Prone Meaning
/pɹəʊn/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjLying face-down.
adjOf the hand, forearm or foot: turned facing away from the body; with the thumb inward or big toe downward.
Sentence Examples
The weak-willed are prone to go to the dogs; the strong-willed turn failure into success.
According to a study, big women are more prone to have twins.
Young people are prone to fall into temptation.
CEFR Practice Quiz
Because of his weak immune system, the child is ____ to catching colds in winter.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She was ____ to headaches whenever she spent too many hours staring at a computer screen.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English prone, proone, proon, from Latin prōnus (“turned forward, bent or inclined”), from prō (“forward”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"But they had already discovered that he could be bullied, and they had it their own way; and presently Selwyn lay prone upon the nursery floor, impersonating a ladrone while pleasant shivers chased themselves over Drina, whom he was stalking."
— 1907 August, Robert W[illiam] Chambers, chapter I, in The Younger Set, New York, N.Y.: D. Appleton & Company, →OCLC:
"Nor are mine ears with thy tongue's tune delighted; / Nor tender feeling, to base touches prone, / Nor taste, nor smell, desire to be invited / To any sensual feast with thee alone: […]"
— 1609, William Shakespeare, “Sonnet 141”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
Because of his weak immune system, the child is ____ to catching colds in winter.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
She was ____ to headaches whenever she spent too many hours staring at a computer screen.