, common; abusive, vituperative, venomous, thersitical, Literary Fescennine, Colloq blue: The boy was sent home from school for using profane language. --v. 4 debase, contaminate, pollute, taint, vitiate, degrade, defile, desecrate, violate, pervert, corrupt: They swore undying retribution against those who had profaned their temple.
profanity | profanity: n. blasphemy, obscenity, cursing, curse-word(s), swearing, swear-word(s), foul or bad or dirty or vulgar or coarse or filthy or smutty or taboo language, four-letter word(s), billingsgate: The film was held to be unfit for broadcasting as it contained so much obscenity and profanity.
profess | profess: v. 1 assert, claim, aver, asseverate, state, affirm, confirm, confess, declare, say, hold, maintain, present, offer, proffer, tender, set forth, put forward, pronounce, enounce, enunciate, announce, utter, vow, avow: He professed himself satisfied with the judge''s decision. 2 pretend, lay claim, make a pretence, purport, act as if, simulate: They professed to be legitimate businessmen, but I was always suspicious.
professed | professed: adj. 1 pretended, ostensible, apparent, alleged, purported, so-called, would-be, self-styled, soi-disant(e): He was a professed wine ''expert'' but the bottle he recommended turned out to be awful. 2 confessed, avowed, sworn, admitted, acknowledged, confirmed, certified, declared: What do you do when a professed friend betrays you?
profession | profession: n. 1 occupation, calling, work, field, vocation, employment, m�tier, trade, business, craft, line, sphere, speciality or US specialty, job, position, post, situation, Slang racket: I know that she''s a doctor, but what is her husband''s profession? 2 confession, affirmation, statement, avowal, assertion, asseveration, declaration, acknowledgement, testimony, averment, admission, announcement: I was uncertain whether to believe his professions of love.
professional | professional: adj. 1 trained, educated, practised, veteran, experienced, seasoned, able, skilled, skilful, gifted, talented, qualified, knowledgeable, licensed, official, expert, masterful, masterly, master, efficient, adept, proficient, competent, polished, finished: He is a professional ambulance driver who has to work as a plumber to make ends meet. 2 excellent, proficient, efficient, skilful, masterly, thorough, prompt, conscientious, authoritative, businesslike: She did a very professional job of repairing my car. --n. 3 master, expert, maestro, virtuoso, past master or mistress, specialist, authority, Colloq wizard, pro, whiz or whizz, US maven or mavin, Brit dab hand: You can always tell when the work has been done by a professional.
proficiency | proficiency: n. facility, skill, talent, adeptness, expertise, expertness, skilfulness, aptitude, capability, ability, dexterity, capability, competence or competency, ingenuity, knack, savoir faire, Colloq know-how: The proficiency he displayed as a racing-car driver was second to none.
proficient | proficient: adj. skilful, skilled, talented, adept, gifted, expert, experienced, practised, au fait, veteran, well-versed, (highly) trained, professional, qualified, capable, able, accomplished, dexterous, competent, knowledgeable, top-notch, first-rate, Colloq ace, crack, whiz-bang or whizz-bang, Brit wizard: She is an extremely proficient surgeon.
profile | profile: n. 1 outline, silhouette, contour, side-view: His aquiline nose shows up prominently in this profile. 2 biography, (biographical or thumbnail or character) sketch, life, portrait, vignette: That profile of Allen in a well-known magazine did not do him justice. 3 analysis, study, survey, examination; graph, diagram, chart, list, statistics: The profile of the average newspaper reader revealed some interesting anomalies. --v. 4 describe, draw, sketch, limn: The editor phoned to say that they want to profile you in the Gazette''s Sunday colour supplement.
profit | profit: n. 1 Often, profits. gross or net profit, net or Brit also nett, return(s), gain, yield, revenue, proceeds, bottom line, surplus, excess, US take, Slang gravy, US vigorish: The profits are down in the third quarter owing to the higher interest rate. 2 advantage, avail, good, benefit, welfare, gain, value, interest, use, usefulness, Archaic or literary behoof: Let me recommend a book that you will find of some profit. --v. 3 advance, further, be of profit to, benefit, promote, aid, help, be advantageous or of advantage, serve, avail, improve: A few lessons from the club professional could profit your golf game. 4 Often, profit from. take advantage of, use, turn to advantage or account, exploit, utilize, make (good) use of, make capital (out) of, capitalize on, maximize, make the most of, Slang cash in on: I hope you profit from the experience. 5 clear, realize, earn, gain, Colloq make a killing, clean up, rake it in, make a bundle or a packet: Ernestine profited to the tune of �100,000 on the sale of her house.
profitable | profitable: adj. 1 beneficial, productive, lucrative, fruitful, (well-)paying, well-paid, worthwhile, effective, cost-effective, gainful, remunerative, money-making, rewarding: I had never thought of being a pavement artist as a profitable enterprise. Playing professional golf can be very profitable - if you win tournaments. 2 beneficial, helpful, useful, utilitarian, valuable, worthwhile, advantageous, productive, rewarding: She gave me a lot of good advice that I found profitable in my professional life.
profiteer | profiteer: n. 1 racketeer, exploiter, extortionist, blackmarketeer: The profiteers turned to selling sugar at exorbitant prices. --v. 2 overcharge, fleece, exploit, milk, make the most of; extort; US gouge: The arms dealers are profiteering by selling banned mat�riel to the guerrillas.
profligacy | profligacy: n. 1 debauchery, vice, immorality, sin, sinfulness, wickedness, evil, dissipation, dissoluteness, degeneracy, licentiousness, depravity, corruption, promiscuity, lechery, lasciviousness, lewdness, indecency, perversion, carnality, libertinism, wantonness, unrestraint, eroticism, sybaritism, voluptuousness, sensuality: Soho''s reputation for profligacy is now much less deserved. 2 prodigality, extravagance, excess, waste, wastefulness, recklessness, exorbitance, lavishness, improvidence, squandering: The profligacy of the French court at the end of the 17th century was remarkable.
profligate | profligate: adj. 1 debauched, vice-ridden, immoral, unprincipled, sinful, shameless, evil, iniquitous, wicked, dissipative, dissolute, degenerate, loose, licentious, depraved, corrupt, promiscuous, lecherous, lascivious, lewd, indecent, perverted, carnal, libertine, wanton, unrestrained, erotic, sybaritic, voluptuous, sensual, wild, abandoned: The duke suddenly gave up his profligate life and became a monk. 2 extravagant, prodigal, wasteful, reckless, squandering, improvident, spendthrift, immoderate, excessive: As the family fortunes waned, my aunt had to curb her profligate ways. --n. 3 debauchee, sinner, degenerate, pervert, sodomite, reprobate, rake, rakehell, libertine, lecher, whoremonger, rou�, wanton, sybarite, voluptuary, sensualist: With the restraints removed, the profligate abandoned himself to every excess imaginable. 4 prodigal, spendthrift, wastrel, waster, squanderer: Such are the extravagances indulged in by the profligates who never learnt the value of money.
profound | profound: adj. 1 deep, unfathomable, abstruse, recondite, arcane, esoteric, intricate, knotty, involved, tricky, inscrutable, indecipherable, cabbalistic, incomprehensible, obscure, subtle, occult, secret, cryptic, puzzling, enigmatic, mystifying, mysterious: Some aspects of the theory of thought are even too profound for many specialists. 2 learned, scholarly, intellectual, erudite, discerning, astute, sagacious, sage, wise, penetrating, sharp, keen, insightful, analytical, knowledgeable, informed, well-informed, well-read: Russell was one of the most profound thinkers of his day. 3 deep, great, intense, sincere; heartfelt, keen, acute, utter, extreme, overpowering, overwhelming: He gave a profound sigh and fell asleep at once. It is with profound regret that I must tender my resignation. 4 utter, complete, total, perfect, absolute, thorough, thoroughgoing, out-and-out, downright, consummate; awful, terrible: Her casual attitude stems from her profound lack of awareness of how important the work is. I was immediately struck by the profound silence in the house. Profound changes are under way.
