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skewer. Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary. Shak. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Acts ix. 5.

haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation; disdain. Let not the foot of pride come against me. Ps. xxxvi. 11. That hardly we escaped the pride of France. Shak.

An armed private vessel which bears the commission of the sovereign power to cruise against the enemy. See Letters of marque, under Marque.

or in behalf of, the affirmative side; -- in contrast with Ant: con. Pro and con, for and against, on the affirmative and on the negative side; as, they debated the question pro and con; -- formerly used also as a verb. -- Pros and cons, the arguments or reasons on either side.

Having more evidence for than against; supported by evidence which inclines the mind to believe, but leaves some room for doubt; likely. That is accounted probable which has better arguments producible for it than can be brought against it. South. I do not say that the principles of religion are merely probable; I have…

To urge on or incite another, as to strife; also, to inform against a person. [Obs.]

Firm or successful in resisting; as, proof against harm; waterproof; bombproof. I . . . have found thee Proof against all temptation. Milton. This was a good, stout proof article of faith. Burke.

Proof against proofs; obstinate in the wrong. "That might have shown to any one who was not proof-proof." Whateley.

To support, or prevent from falling, by placing something under or against; as, to prop up a fence or an old building; (Fig.) to sustain; to maintain; as, to prop a declining state. Shak. Till the bright mountains prop the incumbent sky. Pope. For being not propp'd by ancestry. Shak. I prop myself upon those few suppor…

A medicine which preserves or defends against disease; a preventive.

reach of law, or to pursue for redress or punishment, before a legal tribunal; to proceed against judicially; as, to prosecute a man for trespass, or for a riot. To acquit themselves and prosecute their foes. Milton.

ommencement, and continuance of a criminal suit; the process of exhibiting formal charges against an offender before a legal tribunal, and pursuing them to final judgment on behalf of the state or government, as by indictment or information.

The person who institutes and carries on a criminal suit against another in the name of the government. Blackstone.

Respect of persons; especially, a premature opinion or prejudice against a person, formed from his external appearance. [R.] Addison.

To make a solemn declaration (often a written one) expressive of opposition; -- with against; as, he protest against your votes. Denham. The conscience has power . . . to protest againts the exorbitancies of the passions. Shak.

One who protests; -- originally applied to those who adhered to Luther, and protested against, or made a solemn declaration of dissent from, a decree of the Emperor Charles V. and the Diet of Spires, in 1529, against the Reformers, and appealed to a general council; -- now used in a popular sense to designate any Chris…

The quality or state of being protestant, especially against the Roman Catholic Church; the principles or religion of the Protestants.

of an expected or a possible future need, especially a danger or an evil; -- followed by against or for; as, to provide against the inclemency of the weather; to provide for the education of a child. Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants. Burke.

ive or referendum. The pamphlet contains a copy of the proposed law and arguments for and against it by those favoring and opposing it, respectively.

y made, but often a compound of flour or meal, with milk and eggs, etc. And solid pudding against empty praise. Pope.