Precipitate (v): pri-sip-i-teyt
If something precipitates an event or situation, usually a bad one, it causes it to happen suddenly or sooner than normal = bring about
A slight mistake could precipitate a disaster
Predispose (v): pree-di-spohz
If something predisposes you to think or behave in a particular way, it makes it likely that you will think or behave in that way = influence
The crowd was predisposed to favour the country team
Preempt (v): pree-empt
If you pre-empt an action, you prevent it from happening by doing something which makes it unnecessary or impossible
You can pre-empt pain by taking a painkiller at the first warning sign
Preen (v): preen
If someone preens themselves, they spend a lot of time making themselves look neat and attractive; used especially if you want to show that you disapprove of this behaviour or that you find it ridiculous and amusing = neat
The bird was preeening itself on a branch
Preponderate (v): pri-pon-duh-reyt (480)
be superior in power; outweigh
Presage (v): pres-ij
If something presages a situation or event, it is considered to be a warning or sign of what is about to happen = foretell
Chinese believe that certain animals have the quality of presage the earthquakes
Prevaricate (v): pri-ten-shuhs
If you prevaricate, you avoid giving a direct answer or making a firm decision = equivocate
The ministers continued to prevaricate
Probe (v): prohb
If you probe into something, you ask questions or try to discover facts about it
I don't want to probe too deeply into your personal affairs
Procrastinate (v): proh-kras-tuh-neyt
If you procrastinate, you keep leaving things you should do until later, often because you do not want to do them = postpone, delay
We procrastinate studying the wordlists very often
Prognosticate (v): prog-nos-ti-keyt (485)
A prognosis is an estimate of the future of someone or something, especially about whether a patient will recover from an illness = predict
If the cancer is caught early the prognosis is excellent
Proliferate (v): pruh-lif-uh-reyt
If things proliferate, they increase in number very quickly = grow by multiplying
In recent years commercial, cultural, travel and other contacts have proliferated between Europe and China
Promulgate (v): prom-uhl-geyt
If people promulgate a new law or a new idea, they make it widely known
The government promulgated a new law to curtain Ragging in the colleges
Propagate (v): prop-uh-geyt
If people propagate an idea or piece of information, they spread it and try to make people believe it or support it = spread
I am sure disease must propagate in such unsanitary and crowded areas
Propitiate (v): pruh-pish-ee-eyt
If you propitiate someone, you stop them being angry or impatient by doing something to please them = conciliate, appease
Sacrifices were made to propitiate the gods
Propound (v): pruh-pound (490)
If someone propounds an idea or point of view they have, they suggest it for people to consider = put forward
The theory of relativity was pronounded by Albert Einstein
Prorogue (v): proh-rohg
to discontinue a session of (the British Parliament or a similar body) = dismiss, end officially, suspend
The president prorogued the monsoon session of the parliament
Proscribe (v): proh-skrahyb
If something is proscribed by people in authority, the existence or the use of that thing is forbidden = prohibit
Using guns by general public is proscribed
Proselytize (v): pros-uh-li-tahyz
If you proselytize, you try to persuade someone to share your beliefs, especially religious or political beliefs = convert
I assured him we didn’t come here to proselytize
Protract (v): proh-trakt
prolong
Please don’t protract the suspence - tell me if I passed or not
Protrude (v): proh-trood (495)
If something protrudes from somewhere, it sticks out = stick out
The tip of her tongue was protruding slightly
Pulsate (v): puhl-seyt
If something pulsates, it beats, moves in and out, or shakes with strong, regular movements = throb
I could see the veins in his neck pulsating as he became angry
Purge (v): purj
To purge an organization of its unacceptable members means to remove them from it You can also talk about purging people from an organization = clean, purify
The leadership decided to purge the anti-party elements’
Purloin (v): per-loin, pur-loin
If someone purloins something, they steal it or borrow it without asking permission = steal
He must have purloined a key from somewhere
Purport (v): per-pawrt
If you say that someone or something purports to do or be a particular thing, you mean that they claim to do or be that thing, although you may not always believe that claim = claim
The document is purported to be 300 years old
Quaff (v): kwof (500)
If you quaff an alcoholic drink, you drink a lot of it in a short time = guzzle, dring quickly
They spent the evening quaffing champagne