profoundly | profoundly: adv. very, extremely, deeply, greatly, keenly, acutely, intensely, sincerely; terribly, awfully: We are profoundly sorry to have been so much trouble to you.
profundity | profundity: n. 1 depth, profoundness, abstruseness, reconditeness, arcaneness, intricacy, subtlety, complexity, complicatedness, difficulty, inscrutability, involvement, involvedness; indecipherability, incomprehensibility, incomprehensibleness, obscurity: I wouldn''t claim to have fully grasped the profundity of his ideas. 2 erudition, discernment, scholarship, scholarliness, sagacity, wisdom, sharpness, keenness, astuteness, acumen, insightfulness, knowledgeableness, knowledgeability: I was amazed by the profundity of the argument of one so young.
profuse | profuse: adj. 1 abundant, ample, plentiful, copious, unstinting, unsparing, ungrudging: My profuse apologies if I have offended you in any way. 2 extravagant, lavish, bountiful, bounteous, prolific, luxuriant, abundant, exuberant, superabundant, lush, thick, teeming, overflowing, bursting, thriving, productive, fruitful, rich: From the seventh year onwards, the trees yielded profuse crops of pears and plums. 3 excessive, copious, considerable, prolific, liberal, lavish, free, abundant, ample: This stage of the fever is accompanied by profuse sweating. 4 generous, abundant, plentiful, copious, unsparing, unselfish, unstinting, exuberant, magnanimous, liberal: The audience was profuse in its applause and cries of ''Bravo!'' and ''Encore!''
profusion | profusion: n. profuseness, quantity, abundance, plenty, plentifulness, plenteousness, bounty, copiousness, superabundance; mass, host, hoard, number, multitude, lot, mountain, load, mess, stack, pile, heap, agglomeration, conglomeration, accumulation, wealth, glut, surplus, oversupply, surfeit, plethora, superfluity, Formal nimiety: Ivy grew in profusion over the front of the house. We had never seen such a profusion of bric-�-brac as they had collected.
progenitor | progenitor: n. 1 progenitrix, ancestor, forefather, forebear: They regarded the snake god as the progenitor of the human race. 2 predecessor, forerunner, precursor, antecedent, foregoer, source, originator; origin, original, prototype, archetype, pattern, guide: The ancient philosophers were progenitors of many modern ideas. Some regard da Vinci''s designs as the progenitors of some of today''s machines.
progeny | progeny: n. offspring, children, descendants, issue, young, posterity, heirs, scions, successors, sons and daughters, Colloq kids, spawn, fry, US sprouts: He dreamed that his progeny might have a freer, healthier life than his.
prognosis | prognosis: n. forecast, forecasting, prediction, prophecy, prognostication, projection: The doctor has recorded his prognosis for the course of the disease.
prognosticate | prognosticate: v. 1 predict, foretell, prophesy, forecast, presage, divine, forebode: Those prophets of doom are always prognosticating disaster. 2 betoken, augur, herald, foreshadow, foretoken, announce, harbinger, signal, portend: The freshening breeze from the east prognosticates some rainy periods ahead.
programme | programme: n. 1 schedule, plan, scheme, agenda, order of the day, routine, protocol, slate, list, listing, description, outline, abstract, pr�cis, calendar, menu, bill of fare, curriculum, syllabus, synopsis, summary, prospectus: The programme shows the sequence of events. You cannot tell what is being offered without a programme. 2 performance, production, show, presentation, (radio or television) play, telecast, broadcast, recital, concert: Television programmes seem to cater to lower levels of taste and intelligence every year. 3 proceedings, events, affairs, activities: The programme includes an hour of exercise before breakfast every day. --v. 4 organize, arrange, prearrange, plan, lay out, map (out), design, formulate, set (up), schedule, book, US slate: The solo pianist is programmed to follow the chamber orchestra.
progress | progress: n. 1 (forward) movement, going forward, progression, advance, headway, advancement: Progress through the dense underbrush was very slow. 2 advancement, advance, promotion, improvement, betterment, elevation, rise, development, furtherance: Her progress in the company might have been impeded by the fact that she was a woman. 3 advancement, course, development, growth, expansion, increase, evolution, maturation, ripening, burgeoning or bourgeoning, amplification, enlargement, spread, extension, broadening, promotion, furtherance, advance, encouragement: Our publishing credo is that every book must contribute to the progress of culture or knowledge. 4 in progress. under way, ongoing, going on, happening, occurring, taking place, at work, in operation, being done, proceeding, Colloq in the works: Some of the plans for reorganization are already in progress. --v. 5 advance, move or go (forwards or onwards), proceed, continue, go or forge ahead, go or move along, make (one''s) way, make headway, travel, go or push or press on: Throughout the 19th century wagon trains of pioneers progressed across the prairies to settle the American West. I haven''t progressed far enough in my reading to say whether I like the book or not. 6 advance, improve, get well, get better, develop, grow, expand, increase, evolve, mature, ripen, burgeon or bourgeon, amplify, enlarge, spread, extend, broaden, rise, move up, upgrade: Sarah''s condition progressed to the point where she could get out of bed. Christmas sales of the new toy are progressing nicely. In only ten years, Michael progressed to a directorship in the company.
progression | progression: n. 1 movement forward or forward movement, advance, advancement, (making or gaining) headway, progress, ascension, rise, elevation: This mode of progression requires enormous effort. It was interesting to watch her progression through the corridors of power. 2 progress, development, advance, advancement, spread, spreading, extension, extending, broadening, enlargement, headway, intensification, rise: It seemed impossible to halt the progression of the disease. 3 order, sequence, succession, train, chain, concatenation, course, flow: The report traces the progression of events leading up to the war.
progressive | progressive: adj. 1 advancing, continuing, developing, increasing, growing, ongoing, continuous, step by step, gradual: The doctors noted the progressive deterioration in his condition. With the onset of spring, we shall see progressive improvement in the weather. 2 reformist, revisionist, liberal, radical, revolutionary, avant-garde, advanced, dynamic: Carrie was soon regarded as one of the more progressive thinkers of her day. --n. 3 reformist, reformer, revisionist, liberal, leftist, left-winger: Once a conservative, he did a complete volte-face after the war and became a progressive.
prohibit | prohibit: v. 1 bar, ban, forbid, disallow, interdict, outlaw, taboo, debar, proscribe: Fishing without a permit is prohibited. 2 prevent, stop, preclude, rule out, obstruct, block, impede, hinder, hamper, inhibit, frustrate, foil, thwart, restrain, check: A turnstile prohibits entry through the exit doors.
prohibition | prohibition: n. 1 forbiddance, barring, bar, banning, ban, disallowance, disallowing, interdiction, interdicting, outlawing, outlawry, taboo, debarment, debarring, proscription, proscribing: Did the members vote for the prohibition of smoking on club premises? 2 bar, interdict, injunction, debarment, embargo, proscription, ban: Imposition of an excessively high tariff on imported computer components has amounted to the prohibition of their use in this country.
prohibitive | prohibitive: adj. 1 discouraging, suppressive, repressive, restrictive, prohibitory, inhibitory, restraining: Prohibitive legislation has forced capital out of some profitable areas and into others less productive. 2 excessive, exorbitant, outrageous, dear, high, outlandish, abusive, extortionate, insupportable, criminal: The prices of new designer dresses are prohibitive.
