Prompt PROMPT, a. [L. promptus, from promo.] 1. Ready and quick
to act as occasion demands. Very discerning and prompt in giving
orders. 2. Of a ready disposition; acting with cheerful alacrity; as
prompt in obedience or compliance. Tell him I'm prompt to lay my
crown at's feet. 3. Quick; ready; not dilatory; applied to things; as,
he manifested a prompt obedience; he yielded prompt assistance. When
Washington heard the voice of his country in distress, his obedience was
prompt. 4. Quick; hasty; indicating boldness or forwardness. And
you perhaps too prompt in your replies. 5. Ready; present; told down;
as prompt payment. 6. Easy; unobstructed. PROMPT, v.t. To
incite; to move or excite to action or exertion; to instigate. Insults
prompt anger or revenge; love prompts desire; benevolence prompts men to
devote their time and services to spread the gospel. Ambition prompted
Alexander to wish for more worlds to conquer. 1. To assist a speaker
when at a loss, by pronouncing the words forgotten or next in order, as to
prompt an actor; or to assist a learner, by suggesting something forgotten
or not understood. 2. To dictate; to suggest to the mind. And
whisp'ring angels prompt her golden dreams. 3. To remind. [Not used.]
prompt
adj 1: according to schedule or without delay; on time; "the
train is prompt"
2: ready and willing or quick to act; "she is always prompt to
help her friends";
3: performed with little or no delay; "an immediate reply to my
letter"; "a prompt reply"; "was quick to respond"; "a
straightaway denial" [syn: immediate, prompt, quick,
straightaway]
n 1: a cue given to a performer (usually the beginning of the
next line to be spoken); "the audience could hear his
prompting" [syn: prompt, prompting]
2: (computer science) a symbol that appears on the computer
screen to indicate that the computer is ready to receive a
command [syn: prompt, command prompt]
v 1: give an incentive for action; "This moved me to sacrifice
my career" [syn: motivate, actuate, propel, move,
prompt, incite]
2: serve as the inciting cause of; "She prompted me to call my
relatives" [syn: prompt, inspire, instigate]
3: assist (somebody acting or reciting) by suggesting the next
words of something forgotten or imperfectly learned [syn:
prompt, remind, cue]
prompt I. transitive verbEtymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin promptare,
from Latin promptus prompt Date: 14th century 1.
to move to action ;incite2. to assist (one acting or
reciting) by suggesting or saying the next words of something forgotten
or imperfectly learned ;cue3. to serve as the inciting
cause of <evidence prompting an investigation> •
prompternounII. adjectiveDate: 1784
of or relating to prompting actors III. adjectiveEtymology: Middle English, from Latin promptus ready, prompt,
from past participle of promere to bring forth, from pro-
forth + emere to take — more at redeemDate: 15th century
1. being ready and quick to act as occasion demands 2.
