IWli 
for 
prophesy 
rifii, multiply, etc.] I. trail*. To predict; 
'oretell; foreshow. Beej>rt>pft0t 
Methought thy very gait did prophesy 
A royal nobleness. Skat., Lear, v. S. 176. 
Amongst many other dignities which thl letter hath by 
being received and seen by yon, It Is not the least that it 
mu prophesied of before it was born. Donne, Letters, XXY. 
One of his (Hive's] masters . . . was sagacious enough 
to prophesy that the Idle lad would make a great figure in 
the world. Maeaulay, Lord Olive. 
For li> the warning of the Holy Ghost 
I prapkuy that 1 shall die to-night. 
Tennyson, St. .Simeon Stylites. 
II. intrami. 1. To speak by divine inspira- 
tion ; utter or tell as prophet. 
Again he said unto me, Prophety upon these bones, and 
say unto them, O ye dry tones, hear the word of the Lord. 
E*ek. xxicviL 4. 
The prophets . . . prophesied of the grace that should 
come unto you. 1 I 'ft. L 10. 
2. To utter predictions; foretell future events. 
Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not 
by our hand. Jer. xl. 21. 
3f. To interpret or explain Scripture or reli- 
gious subjects ; preach ; exhort. 
In the afternoon, Mr. Roger Williams (according to their 
custom) propounded a question, to which the pastor, Mr. 
.smith, spake brieHy ; then Mr. Williams prophesied. 
Winthrop, Hist. New England, L 109. 
They also allowed greater liberty to prophesy than those 
before them ; for they admitted any member to speak and 
pray as well as their pastor. 
Penn, Rise and Progress of Quakers, I. 
prophesying (prof'e-sl-ing), n. [Verbal n. of 
projihesy, v7\ If. Preaching; religious exhorta- 
tion ; the act of speaking on religious subjects. 
The Liberty of Prophesying. (Title.) Jer. Taylor. 
The Puritans maintained frequent religious exercises, 
In which texts of Scripture were interpreted or discussed, 
one speaking to the subject after another, In an orderly 
method. This was called prophesying, In reference to 1 
i i ,1 i ii. xiv. 31 : Ye may all prophesy, that all may learn, and 
all may be comforted. 
Seal, in New England's Memorial, p. 171, note. 
2. The act of foretelling. 
prophet (prof'et), n. [< ME. prophtte, profett, 
profile, < OF. prophete, profvtc, F. prophete = 
Pr. Pg. jrropheta = Sp. It. profeta = OFries. pro- 
phetti = D. profeet = MLG. prophete = MHG. 
prophete, G. prophet = Sw. I)au. prufet, < LL. 
]>ropheta, propheten = Goth, praufetis, jiraii- 
fetim, < Gr. irpotf/TtK, Doric vpotyariK, one who 
speaks for a gocl, an interpreter (as Tiresias 
was of Zeus, Orpheus of Bacchus, Apollo of 
Zens, the Py thia of Apollo), expounder (as those 
who interpreted the words of the inspired 
seers), proclaimer, harbinger (as the bowl is of 
mirth, or the cicada of summer), in the Septua- 
gint an interpreter, spokesman, usually an in- 
spired prophet, also a revealer of the future, 
in N. T. and eccl. an interpreter of Scripture, 
a preacher. < TtpoQavat, say before or before- 
hand. < irpo, before, in public, + favat, speak, 
say : w fable, fame*, fate.] 1. One who speaks 
by a divine inspiration as the interpreter 
through whom a divinity declares himself. In 
the times of the Old Testament there was an order of 
prophet*, for the duties of whose omcc men were trained 
in colleges called schools of the jHrophct*. The members of 
these schools acted as public religions teachers, and the 
prophets in the stricter sense (inspired teachers) generally 
belonged to this order. In the New Testament, Christian 
propheU were recognized in the church as possessing a 
charism distinct from that of mere teachers, and as utter- 
Ing special revelations and predictions. They are often 
mentioned with apostles, and next after them in order. 
Ihesus that sprong of iesse roote, 
As us hath prechid thf prujthttt. 
Hymns to Virgin, et. (E. E. T. S.X p. 12. 
