prorogue

WOTD – 8 April 2008

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

From Latin prōrogō (“prolong, defer”)

Pronunciation [edit]

(UK) IPA: /pɹə(ʊ)ˈɹəʊɡ/
(US) IPA: /pɹoʊˈɹoʊɡ/
Audio (US)
(file)
Rhymes: -əʊɡ

Verb [edit]

prorogue (third-person singular simple present prorogues, present participle proroguing, simple past and past participle prorogued)

(obsolete) To prolong or extend. [15th-18th c.]
- 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.2.6.iv:
  
  Mirth [...] prorogues life, whets the wit, makes the body young, lively, and fit for any manner of employment.
(transitive, now rare) To defer. [from 15th c.]
(transitive) To suspend (a parliamentary session) or to discontinue the meetings of (an assembly, parliament etc.) without formally ending the session. [from 15th c.]
- 1932, Maurice Baring, chapter 20, Friday's Business^[1]:
  
  The King settled to prorogue Parliament until the Christmas holidays, and to do nothing else for the present.