propel

English

WOTD – 21 May 2009    

Etymology

Historically (late Middle English) meant "expel, drive out". From Latin propellō, from pro- "forward" and pellō (“push, move”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /pɹəˈpɛl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl

Verb

propel (third-person singular simple present propels, present participle propelling, simple past and past participle propelled)

1. To cause to move in a certain direction.
   • 1918, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Land That Time Forgot Chapter V

     When it had advanced from the wood, it hopped much after the fashion of a kangaroo, using its hind feet and tail to propel it, and when it stood erect, it sat upon its tail.

2. To make to arrive to a certain situation or result.
   • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 265e.

     I can discern your nature and see that even without any arguments (logoi) from me it will propel you to what you say you are drawn towards,

Synonyms

• (either): drive, push

Antonyms

• (either): stay, halt, stop
• (cause to move): rest

Translations

to cause to move in a certain direction

• Armenian: առաջ մղել (hy) (aṙaǰ mġel)
• Czech: hnát (cs), pohánět (cs)
• Esperanto: propulsi (eo)
• Finnish: liikuttaa (fi), kuljettaa (fi), työntää (fi)
• French: propulser (fr) catapulter (fr)
• German: antreiben (de)

• Ido: propulsar (io)
• Portuguese: propulsar (pt)
• Russian: двигать (ru) (dvigatʹ), продвигать (ru) (prodvigatʹ)
• Scottish Gaelic: spàrr (gd)
• Spanish: propulsar (es)

to make to arrive to a certain situation or result

• Armenian: խթանել (hy) (xt’anel)
• Czech: hnát (cs), pohánět (cs)
• Finnish: aiheuttaa (fi), johdattaa (fi)

• French: catapulter (fr)
• Scottish Gaelic: cuir air adhart (gd)

Anagrams

• lopper

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Danish

Alternative forms

• (rare) propeller

Etymology

From English propeller.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /propɛl/, [pʰʁ̥oˈpɛlˀ]

Noun

propel c (singular definite propellen, plural indefinite propeller)

1. propeller (mechanical device used to propel)

Inflection

    Inflection of propel

common gender	Singular		Plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative, dative and accusative	propel	propellen	propeller	propellerne
genitive	propels	propellens	propellers	propellernes

See also

• Propel on the Danish Wikipedia.da.Wikipedia