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profound

"So why no profound works on the need for $660 million in tax credits for companies that burn chicken droppings?" Editorial, "Tax-Cut Favors," New York Times, 8/7/99

profuse

"He offered profuse apologies for his show of exasperation, and he volunteered to read to her, something in French." Aldous Huxley, "The Giaconda Smile"

progeny

"First, let me tell you whom you have condemn'd: Not me begotten of a shepherd swain, But issued from the progeny of kings." William Shakespeare, Henry IV

prognostication

"Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication I cannot scratch my ear." William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra

prohibition

"The U.S. public is slowly coming around to accepting the idea that a prohibition against the easy access to hand guns is inevitable." Roger Rosenblatt, "Get Rid of the Damned Things," TIME, 8/9/99

prolific

"Isaac Asimov was a truly prolific writer, seemingly able to complete a book every two weeks." Art Nichols, Selling Your Manuscript

promulgated

"The rules and regulations are promulgated for the guidance of administrative employees, bureau heads, and supervisors." "Rules and Regulations for Administrative Employees," NYC Board of Education

propagate

"The Republican leadership planned to propagate their philosophy for a huge tax cut during the summer recess." Wolf Blitzer, CNN Nightly News, 7/14/99

propensity

"You had a propensity for telling simple and professional tales before the war." Joseph Conrad, "The Tale"

propinquity

"It occurred to him that Varick might be talking at random to relieve the strain of their propinquity." Edith Wharton,

The Desert of Man

propitious

"Sometime later, I will find a propitious ground and bury you there in the same grave." Shen Chunlieh, "In Memory of a Child," 1619

propriety

"There is a propriety and necessity of preventing interference with the course of justice." Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, decision, 10/28

proximity

"Stryker had built a small cannery in close proximity to the house where the turtles were raised in shallow tanks." Edmund Wilson, "The Man Who Shot Snapping Turtles"

prudent

"Those who thought the prudent thing to do at the end of 1999 was to stay away from flying resulted in the slowest day of the year for every airline." TIME, 1/12/00

pugnacious

"Two pugnacious guard dogs in the railyard eliminated the nightly vandalism in a hurry." Lewis Tumulty, "Civic Pride"

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quandary

"New Year's Eve presented a quandary for people in China, a country where the observance of non-political Western celebrations is a relatively recent phenomenon." Elizabeth Rosenthal, "Party? What Party?," New York Times, 1/1/00

quarry

"The state troopers had tracked their quarry to the thickly wooded area near the crime scene." Newsday, 4/10/98

quell

"He also did not quell the speculation surrounding Van Gundy's status as coach." Mike Wise, New York Times, 5/25/99

quip

"The audience screamed and applauded hysterically at every musical number, every quip, every little movement on the stage." Liz Smith, Newsday, 6/2/99

R

rabid

"Politicians avoid the appearance of being rabid on issues that seem to be evenly viewed by the voters." Arthur Willner, "Taking Sides"

raconteur

"As a popular raconteur, George Jessel was prized as a speaker at award ceremonies." The Hollywood Reporter, 7/18/96

railed

"He cursed and railed, and finally declared he was going to trail the raiders." Zane Grey, Raiders of the Purple Sage

raiment

"No matter what her raiment, Marilyn Monroe looked absolutely fabulous on the screen." Billy Wilder quoted by Earl Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 2/28/76

rampant

"What's more curious about the determination to end social promotions is that the practice is far from rampant." Romesh Ratnesar, "Held Back," TIME, 6/14/99

rash

"Thou art as rash as fire to say That she was false." William Shakespeare, Othello

rationalize

"It is the task of the scientist to rationalize the remains of extinct civilizations to discover their histories." Brian Fagan, Time Detective

raucous

"The 1968 Democratic nominating convention in Chicago was the scene of raucous confrontations." I. F. Stone,

Weekly Reader

razed

"In the gorge, continually razed by the clawing wind, he would probably find his other dog." Francisco Coloane, "Cururo . . . Sheep Dog"

realm

"In all the churches of the realm the Blessed Sacrament is exposed night and day, and tall candles are burning for the recovery of the royal child." Alphonse Daudet, "The Death of the Dauphin"

rebuke

"The defeat of the charter revision was viewed as a rebuke of his policies." Editorial, New York Times, 11/7/99