The word prophet (irpo>jnri) was derived In the first in- 
stance from the Interpreters of the will of the gods (see 
I'lndar, N., I 91); later and especially It was applied to 
those who expounded the unintelligible oracles of the 
Pythoness of Delphi, or the rustling of the leaves of Do- 
dona. In a metaphorical sense It was used of poets, as 
of Interpreters of the gods or Muses. It was then adopted 
by the Septuaglnt as the best equivalent of the lui'n or 
prophet of the Old Testament. ... In all these cssw 
(Act* it 17, IS; zlll. 1; xv. S2; Ber. I. 8; xL 3, 6, 10, 
18; xvt fl; xvlll. 20, 24; xlx. 10; xxil. 8, 7, 9, 10, 18), In 
the New Testament as In the Old, and It may be added In 
the Koran, the prominent Idea is not that of prediction, 
but of delivering inspired messages of warning, exhorta- 
tion, and instruction; building up, exhorting, and com* 
flirting; convincing, judging, and making manifest the 
secret* of the heart (1 Cor. xlv. 3, 24, 25X The ancient 
classical and Hebrew sense prevails everywhere. Epinu>- 
nitles and Mahomet on the one hand, Elijah and Paul on 
the other, are called prophet*, not because they foretold 
the future, but because they enlightened the present 
.(. /'. Stanley, dun. on Corinthians, p. 243. 
2. One who foretells future events; a predict cr; 
afor<'t<-lli-r: i-sjircially, a person inspired to an- 
iHjimrr future events. 
As he spake by the i itli of his holy propheU, which 
have been since the world began: that we shonlil lie 
4778 
saved from oar enemies, and from the hand of all that 
hate us. Luke I. 70. 
Polybius was of the best sort of prophets, who predict 
from natural causes those events which must naturally 
proceed from them. Dryden, Character of Polybius. 
I do rest 
A prophet certain of my prophecy, 
That never shadow of mistrust can cross 
Between us. Tennyson, Geraint 
3. An orthopterous insect of the family Man- 
tidee. [Local, U. S.] French prophets, a name 
sometimes given In England to the Camisarda, Major 
prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and I>anlel; also, 
the nooks of their prophecies in the Old Testament. 
Minor prophets, the writers of the Old Testament from 
llosea to Malacht inclusive; also, their books. The dis- 
tinction between major and minor relates to the size of 
the books. School of the prophets, among the ancient 
Jews, a school or college In which young men were edu- 
cated and qualified to be public teachers. One elderly or 
leading prophet presided over them, called their father 
or iiiuxtrr ; hence the students were called sons of the 
prophets. Their chief subject of study was the law and 
its interpretation, but music and sacred poetry were sub- 
sidiary branches of instruction. The Prophets, those 
books of the Old Testament which are largely composed 
of prophecies, or which were written or compiled by mem- 
bers of the order of prophets. The ancient Jews some- 
times divided the Old Testament into the Law (Penta- 
teuch) and the Prophets, and sometimes (as still in Hebrew 
Bibles) into Law, Prophete, and Hagiographa. In Hebrew 
Bibles the Former l*rophets are Joshua, Judges, I. and II. 
Samuel, and I. and II. Kings ; the Latter Prophets are the 
books from Isaiah to Malachi inclusive, with the exception 
of Lamentations and Daniel, which are placed in the Ha- 
giographa. 
On these two commandments hang all the law and the 
prophets. Mat xxll. 40. 
= Syn. L Prophet, Seer, Soothsayer. A prophet ia properly 
one who discloses or speaks forth to others the will of God ; 
a seer is one who has himself learned God's will by a vision. 
Both titles were applied in the Old Testament to the same 
class of men, but at different time*. The extra Biblical 
uses of the words correspond to the Biblical. The word 
prophet is sometimes used in the Bible of a candidate for 
the prophetic office, or of an Inspired preacher or Interpre- 
ter. Soothsayer, as used in the Bible, implies imposture, 
and in other literature its standing ia little better. 
Beforetime, in Israel, when a man went to enquire of 
God, thus he spake, Come, and let us go to the seer: for he 
that is now called a J'rophet was beforetime called a Seer. 
