Το

hand; signifies to set down authoritatively; also to write medical directions and forms of medicine. order is the act of one invested with a partial authoritya master gives orders to his servant; to prescribe is the act of one who is superior by virtue of his knowledge --a physician prescribes to his patient. Present, præsens, (ens, being,) being before, being now in view or under consideration. To introduce is to bring into any place, to present is to bring into the presence of: we speak of a person being introduced to another, and of a person being presented at court, that is, to the sovereign. To give is a familiar term which designates the ordinary transfer of property; to present is a term of respect, it includes in it the formality and ceremony of setting before another that which we wish to give; to offer is anact of humility or solemnity, it bespeaks the movements of the heart, which impels us to make a transfer: we give to our domestics, present to princes, offer to God.

Preserve, preservo, (see SERVO,)

keep away from danger. The idea of having in one's possession is common to the terms keep and preserve, but to preserve is to keep with care and free from all injury. We speak of being saved or spared from any evils; preserved and protected refer only to evils of magnitude, as ruin or oppression.

Preside, præsideo, (see SEDEO,) I sit before others, or have authority over them.

Presume, from præsumo, (see SUMO,) I take first or before; signifies to believe without previous examination, or aflirm without immediate proof.-Presumptive comes from presume, in the sense of supposing or taking for granted; and presumptuous and presuming in the sense of taking to one's self any unauthorized importance. A presumptive heir is one expected to be heir; presumptive evidence is that which is founded on something probable but not demonstrated. Presumptuous is a stronger term than presuming, the former

designates the express quality of presumption, the latter the inclination; hence, we speak of presumptuous rather than presuming language, of a presuming rather than a presumptuous disposition.

Pretend, from prætendo, (see TEND,) I stretch before ; is to hold out as a delusive appearance. To feign and to pretend are both opposed to what is true; to feign consists often of a line of conduct, to pretend consists always of words: we affect by putting on a false appearance, we pretend by making a false declaration; some affect the manners of gentlemen, and pretend to gentility of birth. The pretence is set forth to conceal what is bad, the pretension is set forth to display what is good: a man of bad character may make a pretence of religion, persons of the least merit often make the greatest pretension. The pretence is not so great a violation of truth as pretext; the one may consist of truth and falsehood blended, the other consists of falsehood altogether. Pretension and claim both signify an assertion of rights, but they differ in the nature of the rights; the first refers only to the rights which are considered as such by an individual, the latter to those which exist independently of his supposition. Those who have the best claims to the gratitude of mankind are commonly men who make the fewest pre

tensions.

Pre

Prevail, from prævaleo, (valeo, I am strong,) I am strong above others; is mostly used in a moral sense. vuiling refers to the quality of a particular object, prevalent marks the quality of prevailing as it affects objects in general: we speak of a prevailing opinion, and of particular disorders being prevalent.

Prevaricale, prævaricor, I act or speak first in one way and then in another.

Prevent, from prævenio, (see VENIO,) is literally, to come or go before-hand. God is said to prevent us, if he interposes with his grace to divert our purposes toward that which is right. [See the prayer at the close of the Communion Service, beginning with the words

"Prevent us, O Lord;" and compare Psal. lxxxviii. 13. in the Book of Common Prayer, with the verse as it stands in the Old Testament.] To prevent is often taken in the sense of to hinder, but the latter is properly an act of the moment, it supposes no design, and is applied to the movements of a particular individual; the former is a premeditated act, and is adapted for general purposes. I hinder a person who is running, if I lay hold of his arm and make him walk; it is the object of a good government to prevent crimes, rather than to punish offenders.

Previous, previus, (via, a way,) leading the way, or going before.

PRO.

For the explanation of PRO, see page 255.

Proceed, process, procedo, (cedo, I move,) I move forward. Proceeding is said commonly of such things as happen in the ordinary way of doing business; process is said of such things as are done by rule; the former is considered in a moral point of view, the latter in a scientific or technical point of view.-Procession is used in speaking of a number of persons going forward in a certain order: a procession may consist of persons in all ranks and stations, but train and retinue apply to such as follow a person in a subordinate capacity. Proclaim, proclamo, (see CLAMO,) I cry aloud before many persons. We announce an event that is just at hand, we proclaim an event that requires to be known, we publish what is supposed likely to interest all who know it. Procrastinate, (cras, to-morrow,) to put off till to-morrow, or from day to day.

Procure, from procuro, (curo, I care for,) I get the thing cared for, or sought after. We may obtain a thing by the exertions of others, but procure is particularly employed for one's own personal exertions.

Procurator or proctor is one who takes care of the affairs of others.

Prodigal, from prodigo, (see AGO,) I drive or launch forth; is to give out in large quantities. The extravagant inan spends his money without reason, the prodigal man spends it in excesses; thus one may be extravagant with a small sum, one cannnot be prodigal without great property.-Prodigy is that which is out of the usual course of nature. The enormous contradicts our rules of estimating and calculating, the prodigious raises our minds beyond their ordinary standard of thinking.

Produce, product, produco, (see Duco,) I lead forth. To yield is the natural operation of any substance to give out the parts or properties inherent in it; produce conveys the idea of one thing causing another to exist, or to spring out of it.-Production is applied to every individual thing that is produced by another, in this sense a tree is a production: produce and product are applied only to those productions which are to be turned to a purpose; the former in reference to some particular object, the latter in a general sense.

Profess, professus, participle of profitior, (fateor, I speak,) I speak openly. An exposure of one's thoughts or opinions is the common idea in the signification of the terms profess and declare, but they differ in the manner of the action; one professes by words or by actions, one declares only by words: the profession may be general and partial, the declaration is positive and explicit. To profess is employed only for what concerns one's self, to declare is likewise employed for what concerns others.

is

Profuse, from profundo, (see FUNDO,) pour forth; used only in a moral sense, thus we say, "a man is profuse in his acknowledgments who repeats them oftener, or delivers them in more words, than are necessary. Profusion is taken in relation to unconscious objects which are poured forth in great plenty, pro

fuseness is used in relation to conscious agents; we speak of a profusion of things, and of persons indulging themselves in profuseness.

Progress, progredior, (see GRADUS,) I move forward. Project, from projicio, (see JACIO,) I throw or put forward; is only used figuratively for that which is put forward by the mind. Designs and plans are practised and suited to the ordinary and immediate circumstances of life; projects consist mostly in speculation, and are contrived for extraordinary occurrences. Prolix, changed from prolaxus, (laxus, loose,) loose to a great degree; is used only in an extended sense: we speak of a prolix manner of writing.

Prominent, promineo, I put out or forward, show myself from far. Nothing is prominent but that which projects beyond a certain line; every thing is conspicuous which may be seen by many: a figure in a painting is said to be prominent if it appears to stand forward, but it is not properly conspicuous unless there be something in it which attracts general notice. Promiscuous, from promisceo, I mix thoroughly; is applied to any number of different objects mingled together; indiscriminate, is only applied to the action in which one does not discriminate different objects. Promise, promitto, (see MITTO,) I send or set before hand. We promise a thing in a set form of words, that are clearly and strictly understood; we engage in general terms, that may admit of alteration. Promote, from promoveo, (see MOVEO,) I move forward; is only used figuratively. A person may advance himself, or may be advanced by others; he is promoted and preferred only by others. Promotion is used in regard to offices in general, and preferment, mostly in regard to ecclesiastical situations.

Prompt, from promo, I draw out, or make ready; marks one's desire to get ready. He is diligent who loses no time, but keeps close to his work; he who is expeditious applies himself to no other thing that offers, he finishes every thing in its turn; he is prompt who