First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1prostrate
adjective pros·trate \ˈprä-ˌstrāt\
: lying with the front of your body turned toward the ground
: so tired, upset, etc., that you are unable to do anything
Full Definition of PROSTRATE
1
: stretched out with face on the ground in adoration or submission; also : lying flat
2
: completely overcome and lacking vitality, will, or power to rise <was prostrate from the heat>
3
: trailing on the ground : procumbent <prostrate shrubs>
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Origin of PROSTRATE
Middle English prostrat, from Anglo-French, from Latin prostratus, past participle of prosternere, from pro- before + sternere to spread out, throw down — more at strew
Related to PROSTRATE
- Synonyms
- all in, aweary [archaic], beat, beaten, bleary, burned-out (or burnt-out), bushed, dead, done, done in, drained, exhausted, fatigued, jaded, knackered [British], limp, logy (also loggy), played out, pooped [slang], weary, spent, tapped out, tired, tuckered (out), washed-out, wearied, wiped out, worn, worn-out
- Antonyms
- unwearied
Synonym Discussion of PROSTRATE
prone, supine, prostrate, recumbent mean lying down. prone implies a position with the front of the body turned toward the supporting surface <push-ups require a prone position>. supine implies lying on one's back and suggests inertness or abjectness <lying supine on the couch>. prostrate implies lying full-length as in submission, defeat, or physical collapse <a runner fell prostrate at the finish line>. recumbent implies the posture of one sleeping or resting <a patient comfortably recumbent in a hospital bed>.
Rhymes with PROSTRATE
abate, ablate, adnate, aerate, age-mate, agnate, airdate, airfreight, alate, arête, await, backdate, baldpate, bandmate, baseplate, bedmate, bedplate, berate, birthrate, bistate, bite plate, blank slate, blind date, blue plate, bookplate, breastplate, casemate, castrate, caudate, cell plate, cerate, cheapskate, checkmate, chelate, chordate, citrate, classmate, clavate, cognate, collate, comate, conflate, connate, Cook Strait, cordate, create, cremate, crenate, curate, cut-rate, deadweight, death rate, debate, deflate, delate, dentate, derate, dictate, dilate, disrate, donate, doorplate, downstate, drawplate, elate, end plate, equate, estate, faceplate, falcate, fellate, filtrate, first-rate, fishplate, fixate, flatmate, floodgate, fluxgate, flyweight, folate, formate, frustrate, gelate, gestate, ground state, gyrate, hamate, hastate, headgate, Hell Gate, helpmate, home plate, hot plate, housemate, hydrate, ice-skate, inflate, ingrate, inmate, innate, instate, irate, jailbait, Kuwait, lactate, lapse rate, legate, liftgate, ligate, lightweight, liquate, lobate, locate, lunate, lustrate, lych-gate, lyrate, magnate, makebate, makeweight, mandate, messmate, migrate, misstate, mutate, nameplate, narrate, negate, Newgate, nitrate, notate, nutate, oblate, of late, orate, ornate, ovate, palmate, palpate, peltate, phonate, pinnate, placate, playdate, playmate, plicate, portrait, postdate, predate, prime rate, probate, prolate, pronate, prorate, prostate, punctate, pupate, quadrate, rain date, ramate, rebate, red-bait, relate, restate, roommate, rostrate, rotate, saccate, schoolmate, seatmate, sedate, sensate, septate, serrate, shipmate, short weight, slave state, soleplate, soul mate, spectate, spicate, squamate, stagnate, stalemate, stellate, striate, sublate, substrate, sulcate, summate, tailgate, teammate, Tebet, tenth-rate, ternate, terneplate, testate, third-rate, tinplate, to date, toeplate, tollgate, tractate, translate, tristate, truncate, unweight, update, uprate, upstate, V-8, vacate, vallate, valvate, vibrate, virgate, vulgate, whitebait, workmate
2prostrate
verb pros·trate \ˈprä-ˌstrāt, especially British prä-ˈ\
: to make (someone) weak or powerless
pros·trat·edpros·trat·ing
Full Definition of PROSTRATE
transitive verb
1
: to throw or put into a prostrate position
2
: to put (oneself) in a humble and submissive posture or state <the whole town had to prostrate itself in official apology — Claudia Cassidy>
3
: to reduce to submission, helplessness, or exhaustion <was prostrated with grief>
See prostrate defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of PROSTRATE
15th century
Related to PROSTRATE
- Synonyms
- debilitate, devitalize, enervate, enfeeble, etiolate, weaken, sap, soften, tire, waste
- Antonyms
- beef (up), fortify, strengthen
PROSTRATE[1] Defined for Kids
1prostrate
adjective pros·trate \ˈprä-ˌstrāt\
Definition of PROSTRATE for Kids
1
: lying with the face turned toward the ground
2
: lacking strength or energy <I'm prostrate with a cold.>
2prostrate
verb
pros·trat·edpros·trat·ing
Definition of PROSTRATE for Kids
1
: lie on the ground with the face down <Worshippers prostrated themselves on the ground.>
2
: to bring to a weak and powerless condition <The widow was prostrated with grief.>
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