Teacher asks the student:
"What is your aim in life?"
"To become a psychiatrist", the student replies.
"Very good", the teacher says, "Now would you please spell the word psychiatrist."
After some hesitation the student replies: "Well, I mean I want to be a doctor, sir. D-O-C-T-O-R."
council n. Body of advisers appointed by the sovereign (now chiefly honorary). privy councillor n. (also privy counsellor).
- purse n. Allowance from the public revenue for the monarch's private expenses.
- seal n. Seal formerly affixed to minor state documents.
- —adj. - (foll. By to) sharing in the secret of (a person's plans etc.).
- archaic hidden, secret. —n. (pl. -ies) lavatory, esp. An outside one. [french prive private place]
PRIZE
—n. - something that can be won in a competition, lottery, etc.
- reward given as a symbol of victory or superiority.
- something striven for or worth striving for.
- (attrib.) A to which a prize is awarded (prize poem). B excellent of its kind. —v. (-zing) value highly (a much prized possession). [french: related to *praise]
- n. Ship or property captured in naval warfare. [french prise from latin prehendo seize]
- var. Of *prise.
PROBE
—n. - penetrating investigation.
- small device, esp. An electrode, for measuring, testing, etc.
- blunt-ended surgical instrument for exploring a wound etc.
- (in full space probe) unmanned exploratory spacecraft transmitting information about its environment. —v. (-bing) 1 examine or enquire into closely.
- explore with a probe. [latin proba: related to *prove]
PROEM
n. Preface etc. To a book or speech. [latin from greek]
PROLE
adj. & n. Derog. Colloq. Proletarian. [abbreviation]
PROMO
n. (pl. -s) colloq. - (often attrib.) Promotion, advertising (promo video).
- promotional video, trailer, etc. [abbreviation]
PRONE
adj. - a lying face downwards. B lying flat, prostrate. C having the front part downwards, esp. The palm.
- (usu. Foll. By to, or to + infin.) Disposed or liable (prone to bite his nails).
- (usu. In comb.) Likely to suffer (accident-prone). proneness n. [latin]
PRONG
n. Each of two or more projecting pointed parts at the end of a fork etc. [origin unknown]
PROOF
—n. - facts, evidence, reasoning, etc. Establishing or helping to establish a fact (no proof that he was there).
- demonstration, proving (not capable of proof).
- test, trial (put them to the proof).
- standard of strength of distilled alcohol.
- trial impression from type or film, for correcting before final printing.
- step by step resolution of a mathematical or philosophical problem.
- photographic print made for selection etc. —adj. - (often in comb.) Impervious to penetration, ill effects, etc., esp. By a specified agent (proof against corruption; childproof).
- being of proof alcoholic strength. —v. - make proof, esp. Make (fabric) waterproof.
- make a proof of (a printed work). [latin proba: related to *prove]
PROSE
poem n. Piece of poetic writing in prose.
- —n. - ordinary written or spoken language not in verse.
- passage of prose, esp. For translation into a foreign language.
- dull or matter-of-fact quality (prose of existence). —v. (-sing) talk tediously. [latin prosa from oratio straightforward (discourse)]
