Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PRO-DUC'TION, n. [Fr. from L. productio.]

1. The act or process of producing, bringing forth or exhibiting to view.
2. That which is produced or made; as, the productions of the earth, comprehending all vegetables and fruits; the productions of art, as manufactures of every kind, paintings, sculptures, &c.; the productions of intellect or genius, as poems and prose compositions.

PRO-DUC'TIVE, a. [It. produttivo; Sp. productivo.]

1. Having the power of producing; as, productive labor is that which increases the number or amount of products; opposed to unproductive labor. The labor of the farmer and mechanic is productive; the labor of officers and professional men is unproductive to the state. A tree which bears fruit, and the land which bears grass or grain, is productive.
2. Fertile; producing good crops. We often denote by this word that land or plants yield large products.
3. Producing; bringing into being; causing to exist; efficient; as, an age productive of great men; a spirit productive of heroic achievements. This is turning nobility into a principle of virtue, and making it productive of merit. – Spectator. And kindle with thy own productive fire. – Dryden.

PRO-DUC'TIVE-LY, adv.

By production; with abundant produce.

PRO-DUC'TIVE-NESS, n.

The quality of being productive; as, the productiveness of land or labor.

PRO-E-GU'MIN-AL, a. [Gr. προηγεομαι, to go before.]

Predisposing. That cause without which a disease can not exist, which determines its nature and character, but which only produces a predisposition, and always requires the aid of a procatarctic cause to kindle it into action. Only a limited number of diseases require the influence of a proeguminal and a procatarctic cause for their production.

PRO'EM, n. [Fr. proeme; It. and Sp. proemio; L. proœmium; Gr. προοιμιον; προ, before, and οιμη, οιμος, way.]

Preface; introduction; preliminary observations to a book or writing. – Swift. Milton.

PRO'EM, v.t.

To preface. [Not used.] – South.

PRO-E'MI-AL, a.

Introductory; prefatory; preliminary. Hammond. Johnson.

PRO-EMP-TO'SIS, n. [Gr. from προεμπιπτω, to fall before.]

In chronology, the lunar equation or addition of a day, necessary to prevent the new moon happening a day too soon. – Cyc.

PRO'FACE, n.

An old exclamation of welcome.

PROF-A-NA'TION, n. [Fr.; It. profanazione; Sp. profanacion; from L. profano. See Profane.]

1. The act of violating sacred things, or of treating them with contempt or irreverence; as, the profanation of the sabbath by sports, amusements or unnecessary labor; the profanation of a sanctuary; the profanation of the name of God by swearing, jesting, &c.
2. The act of treating with abuse or disrespect. 'Twere profanation of our joys / To tell the laity our love. – Donne.

PRO-FANE', a. [L. profanus; pro and fanum, a temple; It. and Sp. profano; Fr. profane.]

1. Irreverent to any thing sacred; applied to persons. A man is profane when he takes the name of God in vain, or treats sacred things with abuse and irreverence.
2. Irreverent; proceeding from a contempt of sacred things, or implying it; as, profane words or language; profane swearing.
3. Not sacred; secular; relating to secular things; as, profane history.
4. Polluted; not pure. Nothing is profane that serveth to holy things. – Ralegh.
5. Not purified or holy; allowed for common use; as, a profane place. – Ezek. xlii and xlviii.
6. Obscene; heathenish; tending to bring reproach on religion; as, profane fables. – 1 Tim. iv. Profane is used chiefly in Scripture in opposition to holy, or qualified ceremonially for sacred services.

PRO-FANE', v.t.

1. To violate any thing sacred, or treat it with abuse, irreverence, obloquy or contempt; as, to profane the name of God; to profane the sabbath; to profane the Scriptures or the ordinances of God. – Dwight.
2. To pollute; to defile; to apply to temporal uses; to use as base or common. – Ezek. xxiv.
3. To violate. – Mal. ii.
4. To pollute; to debase. – Lev. xxi.
5. To put to a wrong use. – Shak.

PRO-FAN'ED, pp.

Violated; treated with irreverence or abuse; applied to common uses; polluted.

PRO-FANE'LY, adv.

1. With irreverence to sacred things or names. The character of God profanely impeached. – Dwight.
2. With abuse or contempt for any thing venerable. That proud scholar … speaks of Homer too profanely. – Broome.

PRO-FANE'NESS, n.

Irreverence of sacred things; particularly, the use of language which implies irreverence toward God; the taking of God's name in vain. – Dryden. Atterbury. Dwight. Profaneness in men is vulgar and odious; in females, is shocking and detestable. – Anon.

PRO-FAN'ER, n.

1. One who by words or actions, treats sacred things with irreverence; one who uses profane language.
2. A polluter; a defiler; as, a profaner of the temple. – Hooker.

PRO-FAN'ING, ppr.

Violating; treating with irreverence; polluting.

PRO-FAN'I-TY, n.

Profaneness, – which see. In a revel of debauchery, amid the brisk interchange of profanity and folly, religion might appear a dumb, unsocial intruder. – Buckminster.

PRO-FEC'TION, n. [L. profectio.]

A going forward; advance; progression. [Not in use.] – Brown.

PRO'FERT, n. [L. 3rd person of profero.]

In law, the exhibition of a record or paper in open court.

PRO-FESS', v.i.

To declare friendship. [Not in use.] – Shak.

PRO-FESS', v.t. [It. professare; Sp. profesar; Fr. professer, L. professus, profiteor; pro and fateor.]

1. To make open declaration of; to avow or acknowledge. Let no man who professes himself a Christian, keep so heathenish a family as not to see God be daily worshiped in it. – Decay of Piety. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him. – Tit. i.
2. To declare in strong terms. Then will I profess to them, I never knew you. – Matth. vii.
3. To make a show of any sentiments by loud declaration. To your professing bosoms I commit him. – Shak.
4. To declare publicly one's skill in any art or science, for inviting employment; as, to profess one's self a physician; he professes surgery.

PRO-FESS'ED, or PRO-FEST', pp.

Openly declared, avowed or acknowledged; as, a professed foe; a professed tyrant; a professed Christian; a professed atheist.

PRO-FESS'ED-LY, adv.

By profession; by open declaration or avowal. I could not grant too much to men … professedly my subjects. – K. Charles. England I traveled over, professedly searching all places as I passed along. – Woodward.