Emily Dickinson Lexicon

pronoun, n. [L. prōnōmen < prō, in front, before + nōmen, name.] (webplay: sentence).

Anaphoric reference; function word; substitute for a noun; grammatical placeholder required by English syntax to be present.

pronounce (-d, pronouncing), v. [ME < OFr < late L. prōnuntiāre, proclaim, announce, rehearse, narrate, pronounce < prō, in front, before + nunti-āre, announce.] (webplay: foreign, sentence, words).

1. Utter; say; speak; enunciate; vocalize.
2. Declare; decree; announce; affirm officially; assure solemnly; make publicly known.

proof (-'s), n. [ME preve < OFr < late L. probāre, see prove, v.] (webplay: belief, firmness, knowledge, prove).

1. Evidence; sign; indication; confirmation; validation; verification; certification; grounds for belief.
2. Test; check; experiment; process for ascertaining the truth of a fact.
3. Protection; defense; armor; covering.
4. Firmness; stability; unshakeableness; immovability; steadiness; support.
5. [Fig.] sight; perception; beholding an actual physical being.

prop (-s), n. [Perhaps MDu proppe, vine-prop, support.] (webplay: building, mountains, old, standing, stay, support, under).

1. Crutch; support; brace; stay; object which sustains the weight of a weak being.
2. Scaffolding; temporary support; framework which holds a structure up until it is stable enough to stand on its own.

propagate (-s), v. [L. propāgāre, multiply plants by means of layers or slips, breed, enlarge, extend, prolong the stock or race of < prō, forth, out + pangěre, fix, fasten, set, plant.]

Spread; circulate; reach; [fig.] disillusion; disenchant; destroy innocence by informing of unpleasant truth.

propensity, n. [< L. prōpens-us, hanging toward, inclining, inclined, disposed, prone, favorable < prō, forward and down + pend-ēre, hang.]

Inclination; predisposition; tendency; natural reaction.

proper, adj. [ME < Fr. < L. propri-us, one's own, special, particular, peculiar.] (webplay: fit, good).

1. Correct; fitting; appropriate; suitable; right; just; natural.
2. Peculiar; uncommon; unique; individual; [fig.] elaborate; beautiful.

property (properties), n. [ME or AFr < OFr < L. proprietāt-em; see proper, adj.] (webplay: air, bodies, estate, making, men, owned, possessing, title).

1. Possession; belonging; asset; holding; estate; riches; wealth; personally owned object.
2. Land; plot; acreage; real estate; area of ground.
3. Quality; characteristic; attribute.

prophetic, adj. [Fr. prophétique or late L. prophētic-us < Gk προφήτης, interpreter, proclaimer, spokesman, inspired person <πρό, forth, before, for + φητης, speak.] (webplay: book, foreshow, knows, person).

Foreboding; foreshadowing; portentous; prognostic; premonitory; [fig.] signaling the imminent approach of winter.

propitiate, v. [L. propiti-āre, render favorable, appease; see propitious, adj.]

1. Appease; please; concede to; compromise for.
2. Treat favorably; behave gracefully toward.
3. Enjoy; appreciate; be satisfied with; derive happiness from.