| 释义 |
prose
I. \ˈprōz\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin prosa, from feminine of prosus straightforward, direct, being in prose, from prorsus, from proversus, past participle of provertere to turn forward, from pro before + vertere to turn — more at for, worth
1.
a. : the ordinary language of men in speaking or writing : language intended primarily to give information, relate events, or communicate ideas or opinions
b. : a literary medium distinguished from poetry by its greater irregularity and variety of rhythm, its closer correspondence to the patterns of everyday speech, and its more detailed and factual definition of idea, object, or situation — compare verse
2. [Middle English, from Medieval Latin prosa, from Latin] : sequence 1
3. : a prosaic style, quality, character, or condition : ordinariness, matter-of-factness, plainness
< it was to escape from the prose of existence that they had left America — Van Wyck Brooks >
4.
a. : a piece of prose : a prose exercise or composition
< got his proses past … the heavy-lidded cold grey eye — Thomas Wood †1950 >
b. : a flat, tedious, unimaginative speech or piece of writing
< delivered a long prose, full of platitudes >
c. : a friendly conversation : chat
II. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Middle English prosen, from prose, n.
transitive verb
1. : to write, translate, or paraphrase in prose
2. : to lecture, write, or talk into a specified state
< prosed them to death >
intransitive verb
1. : to write prose
< prosing or versing — John Milton >
2. : to write or speak in a dull, prosy manner
< don't prose to me about duty and stuff — W.A.Butler †1902 >
III. adjective
Etymology: prose (I)
1. : of, relating to, or written in prose
< prose style >
< prose drama >
2. : matter-of-fact, prosaic
< dry, prose people of superior intelligence object to feeling what they are supposed to feel in the presence of marvels — Mary McCarthy > |