promeropinæ

pl. [Mod. Lat. promerops; Lat. fem. pl. adj. suff. -inæ.] Ornith.: A sub-family of Nectar in i ide, with one genus, Promerops (q. v.). prō-měr-õps, subst. [Pref. pro-, and Mod. Lat. merops.] Ornithology: The sole genus of the Promeropine (q.v.). Bill long, sub-curved; nostrils linear, in a fo a; tongue feathery; wings with ten primaries; tail long, cuneate. Two species, Promerops (Merops, Linn.) caffer and P. gurney i , from South Africa. Pro-me-the-an, a . & s . [See def.] IMG:content-1588.png:[blocks in formation] 1. A prelude to a game or entertainment: a pre- prominence , from Latin prominent i a , from prom i lude or introduction generally; a preliminary. "Our Savior having mentioned the beginnings of their throes of travail, and prolusions of this so bloody day."Hammond: Works , iv. 490. 2. A preliminary e ay or exercise in which the writer treats briefly of a subject with which he in tends to deal more fully at a future time; a literary composition of a preliminary or preparatory character; a fugitive piece. "Strada... lays the scene of two of his prolusions in its gardens."- Eustace: Italy, vol. ii., ch. vii. nens prominent (q. v.).] I. Ordinary Language: 1. The quality or state of being prominent; a state of standing out or projecting from the surface of anything. 2. That which is prominent or projects; a projection, a protuberance. "The rock itself is broken into. insulated prom i societies where the connections between men and women are indefinite and inconstant. "We must, I think, infer that even in prehistoric times, promiscuity was checked by the establishment of individual connexions, prompted by men's likings, and maintained against other men by force." Spenser : Sociology (ed. 1876), 665. pro-mis-cu-ous, a . [Lat. promiscuus =mixed: pro forward, and misceo =to mix; O. Fr. prom is cue ; Sp. & Ital. promiscuo .] 1. Consisting of individuals mixed together in a body or ma without order; confused; mingled indiscriminately. "Victors and vanquished join promiscuous cries." Pope: Homer's Iliad, iv. 512. *2. Forming one or part of a confused or mixed ma or crowd. 3. Distributed indiscriminately; common; not restricted to an individual; indiscriminate. "A promiscuous undistinguishing profusene ."-South: Sermons , vol. iv., ser. 10. pro-mis-cu-oŭs-ly, adv . [Eng. promiscuous ; -ly .] In a promiscuous manner; in a confused or mixed ma or crowd; without order; indiscriminately; without distinction of kinds. ( Cowper : Retirement , 723.) pro-mis-cu-oŭs-ne , s . [Eng. promiscuous ; -ne .] The quality or state of being promiscuous; a state of being mixed up indiscriminately without order or distinction. prom-Ise, *prom-ys, s . [Fr. prome e, from Lat. pro mi a , fem. sing. of pro mi us , pa. par. of prom it to =to send forth, to promise: pro =forth, and mit to = to send; Sp. promesa ; Ital. & Port. pro me a .] IMG:content-1589.png:[blocks in formation] 2. A ground or basis for expectation; earnest, pledge. 3. A ground or basis for expectation or hope of future distinction or excellence. "A gentleman of the greatest promise." -Shakesp.: Winter's Tale, i. 1. 4. That which is promised; performance or grant ch. xi. IMG:content-1590.png:[blocks in formation] II. Law : A declaration made by one person to another for a good or valuable consideration, whereby the person promising binds himself to do or forbear some act, and gives to the promisee a legal right to demand and enforce a fulfillment. "A promise is in the nature of a verbal covenant, and 3260 or hope of future distinction or excellence; likely 2. Giving promise or just grounds for expectation to turn out well; as, a promising youth. C. As subst.: The act of making a promise or covenant. prom-Is-Ing-ly, adv. [English promising; -ly.] prompt 3. One who stirs up or excites. "The first promoter of the conspiracy."-Goldsmith: The Bee, No. 3. 4. One who promotes a company or financial undertaking; one who gets up a stock company. "He might have been the promoter of some to make it absolutely the same. If, therefore, it be to do any explicit act, it is an expre contract, as much as any covenant; and the breach of it is an equal injury. The remedy is by an action on what is called the a umpsit or undertaking of the defendant; the failure of performing which is the wrong or injury done to the plaintiff, the damages whereof a jury are to estimate and settle."Black stone: Comment., bk. iii. ch. 6. (1) Promise and offer : Scots Law : An offer is a proposal made by the offerer to the person to whom the offer is addre ed, to give or to do something either gratuitously or on an onerous consideration. A promise is an offer with this addition, that the promiser, from the nature of his proposal, thinks it unnece ary to wait for the other party's a ent, which he takes for granted. An offerer is not bound until his offer is accepted. A promiser is bound as soon as the promise reaches the party to whom it is made. A promise may be absolute or conditional, lawful or unlawful, expre or implied. An absolute promise must be fulfilled in all events. The obligation to fulfill a conditional promise depends on the performance of the condition. An unlawful promise is not binding, being void by the nature of it, it, as being incompatible with a prior paramount obligation of obedience to the laws. An expre promise is one expre ed in words or writing. An implied promise is one which reason and justice dictate. A promise without deed is said to be parol, and the term is usually applied to engagement by parol only, a promise by deed being technically called a covenant (q. v.). (2) Breach of promise : [BREACH]. *promise-bound, *promise-bounden, a . Bound by a promise. (Tennyson: Enoch Arden , 870.) *promise-breach, s . The breach or violation of a promise. ( Shakesp .: Measure for Measure , v. 1.) promise-breaker, s . One who breaks or violates his promises. "He had also turned di embler and promise - breaker ." -Macaulay : Hist. Eng., ch. vi. *promise - crammed, a . Crammed or stuffed with promises. ( Shakesp .: Hamlet , iii. 2.) prom'-Ise, v. t. & i. [PROMISE, 8.] IMG:content-1591.png:[blocks in formation] 1. To bind one's self by a promise; to make a promise or promises. "To promise is most courtly." Shakesp.: Timon of Athens, v. 1. 2. To afford reasonable grounds of hope or expectation; to give promise. 3. To stand sponsor; as, at the baptism of infants in the Episcopal Church. "There were those who knew him near the king, And promised for him: and Arthur made him knight." Tennyson. (1) I promise you : I a ure you; I declare to you. (A phrase used indifferently of good or ill, but generally of something ill, or wonderful.) "I do not like thy look: I promise thee ." Shakesp.: Much Ado about Nothing , iv. 2. *(2) To be promised : To have a prior engagement. ""Will you sup with me to-night, Casca?' 'No, I am promised forth.' Shakesp.: Julius Cæsar, i. 2. +(3) To promise one's self : To have strong confidence or expectation of; to a ure one's self.