project | project: n. 1 proposal, plan, scheme, design, layout: The project for housing low-income families had to be modified to allow for car parking. 2 activity, enterprise, programme, undertaking, venture, assignment, commitment, obligation, contract, engagement; occupation, job, work: What project will you move on to when you complete this one? --v. 3 plan, scheme, prepare, devise, conjure up, concoct, think up, contemplate, contrive, invent, work up or out, propose, present, outline, design, draft, draw up, delineate, describe, put forth or forward, Colloq cook up: In his theory, he projects a quite different causal relationship. 4 cast, hurl, fling, throw, toss, launch, propel, discharge; shoot, transmit; Colloq chuck, lob: A body projected into space will keep on travelling unless it strikes something. This device projects stereoscopic pictures on a screen. 5 jut out, stick out, protrude, stand out, bulge (out), extend (out), poke out, beetle (out), overhang: The cornice projects a full six feet over the street. 6 estimate, reckon, calculate, predict, forecast: The economists projected a decline in inflation over the coming months.
projectile | projectile: n. missile, shell, bullet, rocket: Projectiles rained down on the enemy gun emplacement.
projection | projection: n. 1 protrusion, protuberance, bulge, extension, overhang, ledge, flange; ridge, eminence, prominence, spur, crag, outcropping: The safety line caught on a projection of the building, and the man was saved. That projection off to the north is covered with ice all year long. 2 proposal, outlining, mapping, mapping out, presenting, presentation: The projection of the plan for the new development must be effective for the council to accept it. 3 plan, scheme, blueprint, programme, design, proposal, outline, diagram, map, representation, planning: The council has approved the projection for the development of the waterfront. 4 estimate, prognostication, forecast, prediction, calculation, reckoning: These sales projections for next year are quite optimistic.
proliferate | proliferate: v. grow, increase, burgeon or bourgeon, multiply, mushroom, snowball; breed, reproduce: Fast-food restaurants are proliferating everywhere. Failure to disinfect the wound allows germs to proliferate.
proliferation | proliferation: n. growth, increase, burgeoning or bourgeoning, expansion, spread, escalation, build-up, rise: Some attribute the increase in violent crime to the proliferation of hand-guns.
prolific | prolific: adj. 1 fertile, fecund, productive, fruitful, abundant, copious, bountiful, bounteous, profuse, plentiful, plenteous, lush, rich, rife: The more perilous its natural survival, the more prolific a species is likely to be. 2 productive, creative, fertile: He is a prolific author, and has more than 200 novels to his credit.
prolong | prolong: v. extend, lengthen, elongate, stretch (out), draw or drag out, drag (on), keep up, string out, protract: Not wishing to prolong the agony, we left after the first act. Aunt Caroline prolonged her visit by yet another week.
promenade | promenade: n. 1 walk, parade, esplanade, boulevard: We strolled along the promenade as far as the pier. 2 walk, stroll, saunter, ramble, turn, constitutional, airing, turn: After a brief promenade round the garden, she returned to the house. --v. 3 walk, stroll, saunter, amble, ramble, parade, perambulate, take a walk or stroll: Every Sunday, regardless of the weather, he promenades for an hour in the park. 4 flaunt, show (off), display, parade, strut: Why he promenaded that awful person before all his friends is beyond me!
prominence | prominence: n. 1 celebrity, eminence, fame, distinction, notability, reputation, pre-eminence, standing, position, rank, prestige, renown, repute, importance, weight, influence, account, name, consequence: They are a family of considerable prominence in the county. She rose to prominence as an actress just last year. 2 hill, hillock, rise, hummock, outcrop, outcropping, spur, tor, crag, ar�te, spine, ridge, peak, mount, pinnacle; headland, point, promontory: We planted our flag on the prominence and constructed a small cairn. 3 protuberance, projection, protrusion, growth, excrescence, swelling, tumefaction, tumescence, extrusion, outshoot, outgrowth, spur, bulge: If that prominence on your elbow doesn''t disappear in a day or so, I should see a doctor.
prominent | prominent: adj. 1 conspicuous, obvious, evident, recognizable, pronounced, discernible, distinguishable, identifiable, noticeable, remarkable, noteworthy, eye-catching, striking, outstanding, chief, main, principal, significant, important; apparent, unmistakable or unmistakeable, patent, glaring, salient, flagrant, egregious: The most prominent peak in the region is Annapurna. Some of the prominent shortcomings of the plan can be rectified easily. 2 eminent, pre-eminent, distinguished, notable, noteworthy, noted, leading, foremost, first, outstanding, eminent, well-known, famed, illustrious, famous, celebrated, renowned, acclaimed, honoured, honourable, respected, well-thought-of, prestigious, reputable, creditable: A prominent politician is to be invited to cut the ribbon opening the new bridge. 3 protuberant, protruding, protrusive, projecting, jutting (out); excrescent, bulging, raised, elevated: She has a rather prominent chin. There is one prominent spot on the tabletop that needs more sanding.
promiscuous | promiscuous: adj. 1 indiscriminate, undiscriminating, unselective, non-selective, non-discriminatory, unconscientious, heedless, haphazard, indifferent, uncaring, uncritical, unfussy, unfastidious, disregardful, neglectful, negligent, slipshod, slovenly, irresponsible, careless, cursory, perfunctory, unthinking, thoughtless, unconsidered: The promiscuous massacre of civilians caused an international outcry. 2 lax, loose, unchaste, wanton, wild, uninhibited, unrestrained, ungoverned, uncontrolled, unbridled, uncurbed, immoderate, abandoned, amoral, immoral, indecent, libertine, licentious, dissipated, dissolute, depraved, profligate, debauched, fast; unfaithful, faithless, dishonourable: Nothing you say could persuade me to condone your promiscuous behaviour. 3 mixed, miscellaneous, heterogeneous, random, intermixed, jumbled, disorderly, disordered, confused, chaotic, motley, intermixed, intermingled, scrambled, unorganized, disorganized, unsystematic, unsystematized, helter-skelter, higgledy-piggledy, hotchpotch or US also hodgepodge: There is a somewhat promiscuous collection of books in his library that well reflects the eclecticism of his tastes.
promise | promise: n. 1 assurance, (solemn) word (of honour), pledge, vow, oath, undertaking, engagement, bond, commitment, guaranty, guarantee, warranty; agreement, contract, covenant, compact: You have my promise that the book will be completed by the deadline. She broke her promise to marry him. Unlike a contract, a promise does not imply a mutual commitment. 2 expectation, potential, capability; likelihood, probability: This first novel shows a lot of promise. There is little promise that compensation will be paid to the victims by the government. --v. 3 assure, give one''s word (of honour), pledge, swear, vow, take an oath, undertake, engage, commit oneself, guarantee or guaranty, warrant, cross one''s heart (and hope to die): Harold promised to do what cannot be done. We were promised a free ride on the roundabout. She promises she will repay the loan promptly. Make him pay for the damage as he promised. 4 give indication of, hint at, suggest, foretell, augur, indicate, show signs of, be in store for, look like, seem or appear likely or probable, Brit be on the cards, US be in the cards, Literary bid fair, betoken, bespeak: Though the economic situation promised to improve, many were disappointed that it took so long.
promising | promising: adj. hopeful, encouraging, favourable, auspicious, positive, rosy, optimistic, propitious, cheering, full of promise, reassuring, heartening: I see a promising future for you as a dancer.
promote | promote: v. 1 help, further, encourage, assist, advance, support, forward, back, sanction, abet, aid, boost, foster, patronize, nurture, develop, inspirit, strengthen, stimulate, inspire: Their continual bickering did little to promote domestic harmony. The sale of portable appliances has done much to promote the battery business. 2 advance, move up, raise, upgrade, elevate, exalt, Colloq kick upstairs: He is to be promoted to floor manager next month. 3 recommend, endorse, sponsor, support, espouse, commend, advocate, advance, champion, talk up, speak for, side with, present, call attention to: She is promoting the cause of ecology in her campaign. 4 advertise, publicize, push, sell, Colloq beat the drum for, plug, Slang hype, Chiefly US ballyhoo: They are promoting the new chewing-gum by giving out free samples in Trafalgar Square.
