princox, a pert saucy boy or youth, a conceited young fellow, Romeo, i. 588. A north-country word, see EDD. (s.v. Princock).
prink, to set off, show off, trim; ‘To prink and prank, exorno’, Coles, 1699. Prinke it, to show off, Gascoigne, Complaint of Philomene, st. 21, p. 93.
print: phr. in print, to the letter, exactly. L. L. L. iii. 173; ‘Gallant in print’ (i.e. a complete gallant), B. Jonson, Ev. Man out of Humour, ii. 2 (Fallace). In prov. use in E. Anglia, Oxf., Sussex, see EDD. (s.v. Print, 3).
prise, pryse, the note blown at the death of a hunted beast; ‘Thenne kynge Arthur blewe the pryse’, Morte Arthur, leaf 63. 25; bk. iv, c. 6. F. ‘prise, the death or fall of a hunted beast’ (Cotgr.).
privado, a favourite, intimate friend. Bacon, Essay 27, § 3. Span. privado, a favourite (Stevens); Port. privado, ‘favori, homme en faveur auprès d’un prince’ (Roquette). Med. L. privatus, ‘familiaris, amicus’ (Ducange).
private, private interest. B. Jonson, Catiline, iii. 2 (last speech).
prize, a contest, a match, a public athletic contest. Merch. Ven. iii. 2. 142; a fencing contest, Dekker, Honest Wh., Pt. II, ii. 2 (Prentices); a turn in a match, ib., v. 2 (Infelice); phr. to play a prize, to engage in a public contest, to play one’s part, Beaumont and Fl., Hum. Lieutenant, v. 2 (Lieutenant); Massinger, New Way to Pay, iv. 2 (end); Titus Andron. i. 1. 399; B. Jonson, Volpone, v. 1. Hence Prizer, one who fights in a ‘prize’ or match, As You Like It, ii. 3. 8. F. ‘prise, a hold in wrestling; estre aux prises, to wrestle or strive with one another’ (Cotgr.).
prize, to offer as the price; to risk, stake venture. Greene, Friar Bacon, iv. 3 (1784); scene 13. 41 (W.); p. 175, col. 1 (D.); to pay a price for, Spenser, F. Q. iv. 11. 5.
proake, to ask. Mirror for Mag., Claudius T. Nero, st. 4; ‘To proke, procare’, Levins, Manip.
proceed, to advance, in one’s University course, from graduation as B.A. to some higher degree; ‘He proceaded Bachelour of Divinitye in the sayde Universitye of Cambridge’, Foxe, Bk. of Martyrs, 1297; Middleton, A Chaste Maid, iv. 1 (Tim).