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prose definition

prose (prōz)

noun

  1. the ordinary form of written or spoken language, without rhyme or meter; speech or writing, sometimes, specif., nonfictional writing, that is not poetry
  2. dull, commonplace talk, expression, quality, etc.

Etymology: ME < MFr < L prosa, for prorsa (oratio), direct (speech) < prorsus, forward, straight on < proversus, pp. of provertere, to turn forward: see pro- & verse

adjective

  1. of or in prose
  2. dull; unimaginative; commonplace; prosaic

transitive verb, intransitive verb prosed, prosing pros′·ing

to speak, write, or express (one's thoughts, etc.) in prose or in a prosaic way

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

prose Synonyms

prose

n.

fiction, non-fiction, composition; see exposition 2, literature 2, story, writing 2.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

prose Usage Examples

Preposition: from

  • period: Eighteenth-Century Fiction contains a selection of works in English prose from the period 1700-1780, by writers from the British Isles.

Converse of object

  • rhyme: The form of the Qur'an ( rhymed prose supposedly written by an illiterate prophet ) is perhaps stressed more than the content.

Adjective modifier

  • lucid: Agree with comments of the literary critics that it is brilliantly written in lucid prose.

Modifies a noun

  • fiction: He has also won several awards for short prose fiction.

Noun used with modifier

  • century: Its seventeenth century prose is indeed remarkable; it is a precious gem in the heritage of the English language.
prose usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

prose quotes

Prose is when all the lines except the last go on to the end.Poetry is when some of them fall short of it.

-Bentham,Jeremy

   The most beautiful prose paragraph yet written by any American.

-Bloom, Harold

If ever I should condescend to prose, I'll write poetical commandments, which Shall supersede beyond all doubt all those That went before; in these I shall enrich My text with many things that no one knows, And carry precept to the highest pitch: I'll call the work 'Longinus o'er a Bottle, Or, Every Poet his own Aristotle'.

-Rochdale

prose quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"prose." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/prose>

APA Style

prose. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/prose

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