promotion | promotion: n. 1 furtherance, advancement, advance, encouragement, support, backing, sanction, sanctioning, abetting, aiding, helping, assisting, boosting, fostering, nurturing, cultivation, development, developing, improvement, improving, inspiration, inspiriting, strengthening, stimulation, stimulating: The Society exists for the promotion of learning in a number of subjects. 2 advancement, advance, upgrading, upgrade, rise, elevation, preferment, exaltation: He was envied for his promotion to the highest ranking post in the department. 3 promoting, recommendation, presentation, espousal, commendation, advocacy, championing: I am grateful for your promotion of my name for the job. 4 advertising, publicity, public relations, propaganda, selling, hard or soft sell, fanfare, plugging, Colloq puffery, Slang (media) hype, Chiefly US ballyhoo, hoop-la: The manufacturer spent millions on the promotion of the new cola. 5 advertisement, advertising, circular, brochure, handbill, bill, hand-out, leaflet, poster, affiche, placard, publicity, space, (publicity) release, hoarding, US and Canadian flier or flyer, billboard, broadside, Colloq US puff piece, poop sheet: The promotions for the new detergent use the celebrity endorsement technique.
prompt | prompt: adj. 1 quick, ready, immediate, instantaneous, unhesitating, rapid, fast, swift, speedy, punctual, timely, on time, instant, summary, brisk, alacritous: No matter what the question, Gemma gave a prompt response. 2 alert, eager, ready, quick, expeditious, ready and willing, disposed, predisposed, unhesitating, keen, avid: Slow to praise, Alan was always prompt to criticize. --v. 3 urge, egg (on), prod, nudge, spur, exhort, incite, induce, impel, provoke, rouse, arouse, encourage, work or stir or fire up, move, motivate, cause, influence, put (someone) up to (something), coax, persuade, cajole, prevail upon or on, talk (someone) into (something): If he hadn''t prompted her, she never would have apologized. 4 cue, remind, feed lines (to), help: She never could remember her lines and needed to be prompted. 5 bring about, inspire, occasion, give rise to, elicit, evoke, provoke, call forth, stimulate, awaken: The mention of hostages prompted a question about what was being done to gain their release. --n. 6 reminder, cue, hint, stimulus: He always needs a prompt to remind him to send his mother flowers on her birthday.
promptly | promptly: adv. quickly, at once, straightaway or straight away, directly, right away, immediately, without delay or hesitation, unhesitatingly, swiftly, speedily, readily, instantly, instantaneously, punctually, expeditiously, with celerity, with alacrity, Colloq US and Canadian momentarily: If this bill is not paid promptly, we shall have to discontinue your credit arrangements.
prone | prone: adj. 1 face down or downwards or chiefly US downward, prostrate, lying down, reclining, recumbent, horizontal, procumbent, Formal or technical decumbent, accumbent: She was lying prone, resting between push-ups. 2 inclined, apt, likely, liable, disposed, predisposed, of a mind, subject, given, tending, leaning: They are prone to petty squabbles.
pronounce | pronounce: v. 1 declare, utter, say, voice, express, articulate, enunciate, vocalize, put into words: He pronounced a curse on the family. Try to pronounce it one syllable at a time. 2 declare, affirm, proclaim, announce, decree, judge, aver, state, asseverate, assert, say to be: I now pronounce you man and wife. The doctor pronounced mother to be out of danger. 3 announce, proclaim, promulgate, publicize, publish, deliver, broadcast, make known, let (something) be known, put out or forth, set forth; pass: The judge will pronounce sentence tomorrow.
pronounced | pronounced: adj. 1 definite, clear, plain, well-defined, decided, conspicuous, noticeable, recognizable, identifiable, obvious, striking, prominent, notable, distinct, unmistakable or unmistakeable, marked, strong: There was a pronounced odour of bitter almonds in the room. Sophie spoke with a pronounced lisp. 2 definite, distinct, unequivocal, unambiguous, specific, unqualified, undisguised, downright, outright, out-and-out, decided, complete, total, unmitigated, strong, utter, unalloyed, unmixed, clear, clear-cut, unmistakable or unmistakeable: A pronounced prejudice against fuzzy thinking emerges from his writings.
pronouncement | pronouncement: n. 1 statement, assertion, observation, comment, opinion, announcement, proclamation, pronunciamento, manifesto, declaration, avowal, affirmation, asseveration, averment, promulgation: Occasionally he would issue a pronouncement on the sad state of English usage. 2 judgement, decree, edict, proclamation, dictum, command, ukase, (papal) bull, imperative, order, ordinance: The authorities made several official pronouncements regarding travel restrictions.
pronunciation | pronunciation: n. enunciation, articulation, elocution, diction, speech, speech pattern, manner of speaking, delivery, accent, accentuation, intonation, inflection, modulation: Standard pronunciations of English are so diverse that it is sometimes difficult for one native speaker to understand another. Rock singers seem always to imitate a Texan pronunciation.
proof | proof: n. 1 evidence, verification, corroboration, confirmation, validation, authentication, ratification, substantiation; documentation, document, facts, data, certification, testimony, Colloq ammunition: Is there any proof that she was with you? The prosecution claims to have enough proof of his guilt to convict him of embezzlement. 2 test, trial, measure, standard, touchstone, criterion: Do you intend to put his loyalty to the proof? The proof of the pudding is in the eating. --adj. 3 impervious, impenetrable, able to withstand or resist, protective, strong, tough, impregnable, resistant, tempered: They maintain that this armour is proof against a nine-inch shell.
prop | prop: v. 1 Often, prop up. support, brace, hold (up), buttress, stay, bolster, uphold, bear, sustain, shore up, keep up: A longer post is needed to prop up this end of the roof. 2 lean, stand, rest: Do you mind if I prop my crutches against the desk while I sit down? --n. 3 support, brace, truss, stay, buttress, mainstay, upright, vertical, shore: Can you use this broomstick as a prop to support the shelf temporarily?
propaganda | propaganda: n. 1 agitprop, disinformation, Newspeak, rumours, lies: The state-controlled media spread propaganda about minorities to foster nationalism. 2 advertising, promotion, publicity, public relations, puff, fanfare, Colloq puffery, ballyhoo, Slang hype, US hoop-la, whoop-de-do or whoop-de-doo: All that propaganda was merely to launch a new washing-powder!
propagate | propagate: v. 1 breed, generate, reproduce, multiply, proliferate, deliver, bring forth, bear, procreate: Biologists are studying ways of making the species propagate at a faster rate. 2 multiply, increase, spread, grow, develop: These plants propagate very rapidly. 3 publicize, promote, disseminate, dispense, distribute, spread, publish, broadcast, circulate, make known, transmit, disperse, propagandize, proclaim, promulgate, bruit about, noise abroad, herald: The purpose of the organization is to propagate information about the state of the environment.
propel | propel: v. drive, impel, move, actuate, set in motion, get moving, move, push, thrust, force, send, launch, start: Each galley was propelled by huge oars. The capsule is propelled by a rocket. Job opportunities propelled her to move to Bristol.
proper | proper: adj. 1 right, appropriate, apropos, apt, suitable, fit, fitting, befitting, becoming, suited, apposite, de rigueur, comme il faut, adapted, Literary meet: Is this the proper time to ask for a salary increase? 2 correct, accurate, exact, right, precise, orthodox, formal, expected, normal, usual, accepted, established, Old-fashioned Brit tickety-boo: Some insist that the only proper way to pronounce ''controversy'' is with the stress on the first syllable. 3 decorous, dignified, genteel, fitting, right, de rigueur, appropriate, becoming, suitable, decent, seemly, due, correct, apt, comme il faut, conformist; gentlemanly, ladylike, polite, refined, punctilious, respectable: Jeans are not proper attire for dinner at La Hacienda. Do you call that proper behaviour for the president of a learned society? 4 fitting, suitable, correct, right, satisfactory, good, sensible: The kitchen is a proper place for the dishwasher, not the garage. Proper nutrition is very important. 5 complete, perfect, utter, thorough, thoroughgoing, out-and-out, unmitigated: He felt a proper fool for having locked his keys inside his car. 6 own, individual, separate, distinct, correct, specific, special, particular, respective; characteristic, distinctive, peculiar, singular, unique: When you have finished, return each book to its proper place. --quasi-adv. 7 strictly speaking or so-called, in the strict(est) or narrow(est) sense, only, solely, alone, on (its or someone''s) own: Does the deed refer only to the house proper or are the outbuildings also included?
