prolation
(prəʊˈleɪʃən)
[ad. L. prōlātiōn-em, n. of action f. prōlāt-, ppl. stem of prōferre: see prolate a.]
† 1. The bringing forth of words; utterance. Obs.
| 1390 Gower Conf. I. 256 Thurghout the Trompe into his Ere Fro hevene as thogh a vois it were, To soune of such prolacioun. 1483 Caxton Gold. Leg. (1892) 65 At the prolacion and repeticion of this cantycle, that tribulacion ceassed. 1608 Willet Hexapla Exod. 317 One [accent] seruing for the accenting and prolation of the word. 1636 B. Jonson Eng. Gram. i. iv. Wks. (1692) 676, S..softly hisseth against the teeth in the prolation. 1660 J. Lloyd Prim. Episc. 66 The prolation of the words of benediction. a 1734 North Lives (1890) III. 74 The greatest elegance of the finest voices is the prolation of a clear plain sound. |
2. In mediæval music, A term used to indicate the relative duration or time-value of the minim to the semibreve in the rhythm of a piece; see quot. 1597, and cf. mood n.2 3 a, time.
| 1390 Gower Conf. III. 90 Which [gamut] techeth the prolacion Of note and the condicion. a 1529 Skelton Treat. betw. Trouth & Inform. (R.), His alterations and prolacions must be pricked treuly. 1597 Morley Introd. Mus. 12 What is Prolation?.. It is the measuring of Semi⁓briefes by Minoms, and is either more or lesse. The more prolation is, when the Semibrief contayneth three Minoms, his Signes be these ☉ {oldsemibr1}. The lesse prolation is when the Semibriefe contayneth but two Minoms: The Signe..is the absence of the pricke thus ○ {oldsemibr2}. 1782 Burney Hist. Mus. (1789) II. v. 540 The time of the musical characters from the want of bars and the use of ligatures and prolation is some⁓times difficult to ascertain. 1882 W. S. Rockstro in Grove Dict. Mus. III. 459 The Thesis and Arsis of the Lesser Prolation, they say, represent the beats of the human pulse. Ibid., The Greater Prolation—or, as we should now call it, Triple Time... The Lesser Prolation—the Common Time of the modern system. |
† b. Used vaguely: Measure, strain, melody.
| c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. ii. pr. i. 30 Musice a damoisel of oure house þat syngeþ now lyȝter moedes or prolaciouns now heuyer. 1549 Compl. Scot. vi. 37 Singand melodius reportis of natural music in accordis of mesure of diapason prolations, tripla ande dyatesseron. |
† 3. Bringing forth, production. Obs. rare.
| 1548–77 Vicary Anat. v. (1888) 43 That it might helpe the prolation of vomites. 1610 W. Folkingham Art of Survey i. iii. 6 Prolation and seedage of roots and herbs. |
† 4. Theol. The ‘emission’, origination, or procession of the Logos or divine ‘Word’. Obs.
| 1692 tr. Dupin's Eccl. Writers I. 200/2 They [first ages] take the word Generation in another sence than we do, giving this Name to a certain Prolation, or Emission of the Word, which they imagine was done, when God resolved to create the World. 1701 tr. Le Clerc's Prim. Fathers (1702) 97 One might have demanded of Tertullian, whether by this Prolation he speaks of, the Reason has existed as Light from a Torch, lighted by another Torch, exists as soon as it is lighted? 1721 Earl of Nottingham Answ. to Whiston 42 We have learned, that he [Christ] proceeded out of God, and by that Prolation was begotten, and therefore was said to be the Son of God. |
† 5. Advancement, progress, growth. Obs. rare—1.
| 1610 Healey St. Aug. Citie of God xix. v. (1620) 19 How should our Celestiall City haue euer come to originall, to prolation or to perfection, but that the Saints liue all in sociable vnion? |
† 6. A deferring, putting off, delay. (Latinism.)
| 1656 Blount Glossogr., Prolation (prolatio),..a delaying. 1736 Ainsworth, Prolation, or prolonging, Prolatio. 1755 in Johnson. |