prod |prɒd|

verb ( prodded , prodding ) [ trans. ]

poke (someone) with a finger, foot, or pointed object : he prodded her in the ribs to stop her snoring | [ intrans. ] a woman prods at a tiger with a stick.

• stimulate or persuade (someone who is reluctant or slow) to do something : he has been trying to prod the White House into launching an antipoverty program.

noun

1 a poke with a finger, foot, or pointed object : he gave the wire netting an experimental prod.

• an act of stimulating or reminding someone to do something : he’ll need a little prod to get back to the task at hand.

2 a pointed implement, typically one discharging an electric current and used as a goad : a cattle prod.

DERIVATIVES

prodder noun

ORIGIN mid 16th cent. (as a verb): perhaps symbolic of a short poking movement, or a blend of poke ¹ and dialect brod [to goad, prod.] The noun dates from the mid 18th cent.

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prograde |ˈprəʊgreɪd|

adjective

1 Astronomy (of planetary motion) proceeding from west to east; direct. The opposite of retrograde .

2 Geology (of a metamorphic change) resulting from an increase in temperature or pressure or both. Compare with retrograde .

verb [ intrans. ] Geology

(of a beach or coastline) advance toward the sea as a result of the accumulation of waterborne sediment.

DERIVATIVES

progradation noun

ORIGIN early 20th cent. (as a verb): from pro- ¹ [forward] + retrograde .

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procession |prəˈsɛʃ(ə)n|

noun

1 a number of people or vehicles moving forward in an orderly fashion, esp. as part of a ceremony or festival : a funeral procession.

• the action of moving forward in such a way : the fully robed civic dignitaries walk in procession.

• figurative a relentless succession of people or things : his path was paved by a procession of industry executives.

2 Theology the emanation of the Holy Spirit.

ORIGIN late Old English , via Old French from Latin processio(n-), from procedere ‘move forward’ (see proceed ).

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protocol |ˈprəʊtəkɒl|

noun

1 the official procedure or system of rules governing affairs of state or diplomatic occasions : protocol forbids the prince from making any public statement in his defense.

• the accepted or established code of procedure or behavior in any group, organization, or situation : what is the protocol at a conference if one’s neighbor dozes off during the speeches?

• Computing a set of rules governing the exchange or transmission of data electronically between devices.

2 the original draft of a diplomatic document, esp. of the terms of a treaty agreed to in conference and signed by the parties.

• an amendment or addition to a treaty or convention : a protocol to the treaty allowed for this Danish referendum.

3 a formal or official record of scientific experimental observations.

• a procedure for carrying out a scientific experiment or a course of medical treatment.

ORIGIN late Middle English (denoting the original record of an agreement, forming the legal authority for future dealings relating to it): from Old French prothocole, via medieval Latin from Greek prōtokollon ‘first page, flyleaf,’ from prōtos ‘first’ + kolla ‘glue.’ Sense 1 derives from French protocole, the collection of set forms of etiquette to be observed by the French head of state, and the name of the government department responsible for this (in the 19th cent.).

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profession |prəˈfɛʃ(ə)n|

noun

1 a paid occupation, esp. one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification : his chosen profession of teaching | a lawyer by profession.

• [treated as sing. or pl. ] a body of people engaged in a particular profession : the profession is divided on the issue.

2 an open but often false declaration or claim : a profession of allegiance.

• a declaration of belief in a religion.

• the declaration or vows made on entering a religious order.

• the ceremony or fact of being professed in a religious order.

PHRASES

the oldest profession humorous the practice of working as a prostitute.

ORIGIN Middle English (denoting the vow made on entering a religious order): via Old French from Latin professio(n-), from profiteri ‘declare publicly’ (see profess ). Sense 1 derives from the notion of an occupation that one “professes” to be skilled in.

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