prose
Use Prose in a sentence
noun
1.
the ordinary form of spoken or written language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse.
2.
matter-of-fact, commonplace, or dull expression, quality, discourse, etc.
3.
Liturgy. a hymn sung after the gradual, originating from a practice of setting words to the jubilatio of the alleluia.
adjective
4.
of, in, or pertaining to prose.
5.
commonplace; dull; prosaic.
00:10
Prose
is one of our favorite verbs.
So is subtilize. Does it mean:
| to run away hurriedly; flee. |
| to introduce subtleties into or argue subtly about. |
verb (used with object)
6.
to turn into or express in prose.
verb (used without object)
7.
to write or talk in a dull, matter-of-fact manner.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin prōsa (ōrātiō) literally, straightforward (speech), feminine of prōsus, for prōrsus, contraction of prōversus, past participle of prōvertere to turn forward, equivalent to prō- pro-1 + vertere to turn
1300–50; Middle English < Middle French < Latin prōsa (ōrātiō) literally, straightforward (speech), feminine of prōsus, for prōrsus, contraction of prōversus, past participle of prōvertere to turn forward, equivalent to prō- pro-1 + vertere to turn
Related forms
prose·like, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To prose
Collins
World English Dictionary
prose (prəʊz) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| 1. | spoken or written language as in ordinary usage, distinguished from poetry by its lack of a marked metrical structure |
| 2. | a passage set for translation into a foreign language |
| 3. | commonplace or dull discourse, expression, etc |
| 4. | RC Church a hymn recited or sung after the gradual at Mass |
| 5. | (modifier) written in prose |
| 6. | (modifier) matter-of-fact |
| —vb | |
| 7. | to write or say (something) in prose |
| 8. | (intr) to speak or write in a tedious style |
| [C14: via Old French from Latin phrase prōsa ōrātiō straightforward speech, from prorsus prosaic, from prōvertere to turn forwards, from | |
| 'proselike | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
prose
early 14c., from O.Fr. prose (13c.), from L. prosa oratio "straightforward or direct speech" (without the ornaments of verse), from prosa, fem. of prosus, earlier prorsus "straightforward, direct," from Old L. provorsus "(moving) straight ahead," from pro- "forward" + vorsus "turned," pp. of vertere
"to turn" (see verse).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary
PROSE definition
1. PROblem Solution Engineering. Numerical problems including differentiation and integration. "Computing in Calculus", J. Thames, Research/Development 26(5) (May 1975).
2. A constraints-and-sequencing system similar to Kaleidoscope. "Reflexive Constraints for Dynamic Knowledge Bases", P. Berlandier et al in Proc First Intl CS Conf '88: AI: Theory and Appls, Dec 1988.
Example sentences
It's a comic book kind of story anchored in novelistic prose, so it's definitely my kind of read.
It includes teaching prose fiction and non-fiction as well as poetry.
Public performances and popular prose works were necessary distractions from the writing of poetry.
Because proposals live or die not on the beauty of your prose, but on the structure of your argument.
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