WEBSTER’S
`DICTIONARY
`AND THESAURUS
`0t the English Langhage
`
`
`
`

`

`COPYRIGHT© 1992 BY LEXICON PUBLICATIONS, INC.
`
`Main dictionary section © 1972 Librairie Larousse as The Larousse Il/ustrated International
`Encyclopedia and Dictionary. Revised and updated 1992.
`
`All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by
`any means electronic, mechanical, or otherwise, whether now or hereafter devised, including
`photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without express
`written prior permission from the Publisher.
`
`We have reason to believe that a number of words entered in this dictionary constitute
`trademarks, and we have designated them as such. However, neither the presence nor the
`absence of such designation should be regarded as affecting the legal status of any
`trademark.
`
`PRINTED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
`
`ISBN 0-7172-4607-8
`
`

`

`protolithic
`pro-to•lith•ic (prQutalf0ik) adj. Eolithic [PROTO(cid:173)
`+Gk lithos, stone]
`pro-to•mar-tyr (prQutoumartar) n. the first mar(cid:173)
`tyr in any cause, esp. the first Christian martyr,
`St Stephen [M.E . prothomartir fr. O.F.J
`pro-ton (pr6uton) n. (phys.) a baryon of mass
`938.2+ 106 eV (1.672 x 10-24 gm) and net elec(cid:173)
`tric charge + 1 that is a constituent of all atomic
`nuclei (the proton is the nucleus of the lightest
`hydrogen isotope). The proton is thought to be
`closely related to the neutron in structure, both
`having the same positive core of electrical
`charge, though the proton has a shell of positive
`charge thus rendering it positive II a hydrogen
`ion of at. mass 1 [Gk, neuter of protos, first]
`proton decay (nuclear phys.) transmutation of
`one chemical into another by loss of a proton
`pro•to-ne-ma (prQutani:ma) pl. pro-to-ne-ma•ta
`(prQutanf:mata) n. the early stage of the devel(cid:173)
`opment of the gametophyte of a moss or liver(cid:173)
`wort. It often consists of a branching system of
`filaments arising directly from the asexual
`spore, and develops by budding into the moss
`plant proper or gives rise to the second stage of
`the gametophyte [PROTO-+Gk nema, thread]
`proton microscope (nuclear phys.) a micro(cid:173)
`scope in which a beam of protons passing
`through a sample is absorbed in proportion to
`its density, providing an image by the emerging
`protons that is magnified and displayed on a flu(cid:173)
`orescent screen or photo film
`pro•ton-o•tar-y (prout6nat~ri:, prQutoun6utari:)
`pl. pro-tono{)Otar-ies n. (Br. hist.) the chief clerk
`in the courts of Chancery, Common Pleas and
`King's Bench II (Roman Catholicism) a protono(cid:173)
`tary apostolic II (in some European courts) a
`chief secretary [fr. L.L. protonotarius fr. Gk]
`protonotary apostolic (Roman Catholicism)
`one of the seven members of the highest college
`of prelates, authorized to sign papal bulls and
`keep papal records
`pro-ton-syn-chro-tron (prQutonsiokratron) n. a
`synchrotron that accelerates protons to ex(cid:173)
`tremely high energies by frequency modulation
`of the accelerating voltage
`pro-to-phyte (pr6utafait) n. a member of Proto(cid:173)
`phyta, a division of the lower plants (esp. in
`former classifications) comprising unicellular
`plants incl. bacteria, yeasts, slime molds, blue(cid:173)
`green algae and various simple green algae [fr.
`Mod. L. Protophyta fr. Gk protos, first+phuton,
`a plant]
`pro-to•plasm (pr6utapl~zam) n.
`a viscous,
`translucent, colloidal substance constituting all
`living cells. It consists of compounds of oxygen,
`hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen and is usually
`differentiated into cytoplasm and nucleoplasm
`pro-to-p!as•mic adj. [G. protoplasma fr. Gk
`protos, first+plasma, form]
`pro-to-plast (pr6utaplrest) n. the first formed ex(cid:173)
`ample of any type, the original II (biol.) a living
`unit of protoplasm pro-to-p!as·tic adj. [F. proto(cid:173)
`plaste or fr. L.L. fr. Gk protos, first+plastos,
`shaped]
`protoplast n. (cytol.) the living part of a cell.
`pro-to-ste-le (pr6utasti:li:, pr6utasti:l) n. (bot.) a
`solid stele, characteristic of most roots and some
`young stems (cf. S!PHONOSTELE) pro•to-ste•lic
`adj.
`pro-to-tract (prQutatrrekt) v. to move back and
`forth, e.g., the jaw
`pro-to-troph•ic (prQutatr6fik) adj. (of bacteria
`etc.) feeding on inorganic matter
`pro-to-typ-al (pr6utatl'ip'l, prQutataip'l) adj. of
`or relating to a prototype
`pro-to-type (pr6utataip) n. an original model or
`pattern from which subsequent copies are
`made, or improved specimens developed II (biol.)
`an ancestral form or archetype pro-to-typ-i-cal
`(prQutatipik'l) adj. [F. fr. Mod. L. fr. Gk protos,
`first+ tupos, model, mold]
`pro•to•vi•rus (pr6utavl'iras) n. a prototype of a
`virus that stimulates DNA production
`pro-to-zo-an (prQutaz6uan) n. a member of Pro(cid:173)
`tozoa, a phylum of small (often microscopic)
`single-celled or colonial organisms. They are of
`worldwide distribution and are usually re(cid:173)
`stricted to water. They include flagellates, spo(cid:173)
`rozoans, ciliates and rhizopods pro-to·z6•ic adj.
`[PROTO-+Gk zoe, life)
`pro•to-zo-o)o{)Ogy (prQutouzou6lad3i:)
