Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Provost
Prov′ost
,Noun.
[OF.
provost
(L. prae
and pro
being confused), F. prevôt
, fr. L. praepositus
placed before, a chief, fr. praeponere
to place before: cf. AS. prāfost
, prōfast
. See Preposition
, and cf. Propound
.] 1.
A person who is appointed to superintend, or preside over, something; the chief magistrate in some cities and towns;
as, the
provost
of Edinburgh or of Glasgow, answering to the mayor of other cities; the provost
of a college, answering to president; the provost
or head of certain collegiate churches.2.
The keeper of a prison.
[Obs.]
Shak.
☞ In France, formerly, a provost was an inferior judge who had cognizance of civil causes. The grand provost of France, or of the household, had jurisdiction in the king’s house, and over its officers.
Provost marshal
(often pronounced [GREEK])
. (a)
(Mil.)
An officer appointed in every army, in the field, to secure the prisoners confined on charges of a general nature. He also performs such other duties pertaining to police and discipline as the regulations of the service or the commander's orders impose upon him.
(b)
(Nav.)
An officer who has charge of prisoners on trial by court-martial, serves notices to witnesses, etc.
Webster 1828 Edition
Provost
PRO'VOST
,Noun.
The grand provost of France, or of the household, had jurisdiction in the king's house and over its officer.
The provost marshal of an army, is an officer appointed to arrest and secure deserters and other criminals, to hinder the soldiers from pillaging, to indict offenders and see sentence passed on them and executed. He also regulates weights and measures. He has under him a lieutenant and a clerk, an executioner, &c.
The provost marshal in the navy, has charge of prisoner, &c.
The provost of the mint, is a particular judge appointed to apprehend and prosecute false coiners.
Provost of the king's stables, is an officer who attends at court and holds the king's stirrup when he mounts his horse.
Definition 2024
Provost
provost
provost
See also: Provost
English
Noun
provost (plural provosts)
- One placed in charge: a head, a chief, particularly:
- (religion, historical) A dean: the head of a cathedral chapter.
- (religion) The head of various other ecclesiastical bodies, even (rare, obsolete) muezzins.
- (religion) The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia.
- (Britain, higher education) The head of various colleges and universities.
- (obsolete) A ruler.
- A mayor: the chief magistrate of a town, particularly (Scotland) the head of a burgh or (historical) the former chiefs of various towns in France, Flanders, or (by extension) other Continental European countries.
- A senior deputy, a superintendent, particularly:
- (religion, historical) A prior: an abbot's second-in-command.
- (US, higher education) A senior deputy administrator; a vice-president of academic affairs.
- (historical) A steward or seneschal: a medieval agent given management of a feudal estate or charged with collecting fees; (obsolete, sometimes as ~ of Paradise or ~ of Heaven) a title of the archangel Michael.
- (historical) Any manager or overseer in a medieval or early modern context.
- (obsolete) A viceroy.
- (obsolete) A governor.
- (obsolete) A reeve.
- (obsolete) Various Roman offices, as prefect and praetor.
- (historical) A constable: a medieval or early modern official charged with arresting, holding, and punishing criminals.
- 1604, William Shakespeare, Measure, for Measure, Act I, Scene ii, Line 113:
- Here comes Signor Claudio, led by the provost
to prison;
- Here comes Signor Claudio, led by the provost
- 1604, William Shakespeare, Measure, for Measure, Act I, Scene ii, Line 113:
- (military) An officer of the military police, particularly provost marshal or provost sergeant.
- (fencing, historical) An assistant fencing master.
- (Britain, military slang, obsolete) A provost cell: a military cell or prison.
Synonyms
- (head of cathedral chapter): See dean
- (head of a university or college): president, dean
- (head of a realm or state): See Wikisaurus:ruler
- (head of a town): See mayor
- (head of various specific bodies): prepositus
- (deputy overseeing medieval estates or fees): See steward
- (deputy to a king or emperor): See viceroy
- (deputy overseeing a province): See governor
- (reeve): See reeve
- (Roman officials): See prefect and praetor
- (deputy overseeing medieval law enforcement; military police): See Wikisaurus:police officer
Derived terms
- Lord Provost
- provost cell
- Provost Marshall, provost marshal
- provost-place
- provost seal
- provost sergeant
- sit provost-place
Translations
equivalent of mayor in some Scottish cities
|
|
senior academic administrator
|
highest position in a monastery below an abbot
military prison keeper
Verb
provost (third-person singular simple present provosts, present participle provosting, simple past and past participle provosted)
- (Britain, transitive, used in passive, obsolete, military slang) To be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.
- Around the time of the Rebellions of 1837 and the First Anglo-Afghan War, British servicemen spoke of being provosted.
References
- Oxford English Dictionary, 3rd ed. "provost, n." and "† provost, v." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2007.