performed readily or immediately <prompt assistance>
Synonyms:seequick • promptlyadverb
• promptnessnounIV. noun (pluralprompts)
Date: circa 1531 1. [prompt (I)] something that prompts
; reminder 2. [prompt (III)] a limit of time given
for payment of an account for goods purchased; also the contract
by which this time is fixed
prompt adj., adv., v., & n. --adj. 1 a acting with alacrity; ready. b made, done, etc. readily or at once (a prompt reply). 2 a (of a payment) made forthwith. b (of goods) for immediate
delivery and payment. --adv. punctually (at six o'clock prompt). --v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by to, or to + infin.) incite; urge (prompted them to action). 2 a (also absol.) supply a forgotten
word, sentence, etc., to (an actor, reciter, etc.). b assist (a hesitating speaker) with a suggestion. 3 give rise to; inspire (a feeling, thought, action, etc.). --n. 1 a an act of
prompting. b a thing said to help the memory of an actor etc. c = PROMPTER 2. d Computing an indication or sign on a VDU screen to show that the system is waiting for input. 2 the time limit for
the payment of an account, stated on a prompt note. Phrases and idioms: prompt-book a copy of a play for a prompter's use. prompt-box a box in front of the footlights beneath the stage
where the prompter sits. prompt-note a note sent to a customer as a reminder of payment due. prompt side the side of the stage where the prompter sits, usu. to the actor's
left. Derivatives: prompting n. promptitude n. promptly adv. promptness n. Etymology: ME f. OF prompt or L promptus past part. of promere prompt- produce (as PRO-(1), emere
take)
prompt
̈ɪprɔmpt adj., adv., v., & n. --adj. 1 a acting with
alacrity; ready. b made, done, etc. readily or at once (a prompt reply). 2
a (of a payment) made forthwith. b (of goods) for immediate delivery and
payment. --adv. punctually (at six o'clock prompt). --v.tr. 1 (usu. foll. by
to, or to + infin.) incite; urge (prompted them to action). 2 a (also
absol.) supply a forgotten word, sentence, etc., to (an actor, reciter,
etc.). b assist (a hesitating speaker) with a suggestion. 3 give rise to;
inspire (a feeling, thought, action, etc.). --n. 1 a an act of prompting. b
a thing said to help the memory of an actor etc. c = PROMPTER 2. d Computing
an indication or sign on a VDU screen to show that the system is waiting for
input. 2 the time limit for the payment of an account, stated on a prompt
note. øprompt-book a copy of a play for a prompter's use. prompt-box a box in
front of the footlights beneath the stage where the prompter sits. prompt-note
a note sent to a customer as a reminder of payment due. prompt side the side
of the stage where the prompter sits, usu. to the actor's left. øøprompting
n. promptitude n. promptly adv. promptness n. [ME f. OF prompt or L promptus
past part. of promere prompt- produce (as PRO-(1), emere take)]
Prompt \Prompt\, n. (Com.)
A limit of time given for payment of an account for produce
purchased, this limit varying with different goods. See
Prompt-note.
To cover any probable difference of price which might
arise before the expiration of the prompt, which for
this article [tea] is three months. --J. S. Mill.
Prompt \Prompt\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prompted; p. pr. & vb. n.
Prompting.]
1. To assist or induce the action of; to move to action; to
instigate; to incite.
God first . . . prompted on the infirmities of the
infant world by temporal prosperity. --Jer. Taylor.
2. To suggest; to dictate.
And whispering angles prompt her golden dreams.
--Pope.
3. To remind, as an actor or an orator, of words or topics
forgotten.
prompt
I. a.1. Ready, quick, apt, alert, active.
2. Ready, willing.
3. Quick, ready.
4. Hasty, forward, quick.
5. Inclined, disposed, apt, propense.
6. Early, timely, punctual.
II. v. a.1. Incite, induce, stimulate, impel, incline, dispose, urge, set on, draw on, instigate.
2. Put in mind, give the cue to, assist (a speaker), remind.
3. Dictate, suggest, hint.
prompt
̈ɪprɔmpt adj.
1 quick, ready, immediate, instantaneous, unhesitating, rapid, fast, swift, speedy,
punctual, timely, on time, instant, summary, brisk, alacritous: No matter what the question,
Gemma gave a prompt response.
2 alert, eager, ready, quick, expeditious, ready and willing, disposed, predisposed,
unhesitating, keen, avid: Slow to praise, Alan was always prompt to criticize. --v.
3 urge, egg (on), prod, nudge, spur, exhort, incite, induce, impel, provoke, rouse,
arouse, encourage, work or stir or fire up, move, motivate, cause, influence, put (someone)
up to (something), coax, persuade, cajole, prevail upon or on, talk (someone) into (something):
If he hadn't prompted her, she never would have apologized.
4 cue, remind, feed lines (to), help: She never could remember her lines and needed to
be prompted.
5 bring about, inspire, occasion, give rise to, elicit, evoke, provoke, call forth,
stimulate, awaken: The mention of hostages prompted a question about what was being done to
gain their release. --n.
6 reminder, cue, hint, stimulus: He always needs a prompt to remind him to send his
mother flowers on her birthday.
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