Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRO-MIS'CU-OUS, a. [L. promiscuus; pro and misceo, to mix.]

1. Mingled; consisting of individuals united in a body or mass without order; confused; undistinguished; as, a promiscuous crowd or mass. A wild where weeds and flow'rs promiscuous shoot. – Pope.
2. Common; indiscriminate; not restricted to an individual; as, promiscuous love or intercourse.

PRO-MIS'CU-OUS-LY, adv.

1. In a crowd or mass without order; with confused mixture; indiscriminately; as, men of all classes promiscuously assembled; particles of different earths promiscuously united.
2. Without distinction of kinds. Like beasts and birds promiscuously they join. – Pope.

PRO-MIS'CU-OUS-NESS, n.

A state of being mixed without order or distinction. – Ash.

PROM'ISE, n. [L. promissum, from promitto, to send before or forward; pro and mitto, to send; Fr. promettre, promis, promesse; It. promettere, promessa; Sp. prometer, promesa.]

1. In a general sense, a declaration, written or verbal, made by one person to another, which binds the person who makes it, either in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear a certain act specified; a declaration which gives to the person to whom it is made, a right to expect or to claim the performance or forbearance of the act. The promise of a visit to my neighbor, gives him a right to expect it, and I am bound in honor and civility to perform the promise. Of such a promise human laws have no cognizance; but the fulfillment of it is one of the minor moralities, which civility, kindness and strict integrity require to be observed.
2. In law, a declaration, verbal or written, made by one person to another for a good or valuable consideration, in the nature of a covenant, by which the promiser binds himself, and as the case may be, his legal representatives, to do or forbear some act; and gives to the promisee a legal right to demand and enforce a fulfillment.
3. A binding declaration of something to be done or given for another's benefit; as, the promise of a grant of land. A promise may be absolute or conditional; lawful or unlawful; express or implied. An absolute promise must be fulfilled at all events. The obligation to fulfill a conditional promise depends on the performance of the condition. An unlawful promise is not binding, because it is void; for it is incompatible with a prior paramount obligation of obedience to the laws. An express promise, is one expressed in words or writing. An implied promise, is one which reason and justice dictate. If I hire a man to perform a day's labor, without any declaration that I will pay him, the law presumes a promise on my part that I will give him a reasonable reward, and will enforce such implied promise.
4. Hopes; expectation, or that which affords expectation of future distinction; as, a youth of great promise. My native country was full of youthful promise. – Irving.
5. That which is promised; fulfillment or grant of what is premised. He commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. – Acts i.
6. In Scripture, the promise of God is the declaration or assurance which God has given in his word of bestowing blessings on his people. Such assurance resting on the perfect justice, power, benevolence and immutable veracity of God, can not fail of performance. The Lord is not slack concerning his promises. – 2 Pet. iii.

PROM'ISE, v.i.

1. To assure one by a promise or binding declaration. The man promises fair; let us forgive him.
2. To afford hopes or expectations; to give ground to expect good. The youth promises to be an eminent man; the wheat promises to be a good crop; the weather promises to be pleasant.
3. In popular use, this verb sometimes threatens or assures of evil. The rogue shall be punished, I promise you. Will not the ladies be afraid of the lion? … I fear it, I promise you. – Shak. In the latter example, promise is equivalent to declare, “I declare to you.”
4. To promise one's self, to be assured or to have strong confidence. I dare promise myself you will attest the truth of all I have advanced. – Rambler.

PROM'ISE, v.t.

1. To make a declaration to another, which binds the promiser in honor, conscience or law, to do or forbear some act; as, to promise a visit to a friend; to promise a cessation of hostilities; to promise the payment of money.
2. To afford reason to expect; as, the year promises a good harvest.
3. To make declaration or give assurance of some benefit to be conferred; to pledge or engage to bestow. The proprietors promised large tracts of land. – Charter of Dartmouth College.

PROM'ISE-BREACH, n.

Violation of promise. – Shak.

PROM'ISE-BREAK-ER, n.

A violater of promises. – Shak.

PROM'IS-ED, pp.

Engaged by word or writing; stipulated.

PROM-IS-EE', n.

The person to whom a promise is made. – Encyc.

PROM'IS-ER, n.

One who promises; one who engages, assures, stipulates or covenants. Fear, says Dryden, is a great promiser. We may say that hope is a very liberal promiser. The import of a promise, when disputed, is not to be determined by the sense of the promiser, not by the expectations of the promise. – Paley. Encyc. Note. In law language, promisor is used, but without a necessity or advantage.

