Pro*sy"lo*gism (?), n. [Pref. pro- + syllogism.] (Logic) A syllogism
preliminary or logically essential to another syllogism; the conclusion
of such a syllogism, which becomes a premise of the following
syllogism.
Pro*tac"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?; placing or placed before, fr. &?; to place
in front; &?; before + &?; to arrange.] Giving a previous narrative or
explanation, as of the plot or personages of a play; introductory.
Pro"ta*gon (?), n. [Proto- + Gr. &?; a contest. See. Protagonist. So
called because it was the first definitely ascertained principle of the
brain.] (Physiol. Chem.) A nitrogenous phosphorized principle found in
brain tissue. By decomposition it yields neurine, fatty acids, and
other bodies.
Pro*tag"o*nist (?), n. [Gr. &?;; prw^tos first + &?; an actor,
combatant, fr. &?; a contest.] One who takes the leading part in a
drama; hence, one who takes lead in some great scene, enterprise,
conflict, or the like.
Shakespeare, the protagonist on the great of modern poetry.
De Quincey.
Pro"ta*min (?), n. [Gr. prw^tos first.] (Physiol. Chem.) An amorphous
nitrogenous substance found in the spermatic fluid of salmon. It is
soluble in water, which an alkaline reaction, and unites with acids and
metallic bases.
Pro*tan"dric (?), a. [Proto- + Gr. &?;, &?;, a man.] (Zoˆl.) Having
male sexual organs while young, and female organs later in life. --
Pro*tan"trism (#), n.
Pro*tan"drous (?), a. (Bot.) Proterandrous.
||Prot"a*sis (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to stretch before,
||forward; &?; before + &?; to stretch.] 1. A proposition; a maxim.
||Johnson.
2. (Gram.) The introductory or subordinate member of a sentence,
generally of a conditional sentence; -- opposed to apodosis. See
Apodosis.
3. The first part of a drama, of a poem, or the like; the introduction;
opposed to epitasis. B. Jonson.
Pro*tat"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?;: cf. L. protaticus, F. protatique.] Of or
pertaining to the protasis of an ancient play; introductory.
Pro`te*a"ceous (?), a. [From Proteus.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the
ProteaceÊ, an order of apetalous evergreen shrubs, mostly natives of
the Cape of Good Hope or of Australia.
Pro"te*an (?), a. 1. Of or pertaining to Proteus; characteristic of
Proteus. " Protean transformations." Cudworth.
2. Exceedingly variable; readily assuming different shapes or forms;
as, an amúba is a protean animalcule.
Pro"te*an*ly, adv. In a protean manner. Cudworth.
Pro*tect" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Protected; p. pr. & vb. n.
Protecting.] [L. protectus, p. p. of protegere, literally, to cover in
front; pro before + tegere to cover. See Tegument.] To cover or shield
from danger or injury; to defend; to guard; to preserve in safety; as,
a father protects his children.
The gods of Greece protect you!
Shak.
Syn. -- To guard; shield; preserve. See Defend.
Pro*tect"ing*ly (?), adv. By way of protection; in a protective manner.
Pro*tec"tion (?), n. [L. protectio: cf. F. protection.] 1. The act of
protecting, or the state of being protected; preservation from loss,
injury, or annoyance; defense; shelter; as, the weak need protection.
To your protection I commend me, gods.
Shak.
2. That which protects or preserves from injury; a defense; a shield; a
refuge.
Let them rise up . . . and be your protection.
Deut. xxxii. 38.
3. A writing that protects or secures from molestation or arrest; a
pass; a safe-conduct; a passport.
He . . . gave them protections under his hand.
Macaulay.
4. (Polit. Econ.) A theory, or a policy, of protecting the producers in
a country from foreign competition in the home market by the imposition
of such discriminating duties on goods of foreign production as will
restrict or prevent their importation; -- opposed to free trade.
Writ of protection. (Law) (a) A writ by which the king formerly
exempted a person from arrest; -- now disused. [Eng.] Blackstone. (b) A
judicial writ issued to a person required to attend court, as party,
juror, etc., intended to secure him from arrest in coming, staying, and
returning.
Syn. -- Preservation; defense; guard; shelter; refuge; security;
safety.
Pro*tec"tion*ism (?), n. (Polit. Econ.) The doctrine or policy of
protectionists. See Protection, 4.
