Privy, priv′i, adj. private: pertaining to one person: for private uses: secret: appropriated to retirement: admitted to the knowledge of something secret.—n. (law) a person having an interest in an action: a necessary house.—adv. Priv′ily, privately: secretly.—ns. Priv′ity, secrecy: something kept private: knowledge, shared with another, of something private or confidential: knowledge implying concurrence: relation between different interests, as, for example, in feudal tenure the interests of several persons in the same land, the mutual relationships of contractor and contractee, the relation caused by common knowledge in breaches of contract: (obs.) seclusion, intimacy; Priv′y-cham′ber, private apartment in a royal residence; Priv′y-coun′cil, the private council of a sovereign to advise in the administration of government; Priv′y-coun′cillor, a member of the privy-council; Priv′y-purse, the purse or money for the private or personal use of the sovereign; Priv′y-seal, -sig′net, the seal used by or for the king in subordinate matters, or those which are not to pass the great seal; Priv′y-ver′dict, a verdict given to a judge out of court.—Gentlemen ushers of the privy-chamber, four officials in the royal household who attend certain court ceremonies. [Fr. privé—L. privatus, private.]
Prize, Prise, prīz, v.t. to force open by means of a lever. [Fr.; cf. Prize, below.]
Prize, prīz, n. that which is taken or gained by competition: anything taken from an enemy in war: (hunting) the note of the trumpet blown at the capture of the game: a captured vessel: that which is won in a lottery: anything offered for competition: a gain: a reward: (Shak.) a competition.—adj. worthy of a prize: to which a prize is given.—adjs. Priz′able, -eable, valuable.—ns. Prize′-court, a court for judging regarding prizes made on the high seas; Prize′-fight, a combat in which those engaged fight for a prize or wager; Prize′-fight′er, a boxer who fights publicly for a prize; Prize′-fight′ing; Prize′-list, recorded of the winners in a competition; Prize′man; Prize′-mon′ey, share of the money or proceeds from any prizes taken from an enemy; Priz′er (Shak.), one who competes for a prize; Prize′-ring, a ring for prize-fighting: the practice itself. [Fr. prise—pris, taken, pa.p. prendre—L. prehendĕre, to seize.]
Prize, prīz, v.t. to set a price on: to value: to value highly.—n. valuation, estimate.—n. Priz′er (Shak.), an appraiser. [Fr. priser—O. Fr. pris, price (Fr. prix)—L. pretium, price.]
Pro, prō, Latin prep. meaning before, used in English in many phrases.—Pro and con, abbrev. of pro et contra, for and against.—v.i. to consider impartially.—n.pl. Pros and cons, arguments for and against an opinion.—Pro bono publico, for the public good.
Proa, prō′a, n. a small and swift Malay sailing-vessel, with both ends equally sharp. [Malay prau.]
Probable, prob′a-bl, adj. that can be proved: having more evidence for than against: giving ground for belief: likely: (Shak.) plausible.—n. probable opinion.—ns. Probabil′iorist; Prob′abilism (R.C. theol.), the doctrine in casuistry that of two probable opinions, both reasonable, one may follow his own inclination, as a doubtful law cannot impose a certain obligation—opp. to Probabil′iorism, according to which it is lawful to follow one's inclination only when there is a more probable opinion in its favour; Prob′abilist; Probabil′ity, quality of being probable: appearance of truth: that which is probable: chance or likelihood of something happening:—pl. Probabil′ities.—adv. Prob′ably.—adj. Prō′bal (Shak.), probable.—Probable cause, a reasonable ground that an accusation is true; Probable error, a quantity assumed as the value of an error, such that the chances of the real error being greater are equal to those of it being less than this quantity; Probable evidence, evidence not conclusive, but admitting of some degree of force. [Fr.,—L. probabilis—probāre, -ātum, to prove.]
Probang, prō′bang, n. an instrument for pushing obstructions down the œsophagus of a choking animal.
Probate, prō′bāt, n. the proof before a competent court that a written paper purporting to be the will of a person who has died is indeed his lawful act: the official copy of a will, with the certificate of its having been proved: the right or jurisdiction of proving wills.—adj. relating to the establishment of wills and testaments.—Probate court, a court created in 1858 to exercise jurisdiction in matters touching the succession to personal estate; Probate duty, a tax on property passing by will. [Cf. Probable.]
Probation, prō-bā′shun, n. act of proving: any proceeding to elicit truth, &c.: trial: time of trial: moral trial: noviciate.—adjs. Probā′tional, Probā′tionary, relating to probation or trial.—n. Probā′tioner, one who is on probation or trial: (Scot.) one licensed to preach, but not ordained to a pastorate.—adjs. Prō′bative, Prō′batory, serving for proof or trial: relating to proof.—n. Probā′tor, an examiner.—The doctrine of future probation, the doctrine that the gospel will be preached in another life to the unregenerate dead or to those who never heard it in life. [Fr.,—L.]