promorphologically 
promorphologically (pro-mor-fo-loj'i-kal-i), 
iiitr. Upon considerations of or according to 
promorpholopy. 
promorphologlst (pro-mor-fol'o-jist), n. [< 
promorpholog-y + -ist.] One who is versed in 
or understands promorphology. ncyc. Brit.. 
A. VI. o4), 
promorphology (pro-mdr-fol'o-ji), . [As pro- 
morpli + -ologtj (of. morphology).] In biol., 
stereometric morphology: the morphology of 
organic forms considered with reference to 
mathematical figures or to a few fundamental 
types of structure ; the mathematical concep- 
tion or geometrical treatment of organic form. 
Promorphology develops the crystallography of organic 
fo "n- Xncyc. Brit., XVI. 843, note, 
promote (pro-mot'), *' ; pret. and pp. promoted, 
ppr. promoting. [< OP. promoter, < L. promo- 
tug, pp. of promovere, move forward, push 
onward, advance, bring to pass, reveal: see 
ffWMML] I. Iran*. I. To contribute to the 
establishment, growth, enlargement, or im- 
provement of, as of anything valuable, or to the 
development, increase, or influence of, as of 
anything evil; forward; advance. 
Mr. John Jenny . . . was always a leading man In pro- 
mating the general interest of the colony. 
A". Morton, New England's Memorial, p. 102. 
Those friendships which once promoted literary fame 
seem now to be discontinued. (foldimith, The Bee' No. 5. 
2. To exalt, or raise to a higher post or posi- 
tion; prefer in rank or honor: as, to promote 
a captain to a majority. 
I will promote thee unto very great honour. 
Num. xxll. 17. 
Did I solicit thee 
From darkness to promote me, or here place 
In this delicious garden? Milton, ]'. L., x. 745. 
3f. To inform against. 
There lack men to promote the king's officers when they 
do amiss, audio promote all offenders. 
Latimer, '2d Sermon bef. Edw. VI., 1560. 
= Syn. 1. To further, help, encourage, assist. 
H.t iiitmns. To give information; be an in- 
former. 
Steps in this false spy, this promoting wretch; 
Closely betrays him that he gives to each. 
Drayton, The Owl 
promotet, pp. [ME., < L. promotun, pp. : see 
promote, F.] Promoted. 
For where a lover thlnketh him promote, 
F.nvy will grucche, repining at his wele. 
Court of Lone, 1. 1261. 
promotementt (pro-mot'ment), w. [< promote 
+ -iiK'itt.] Promotion, ifvclun. 
promoter (pro-mo'ter), n. [< F. promotcitr = 
Sp. Pg. proiiiotor = It. promotore, < ML. pro- 
motor, a promoter, < L. promovere, promote : see 
promote, promote.] 1. One who or that which 
promotes, forwards, or advances; an encou- 
rager: as, a promoter of charity. 
We are no more justified in treating what we take to be 
untrue theories of morals as positive promotcn of vice 
than in treating what we deem truer theories as positive 
promoter* of virtue. 
T. U. Green, Prolegomena to Ethics, 5 338. 
2. One who aids in promoting some financial 
undertaking ; one engaged in getting up a joint- 
stock company ; one who makes it his business 
to assist in the organization and capitalizing of 
corporations. 
It is notorious that some of the [raillroads have been 
robbed to the extent of thirty, forty, and even more per 
cent, by promoter* and syndicates, who have placed in their 
own pockets such large proportions of the sums subscribed. 
Fortnightly Rev., N. S , XLIII. 868. 
3f. An informer; specifically, a person who 
prosecuted offenders as an informer in his own 
name and the king's, receiving in reward part 
of the fines or penalties. 
These be accusers, promoters, and slanderers. 
Latimer, Misc. Selections. 
Came sneaking to my house like a promoter to spye flesh 
in the Lent Marston and Barketed, Insatiate Countess, iv. 
promotion (pro-mo'shon), . [< ME. promocyon, 
< OF. (and P.) promotion = Pi. promotion Sp. 
promotion = Pg. promoqSo = It. promozione, < 
LL. proniotio(n-), advancement, < L. promovere, 
pp. promotus, move forward, promote: seepro- 
moi-c, promote.] 1. The act of promoting; ad- 
vancement ; encouragement : as, the promotion 
of virtue or morals ; the promotion of peace or 
of discord. 2. Advancement in rank or honor; 
preferment. 
The highest promotion that God can bring his unto In 
this life is to suffer for his truth. 
Latimer, Misc. Selections. 
Malty fair promotions 
Are daily given to ennoble those 
That scarce, some two days since, were worth a noble. 
Shale., Rich. HI., I. 2. 80. 
4769 
3f. The act of informing; the laying of an in- 
formation against any one. 