`study of protozoans
`pro•to-zo-on (prQutaz6uan)
`(prQutaz6ua) n. a protozoan
`pro-tract (proutrrekt) v.t. to draw out in time,
`
`pro-to-zo-a
`
`pl.
`
`n.
`
`the
`
`804
`prolong, bad weather protracted the work
`sur(cid:173)
`veying) to plot to scale pro-tract-ed•ly am;.
`pro-trac•tile (proutrrektil) adj. (zool., of an or(cid:173)
`gan etc.) capable of being pushed out, extended
`or lengthened [fr. L. protrahere (protractus), to
`prolong)
`pro-trac•tion (proutrrekf an) n. a protracting or
`being protracted [F.]
`pro-trac•tor (proutrrektar) n. an instrument for
`measuring or drawing angles on a flat surface,
`often in the form of a semicircle graduated in
`180 degrees II (zool.) a muscle whose function
`extends a limb or part of the body [M.L. fr. pro(cid:173)
`trahere, to prolong]
`pro-trude (proutru:d) pres. part. pro•trud•ing
`past and past part. pro•trud-ed v.t. to thrust for(cid:173)
`ward or outward II v.i. to stick out or project [fr.
`L. protrudeve, to thrust forward]
`pro-tru•sile (proutru:sil) adj. (of a limb or organ)
`so formed that it can be pushed outwards [fr. L.
`protrudere (protrusus), to thrust forward)
`pro-tru•sion (proutru:3an) n. a protruding or be(cid:173)
`ing protruded II something which protrudes
`[F.]
`pro-tru•sive (proutru:siv) adj. protruding II ob(cid:173)
`trusive [fr. L. protrudere (protrusus), to thrust
`forward]
`proutju:bar-
`pro-tu•ber-ance (proutu:barans,
`ans) n. something that is protuberant II the
`condition of being protuberant
`pro-tu•ber-ant (proutu:barant, proutju:barant)
`adj. bulging, swelling out [fr. L.L. protuberans
`(protuberantis) fr. protuberare, to bulge]
`· proud (praud) adj. manifesting inordinate self(cid:173)
`esteem II feeling proper satisfaction, proud of his
`son's success II arousing or marked by feelings of
`great satisfaction, a proud moment II having a
`proper sense of self-esteem, too proud to give
`way to self-pity II (rhet.) splendid, glorious, a
`proud heritage II (rhet., of a horse) mettlesome to
`do oneself proud to indulge oneselflavishly to
`do someone proud to honor someone with lav(cid:173)
`ish hospitality or attentions [0.E. prilt, prild fr.
`O.F.]
`proud flesh (med.) excessive growth of granula(cid:173)
`tion tissue around a wound or ulcer
`Prou•dhon (pru:d5), Pierre Joseph (1809-65),
`French anarchist philosopher. In his pamphlet
`'Qu'est-ce que la propriete?' (1840) he declared
`that property was theft. He belie·1ed that the
`State should be replaced by a voluntary contract
`among individuals, and that labor should be the
`basis of value. He was strongly opposed to com(cid:173)
`munism and socialism
`(1754-1826),
`Proust (pru:st), Joseph Louis
`French chemist. He formulated the law of con(cid:173)
`stant composition, stating that every compound
`always contains the same elements in the same
`proportion by mass
`Proust, Marcel (1871-1922), French novelist.
`His 'A la recherche du temps perdu' (1913-27),
`in seven novels, recreates in fictional form
`Proust's own childhood in Paris and the Nor(cid:173)
`mandy countryside. In effect it re-creates the
`society, especially the upper-class society, of
`Paris at the turn of the century. Certain themes
`emerge: above all that of the transforming
`power of dominant love, and the effects it has on
`the lover's vision of the beloved and the world.
`But in a sense the whole work is about the
`transformation of the universe by the individ(cid:173)
`ual perceiving and suffering sensibility. The
`style reflects this characteristic of personal vi(cid:173)
`sion: it is highly poetic and complex, full of
`elaborate imagery. The work has had a pro(cid:173)
`found influence on the art of the novel
`Prout (praut), William (1785-1850), English
`chemist. He discovered that the stomach con(cid:173)
`tains hydrochloric acid. He proposed (1815) on
`the basis of the effectively whole number values
`of the atomic masses of the elements that these
`were condensed forms of hydrogen
`prove (pru:v) pres. part. prov•ing past and past(cid:173)
`part. proved, (old-fash . and legal) prov-en
`(pni:van) v.t. to establish the truth of by evi(cid:173)
`dence, they proved his innocence II to show to be
`true by reasoning, to prove a point in argument II
`(math.) to test (a calculation) II to test for confor(cid:173)
`mity to standard II to test the alcoholic content of
`II to establish the authenticity of (a legal docu(cid:173)
`ment) II to obtain probate of (a will) II to test
`experimentally II (printing) to proof, take proofs
`of (a block etc.) II v.i. (sometimes with 'to be') to
`be shown by later knowledge to be, the story
`proved quite false [0.F. prover]
`prov-e•nance (pr6vanans) n. place of origin II
`source of supply [F.J
`
`ia, deer; ca, bear
`i:, sheep;
`(e) e, hen;
`;, fawn; ei, snake.
`CONCISE PRONUNCIATION KEY: (a) re, cat; a, car;
`(u) A, duck; u, bull; u:, goose; a, bacillus; ju:, cube. x, loch; 0, thi
`(o) o, ox; au, cow; ou, goat; u, poor; :Ji, royal.
`d3, savage; o. orangutang; j, yak; J, fish; tf, fetch;
`'I, rabble;
`'n, redden. Complete pronunciation key appears ins
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