provost, provest

[O. Fr. provost, prevost (Fr. prévôt ), from Lat. præpositum, acc. of præpos it us one who is set over, a prefect, from præpos it us, pa. par. of præpono to set before or over: præbefore, and pono to place, to set; A. S. pré fost; Sp. & Port. preboste; Ital. prevosto, preposto, pre pos i to; Dut. provost, prevoost; Dan. provst: Icel. pro fast i; Sw. prost; Ger. profosz, probst, propst.) One who is set over others; one who is appointed to superintend or preside over something; the principal, head, or chief of certain establishments or bodies; applied to *1. A jailer; the keeper of a prison. "The provost hath A warrant for his execution." Shakesp.: Measure for Measure , i. 5. 2. The heads or principals of several colleges in the English Universities of Oxford and Cambridge; the principal of the University of Dublin. 3. The chief dignity of a cathedral or collegiate church. ( Eng .) IMG:content-1666.png:[blocks in formation] provost-marshal (provost as pro-vô), 8. Mil .: A commi ioned officer specially appointed, at great permanent camps or in the field on active service, to carry out sentences of military law. Formerly they had powers of immediate punish. ment on the commi ion of offenses against published orders; but now they can only arrest, and detain for trial, offenders, and carry the punishments awarded by court martial into effect. *pro-vost-er, s . [Eng. provost ; -er.] A provost, a chief, a head teacher. "Maisters to teach it, with his provost ers , ushers, and scholars."- Ascham : Schoole of Shootinge , bk. i. *prov-ost-ry, s. [Eng. provost ; -ry.] The office or dignity of a provost; prefecture, provostship. "Certes the dignite of the provostry [prefectura] of Rome was whilom a great power."-Chaucer: Boecius, bk. iii. office of a provost. prov-ost-ship, s. [Eng. provost; -ship.] The prow (1), *pro we, s . [O. Fr. proue (Fr. proue ), from Lat. prora =a prow, from Gr. prōra , from prõi =in front; Sp. proa ; Ital. prora , prua .] The stem or forward post of a ve el, often used for the ve el itself; the bow. "That, of a you sand ve els, mine should be The foremost prow in pre ing to the strand." Words worth: Laodamia. prow (2), s. [PROA.] *prow (3), *prou, s. [O. Fr. prou .] Advantage, benefit, profit. ( Chaucer : C. T. , 12,234.) prow, a. [O. Fr. prou; Fr. preux.] [PROWESS.] Brave, valiant. ( Spenser: F. Q., III. iii. 28.) prow'-ě , *prow-es, *prow-e e, *pru-e e, s . [Fr. proue e , from O. Fr. prou (Fr. preux ) =valiant, origin doubtful; Span. & Port. proeza ; Italian pro dezza .) *1. Integrity, honor. 2. Valor, bravery; gallantry and intrepidity in war or danger; fearle ne . "Lochiel was especially renowned for his physical prowe ."- Macaulay : Hist . Eng ., xiii. *prow-e e, s . [PROWESS.] *prow-e ed, adj . [Eng. prowe ; -ed.) Distinguished for prowe ; valiant. "More fatal than the prowe 'd foe." Fenton: Homer Imitated. IMG:content-1667.png:[blocks in formation] Anat., Bot., & Zool.: The comparatively fixed end of a limb or an organism; the more slowly grow. ing end; spec. the fixed end of a limb or organism in the Hydrozoa. Opposed to distal.