priv|et /pr I v I t/ N‑UNCOUNT Privet is a type of bush with small leaves that stay green all year round. It is often grown in gardens to form hedges. □ The garden was enclosed by a privet hedge.
privi|lege /pr I v I l I dʒ/ (privileges , privileging , privileged )
1 N‑COUNT A privilege is a special right or advantage that only one person or group has. □ The Russian Federation has issued a decree abolishing special privileges for government officials.
2 N‑UNCOUNT If you talk about privilege , you are talking about the power and advantage that only a small group of people have, usually because of their wealth or their high social class. □ Pironi was the son of privilege and wealth, and it showed.
3 N‑SING You can use privilege in expressions such as be a privilege or have the privilege when you want to show your appreciation of someone or something or to show your respect. □ It must be a privilege to know such a man.
4 VERB To privilege someone or something means to treat them better or differently than other people or things rather than treat them all equally. □ [V n] They are privileging a tiny number to the disadvantage of the rest.
privi|leged /pr I v I l I dʒd/
1 ADJ Someone who is privileged has an advantage or opportunity that most other people do not have, often because of their wealth or high social class. □ They were, by and large, a very wealthy, privileged elite. □ I felt very privileged to work at the university. ● N‑PLURAL The privileged are people who are privileged. □ They are only interested in preserving the power of the privileged.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Privileged information is known by only a small group of people, who are not legally required to give it to anyone else. □ The data is privileged information, not to be shared with the general public.
privy /pr I vi/ ADJ If you are privy to something secret, you have been allowed to know about it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Only three people, including a police officer, will be privy to the facts.
Pri vy Cou n|cil N‑PROPER In Britain, the Privy Council is a group of people who are appointed to advise the king or queen on political affairs.
prize ◆◆◇ /pra I z/ (prizes , prizing , prized ) The spelling prise is also used in British English for meanings 5 and 6 . 1 N‑COUNT A prize is money or something valuable that is given to someone who has the best results in a competition or game, or as a reward for doing good work. □ You must claim your prize by phoning our claims line. □ He won first prize at the Leeds Piano Competition. □ They were going all out for the prize-money, £6,500 for the winning team.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] You use prize to describe things that are of such good quality that they win prizes or deserve to win prizes. □ …a prize bull. □ …prize blooms.
3 N‑COUNT You can refer to someone or something as a prize when people consider them to be of great value or importance. □ With no lands of his own, he was no great matrimonial prize.
4 VERB [usu passive] Something that is prized is wanted and admired because it is considered to be very valuable or very good quality. □ [be V -ed] Military figures, made out of lead are prized by collectors. □ [V -ed] His Fender Stratocaster remains one of his most prized possessions.
5 VERB If you prize something open or prize it away from a surface, you force it to open or force it to come away from the surface. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n with adj] He tried to prize the dog's mouth open. □ [V n with adv] I prised off the metal rim surrounding one of the dials. □ [V n + out of/from ] He held on tight but she prised it from his fingers. in AM, usually use pry 6 VERB If you prize something such as information out of someone, you persuade them to tell you although they may be very unwilling to. [mainly BRIT ] □ [V n + out of ] Alison and I had to prize conversation out of him. [Also V n with out ] in AM, usually use pry
pri ze fight (prize fights ) also prizefight N‑COUNT A prize fight is a boxing match where the boxers are paid to fight, especially one that is not official.
pri ze fight|er (prize fighters ) also prizefighter N‑COUNT A prize fighter is a boxer who fights to win money.
pri ze-giving (prize-givings ) also prizegiving N‑COUNT A prize-giving is a ceremony where prizes are awarded to people who have produced a very high standard of work. [BRIT ] □ Neil had been at a prizegiving ceremony at a school in Birmingham. □ …a prize-giving for cattle-breeding.
pro /proʊ / (pros )
1 N‑COUNT A pro is a professional. [INFORMAL ] □ I have enjoyed playing with some of the top pros from Europe and America.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] A pro player is a professional sportsman or woman. You can also use pro to refer to sports that are played by professional sportsmen or women. [AM ] □ …a former college and pro basketball player.
3 PREP If you are pro a particular course of action or belief, you agree with it or support it. [mainly BRIT ] □ I'm one of the few that's very pro performance-related pay.
4 PHRASE The pros and cons of something are its advantages and disadvantages, which you consider carefully so that you can make a sensible decision. □ Motherhood has both its pros and cons.
PREFIX pro-
forms adjectives that refer to people who strongly support a particular person or thing. For example, if you are pro-democracy , you support democracy.
pro|ac|tive /proʊæ kt I v/ ADJ Proactive actions are intended to cause changes, rather than just reacting to change. □ In order to survive the competition a company should be proactive not reactive.