1 Sam. ix. 9. 
They had with them inspired men, Proptietn, and it were 
not sober to say they did ought of moment without divine 
intimation. Milton, Church-Governmeut, i. 2. 
The secret which the king hath demanded cannot . . . 
the soothsayers shew unto the king. I)an. II. 27. 
prophett (prof'et), c. '. [< prophet, n.] To 
prophesy. [Kare.] 
Nor prophetiiiff Helcnus, when he foretold dangerous hard 
linns, 
Forspake this burial mourning. 
Stanihurst, .Knrid, ill. 727. (Dames.) 
prophetet, n. A Middle English form of profit. 
prophetess (prof Vt-es), n. [< F. prophetesse = 
Pg. propliftiza = Sp. profetisa = It. profetegsa, 
(. lid, prophetixxa, a prophetess, < propheta, a 
prophet: see prophet.] A female prophet; a 
woman who speaks with inspiration or fore- 
tells future events. 
Oursclf have often tried 
Valkyrian hymns, or into rhythm have dash'd 
The passion of the prophetess. 
Tennyson, Princess, iv. 
prophet-flower (prof'et-flou'er), n. A boragi- 
naceous herb, Arnebia Griffitltii, found in north- 
west India, etc., and somewhat cultivated for 
its interesting flowers. The corolla Is funnel-shaped. 
of a bright primrose-yellow, the limb at opening marked 
with five dark spoU which fade away as the day adTances. 
The flowers are racemed. the plant hairy. The name Is 
of Mussulman origin, probably suggested by the some- 
what crescent-shaped spot*. 
prophethood (prof'et-hud), w. [< prophet + 
-hood.'] The quality or condition, or the posit ion 
or office, of a prophet. 
His environment and rural prophethood has hurt him 
[Wordsworth] much. Carlyle, In Froude, I. 27. 
prophetic (pro-fet'ik), a. [< F. propheiiiine = 
Pg. prophetico = Sp. profftiro = It. profi -ticn 
(ef. D. profetisch = G. prophetinch = Sw. Dan. 
tiac), < LL. prophcticus, < Gr. rt 
pertaining to a prophet or to prophecy, < ?rpo- 
f^/f, prophet: see prophet.] 1. Pertain- 
ing or relating to a prophet or to prophecy; 
having the character of prophecy; containing 
prophecy: as, prophetic writings. 
Till old experience do attain 
To something like projiheticJr strain. 
Milton, II Penseroso, 1. 174. 
It was with something of quite true prophetic fervour 
that each of these [Byron and Shelley) . . . denounced the 
hypocrisies which they lielleved they saw around them. 
J. C. Shairp, Aspect* of Poetry, p. 119. 
2. Prcsagi-ful ; predictive: with of before the 
thing foretold. 
And fear* are oft prophetic of the event. 
Dryarn, tr. i.f ovid'ii Mrtaiuoruh., x. 4(1. 
prophylaxy 
3. Aiiticipative; having or tending to a pre- 
sentiment or an intuitive discernment of the 
future. 
O my prophetic soul 1 my uncle ! 
Shot., Hamlet, i. 6. 40. 
prophetical (pro-fet'i-kal), . [< prophetic + 
-aC] Same as prophetic. 
God hath endued us ... with the heavenly support 
of prophetical revelation, which doth open those biiliU-n 
mysteries that reason could never have been able to mid 
out. Hooter, Eccles. Polity, L !.'. 
propheticality (pro-fet-i-kal'i-ti), i. [< pro- 
phetical + -i-ty.] Propheticamess. Coleridye. 
[Rare.] 
prophetically (pro-fet'i-kal-i), adv. [< pro- 
phetical + -7y 2 .] In a prophetic manner; by 
way of prediction ; in the manner of prophecy. 
They prophetically did fore-signify all such sect* to be 
avoided. Jer. Taylor, Work* (ed. 1836), I. t&t. 
propheticalness (pro-fet'i-kal-nes), n. [< pro- 
phetical + -M*.] The character of being pro- 
phetical. [Rare.] 
prophetism (prof'et-izm), n. [(prophet + -Mm.] 