properly | properly: adv. 1 appropriately, fittingly, correctly, well, becomingly, suitably, politely, decently, decorously, nicely: If you cannot behave properly I shall have to ask you to leave. 2 duly, appropriately, well, suitably, rightly, correctly, aptly: Are they properly equipped for the rescue mission?
property | property: n. 1 possessions, belongings, effects, gear, paraphernalia, chattels: All his worldly property fitted into the small Gladstone bag he carried everywhere. 2 assets, means, resources, holdings, capital (goods), fortune, riches, estate, worth: We look on all our shares, personal belongings, and real estate as part of our property. 3 land, acreage, realty, real estate or property: That property on the high street was recently sold to developers. 4 characteristic, attribute, quality, feature, trait, mark, hallmark, idiosyncrasy, peculiarity, oddity, quirk, Formal haecceity, quiddity: A property of iodine is that it changes directly from a solid to a vapour - and vice versa - without first liquefying.
prophecy | prophecy: n. 1 forecasting, foretelling, prediction, fortune-telling, divination, soothsaying, augury, prognostication, crystal-gazing, Formal vaticination: The prophecy of future events lies outside the realm of science. 2 prediction, forecast, prognosis, revelation: Her prophecy warned of ice storms that would ravage the earth.
prophesy | prophesy: v. 1 predict, foretell, forecast, forewarn, prognosticate, vaticinate: His father prophesied that he would come to no good if he quit college. 2 augur, foretell (of), presage, foreshadow, portend, bode, harbinger, herald, promise, vaticinate: The early disappearance of the swallows prophesies a long, cold winter.
prophet | prophet: n. prophetess, oracle, forecaster, seer, soothsayer, clairvoyant, prognosticator, fortune-teller, augur, diviner, witch, warlock, sibyl, haruspex, vaticinator; (of doom) Cassandra: Statistically, the weather prophets have a fair record of accuracy.
prophetic | prophetic: adj. predictive, prognostic, divinatory, oracular, inspired, prescient, sibylline, Literary fatidic, vatic: His warnings of a drought proved to be prophetic.
propitiatory | propitiatory: adj. 1 conciliatory, pacifying, appeasing, expiatory, placative, propitiative, pacificatory, placatory: He said that he was truly sorry and held out a propitiatory hand. 2 deferential, ingratiating, obliging, obeisant, acquiescent, compliant, tractable: He was most propitiatory in his treatment of his stepchildren.
propitious | propitious: adj. advantageous, timely, well-timed, opportune, lucky, fortunate, happy, providential, favourable, bright, encouraging, auspicious, promising, rosy: It was not a propitious moment to ask her to marry him,.
proponent | proponent: n. proposer, promoter, supporter, upholder, backer, subscriber, patron, espouser, adherent, enthusiast, champion, friend, partisan, defender, advocate, exponent, pleader, apologist, spokesman, spokeswoman, spokesperson: Ashley is a staunch proponent of the literacy movement.
proportion | proportion: n. 1 ratio, (comparative) relation, relationship, comparison: The proportion of men to women on the course is three to one. The demand is out of all proportion to the supply. 2 balance, agreement, concord, harmony, suitableness, symmetry, congruity, correspondence, correlation, arrangement, distribution: The beauty of the building is at once apparent in the elegant proportion of its parts. 3 portion, division, share, part, percentage, quota, allotment, ration, Colloq cut: Water covers a large proportion of the surface. 4 proportions. size, magnitude, dimensions, measurements, extent; volume, capacity, mass, bulk, area, expanse, scope, range, degree: The dragon suddenly assumed gigantic proportions. --v. 5 adjust, modify, change, modulate, poise, balance, shape, fit, match, conform, equate: The punishment should be proportioned to the crime.
proportional | proportional: adj. proportionate, proportioned, comparable, analogous, analogical, relative, related, correlated, balanced, symmetrical, corresponding, compatible, harmonious, consistent, commensurate, in accordance with: The zeal with which their ideals are defended is directly proportional to the fierceness with which they are attacked.
proposal | proposal: n. 1 offer, presentation, bid, tender, proposition, recommendation, suggestion, Literary proffer: Her proposal was to provide the funding if we would do the work. 2 plan, scheme, outline, draft, design, layout; programme, proposition, project: The proposal for the new civic centre was rejected as too expensive.
propose | propose: v. 1 offer, tender, proffer; present, introduce, submit, advance, set forth, put forward, propound, bid, recommend, suggest, come up with, call attention to, broach, Brit table: Management proposed a wage increase of five per cent. The architect proposed that we consider an addition to the north wing. 2 offer, mean, intend, plan, expect, aim: We propose to make a start on the decorating once we have had our lunch. 3 nominate, name, put forward or forth, suggest, introduce, submit, put up: His boss proposed him for membership of the golf club.
proposition | proposition: n. 1 See proposal, 1, above. 2 See proposal, 2, above. --v. 3 accost, solicit, make an indecent or sexual advance or proposal or overture, Colloq make a pass at: She said she had been propositioned by him, but we never learnt if she accepted or not.
propound | propound: v. put or set forth or forward, propose, offer, proffer, suggest, postulate: It was she who first propounded the idea of a unified country.
proprietor | proprietor: n. 1 proprietress, owner, landowner, landlady, landlord, landholder, title-holder, deed-holder, property owner: He is the proprietor of a large house in Chiswick. 2 owner, partner, landlord, restaurateur, innkeeper, hotel-keeper, hotelier, licensee, manager, Brit publican: The proprietor greeted us warmly and showed us to our rooms.
propriety | propriety: n. 1 correctness, properness, conformity, suitableness, appropriateness, suitability, aptness, fitness, seemliness, decorum; advisability, wisdom: I questioned the propriety of concealing this information from shareholders. 2 protocol, good or proper form, punctilio, etiquette, politeness, courtesy, politesse, refinement, sedateness, dignity, modesty, decorum, decency, breeding, respectability, gentility, grace, mannerliness: He always behaved with the utmost propriety in the presence of his aunt. 3 the proprieties. the social graces, the amenities, the civilities, formality or the formalities, social convention or the social conventions, social procedure or codes, accepted practice, tradition, ceremony, ritual: He only observes the proprieties when he wants to make a good impression.
propulsion | propulsion: n. drive, impulse, impetus, thrust, power, driving or propelling or propulsive force, pressure, momentum, push: Enormous propulsion is required to lift the space shuttle into orbit.
prosaic | prosaic: adj. dull, banal, overdone, tedious, clich�d, commonplace, stereotyped, pedestrian, flat, stereotypical, hackneyed, stock, routine, everyday, ordinary, common, workaday, mediocre, undistinguished, bland, characterless, homely, plain, trite, stale, threadbare, tired, lifeless, dead, dry, jejune, boring, tiresome, unimaginative, unpoetic, unromantic, uninspiring, uninspired, insipid, uninteresting, humdrum, monotonous, Literary ennuyant, Colloq ho-hum, run-of-the-mill, mouldy: She found the law too prosaic and trained to become a jockey.
prose | prose: n. (expository) writing, text, language: It came as a great revelation to learn that he had been speaking prose all his life.
prosecute | prosecute: v. 1 arraign, indict, charge, put on or bring to trial, try, take to court, sue, bring suit or action against, accuse, Brit put in the dock: She threatened to prosecute him for slander. 2 pursue, follow up or through, see or carry through, persist, go on with: Will the same policy will be prosecuted in other countries? 3 carry on or out, perform, do, exercise, conduct, follow, engage in, practise, continue: The government needs popular support if it is to continue to prosecute the war successfully.