Pro*tec"tion*ist, n. (Polit. Econ.) One who favors protection. See
Protection, 4.
Pro*tect"ive (?), a. [Cf. F. protectif.] Affording protection;
sheltering; defensive. " The favor of a protective Providence."
Feltham.
Protective coloring (Zoˆl.), coloring which serves for the concealment
and preservation of a living organism. Cf. Mimicry. Wallace. --
Protective tariff (Polit. Econ.), a tariff designed to secure
protection (see Protection, 4.), as distinguished from a tariff
designed to raise revenue. See Tariff, and Protection, 4.
Pro*tect"ive*ness, n. The quality or state of being protective. W.
Pater.
Pro*tect"or (?), n. [L.: cf. F. protecteur.] 1. One who, or that which,
defends or shields from injury, evil, oppression, etc.; a defender; a
guardian; a patron.
For the world's protector shall be known.
Waller.
2. (Eng. Hist.) One having the care of the kingdom during the king's
minority; a regent.
Is it concluded he shall be protector !
Shak.
3. (R. C. Ch.) A cardinal, from one of the more considerable Roman
Catholic nations, who looks after the interests of his people at Rome;
also, a cardinal who has the same relation to a college, religious
order, etc.
Lord Protector (Eng. Hist.), the title of Oliver Cromwell as supreme
governor of the British Commonwealth (1653-1658).
Pro*tect"or*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to a protector; protectorial;
as, protectoral power.
Pro*tect"or*ate (?), n. [Cf. F. protectorat.] 1. Government by a
protector; -- applied especially to the government of England by Oliver
Cromwell.
2. The authority assumed by a superior power over an inferior or a
dependent one, whereby the former protects the latter from invasion and
shares in the management of its affairs.
Pro`tec*to"ri*al (?), a. [Cf. L. protectorius.] Same as Protectoral.
Pro*tect"or*less (?), a. Having no protector; unprotected.
Pro*tect"or*ship, n. The office of a protector or regent; protectorate.
{ Pro*tect"ress (?), Pro*tect"rix (?), } n. [NL. protectrix.] A woman
who protects.
{ ||Pro`tÈ`gÈ" (?), n. m. ||Pro`tÈ`gÈe" (?), n. f.} [F., p. p. of
protÈger. See Protect.] One under the care and protection of another.
Pro"te*id (?), n. [Gr. prw^tos first.] (Physiol. Chem.) One of a class
of amorphous nitrogenous principles, containing, as a rule, a small
amount of sulphur; an albuminoid, as blood fibrin, casein of milk, etc.
Proteids are present in nearly all animal fluids and make up the
greater part of animal tissues and organs. They are also important
constituents of vegetable tissues. See 2d Note under Food. --
Pro"te*id, a.
||Pro`te*id"e*a (?), n. pl. [NL. See Proteus, and -oid.] (Zoˆl.) An
||order of aquatic amphibians having prominent external gills and four
||legs. It includes Proteus and Menobranchus (Necturus). Called also
||Proteoidea, and Proteida.
Pro*te"i*form (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Changeable in form; resembling a Proteus,
or an amúba.
Pro"te*in (?), n. [Gr. prw^tos first: cf. prwtei^on the first place.]
(Physiol. Chem.) A body now known as alkali albumin, but originally
considered to be the basis of all albuminous substances, whence its
name.
Protein crystal. (Bot.) See Crystalloid, n., 2.
Pro`te*i*na"*ceous (?), a. (Physiol. Chem.) Of or related to protein;
albuminous; proteid.
Pro*te"i*nous (?), a. Proteinaceuos.
Pro"te*les (?), n. [NL.] (Zoˆl.) A South Africa genus of Carnivora,
allied to the hyenas, but smaller and having weaker jaws and teeth. It
includes the aard-wolf.
Pro*tend" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Protended; p. pr. & vb. n.
Protending.] [L. protendere, protensum; pro before, forth + tendere to
stretch.] To hold out; to stretch forth. [Obs.]
With his protended lance he makes defence.
Dryden.
Pro*tense" (?), n. [See Protend.] Extension.[Obs.] " By due degrees and
long protense." Spenser.
Pro*ten"sion (?), n. [L. protensio.] A drawing out; extension. [R.] Sir
W. Hamilton.