Part 613

Pros"ti*tute (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prostituted (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prostituting.] [L. prostitutus, p. p. of prostituere to prostitute; pro before, forth + statuere to put, place. See Statute.] 1. To offer, as a woman, to a lewd use; to give up to lewdness for hire. "Do not prostitute thy daughter." Lev. xix. 29.

2. To devote to base or unworthy purposes; to give up to low or indiscriminate use; as, to prostitute talents; to prostitute official powers. Milton.

Pros"ti*tute, a. [L. prostitutus, p. p.] Openly given up to lewdness; devoted to base or infamous purposes.

Made bold by want, and prostitute for bread.

Prior

Pros"ti*tute, n. [L. prostituta.] 1. A woman giver to indiscriminate lewdness; a strumpet; a harlot.

2. A base hireling; a mercenary; one who offers himself to infamous employments for hire.

No hireling she, no prostitute to praise.

Pope.

Pros`ti*tu"tion (?), n. [L. prostitutio: cf. F. prostitution.] 1. The act or practice of prostituting or offering the body to an indiscriminate intercourse with men; common lewdness of a woman.

2. The act of setting one's self to sale, or of devoting to infamous purposes what is in one's power; as, the prostitution of abilities; the prostitution of the press. "Mental prostitution." Byron.

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Pros"ti*tu`tor (?), n. [L.] One who prostitutes; one who submits himself, of or offers another, to vile purposes. Bp. Hurd.

||Pro*sto"mi*um (?), n.; pl. Prostomia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?; before + ||&?;, &?;, mouth.] (Zoˆl.) That portion of the head of an annelid ||situated in front of the mouth. -- Pro*sto"mi*al (#), a.

Pros"trate (?), a. [L. prostratus, p. p. of prosternere to prostrate; pro before, forward + sternere to spread out, throw down. See Stratum.] 1. Lying at length, or with the body extended on the ground or other surface; stretched out; as, to sleep prostrate. Elyot.

Groveling and prostrate on yon lake of fire.

Milton.

2. Lying at mercy, as a supplicant. Dryden.

3. Lying in a humble, lowly, or suppliant posture.

Prostrate fall Before him reverent, and there confess Humbly our faults.

Milton.

4. (Bot.) Trailing on the ground; procumbent.

Pros"trate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prostrated (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Prostrating.] 1. To lay fiat; to throw down; to level; to fell; as, to prostrate the body; to prostrate trees or plants. Evelyn.

2. to overthrow; to demolish; to destroy; to deprive of efficiency; to ruin; as, to prostrate a village; to prostrate a government; to prostrate law or justice.

3. To throw down, or cause to fall in humility or adoration; to cause to bow in humble reverence; used reflexively; as, he prostrated himself. Milman.

4. To cause to sink totally; to deprive of strength; to reduce; as, a person prostrated by fever.

Pros*tra"tion (?), n. [L. prostratio: cf. F. prostration.] 1. The act of prostrating, throwing down, or laying fiat; as, the prostration of the body.

2. The act of falling down, or of bowing in humility or adoration; primarily, the act of falling on the face, but usually applied to kneeling or bowing in reverence and worship.