Covetousness and promotion and such like. 
Tyndale, Expos, of Matthew vl. (Encyc. Diet.) 
To be on one's promotion, (a) To be In the line of pro- 
motion ; have the prospect or right of promotion In case 
of vacancy. (6) To oe on good behavior or diligent in duty 
with a view to recommending one's self for promotion. 
" You want to smoke those filthy cigars." replied Mrs. 
Rawdon. " I remember when you liked 'em, though," 
answered the husband. . . . " That was when I was OH mu 
promotion, Ooosey," she said. 
Thackeray, Vanity Fair, xllv. 
= oyn. See progrta. 
promqtive (pro-mo'tiv), a. [(.promote + -ire.] 
Tending to promote, advance, or encourage. 
In the government of Ireland, his [Stratford's] acimlnm- 
tration had been equally promotion of his master's inter- 
est and that of the subject* committed to his care. 
Hume, Hist Eng., llv. 
promovalt (pro-mo'val), . [< promote + -al.] 
Advancement ; promotion. 
Tell me If my recommendation can in anything be stead- 
able for the promnnal of the good of that youth. 
Urquhart, tr. of Rabelais, ill. 29. (Daciet.) 
prompvet (pro-m6v'), . t. [< F. promoutoir = 
Pr. Sp. Pg. promover = It. promuorere, < L. pro- 
morere, move forward, push onward, advance, 
bring to pass, enlarge, increase, extend, reveal, 
< pro, forth, forward, + motere, move: see more. 
Ct. promote.] 1. To promote; forward; ad- 
vance. 
Tii' I in i ram 
Of trades and tillage, under laws and peace, 
Begun by him, but settled *nd promoted 
By the third hero of his name. 
B. Jonton, Prince Henry's Barriers. 
Without Thrist we can do Just nothing but lie be- 
calmed and unable to move or pr amort. 
Ken. S. Ward, Sermons and Treatises, p. 171. 
2. To incite; encourage. 
Those works of ours are greatest In the sight of God 
that . . . conduce most to the promoting of others to 
glorify God. Donne, Sermons, vlll. 
promoventt (pro-mO'vent), . [< L. promo- 
ven(t-)s, ppr. of promorere, move forward: see 
promore.] The plaintiff in the instance court 
of the admiralty. 
promovert (pro-mo' ver), H. [<promore + -erl.] 
A promoter. 
For bokis & heresies, as they call goddis worde he pro- 
hibited, pressed downc, & burned with all the prommier* 
Joye, Expos, of Daniel vii. 
prompt (prompt), a. [< ME. 'prompt, < OF. 
(and F.) prompt = Sp. pronto = Pg. prompto = 
It. pronto, < L. promptus, promtun, visible, ap- 
parent, evident, at hand, prepared, ready, quick, 
prompt, inclined, disposed, pp. of promere, take 
or bring out or forth, produce, bring to light, 
< pro, forth, forward, + emere, take, acquire, 
buy: see emption.] 1. Ready; quick to act as 
occasion demands ; acting with cheerful alacri- 
ty; ready and willing: as, prompt in obedience 
or compliance. 
Very discerning and prompt in giving orders. 
Clarendon, Great Rebellion. 
Good temper; spirits prompt to undertake, 
And not soon spent, though in an arduous task. 
Cmeper, Task, i. too. 
Hundreds prompt for blows and blood. 
Scott, L. of the L, Hi. 24. 
2. Given or performed without delay ; quick ; 
ready ; not delayed. 
I do agnize 
A natural and prompt alacrity 
I find in hardness. Shale., Othello, I. S. 233. 
But chief myself I will enjoin, 
Awake at duty's call, 
To show a love as prompt as thine. 
Cowper. Dog and Water-lily. 
3. Hasty; forward; abrupt. 
I was too hasty to condemn unheard ; 
And you, perhaps, too prompt in your replies. 
4f. Inclined or disposed. 
Fair virtues all, 
To which the Grecians are most prompt and pregnant 
Shot., T. and C., fv. 4. 90. 
- Syn. Early, timely, punctual. 
prompt (prompt), r. /. [< ME. prompten; < 
prompt, a.] 1. To move or excite to action; 
incite; instigate. 
Murderer, do the worst 
Thy base nnnoble thoughts dare prompt thee to! 
I am_above thee, slave ! 
Beau, and Fl., Woman-Hater, r. 5. 
promptness 
Let him translate It Into Latin againe, abiding In loch 
place where no other schuler may urampe him. 
Ateham, The Scholemaster, p. 89. 
They whisper : - sever them quickly, I say, officers ! why 
do you let them prompt one another T 
llriiu. and Fl., Coxcomb, v. 8. 
