I. ˈpräˌspekt sometimes -_spikt or -_spēkt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English prospecte, from Latin prospectus lookout, distant view, sight, from prospectus, past participle of prospicere to look forward, look into the distance, exercise foresight, from pro before + specere to look — more at for , spy
1. : relative aspect : exposure 2d
their prospect was toward the south — Ezek 40: 44 (Authorized Version)
2.
a.
(1) : an extensive view : a sight from a commanding position
here, just above 1000 feet above sea level, our prospect embraces a dozen counties — S.W.Wooldridge
(2) : a mental consideration : survey
on a nearer prospect , all the circumstance of greatness vanished into shadow — A.C.Benson
b. : a place or station that commands an extensive view : lookout
God beholding from his prospect high — John Milton
c. : something extended to the view : scene
climbing onto a huge block of stone, began gazing at the wide prospect spread out before me — W.H.Hudson †1922
d. archaic : a sketch or picture of a scene
a prospect of Yale College in New Haven, neatly engraved — Boston Evening Post
3. obsolete : an appearance presented by something
it were a tedious difficulty … to bring them to that prospect — Shakespeare
4.
a. : act of looking forward : anticipation , foresight
its later development justified his prospect of its future value
b. : a mental picture of something to come : vision
attracted by the fascination of discovery and the prospect of spiritual conquest — American Guide Series: Minnesota
c. : something that is awaited or expected : possibility
air-conditioned cars are a happy prospect for some commuters — Collier's Year Book
her sadness at the small prospect of seeing him again, old as she was — Archibald Marshall
d. prospects plural
(1) : financial expectations
as a young man with prospects he married the girl — Dixon Wecter
without any prospects in the world except those which he could make for himself — R.W.Southern
(2) : chances
improved corn prospects in other areas — Wall Street Journal
5.
a. : a place showing signs of containing a mineral deposit
b. : a partly developed mine
c.
(1) : a sample of ore or gravel tested for mineral content
(2) : a mineral yield of such sample
6.
a. : a potential buyer or customer
called on ten prospects but failed to make a sale
b. : a likely candidate for some appointment, job, or position
a good prospect for the Supreme Court
the coach has come up with several fine prospects for the team
•
- in prospect
II. ˈpräˌspekt sometimes prəˈs- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to explore an area for mineral deposits
prospecting for gold
prospecting for uranium
b. : to make a search or investigation
fat robins prospecting in the spaded earth of the flower beds — John & Ward Hawkins
2. : to give indications of mineral yield
this ore prospects well
transitive verb
1.
a. : to explore or inspect (a region) for mineral deposits
b. : to make preliminary developments and tests of (as a mine, an ore deposit) to determine its probable value
2. : to make a careful investigation of : explore
cautiously prospected the highway — John Buchan
today the principal tools for prospecting the brain are electrical — G.W.Gray b. 1886