prospect | prospect: n. 1 view, scene, panorama, landscape, seascape, outlook, vista, sight, spectacle, perspective, aspect: The sitting-room window offered a splendid prospect of the sea and cliffs below. 2 anticipation, contemplation, outlook, promise, plan, design, intention, expectancy, expectation, thought, likelihood: The prospect of spending the Christmas holidays with your family is quite daunting. 3 Often, prospects. future, outlook, chance(s), hope(s), possibility or possibilities, likelihood, opportunity or opportunities: The prospects for her advancement are excellent. 4 in prospect. in sight or view, in the offing, on the horizon, in store, in the wind, projected, in store, likely, probable, possible, Brit on the cards, on the table, US in the cards: As a doctor, he has a number of opportunities in prospect. --v. 5 Often, prospect for. explore, search (for), look (for): In 1896, his grandfather went to the Klondike to prospect for gold.
prospective | prospective: adj. anticipated, expected, awaited, looked-for, future, forthcoming, coming, approaching, imminent, nearing, pending, impending, destined, potential, incipient: Jane''s prospective wedding had excited the entire family.
prospectus | prospectus: n. announcement, plan, scheme, programme, outline, conspectus, description: According to the prospectus for the fund, the minimum investment is �1000.
prosper | prosper: v. flourish, thrive, succeed, fare well, progress, get ahead, grow, develop; profit, gain, become wealthy, grow rich, make one''s fortune, make good, Colloq make it, make one''s pile: With hard work, thrift, and perseverance, MacIntosh prospered and was soon able to buy the house he wanted.
prosperity | prosperity: n. success, (good) fortune, wealth, riches, affluence, money, luxury, plenty, prosperousness, opulence, bounty, Colloq life of Riley: The basis of the family''s prosperity was huge land holdings in Australia.
prosperous | prosperous: adj. 1 rich, wealthy, moneyed or monied, affluent, well-to-do, well off, Colloq well-heeled, loaded, flush, in the money, rolling in it or wealth or money, in clover, on Easy Street, Slang stinking rich: Anyone who owns six houses and four yachts must be prosperous. 2 successful, thriving, flourishing, booming, prospering: Frank owns a prosperous chain of video shops.
prostitute | prostitute: n. 1 whore, call-girl, streetwalker, strumpet, trollop, harlot, lady of the night or US also evening, fallen or loose woman, demi-mondaine, cocotte, fille de joie, painted woman, woman of ill repute, camp-follower, Archaic catamite, Literary hetaera or hetaira, courtesan or courtezan, Brit rent-boy, toy boy, US boy toy, Archaic bawd, quean, trull, cotquean, Colloq tart, hustler, Slang pro, moll, Brit brass, hooker, US bimbo, working girl, chippy or chippie, roundheels: There was a terrible scandal when the MP was found to have consorted with prostitutes. --v. 2 Often, prostitute oneself. degrade, demean, lower, cheapen, debase, profane, defile, desecrate, pervert, abuse, misuse, devalue, Colloq sell out: To ward off starvation, he prostituted his talent by drawing comic strips.
prostitution | prostitution: n. 1 whoredom, harlotry, the oldest profession, Mrs Warren''s profession, streetwalking, vice: They argued strongly against the legalization of prostitution, saying that it would lead to a decline in public morals. 2 degradation, debasement, profanation, defilement, desecration, misuse, abuse, devaluation, lowering, perversion, corruption: Don''t you regard pornography as a prostitution of the principle of freedom of expression?
prostrate | prostrate: v. 1 Usually, prostrate oneself. lie down, kowtow, bow (down), bow and scrape, grovel, kneel, fall to or on one''s knees, truckle, crawl, cringe, submit, abase oneself: The captives were forced to prostrate themselves before the emperor. 2 overwhelm, overcome, overpower, crush, lay or bring low, paralyse, fell, bowl over, floor, bring down, humble, make helpless, ruin; exhaust, fatigue, weary, wear down or out, tire (out): They were prostrated by grief at the loss of their son. Having been prostrated for months by glandular fever, she finally recovered and returned to work. --adj. 3 prone, horizontal, lying down, laid low, stretched out, procumbent, recumbent, Formal or technical accumbent, decumbent: The prostrate bodies of the worshippers in their multicoloured garb resembled a huge patchwork quilt. 4 overwhelmed, overcome, overpowered, crushed, brought or laid low, paralysed, felled, bowled over, brought down, humbled, helpless, ruined, brought to one''s knees, powerless, impotent, defenceless, disarmed, Colloq floored: She was prostrate at the news of the car crash. After the long war, the countries were struggling to revitalize their prostrate economies. 5 exhausted, drained, fatigued, spent, worn out, wearied, weary, tired (out), dead tired, dog-tired, played out, Colloq fagged out, knocked out, all in, beat, bushed, US wiped out, Slang shagged out, US and Canadian pooped (out): We were prostrate after the long climb.
prostration | prostration: n. 1 genuflection or Brit also genuflexion, kowtowing, kowtow, kneeling, bowing, bow, salaaming, salaam, submission: Prostration before a superior was a mark of honour. 2 servility, veneration, worship, humiliation, respect, adulation, deference, obeisance, homage: Their silence betokened the profound prostration they felt before her superior intellect. 3 despair, misery, desolation, desperation, dejection, depression, despondency, wretchedness, unhappiness, grief, woe, woefulness: Years of poverty created in him a spiritual prostration from which he never recovered. 4 weariness, exhaustion, weakness, debility, feebleness, enervation, lassitude, paralysis, collapse, breakdown: The diagnosis was nervous prostration and the treatment was bed rest for a week or more.
protagonist | protagonist: n. 1 hero, heroine, anti-hero, anti-heroine, principal, leading character; lead, leading role, title role: Mother was always the protagonist in our little domestic dramas. 2 leader, supporter, advocate, backer, prime mover, moving spirit, champion, mainstay, standard-bearer, exponent: He is considered the chief protagonist of reformist policies in the party.
protean | protean: adj. variable, ever-changing, multiform, variable, mutable, changeable, labile, polymorphous or polymorphic, kaleidoscopic: The magic ring gave him protean powers to appear now as an eagle, now as a serpent.
protect | protect: v. 1 defend, guard, safeguard, keep safe, shield, cover, screen: Company rules require the wearing of safety goggles to protect the eyes when operating any machine. 2 care for, preserve, keep, shelter, watch over, safeguard, take care of, conserve, take under one''s wing, foster, nurture, tend, mind: The best way of protecting wildlife is to conserve natural habitats.
protection | protection: n. 1 defence, screen, shield, barrier, guard, safeguard, immunity, bulwark, buffer, shelter, refuge, haven, sanctuary, security, safe keeping, safety, preservation: They have not yet developed any protection from the common cold. How can we offer these fledglings protection against predators? 2 care, guardianship, aegis, custody, charge, safe keeping, patronage, sponsorship, keeping: Even under the protection of the government, elephants continue to be slaughtered. 3 extortion, blackmail, protection money: If we refuse to pay protection, they say that they will bomb the restaurant.
protective | protective: adj. defensive, jealous, vigilant, watchful, heedful, careful, possessive; preservative, shielding, sheltering, safeguarding: She is fiercely protective of her independence and will not accept help. Many animals rely on protective colouring as a defence against predators.
protector | protector: n. protectress, defender, benefactor, benefactress, patron, patroness, guardian (angel), champion, knight in shining armour, paladin, bodyguard, Slang Brit minder: She came to regard him as her friend and protector.
prot�g� | prot�g�: n. prot�g�e, ward, charge, dependant; discovery, student, pupil: He became her prot�g� and she has taught him everything he knows.