PROM'IS-ING, ppr.

1. Engaging by words or writing; stipulating; assuring.
2. Affording just expectations of good or reasonable ground of hope; as, a promising youth; a promising prospect. [In this sense the word may be a participle or an adjective.]

PROM'IS-ING-LY, adv.

In a promising manner.

PROM'IS-SO-RI-LY, adv.

By way of promise.

PROM'IS-SO-RY, a.

1. Containing a promise or binding declaration of something to be done or forborne. Arbuthnot.
2. In law, a promissory note is a writing which contains a promise of the payment of money or the delivery of property to another, at or before a time specified, in consideration of value received by the promiser. In England, promissory notes and bills of exchange, being negotiable for the payment of a less sum than twenty shillings, are declared to be void by Stat. 15 Geo. III. – Blackstone.

PROM'ON-TO-RY, n. [L. promontorium; pro, forward, and mons, a mountain; Fr. promontoire; It. and Sp. promontorio.]

In geography, a high point of land or rock, projecting into the sea beyond the line of coast; a head land. It differs from a cape in denoting high land; a cape may be a similar projection of land high or low. Like one that stands upon a promontory. – Shak. If you drink tea on a promontory that overhangs the sea, it is preferable to an assembly. – Pope.

PRO-MOTE, v.t. [L. promotus, promoveo, to move forward; pro and moveo, to move; It. promovere; Sp. promover; Fr. promouvoir.]

1. To forward; to advance; to contribute to the growth, enlargement of excellence of any thing valuable, or to the increase of any thing evil; as, to promote learning, knowledge, virtue or religion; to promote the interests of commerce or agriculture; to promote the arts; to promote civilization or refinement; to promote the propagation of the Gospel; to promote vice and disorder.
2. To excite; as, to promote mutiny.
3. To exalt; to elevate; to raise; to prefer in rank or honor. I will promote thee to very great honors. – Num. xxii. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee. – Prov. iv.

PRO-MOT-ED, pp.

Advanced; exalted.

PRO-MOT-ER, n.

1. He or that which forwards, advances or promotes; an encourager; as, a promoter of charity. – Atterbury.
2. One that excites; as, a promoter of sedition.
3. An informer; a make-bate. [Obs.]

PRO-MOT-ING, ppr.

Forwarding; advancing; exciting; exalting.

PRO-MO'TION, n. [Fr.; from promote.]

1. The act of promoting; advancement; encouragement; as, the promotion of virtue or morals; the promotion of peace or of discord.
2. Exaltation in rank or honor; preferment. My promotion will be thy destruction. – Milton. Promotion cometh neither from the east nor from the west, nor from the south. – Ps. lxxv.

PRO-MO'TIVE, a.

Tending to advance or promote; tending to encourage. – Hume.

PRO-MOVE, v.t.

To advance. [Not used.] – Fell. Suckling.

PROMPT, a. [Fr. prompt; It. and Sp. pronto; L. promptus, from promo.]

1. Ready and quick to act as occasion demands. Very discerning and prompt in giving order. – Clarendon.
2. Of a ready disposition; acting with cheerful alacrity; as, prompt in obedience or compliance. Tell him / I'm prompt to lay my crown at's feet. – Shak.
3. Quick; ready; not dilatory; applied to things; as, he manifested a prompt obedience; he yielded prompt assistance. When Washington heard the voice of his country in distress, his obedience was prompt. – Ames.
4. Quick; hasty; indicating boldness or forwardness. And you perhaps too prompt in your replies. – Dryden.
5. Ready; present; told down; as, prompt payment.
6. Easy; unobstructed. – Wotton.

PROMPT, v.t.

1. To incite; to move or excite to action or exertion; to instigate. Insults prompt anger or revenge; love prompts desire; benevolence prompts men to devote their time and services to spread the Gospel. Ambition prompted Alexander to wish for more worlds to conquer.
2. To assist a speaker when at a loss, by pronouncing the words forgotten or next in order, as, to prompt an actor; or to assist a learner, by suggesting something forgotten or not understood. – Ascham. Shak. Bacon.
3. To dictate; to suggest to the mind. And whisp'ring angels prompt her golden dreams. – Pope.
4. To remind. [Not used.] – Brown.