If she shou'd flag in her part, I will not fall to prompt 
her. Cont/rm, Way of the World, III. 18. 
3. To dictate; suggest to the mind; inspire. 
And whisp'rlng angels prompt her golden dream*. 
;/-. Elolsa to Abelard, 1. 210. 
By these Steps I strive to climb up to Heaven, and my 
Soul prompt* uie I shall go thither. 
UoKell, Letters, I. rl. 32. 
4f . To remind ; put (one) in mind. 
Soft and delicate desires, 
All prompting me how fair young Hero Is, 
Saying I liked her ere I went to wars. 
Shalt., Much Ado, I. 1. SOB. 
= 8yn. 1. Actuate, Impel, Induce, etc.(see actuate), Incline, 
dispose, suggest to. See list under impel. 
prompt (prompt), n. [< prompt, r.] 1. In com., 
a limit of time given for payment for merchan- 
dise purchased, the limit being stated on a note 
of reminder called a prompt-note. 
He does pay In money that Is, he gives his acceptance 
at two or three months or whatever prompt Is customary 
In the trade, and when the bill falls due he pays It 
Mneteenth Century, XIX. 392. 
2. Information suggested or prompted. 
Few [children in schools] will not give, and not many 
will not take prompt*, or peep in their books. 
G. S. Hall, Amer. Jour. Psychol., III. 63. 
prompt-book ( prompt 'buk), . A copy of a 
play prepared for the prompter's use, and con- 
taining the text as cut and altered for represen- 
tation, with all the stage business and other 
directions required for performance. 
prompt-center (prompt sen'ter). H. See stage. 
prompter (promp'ter), . [< ME. prompten; 
prompture, promptoic re ; < prompt + -er 1 ?] 1. 
One who or that which prompts, or admonishes 
or incites to action. 
We understand our duty without a teacher, and acquit 
ourselves as we ought to do without a prompter. 
Sir R. L'KniranifC. 
We flnd in ourselves some prompter called a desire ; 
and, the more essential the action, the more powerful Is 
the Impulse to Its performance. 
//. Spencer, Social .Statics, p. 30. 
Specifically 2. A person stationed behind 
the scenes or in a covered box at the front of 
the stage in a theater, for the purpose of assist- 
ing the actors when they are at a loss by re- 
peating to them the first words of a sentence ; 
also, any person who aids a public speaker, etc., 
by suggesting words he may be at a loss for. 
No without-book prologue, faintly spoke 
After iae prompter, for our entrance. 
Shale.. R. and J., I. 4. & 
The play Is done; the curtain drops, 
Slow falling to the prompter'* bell. 
Thackeray, The End of the Play. 
His wish and mine both prompt me to retire. 
Coirper, Retirement, L 390. 
2. To assist (a learner or speaker) by suggest- 
ing something forgotten or imperfectly learned 
or known, or by pronouncing the words next 
in order: as, to prompt a pupil; to prompt ;m 
actor. 
prompting (promp ' ting), n. [Verbal n. of 
prompt, r.] 1. The act of inciting, instigating, 
suggesting, or reminding. 2. An incitement 
or impulse, especially from inner desires or 
motives: as, the promptings of affection. 
Many sane persons have experienced horrid pmmptingi 
when standing looking over a precipice. 
Pop. Set. Mo., XXXVI. 83. 
The later the date the more likely that he (the archi- 
tect] built his arcade according to the prompting* of his 
own genius. E. A. Freeman, Venice, p. 254. 
promptitude (promp'ti-tud), . [< F. promp- 
titude = Sp. prontittid = It. prontitudine, < LL. 
promptitudo, promptitude, < L. prompttis, ready, 
prompt: see prompt.] 1. Promptness; readi- 
ness; quickness of decision or action when oc- 
casion demands ; cheerful alacrity. 
Much will depend on the promptitude with which these 
means can be brought into activity. 
Je/er*m, Works, VIII. 69. 
2. Prompting. 
Those who were contented to lire without reproach 
and had no promptitude In their minds towards glory. 
Steele, Spectator, No. 497. 
promptly (prompt'li), adr. [< prompt + -I,?.} 
In a prompt manner ; readily; quickly; expe- 
ditiously; cheerfully, 
promptness (prompt'nes), n. [< prompt + 
-nest.] The state or quality of being prompt; 
readiness; quickness of decision or action; 
especially, quickness of action in executing a 
di-cision; cheerful willingness ; alacrity. 
Casslus alone, of all the conspirators, acted with prompt- 
nest and energy in providing for the war which he fore- 
saw the death of Osar would kindle. 
Amen, Works, II. 271. 
A good judgment combines promptnea with deliberate- 
J. SuUy, Outlines of Psychol., p. 409. 
