protection, n. defense, shield, shelter, tutelage, refuge, bulwark, coverture, safeguard.

protector, n. defender, guardian, patron.

proud, a. arrogant, vain, haughty, overbearing, supercilious, cavalier, overweening, disdainful, imperious, lordly, magisterial, contumelious. Antonyms: meek, humble.

proud flesh. granulation, fungus.

provable, a. demonstrable.

prove, v. verify, corroborate, substantiate, demonstrate. Antonyms: disprove, refute.

proverb, n. aphorism, maxim, saw, adage. See saying.

provide, v. supply, furnish; stipulate, covenant, agree; cater, purvey.

provider, n. furnisher, caterer, purveyor, provisor.

provoke, v. incite, stimulate, instigate, rouse; exasperate, displease, aggravate, offend.

prowess, n. bravery, intrepidity, valor.

prudence, n. discretion, caution.

prudent, a. discreet, cautious, circ.u.mspect, provident. Antonyms: imprudent, incautious.

pry, n. lever; leverage.--v. prize; gaze, inspect.

p.u.b.erty, n. a.s.sociated Words: p.u.b.eral, p.u.b.escence, p.u.b.escent, hebetic, imp.u.b.eral.

publish, v. promulgate, proclaim, circulate, blazon, announce.

Antonyms: suppress, withhold.

publisher's inscription. colophon, impress, imprint.

pucker, v. crease, corrugate, c.o.c.kle, purse, wrinkle.

pucker, n. crease, corrugation, c.o.c.kle, wrinkle; (Colloq.) confusion, bother, perplexity.

puckery, a. astringent.

puddle, n. pool, plashet, plash.

puerile, a. childish, silly, trifling.

puke, v. vomit.

pull, v. draw, tug, haul, tow, drag; pluck, jerk, twitch.

pulverize, v. triturate, comminute, levigate, bray.

pump, v. interrogate, question, quiz.

pun, n. paragram.

punch, v. push, poke; pierce, bore, perforate, puncture.

puncture, v. p.r.i.c.k, perforate, pierce.

pungent, a. p.r.i.c.king, stinging; poignant, sharp, excruciating, severe.

punish, v. chastise, castigate, chasten, discipline.

punishment, n. chastis.e.m.e.nt, castigation, scourging, discipline, penalty, visitation, retaliation, retribution, infliction. Antonyms: immunity, impunity, acquittal, exoneration. a.s.sociated Words: penal, penology, punitive, penologist, penological, reprieve, commute, commutation, Nemesis, connivance.

punning, n. paronomasia.

puny, a. undeveloped, small, undersized, diminutive, stunted, atrophied, feeble.

pup, n. puppy, whelp.

pupil, n. scholar; learner, disciple, catechumen, neophyte, tyro, novice, probationer.

pupilage, n. nonage, minority.

puppy, n. pup, whelp; c.o.xcomb, dandy, fop.

purchasable, a. venal.

purchase, v. buy.

pure, a. chaste, virtuous, innocent, undefiled, unpolluted, inviolated, unspotted, immaculate, virgin, incorrupt, impeccable, inviolable; unadulterated, unalloyed, unsophisticated, simple, refined, genuine, uncontaminated. Antonyms: See impure.

purge, n. physic, purgative, cathartic.

purification, n. depuration, expurgation, defecation, refinement, cleansing.

purificator, n. mundatory.

purify, v. cleanse, refine, expurgate, sublime, clarify.

purity, n. chast.i.ty. Antonyms: See impurity.

purport, n. meaning, signification, import.--v. mean, intend, signify, import.

purpose, n. aim, object, design, intent, goal, view, drift.

purpose, v. intend, design, contemplate.

purveyor, n. caterer, provider; procurer, pimp, bawd, pander.