Pro`ro*ga"tion (?), n. [L. prorogatio: cf. F. prorogation.] 1. The act
of counting in duration; prolongation. [Obs.] South.
2. The act of proroguing; the ending of the session of Parliament, and
postponing of its business, by the command of the sovereign. [Eng.]
After an adjournment all things continue as they were at the
adjournment; whereas, after a prorogation, bill introduced and nut
passed are as if they had never been begun at all. Mozley & W.
Pro*rogue" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prorogued (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Proroguing (?).] [F. proroger, L. prorogare, prorogatum; pro forward +
rogare to ask, to ask one for his opinion or vote, or about a law. See
Rogation.] 1. To protract; to prolong; to extend. [Obs.]
He prorogued his government.
Dryden.
2. To defer; to delay; to postpone; as, to proroguedeath; to prorogue a
marriage. Shak.
3. To end the session of a parliament by an order of the sovereign,
thus deferring its business.
Parliament was prorogued to [meet at] Westminster.
Bp. Hall.
The Parliament was again prorogued to a distant day.
Macaulay.
Syn. -- To adjourn; postpone; defer. See Adjourn.
Pro*rup"tion (?), n. [L. proruptio, fr. prorumpere, proruptum, to break
forth; pro forth + rumpere to break.] The act or state of bursting
forth; a bursting out. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
{ Pro*sa"ic (?), Pro*sa"ic*al (?), } a. [L. prosaius, from prosa prose:
cf. F,. prosaÔque. See Prose.] 1. Of or pertaining to prose; resembling
prose; in the form of prose; unpoetical; writing or using prose; as, a
prosaic composition. Cudworth.
2. Dull; uninteresting; commonplace; unimaginative; prosy; as, a
prosaic person. Ed. Rev.
-- Pro*sa"ic*al*ly, adv. -- Pro*sa"ic*al*ness, n.
Pro*sa"i*cism (?), n. The quality or state of being prosaic; a prosaic
manner or style. [R.] Poe.
Pro"sa*ism (?), n. That which is in the form of prose writing; a
prosaic manner. Coleridge.
Pro"sa*ist (?; 277), n. A writer of prose; an unpoetical writer. "An
estimable prosaist." I. Taylor.
Pro"sal (?), a. Of or pertaining to prose; prosaic. [R.] Sir T. Browne.
Pro*sce"ni*um (?), n.; pl. Proscenia (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?;; &?; before
+ &?; a tent, a wooden stage, the stage. See Scene.] 1. (Anc. Theater)
The part where the actors performed; the stage.
2. (Modern Theater) The part of the stage in front of the curtain;
sometimes, the curtain and its framework.
||Pro*sco"lex (?), n.; pl. Proscolices (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; before +
||&?;, &?;, a worm.] (Zoˆl.) An early larval form of a trematode worm;
||a redia. See Redia.
Pro*scribe" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Proscribed (?); p. pr. & vb. n.
Proscribing.] [L. proscribere, proscriptum, to write before, to
publish, proscribe; pro before + scribere to write. See Scribe. The
sense of this word originated in the Roman practice of writing the
names of persons doomed to death, and posting the list in public.] 1.
To doom to destruction; to put out of the protection of law; to outlaw;
to exile; as, Sylla and Marius proscribed each other's adherents.
Robert Vere, Earl of Oxford, . . . was banished the realm, and
proscribed.
Spenser.
2. To denounce and condemn; to interdict; to prohibit; as, the Puritans
proscribed theaters.
The Arian doctrines were proscribed and anathematized in the famous
Council of Nice.
Waterland.
Pro*scrib"er (?), n. One who, or that which, proscribes, denounces, or
prohibits.
Pro"script (?), n. [See Proscribe.] 1. A proscription; a prohibition;
an interdict. [R.]