prorogue
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to discontinue a session of (the British Parliament or a similar body).
- Synonyms:
- suspend
-
to defer or postpone, or to extend past the end of a term, as a lease or other contract.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of prorogue
First recorded in 1375–1425; from late Middle English proroge, from Latin prōrogāre “to prolong, protract, defer,” literally, “to ask publicly,” equivalent to prō- pro- 1 + rogāre “to ask, propose”
Explanation
Prorogue is a technical way of saying "put off" or "delay." Usually, it describes something a government body does: when a congress or parliament prorogues, it's putting off business for a while. Prorogue comes from the Latin word prorogare meaning "to stretch out." When you stop a meeting and decide to meet again at a later time, this "stretches out" the work being done. Remember that prorogue is close to prolong, which means pretty much the same thing, but without a break.
Vocabulary lists containing prorogue
The Balcony Scene from "Romeo and Juliet"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week In Words: August 31–September 6, 2019
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 2
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The governor general has a largely ceremonial job performing functions such as swearing in governments and formally signing legislation, but is also the commander-in-chief of the military and can summon, prorogue or dissolve parliament.
From Reuters ● Jul. 6, 2021
And she used withering language to describe the effect of the court’s ruling on the formal order to prorogue.
From New York Times ● Sep. 24, 2019
Queen Elizabeth II had agreed to prorogue — or suspend — Parliament, on the advice of the prime minister, as is customary.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 11, 2019
These are from my colleague Severin Carrell, who has been covering the legal challenge in Edinburgh to the government’s decision to prorogue parliament for five weeks from next week.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 3, 2019
Lord Dalhousie was satisfied that no benefit to the public could be expected from a continuance of the session, and had come to prorogue the parliament.
From The Rise of Canada, from Barbarism to Wealth and Civilisation Volume 1 by Charles Roger
While the Liberal Party holds its internal contest, parliament is prorogued until March 24.
From Salon ● Jan. 8, 2025
In the meantime, the Canadian parliament has been prorogued - or suspended - until 24 March.
From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2025
After a flurry of last-minute legislation, Parliament will be prorogued, or formally suspended, in a ceremony featuring hat-doffing, lords in ermine-trimmed robes and commands in Norman French.
From Seattle Times ● May 24, 2024
Parliament was in session but was prorogued on Monday through a government notification uploaded on its website.
From Reuters ● Jul. 4, 2023
This having been done, and the Council having agreed to the bill, Parliament was prorogued, and met for the regular session of the year in July following, the sittings being continued till the Christmas holidays.
From Our First Half-Century: A Review of Queensland Progress Based Upon Official Information by Queensland
The official term for shutting down Parliament is "proroguing".
From BBC ● Sep. 6, 2019
Johnson claimed that proroguing Parliament was just an efficient way to get the government organized regarding its domestic agenda, such as new plans for the National Health Service and strategies for fighting crime.
From The New Yorker ● Aug. 30, 2019
This is a good quick backgrounder from the House of Commons library on how exactly proroguing parliament works.
From The Guardian ● Aug. 28, 2019
So what exactly does the move, known as proroguing Parliament, actually mean for the government and the critical decision-making in the weeks leading up to the deadline?
From New York Times ● Aug. 28, 2019
He writes, or makes somebody write, “The Holy Father is full of strength and confidence, and has no intention of proroguing the Council, as his enemies say.”
From Letters From Rome on the Council by Johann Joseph Ignaz von D?llinger
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
