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Webster 1913 Edition

Prose

Prose

,
Noun.
[F.
prose
, L.
prosa
, fr.
prorsus
,
prosus
, straight forward, straight on, for
proversus
;
pro
forward +
versus
, p. p. of
vertere
to turn. See
Verse
.]
1.
The ordinary language of men in speaking or writing; language not cast in poetical measure or rhythm; – contradistinguished from verse, or metrical composition.
I speak in
prose
, and let him rymes make.
Chaucer.
Things unattempted yet in
prose
or rhyme.
Milton.
I wish our clever young poets would remember my homely definitions of
prose
and poetry, that is;
prose
– words in their best order; poetry – the best order.
Coleridge.
2.
Hence, language which evinces little imagination or animation; dull and commonplace discourse.
3.
(R. C. Ch.)
A hymn with no regular meter, sometimes introduced into the Mass. See
Sequence
.

Prose

,
Adj.
1.
Pertaining to, or composed of, prose; not in verse;
as,
prose
composition
.
2.
Possessing or exhibiting unpoetical characteristics; plain; dull; prosaic;
as, the
prose
duties of life
.

Prose

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Prosed
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Prosing
.]
1.
To write in prose.
2.
To write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way.

Prose

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To write prose.
Prosing
or versing, but chiefly this latter.
Milton.

Webster 1828 Edition

Prose

PROSE

,
Noun.
s as z. [L. prosa.]
1.
The natural language of man; language loose and unconfined to poetical measure, as opposed to verse or metrical composition.
Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme.
2.
A prayer used in the Romish church on particular days.

PROSE

,
Verb.
T.
To write in prose.
1.
To make a tedious relation.

Definition 2024

prose

prose

See also: pro se

English

Noun

prose ‎(usually uncountable, plural proses)

  1. Language, particularly written language, not intended as poetry.
    Though known mostly for her prose, she also produced a small body of excellent poems.
    • Milton
      things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme
  2. Language which evinces little imagination or animation; dull and commonplace discourse.
  3. (Roman Catholicism) A hymn with no regular meter, sometimes introduced into the Mass.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Verb

prose ‎(third-person singular simple present proses, present participle prosing, simple past and past participle prosed)

  1. To write or repeat in a dull, tedious, or prosy way.
    • 1819, John Keats, Otho the Great, Act I, Scene II, verses 189-190
      Pray, do not prose, good Ethelbert, but speak
      What is your purpose?

References

  1. ↑ “prose” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary (2001).
  • prose in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

French

Etymology

From Latin prosa.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /pʁoz/
  • Homophone: proses

Noun

prose f ‎(plural proses)

  1. prose

Derived terms

Verb

prose

  1. first-person singular present indicative of proser
  2. third-person singular present indicative of proser
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of proser
  4. third-person singular present subjunctive of proser
  5. second-person singular imperative of proser

Anagrams

Italian

Noun

prose f

  1. plural of prosa

Anagrams

Lower Sorbian

proseta

Etymology

From Proto-Slavic *porsę.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ˈprɔsɛ]

Noun

prose n ‎(genitive proseśa, dual proseśi, plural proseta)

  1. piglet

Declension

Etymology

Used in English since 1330, from Old French prose, the Latin word prōsa ‎(“straightforward”) from the term prōsa ōrātio ‎(“a straightforward speech- i.e. without the ornaments of verse”). The term prōsa ‎(“straightforward”) is a colloquial form of prorsa ‎(“straight forwards”) which is the feminine form of prorsus ‎(“straight forwards”), from Old Latin prōvorsus ‎(“moving straight ahead”), from pro- ‎(“forward”) + vorsus ‎(“turned”), form of vertō ‎(“I turn”). Compare verse.[1]

Pronunciation

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