1101
pro bono publico
prize¹ /praɪz/ n [(for)] something, typically valuable or desirable, given to someone who is successful in a game, race, competition, game of chance etc, or given as a reward for some good action or work: Hundreds of prizes can be won in our newspaper competition. | First (=main) prize in the raffle is a holiday for two in Paris. | Lady Browne will present the prizes after the school sports. | I will now announce the prizewinning entry in the competition. | (fig.) To some men wealth is the greatest prize in life, and to others, fame. | (fig.) There are no prizes for guessing who told them. (=it is easy to guess)
prize² adj [A] 1 that has won a prize: prize cattle | a prize rose 2 given as a prize: prize money 3 infml, often humor complete; UTTER: She always makes a mess of things; she's a prize idiot!
prize³ v [T] to value highly: The boy's bicycle was his most prized possession. | This sort of hen is much prized for its high egg yield.
prize⁴ n 1 (especially in former times) (the goods contained in) an enemy ship taken possession of at sea 2 something caught and taken away: The fox raided the henhouse and ran off with its prize. (=a chicken)
prize⁵ also prise especially BrE || also pry especially AmE — v [T+obj+adv/prep] to move, lift, or force with a tool or metal bar: We prized the top off the box/prized the box open with a lever. prize sthg. ↔ out phr v [T(of)] to get (information) from someone with difficulty or by force: At last we managed to prize the secret out of him with the offer of a bribe.
'prize day n especially BrE (often cap.) (in a school) a yearly giving of prizes for good work done during the year
prize-fight /'praɪzfat/ n 1 (in former times) a public BOXING match for a money prize, in which the two men fought with bare hands 2 AmE a PROFESSIONAL BOXING match —er n —ing n [U]
'prize-,giving n BrE a ceremony at which people are given prizes, especially at a school: the annual school prize-giving | a glittering prize-giving ceremony
pro /prəʊ/ n pl. pros 1 infml for PROFESSIONAL: a pro footballer | That actor's a real pro, and always gives a good performance! 2 BrE old-fash infml for PROSTITUTE → see also PROS AND CONS
pro- → see WORD FORMATION TABLE
PRO /ˌpiː ɑːr ˈəʊ/ n 1 an abbreviation for public relations officer; someone whose job is to supply information about an organization, so that people have a good opinion of it 2 the PRO the Public Relations Office
pro-am /ˌprəʊ ˈæm/ n, adj [A] (a competition, especially in GOLF) in which those taking part include both PROFESSIONALS (people who play for money) and AMATEURS (those who just play for pleasure)
prob·a·bil·i·ty /ˌprɒbəˈbɪləti, prɒ:-/ n 1 [S;U(of)] the state of being probable or the degree to which something is probable; likelihood: There's very little probability of an agreement being reached. | [+(that)] There is a strong probability that the tumour is operable. | In all probability (=almost certainly) they will simply get a strong warning not to do it again. 2 [C] a probable event or result: A peace agreement is now a real probability. → opposite IMPROBABILITY 3 [C] (in MATHEMATICS) the chance of an event happening, expressed as a calculation based on known numbers: a probability of one in four
prob·a·ble¹ /'prɒbəbl||'prɑ:-/ adj that may be expected to happen; that has a good chance of being true or correct; likely: It's possible that they will win, but judging by their recent performances it doesn't seem very probable. | The probable outcome of the talks is a compromise. | [+(that)] It is highly probable that there will be an election this year: → opposite IMPROBABLE
Although it means the same as likely, probable cannot be used with to-v. You cannot use probable instead of likely in this type of sentence: It is likely to happen.
probable² n infml a person who is likely to be chosen for a team, to win a race etc
,probable 'cause n [U] law a reason to believe that someone has committed (COMMIT) a crime and should go to court for a TRIAL
prob·a·bly /'prɒbəbli||'prɑ:-/ adv almost (but not quite) certainly; according to what is likely: John probably told his father all about the matter; he usually tells him everything. | We're going on holiday soon, probably next month. | 'Will you be able to come tomorrow?' 'Probably not.'
pro·bate¹ /'prəʊbeɪt, -bət||-beɪt/ n law [U] the legal process of deciding that someone's WILL has been properly made and can be carried out
probate² v [T] AmE law to prove (a WILL) to be legal
pro·ba·tion /prəˈbeɪʃən||proʊ-/ n [U] 1 the process of testing, for a usually fixed length of time, the suitability of a person's character, abilities etc (e.g. for a job or for membership of a society): You'll be on probation for the first two months. 2 law the system of allowing certain law-breakers not to go to prison etc, if they behave well and report regularly to a PROBATION OFFICER for a fixed period of time: The young offender was put on probation for two years. —ary adj: a probationary period
pro·ba·tion·er /prəˈbeɪʃənər||proʊ-/ n 1 a person who is being tested for membership of a church or religious group 2 a young hospital nurse during the early part of training 3 a law-breaker who has been put on probation
pro'bation ,hostel n a place operated by local authorities in Britain, providing temporary housing and support for people who are on BAIL → compare BAIL HOSTEL
pro'bation ,officer n a person whose job is to watch, advise, and help law-breakers who are on probation
probe¹ /prəʊb/ n 1 a long thin metal instrument, usually with a rounded end, especially one used to search inside a wound, a hole in a tooth etc 2 also space probe — a spacecraft without humans on board, sent to examine conditions in outer space and send information back to Earth 3 [(into)] (especially in newspapers) a careful and thorough inquiry: a probe into police corruption
probe² v [(into);T] to search or examine (as if) with a probe: He probed the mud with a stick, looking for the ring he had dropped. | (fig.) a newspaper report probing (into) the activities of drug dealers | probing questions —probingly adv
pro·bi·ot·ic /ˌprəʊbaɪˈɒtɪk||ˌɑ:-/ n [C,U] a food or other substance that contains BACTERIA and is used in a positive way to improve health, or the use of this type of food to improve health: Probiotics have been reported to enhance digestion. | probiotic yoghurt
pro·bi·ty /'prəʊbɪti/ n [U] fml perfect honesty; the quality of being completely honourable and trustworthy
prob·lem /'prɒbləm||'prɑ:-/ n 1 a difficulty that needs attention and thought: The biggest problem we face is the shortage of trained staff. | The shortage of trained staff poses (=causes us to have) a serious problem. | The problem is that we need the director's approval, but the director is on holiday. | 'I've left my money at home.' 'That's no problem. I can lend you what you need.' | a policy that will solve the unemployment problem | a conference to discuss the pressing (=serious) problem of drought in East Africa 2 a question, especially connected with numbers, facts etc, for which an answer is needed: to solve a mathematical problem 3 [C usually sing.] infml a person who causes difficulty: a problem child 4 no problem AmE it was no trouble; it doesn't matter (said when someone thanks you or says they are sorry for something)
prob·lem·at·ic /ˌprɒbləˈmætɪk||ˌprɑ:-/ also prob·lem·at·i·cal /-kəl/ adj full of problems or causing problems: Putting this policy into effect could be very problematic. —ically /kli/ adv
'problem page n [C] a page in a magazine where letters about personal problems are printed, and answers are suggested
'problem ,solving n [U] the activity of finding answers to difficulties: It's really a job for someone with good problem-solving abilities.
pro bo·no pub·li·co /prəʊ ˌbənəʊ ˌpʌblɪkəʊ||ˌbɔnəʊ ˈpuː-/ also pro bono adj Lat for the public good; of or about work that is done for the help of the public and not for