prostrate
C1 (Low to medium frequency; common in formal or literary contexts)Formal or literary
Definition
Meaning
Lying flat on the ground, typically face down, often in a position of submission, worship, or physical exhaustion.
To be physically or emotionally overcome or exhausted; to cause someone to be in such a state, often through defeat or extreme emotion.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Functions as both an adjective and a verb. As an adjective, it describes a physical posture; as a verb, it can be transitive (to lay flat) or reflexive (to throw oneself down), often implying submission or devastation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning; minor variations in pronunciation and occasional spelling in derived forms (e.g., 'prostrating' vs. 'prostrating' is consistent).
Connotations
Similarly connotes submission, reverence, or extreme fatigue in both dialects.
Frequency
Equally infrequent in everyday speech; more prevalent in religious, historical, or formal written contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reflexive: prostrate oneself before someonetransitive: be prostrated by illness or emotionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “prostrate before the altar (indicative of worship or submission)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; may appear metaphorically, e.g., 'prostrated by market crashes'.
Academic
Common in religious studies, history, or literature to describe submissive or defeated postures.
Everyday
Infrequent; used to express extreme tiredness or deference, e.g., 'prostrate after a long day'.
Technical
In medical contexts, sometimes confused with 'prostate'; correctly refers to physical positioning in descriptions.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He prostrated himself before the monarch as a gesture of fealty.
- The storm prostrated the ancient trees across the countryside.
American English
- She prostrated herself before the judge to plead for mercy.
- The disease prostrated him for weeks.
adjective
British English
- After the marathon, runners were prostrate on the grass.
- He was prostrate with sorrow after the loss.
American English
- Following the intense workout, she lay prostrate on the floor.
- The team was prostrate after the devastating defeat.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The dog lay prostrate in the shade to cool down.
- She felt prostrate after playing all day.
- He fell prostrate when he heard the bad news.
- The soldiers were prostrate from the long march.
- In some cultures, people prostrate themselves during prayers.
- Prostrated by the heat, they sought refuge indoors.
- The political dissident was prostrated by years of imprisonment and torture.
- Her prostrate form indicated complete surrender to the circumstances.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Remember 'prostrate' as 'pro state' where you lie down flat (like a state of submission), unlike 'prostate' which is a gland.
Conceptual Metaphor
Submission or defeat is being physically lowered or flattened.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- False friend with 'простата' (prostate gland), leading to confusion in medical or anatomical discussions.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'prostate', which refers to a male reproductive gland, not a position.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'prostrate' as an adjective?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'prostrate' means lying flat or overcome, while 'prostate' is a gland in the male reproductive system.
It is rare in casual speech; it's more common in formal, literary, or specific contexts like religion or history.
'Prone' specifically means lying face down, whereas 'prostrate' often implies a position of submission, worship, or extreme exhaustion, not necessarily face down.
As a verb, it can be reflexive (e.g., 'prostrate oneself') meaning to throw oneself down in submission, or transitive (e.g., 'be prostrated by') meaning to overcome or exhaust.
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