protest | protest: n. 1 objection, opposition, complaint, grumble, grievance, dissent, disapproval, protestation, exception, disagreement, demur or demurral, demurrer, disclaimer, denial, scruple, compunction, qualm, Colloq gripe, grouse, squawk, US kick, Slang beef, bitch: The Home Office has received many protests about the treatment of prisoners. 2 under protest. unwillingly, reluctantly, involuntarily: I paid the fine under protest. --v. 3 object, oppose, complain, grumble, dissent, disapprove, take exception, take issue with, disagree, demur, disclaim, deny, scruple, Colloq gripe, grouse, squawk, Brit kick (against), US kick, Slang beef, bitch: Bank employees protested at being expected to work on Saturday mornings. 4 assert, confirm, declare, aver, asseverate, affirm, announce, profess, insist on, avow, avouch: The convicted man went to the gallows protesting his innocence.
protocol | protocol: n. 1 rule(s) or code(s) or standard(s) of behaviour or conduct, convention(s), custom(s), diplomacy, formality, formalities, form, etiquette, politesse, manners, practice, usage, authority: According to protocol, the lady stands at the right of the gentleman. Which protocol are you following, the British or the French? 2 treaty, pact, compact, covenant, agreement, concordat; memorandum, minute, note, draft, outline: The original protocol must be checked before the ministers attach their signatures.
prototype | prototype: n. 1 model, archetype, first, original, pattern, exemplar, precedent, mould: Many improvements were made as a result of tests on the original prototype. 2 example, instance, illustration, sample, norm, paragon, epitome, model, standard, analogue, referent, metaphor: Mrs Grundy is a common prototype for narrow-mindedness and prudishness.
protracted | protracted: adj. long, long-drawn-out, interminable, prolonged, over-long, never-ending, extended, stretched out, marathon, endless, everlasting, long-winded: The protracted union negotiations delayed the start of the work by six months.
protrude | protrude: v. stick out, jut (out), project, extend, poke out, stand out, thrust out or forward, start (from), exsert, Rare extrude; bulge, balloon, bag (out), belly (out); (of the eyes) pop, goggle, Colloq US bug (out): Only the very tops of the plants protruded from the snow.
protrusion | protrusion: n. projection, protuberance, prominence, swelling, excrescence, tumescence, bump, lump, knob, bulge; (condition of the eyes) Technical exophthalmic goitre: I can feel the slight protrusion of the nail-heads above the smooth surface.
protuberant | protuberant: adj. protrusive, protruding, bulging, gibbous, jutting, bulbous, swelling, swollen, turgid, tumescent, distended, tumid, extrusive, excrescent, extruding, projecting, beetling, overhanging, prominent: She has large brown eyes that are a little protuberant.
proud | proud: adj. 1 Often, proud of. pleased (with), satisfied (with), contented (with), glad (about), happy (with or about), delighted (with or about), elated (with or about); honoured, gratified: He is very proud of his children and what they have achieved. I am proud to be your friend. 2 conceited, boastful, self-satisfied, narcissistic, self-important, egotistical, vain, vainglorious, prideful, self-centred, complacent, snobbish, haughty, supercilious, smug, arrogant, cocky, cocksure, boastful, braggart, Colloq high and mighty, snooty, stuck-up, Slang snotty, Brit toffee-nosed: She''s far too proud to have anything to do with the likes of us. 3 lofty, dignified, lordly, noble, great, respected, honoured, honourable, important, glorious, august, illustrious, estimable, creditable, eminent, prominent, distinguished, reputable, worthy, notable, noted, noteworthy: His will always be a proud name in British military history. 4 stately, majestic, magnificent, splendid, grand: Proud Edinburgh earned the sobriquet, ''Athens of the north''.
prove | prove: v. 1 verify, authenticate, confirm, make good, corroborate, demonstrate, show, validate, establish, substantiate, certify, affirm; support, sustain, back (up), uphold: Prove that he lied under oath, and we shall have him for perjury. If you cannot prove her guilt, she must be presumed innocent. 2 try, test, examine, check, analyse, assay: Division can easily be proved by multiplication, and vice versa. The proving ground for military vehicles is off limits to the public. Come live with me and be my love, And we shall all the pleasures prove. 3 turn out, be found, be shown, be established, end up; develop, result: The child proved to be his long-lost grandson. 4 show, evince, demonstrate: He proved his love many times over during their fifty years of marriage.
provender | provender: n. 1 provisions, food, supplies, victuals, rations, foodstuffs, groceries, eatables, edibles, comestibles, aliment, nourishment, sustenance, Colloq grub, eats: The armies relied for their provender on farms they passed on the march. 2 fodder, forage, feed, hay, silage, corn, grain: Provender for the livestock was running low because of the long winter.
proverb | proverb: n. saying, maxim, aphorism, saw, adage, apophthegm or apothegm, axiom, moral, moralism, homily, dictum, gnome, epigram, commonplace, platitude, truism, clich�, bromide: According to the old proverb, ''A fool and his money are soon parted''.
proverbial | proverbial: adj. 1 axiomatic, aphoristic, epigrammatic, apophthegmatic or apothegmatic, homiletic, moralistic; acknowledged, well-known, accepted, time-honoured, traditional: The language is full of proverbial sayings reflecting popular wisdom. 2 typical, archetypal, exemplary: The humanitarianism of Albert Schweitzer is proverbial.
provide | provide: v. 1 supply, furnish, equip, outfit, fix up (with) provision, contribute, accommodate, purvey, cater, stock (up), victual, provender: After providing us with a map and a compass, they sent us off across the moor. 2 produce, yield, afford, lend, give, present, offer, accord: The fertile land provided food in plentiful abundance. During those bleak years, the radio provided us not only with news but also entertainment. 3 stipulate, lay down, require, demand, specify, state: The lease provided that the rent be reviewed every five years. 4 provide for. look after, care for, support, take care of, take under one''s wing, minister to, attend (to): The bequest ensured that his widow would be amply provided for. 5 provide for or against. arrange for, prepare for, anticipate, forearm, make or get ready for, plan for, take precautions, take measures: It would seem that you have provided for any eventuality.
providence | providence: n. 1 foresight, forethought, preparation, anticipation, readiness, far-sightedness, caution, precaution, discretion, prudence, care; thrift, frugality, husbandry, thriftiness, conservation, economy: Because of the providence of our founders, we were able to weather severe financial set backs. 2 Usually, (divine) Providence. protection, care, concern, beneficence, direction, control, divine intervention, guidance; destiny, fate, lot, fortune, karma, kismet: Providence is always on the side of those who help themselves.
provident | provident: adj. 1 cautious, wary, discreet, canny, prudent, careful, vigilant, prepared, far-sighted, thoughtful, wise, shrewd, sagacious, sage, judicious: In the fable, the grasshopper learns from the ant what it means to be provident. 2 frugal, economic(al), thrifty, prudent: Because he is not a provident man, he will always be poor.
providential | providential: adj. fortunate, lucky, blessed, felicitous, happy, opportune, timely: It is providential that we left the house just before the earthquake.
providing | providing: conj. Sometimes, providing that. provided (that), on (the) condition (that), if (only), only if, as long as, in the event (that), with the proviso (that), in case, with the understanding (that): Simon is always ready to go out to dinner, providing someone else pays for it.
province | province: n. 1 territory, state, zone, region, quarter, area, district, domain, dependency or US also dependancy, division, section, district: Quebec is one of the administrative provinces of Canada. 2 country, territory, region, dominion, realm, strand, tract: During the war, those who escaped fled to distant provinces. 3 sphere or area (of responsibility), responsibility, bailiwick, concern, function, charge, business, field; Colloq thing, headache, worry: The payroll falls within the province of my department. 4 provinces. outlying districts, countryside, hinterland(s), Chiefly US exurbia, Slang US and Canadian boondocks, boonies, hicksville: Once a year, people flock into London from the provinces to do their Christmas shopping.
