3 N‑COUNT A prophylactic is a condom. [FORMAL ]
pro|pi|ti|ate /prəp I ʃie I t/ (propitiates , propitiating , propitiated ) VERB If you propitiate someone, you stop them being angry or impatient by doing something to please them. [FORMAL ] □ [V n] I've never gone out of my way to propitiate people. □ [V n] These ancient ceremonies propitiate the spirits of the waters.
pro|pi|tious /prəp I ʃəs/ ADJ If something is propitious , it is likely to lead to success. [FORMAL ] □ They should wait for the most propitious moment between now and the next election. □ The omens for the game are still not propitious.
pro|po|nent /prəpoʊ nənt/ (proponents ) N‑COUNT [with poss] If you are a proponent of a particular idea or course of action, you actively support it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] Halsey was identified as a leading proponent of the values of progressive education.
pro|por|tion ◆◇◇ /prəpɔː r ʃ ə n/ (proportions )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A proportion of a group or an amount is a part of it. [FORMAL ] □ [+ of ] A large proportion of the dolphins in that area will eventually die. □ [+ of ] A proportion of the rent is met by the city council.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] The proportion of one kind of person or thing in a group is the number of people or things of that kind compared to the total number of people or things in the group. □ [+ of ] The proportion of women in the profession had risen to 17.3%.
3 N‑COUNT The proportion of one amount to another is the relationship between the two amounts in terms of how much there is of each thing. □ [+ to ] Women's bodies tend to have a higher proportion of fat to water.
4 N‑PLURAL If you refer to the proportions of something, you are referring to its size, usually when this is extremely large. [WRITTEN ] □ In the tropics plants grow to huge proportions.
5 PHRASE If one thing increases or decreases in proportion to another thing, it increases or decreases to the same degree as that thing. □ The pressure in the cylinders would go up in proportion to the boiler pressure.
6 PHRASE If something is small or large in proportion to something else, it is small or large when compared with that thing. □ Children have relatively larger heads than adults in proportion to the rest of their body.
7 PHRASE If you say that something is out of all proportion to something else, you think that it is far greater or more serious than it should be. □ The punishment was out of all proportion to the crime.
8 PHRASE If you get something out of proportion , you think it is more important or worrying than it really is. If you keep something in proportion , you have a realistic view of how important it is. □ Everything just got blown out of proportion. □ We've got to keep this in proportion. SYNONYMS proportion NOUN 1
part: Mum and Rob were able to walk part of the way together.
share: Sara also pays a share of the gas, electricity and phone bills.
segment: …the third segment of his journey.
pro|por|tion|al /prəpɔː r ʃən ə l/ ADJ If one amount is proportional to another, the two amounts increase and decrease at the same rate so there is always the same relationship between them. [FORMAL ] □ [+ to ] Loss of weight is directly proportional to the rate at which the disease is progressing. ● pro|por|tion|al|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ You have proportionally more fat on your thighs and hips than anywhere else on your body.
pro|por|tion|al|ity /prəpɔː r ʃənæ l I ti/ N‑UNCOUNT The principle of proportionality is the idea that an action should not be more severe than is necessary, especially in a war or when punishing someone for a crime. [FORMAL ] □ Nuclear weapons seem to violate the just war principle of proportionality. □ He said there was a need for proportionality in sentencing.
pro|po r|tion|al rep|re|sen|ta |tion N‑UNCOUNT Proportional representation is a system of voting in which each political party is represented in a parliament or legislature in proportion to the number of people who vote for it in an election.
pro|por|tion|ate /prəpɔː r ʃənət/ ADJ Proportionate means the same as proportional . □ [+ to ] Republics will have voting rights proportionate to the size of their economies. ● pro|por|tion|ate|ly ADV [ADV with v] □ Direct cost tends to vary proportionately with the level of output.
-proportioned /-prəpɔː r ʃ ə nd/ COMB -proportioned is added to adverbs to form adjectives that indicate that the size and shape of the different parts of something or someone are pleasing or useful. □ The flat has high ceilings and well-proportioned rooms.
pro|po|sal ◆◆◇ /prəpoʊ z ə l/ (proposals )
1 N‑COUNT [N to-inf] A proposal is a plan or an idea, often a formal or written one, which is suggested for people to think about and decide upon. □ [+ for ] The President is to put forward new proposals for resolving the country's constitutional crisis. □ The Security Council has rejected the latest peace proposal.
2 N‑COUNT A proposal is the act of asking someone to marry you. □ [+ of ] After a three-weekend courtship, Pamela accepted Randolph's proposal of marriage. COLLOCATIONS proposal NOUN 1
verb + proposal : accept, approve, reject; put forward, submit; consider
adjective + proposal : controversial; concrete, detailed; formal
noun + proposal : draft; reform SYNONYMS proposal NOUN 1