The system, practice, or doctrine of inspired 
teaching. Tne American, XIII. 59. 
prophetizet (prof'et-iz), r. i. [< F. prophetixer 
= Sp. profetizar = Pg. prophetizar = It. profe- 
tizzare, < LL. prophetizare, < Gr. vptttpi/ri^tiv, be 
a prophet, prophesy, < jrop^r/rw, a prophet: see 
2>roi>het.] To utter predictions ; prophesy. 
Nor. thrlld with bodkins, raues in frantlk-wUe, 
And in a furie seems to prophetize. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Schisme. 
Nature ... so doth warning send 
By prophetinny dreams. Daniel, Civil Wan, III. 
prophetship (prof'et-ship), n. [< prophet + 
-ship.] Same as projihctnood. 
To deny Mahomet's prophetthip would excite a violent 
antagonism. II. Taylor, Lands of the Saracen, p. 24. 
prophitet, n. A Middle English form of profit. 
prophloem (pro-flo'em), . [< jwo- -I- phloem.] 
A tissue in the sporophore of mosses, resem- 
bling the phlofim of ordinary stems in micro- 
scopic structure, and corresponding to it in 
position. 
prophorict (pro-for'ik), n. [< Gr. ir/xxftopiiios, per- 
taining to xitterance, < irpofo/M, a bringing for- 
ward, utterance, < trpoQiptiv, bring forward, < 
irpo, forward, -f iprpetv, bring, bear, = E. bear'.] 
Enunciative. Wright. 
prophragma (pro-frag'ma), .; pi. nrophrag- 
mata (-ma-ta). [< Gr. ir/>6, before, + jp&ypa, 
fence, partition: see phraama.] In en torn., a 
transverse internal plate which, in many Cole- 
ontera, descends from the anterior margin of 
the mesoscutellnm, between the mesothorax 
and the metathorax, serving for the attachment 
of internal organs. It probably corresponds to 
the mesoscutum. 
prophylactic (prof-i-lak'tik), a. and n. [= F. 
prophyluctique = Sp. profildctico = Pg. prophy- 
lactico, < Gr. ^po^AanTiKuf, pertaining to guard- 
ing, precautionary, < irpotyvA&acciv, keep guard 
before, < irpo, before, + <f>v/.aaativ, Attic ^r/.dr- 
reiv, watch, guard: see phylactery.] I. a. In 
med., preventive; defending from disease : as, 
prophylactic doses of quinine. 
His ears had needed no prophylactic wax to pass the 
Sirens' isle. Lomll, Fireside Travels, p. 77. 
Notwithstanding the directions Issued for prophylactic 
treatment, and the system of domiciliary visits, the chol- 
era carried off a greater number than before. 
//. Spencer, Social Statics, p. 425. 
II. n. 1. Anything, us a medicine, which de- 
fends against disease ; a preventive of disease. 
Inventive persons have from time to time thought that 
they had Aecured a sure cure, If not an unfailing /""/'/"/- 
lactic (for consumption). 1'up. Sci. Mo., XXVIII. UU9. 
2. Same as prophylaxis. 
Medicine U distributed into prophylactic]!, or the art 
of preserving health, ami therapentlck, or the rt of re- 
storing health. U'littt, I-ogir, I. vi. I 10. 
prophylactical (prof-i-lak'ti-kal), a. [< i>ro- 
lilii/lactie + -til.] Same as projthylactic . 
IHeteticall and prophylneticall receipt* of wholesome 
caution. Bp. Halt, Sermon preached to the Lords. 
prophylaxis (prof-i-lak'sis), n. [NL.,< <!r. MS 
if "ir/jo^i'^af/f, < icptpAAamtf, keep guard !- 
fore: see prophylactic.] In </., the guarding 
against the attack of some disease. Also pro- 
plii/liirtii; prophylaxy. 
The germs do not appear to l>e very tenacious of life, so 
that an efficient jimi<W.ri cm In r<:nlil\ i \. n-iwd. 
Science, III. 567. 
prophylaxy (|>rof'i-lnk-si). . [< NL.pro/My- 
liu-i.t, <|. v.) Siiini- as iirii/iliylaj-is. 
The discussion on the prophylaxy of tnln-rviiloals wa 
then n-Miinc.l. Lancet, No. 3!r., p. L'ls. 