provincial | provincial: adj. 1 local, regional: Provincial administration is the responsibility of the sheriff. 2 uncultured, uncultivated, unsophisticated, limited, uninformed, na�ve, innocent, ingenuous, unpolished, unrefined, homespun, rustic, rude, country, parochial, insular, narrow-minded, boorish, loutish, cloddish, awkward, ungraceful, oafish, backwood(s), Brit parish pump, US small-town, Colloq US and Canadian hick, hick-town: These paintings are unlikely to appeal to provincial tastes. --n. 3 rustic, country cousin, (country) bumpkin, yokel, US and Canadian out-of-towner, hick, hayseed: One could tell they were provincials by the cut of their clothes.
provincialism | provincialism: n. 1 dialectalism, localism, regionalism; idiom, patois, dialect: His northern speech is peppered with provincialisms unfamiliar to those who live in the south. 2 narrow-mindedness, insularity, parochialism, narrowness, benightedness; unsophisticatedness, simplicity, lack of awareness, na�vety, ingenuousness, innocence, inexperience: Their provincialism made them suspicious of city people. There was something charming about the provincialism of this rough man from the outback.
provision | provision: n. 1 providing, supplying, furnishing; catering, victualling, provisioning, purveyance, purveying, furnishing, equipping, fitting out, outfitting, accoutrement, equipment: The school is responsible for the provision of textbooks. The provision of a cruise ship of that size requires days. 2 stipulation, proviso, condition, restriction, qualification, clause, term, exception, demand, requirement, prerequisite, Colloq catch, string, US hooker: This provision of the contract calls for a penalty for each day''s delay beyond the guaranteed completion date. 3 preparation, prearrangement, arrangement, measures, steps: They had failed to make provision for so many customers and soon ran out of food. 4 Usually, provisions. supplies, stores, stockpile, stock(s), quantity; food, foodstuffs, eatables, edibles, drinkables, potables, victuals, viands, comestibles, rations, groceries, provender, staples: We had enough provisions to last a year. --v. 5 stockpile, stock, supply, victual, cater, purvey: They provisioned the expedition for a three-month period.
provisional | provisional: adj. 1 temporary, interim, provisionary, transitional, stopgap, Colloq pro tem: The provisional government was expected to be in place for less than a month. 2 conditional, contingent, provisory, qualified, stipulatory, provisionary, probationary: The appointment is provisional and will be reviewed in six months.
proviso | proviso: n. See provision, 2. above.
provocation | provocation: n. 1 grounds, reason, cause, justification, instigation, initiation, incitement, stimulus, incentive, motivation, motive, inducement: What was the provocation for that unpleasant outburst? 2 insult, offence, taunt, irritation: After a series of provocations, the final straw was his remark about my mother.
provocative | provocative: adj. 1 inviting, alluring, tempting, charming, tantalizing, teasing, intriguing, fascinating, seductive, stimulating, voluptuous, sensual, sensuous, suggestive, erotic, arousing, exciting, entrancing, irresistible, bewitching, Colloq sexy: The council found the film too provocative to be shown to schoolchildren. 2 irritating, annoying, galling, irksome, nettlesome, harassing, plaguing, exasperating, infuriating, angering, incensing, maddening, enraging, vexing, vexatious, disquieting, challenging, upsetting, distressing, disturbing, outrageous, wounding, stinging, offensive, humiliating, mortifying: She is given to making provocative remarks that drive him to distraction.
provoke | provoke: v. 1 stir (up), stimulate, move, motivate, push, impel, drive, get, spur (on), egg on, goad, force, compel, prompt, rouse, arouse, waken, awaken, enliven, animate, activate, induce, encourage: She did her best to provoke him to start his new novel. 2 start, incite, instigate, produce, promote, foment, kindle, work up: Are you trying to provoke an argument? 3 irritate, annoy, irk, pester, vex, pique, anger, enrage, madden, incense, infuriate, gall, rile, nettle, harass, hector, plague, badger, exasperate, get on one''s nerves, try one''s patience, frustrate, upset, disturb, perturb, distress, outrage, offend, insult, affront: If he continues to provoke me I shall punch him.
prowess | prowess: n. 1 ability, skill, skilfulness, aptitude, adroitness, dexterity, dexterousness, adeptness, facility, finesse, expertise, mastery, genius, talent, know-how, ingenuity, capability, proficiency: Her prowess as a sculptor is unquestioned. 2 bravery, valour, courage, boldness, daring, intrepidity, dauntlessness, mettle, stout-heartedness, valiance, lion-heartedness, fearlessness, gallantry, doughtiness, fortitude: He was famed for his prowess in single combat.
prowl | prowl: v. 1 lurk, sneak, skulk, steal, slink: I thought I saw someone prowling about in your back garden. 2 scour, scavenge, range over, rove, roam, patrol, cruise, cover: The police continued to prowl the waterfront looking for smugglers. --n. 3 on the prowl. lurking or sneaking or skulking or stealing or slinking about or around, searching, seeking, hunting, tracking, stalking: The lioness was on the prowl for wildebeest. After a few drinks, the boys went on the prowl for some female companionship.
proximity | proximity: n. nearness, closeness, adjacency, neighbourhood, vicinity, vicinage, contiguity, contiguousness, propinquity: The proximity of the airport kept housing prices relatively low.
proxy | proxy: n. substitute, agent, delegate, surrogate, representative, factor: As I was unable to attend the owners'' meeting, I sent Jane as my proxy.
prude | prude: n. prig, puritan, Mrs Grundy, Colloq goody-goody, US bluenose: He was a bit of a prude and disapproved of anything even slightly suggestive.
prudence | prudence: n. 1 discretion, wisdom, sagacity, judgement, discrimination, common sense, canniness, presence of mind, awareness, wariness, care, tact, carefulness, caution, cautiousness, circumspection, watchfulness, vigilance, heedfulness: You should proceed with prudence in this hazardous business. 2 planning, preparation, preparedness, foresightedness, forethought, foresight, providence, precaution, far-sightedness; economy, husbandry, thrift, (good or careful) management: Owing to the prudence of her investments, Clara had accumulated a substantial nest egg.
prudent | prudent: adj. 1 careful, cautious, discreet, discerning, wise, sage, sagacious, politic, judicious, discriminating, sensible, reasonable, canny, shrewd, cautious, circumspect, watchful, vigilant, heedful, wary, attentive, alert, guarded: James had always found it prudent to listen to others before speaking his mind. 2 provident, thrifty, economic(al), frugal, prudential: Father favours prudent, conservative management of the family business.
prudery | prudery: n. prudishness, priggishness, puritanicalness, puritanism, squeamishness, Grundyism, primness, stuffiness, old-maidishness, precisianism: She said that censorship was the result of prudery rather than concern for moral welfare.
prudish | prudish: adj. priggish, puritanical, old-maidish, prissy, prim, fussy, squeamish, strait-laced, stiff, rigid, over-nice, over-modest, over-coy, proper, demure, decorous, formal: Victorian society was both prudish and prurient.
prune | prune: v. clip, cut back, lop, dock, pare (down), trim: If you prune fruit trees, they bear more abundantly. We have to prune the entertainment budget.
prurient | prurient: adj. 1 libidinous, lecherous, lascivious, lewd, lubricious or lubricous, salacious, lustful, concupiscent, licentious, carnal, debauched, rakehell, sensual, randy, voluptuous, loose, goatish, ruttish, Literary Cyprian, Paphian, Archaic lickerish or liquorish, Slang horny, hot: The press takes a prurient interest in the private lives of famous people. 2 dirty, lewd, filthy, pornographic, smutty, obscene, foul, scurrilous, vile, indecent, gross, lurid, blue, bawdy, ribald, titillating, suggestive, coarse, vulgar, low, crude, Literary Fescennine: The police raid uncovered a store of prurient literature, films, and videos.
pry | pry: v. 1 investigate, ferret about, examine, peer, peek, be inquisitive, inquire or enquire: They pried into her past but found nothing revealing. 2 intrude, meddle, interfere, Colloq poke or stick one''s nose in or into, snoop, be nosy, nose about or around, poke about or around: They have no right to pry into my private affairs.
