prorogue, v.
(prəʊˈrəʊg)
Forms: 5–7 proroge, (5 -rouge, 6 -rog), 6– prorogue.
[Late ME. proroge, a. F. proroge-r, obs. F. prorogue-r (both 14th c. in Godef. Compl.), ad. L. prōrogāre to prolong, extend, esp. a term of office; to defer; lit. to ask publicly, f. prō, pro-1 + rogāre to ask.
The etymological sense, according to Scheller, was perh. ‘to ask the people whether the term of an office or the like may be prolonged to a person’, as if to ask him on. But of this no example is extant in Latin.]
† 1. trans. To prolong, lengthen, extend (in time or duration); to cause to last longer; to continue, protract. Obs. (exc. as a Latinism).
| 1425 Rolls of Parlt. IV. 289 The which Graunte was lengthed and proroged att the last Parlement..for other two yeer. c 1510 More Picus Wks. 9/2 If he might haue had y⊇ space of his life proroged. 1579 Fenton Guicciard. (1618) 91 The truce was eftsoones proroged for a few dayes. 1579–80 North Plutarch (1676) 599 And besides [they] did prorogue the time of his Government five years further. 1665 Manley Grotius' Low C. Warres 896 The States prorogued the space for deliberation..from that present time, until the first of September. a 1716 South Serm. (1744) XI. 263 As long as the Spirit prorogues his workings after an obstinate resistance of them. 1878 R. B. Smith Carthage 337 The command of Scipio was prorogued, not, as on previous occasions, for a fixed period, but till such time as the war should be brought to a conclusion. |
† 2. trans. To put off for a time, defer, postpone.
| 1453 Rolls of Parlt. V. 233/1 To forbere and proroge, and to putte in suspence, th' execution of leviyng of the fyndyng of the seid..men Archers. 1494 Hen. VII Let. in Epist. Acad. Oxon. (O.H.S.) II. 618 Prorouge your said election unto the tyme ye shall have furthre knowlege from us. 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. iv. i. 48, I heare thou must and nothing may prorogue it, On Thursday next be married to this Countie. 1632 Pory in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. ii. III. 278 The Kinges journey into Scotland must be prorogued untill another yeare. a 1716 South Serm. (1744) VII. vi. 126 To stop a sinner in his return to God, by persuading his corrupt heart, that he may prorogue that return with safety. |
† b. absol. or intr. To delay, procrastinate.
Obs.| 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 11 b, Why doost thou proroge till thy wretched life be at his wayes end? |
3. To discontinue the meetings of (a legislative or other assembly) for a time, definite or indefinite, without dissolving it; to dismiss by authority until the next session. Originally and chiefly in reference to the British Parliament.
Originally a particular application of sense 2; the meaning being to ‘put off, postpone’ the assembly or sittings of a parliament which had been summoned or was in session:
cf. quot. 1878 in
prorogation 2.
| 1455 Rolls of Parlt. V. 286/1 This present Parliament to proroge, adjorne, or dissolve. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 344 In this .xlii. yere, the kyng helde one parlyament at Westmynster, & another or ellys prorogyd y⊇ same to Wynchestre. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 41 Vpon this poynct..the parliament was proroged to Westminster. 1586 Burghley in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. III. 13 We had gret reason to prorog our session which is rone till the 25{supt}{suph}. c 1615 Bacon Adv. Sir G. Villiers ii. §28 By the king's authority alone, and by his writs are they [the two houses of peers and commons] assembled, and by him alone are they prorogued and dissolved; but each house may adjourn itself. 1769 Robertson Chas. V, vii. Wks. 1813 III. 23 The Pope..recalled them and prorogued the Council. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 77 Parliament is called together by the King, who may prorogue or dissolve it at pleasure. |
b. intr. in pass. sense: To be prorogued; to discontinue meeting until the next session.
| 1642 View Print. Book int. Observat. 8 He may command them to prorogue, or adjourn for time or place. 1680 Roxb. Ball. (1883) IV. 646, I mind not the Members, and makers of Laws, Let 'em Sit or Prorogue as his Majesty please. 1896 Ld. Londonderry in Westm. Gaz. 7 Sept. 2/2 No opportunity was afforded..of discussing the question before Parliament prorogued. |
Hence
proˈrogued ppl. a.,
proˈroguing vbl. n.;
† proˈroguement [
cf. AF. proroiguement (1376 in
Godef.)]
= prorogation;
proˈroguer, one who prorogues (in
quot., one who puts off or defers).
| 1552 Huloet, *Proroged, prorogatus. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. iii. §1 The King..went privately..as if it had been to a return of a prorogued or adjourn'd Parliament. |
| 1660 R. Coke Power & Subj. 257 The day for the convention of the Parliament after their *Proroguement. |
| 1597 J. Payne Royal Exch. 5 These *prorogers of wel doinge having wherwith, are here iustly reproved. |
| 1581 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 417 A proclamacion for the *prorogyne of the Parliament. 1642 tr. Perkins' Prof. Bk. xi. 360 That the cause of the proroging of his induction bee in his owne default. 1680 Sir C. Lyttelton in Hatton Corr. (Camden) 239 The proroguinge y⊇ parliment for 10 days. 1937 G. Frankau More of Us vi. 69 And, as he donned those shoes Shoemaker Lobb webs From toe to heel with best bespoken broguing, This house of lords seemed ripe for his proroguing. |