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"
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This Week In Words: August 31–September 6, 2019
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"The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet," Vocabulary from Act 2
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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.
"My Good Woman," said the Man from Stoke-on-Tritham, just as if he meant to Prorogue something.
From More Fables by Ade, George
Prorogue is applied in Great Britain to that act of the executive government, as the sovereign, which brings a session of Parliament to a close.
From Webster's Unabridged Dictionary by Webster, Noah
Prorogue, prō-rōg′, v.t. to bring the meetings of parliament to an end for a time: to put off from one session to another:—pr.p. prorōg′uing: pa.t. and pa.p. prorōgued′.—v.t.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 3 of 4: N-R) by Various
We stand Bowed earthward, red with shame, to see such wrong Prorogue Love's cause and Truth's—God knows how long!
From The Poems of Emma Lazarus, Volume 1 by Lazarus, Emma
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.
