propose

See also: proposé

English edit

Etymology edit

From Middle English proposen, from Anglo-Norman proposer (verb), propos (noun), Middle French proposer (verb) , propos (noun), from Latin prōpōnō, prōpōnere, with conjugation altered based on poser. Doublet of propound.

Pronunciation edit

(Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /pɹəˈpəʊz/
(General American) IPA^(key): /pɹəˈpoʊz/
Audio (US) (file)
Rhymes: -əʊz

Verb edit

propose (third-person singular simple present proposes, present participle proposing, simple past and past participle proposed)

(transitive) To suggest a plan, course of action, etc.
Synonyms: put forth, suggest, (rare) forthput

I propose going to see a film.

to propose an alliance

to propose a question for discussion
- 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)
  President Moon Jae-in proposed the plan this week during a meeting with government officials, his spokesman said.
  Audio (US) (file)
(intransitive, sometimes followed by to) To ask for a person's hand in marriage.
He proposed to her last night and she accepted him.
(transitive) To intend.
He proposes to set up his own business.
- 1859, John Gorham Palfrey, History of New England, Preface (Google preview):
  I propose to relate, in several volumes, the history of the people of New England.
- 2013 August 16, John Vidal, “Dams endanger ecology of Himalayas”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 10, page 8:
  Many of the proposed dams would be among the tallest in the world.
(obsolete) To talk; to converse.
- 1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]:
  HERO. Good Margaret, run thee to the parlour;
  There shalt thou find my cousin Beatrice
  Proposing with the prince and Claudio
(obsolete) To set forth.
- [1611?], Homer, “Book XI”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC:
  […] so weighty was the cup,
  That being propos'd brimful of wine, one scarce could lift it up.
  The spelling has been modernized.

Usage notes edit

In use 1, this is sometimes a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing).
In use 3, this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.
For more information, see Appendix:English catenative verbs
Compared to to suggest, to propose is more deliberate and definite. To suggest is merely to mention, while to propose is to have a definite plan and intention.

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

to suggest a plan or course of action

Arabic: اِقْتَرَحَ (iqtaraḥa)
Breton: kinnig (br)
Bulgarian: предлагам (bg) (predlagam)
Catalan: proposar (ca)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 提議／提议 (zh) (tíyì)
Czech: navrhnout (cs)
Danish: foreslå (da)
Dutch: voorstellen (nl)
Esperanto: ^{(please verify)} proponi
Finnish: ehdottaa (fi), esittää (fi); (casually, repeatedly) ehdotella (fi)
French: proposer (fr)
German: vorschlagen (de)
Greek: προτείνω (el) (proteíno)
Hungarian: javasol (hu), ajánl (hu), indítványoz (hu), proponál (hu)
Interlingua: proponer
Italian: proporre (it)
Japanese: 申し込む (ja) (もうしこむ, mōshikomu)
Korean: 제안(提案)하다 (ko) (jean-hada)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: پێشنیازکردن (pêşnyazkirdin)
Latin: cēnseō, prōpōnō
Maori: marohi, mārohirohi, whakatū, whakatū, taka mahara, taka whakaaro, taka mahara, taka whakaaro, uaki, whakatū, whakaari
Norman: proposer
Northern Sami: evttohit
Norwegian: foreslå (no)
Persian: پیشنهاد کردن (fa) (pêšnahâd kardan)
Polish: proponować (pl) impf, zaproponować (pl) pf
Portuguese: propor (pt)
Romanian: propune (ro), sugestiona (ro)
Russian: предлага́ть (ru) impf (predlagátʹ), предложи́ть (ru) pf (predložítʹ)
Scots: propone
Spanish: proponer (es)
Swedish: föreslå (sv)
Turkish: teklif etmek (tr)
Vietnamese: đề nghị (vi) (提議), đề xuất (vi), gợi ý (vi)

to ask for one's hand in marriage

Bulgarian: правя пердложение (pravja perdloženie)
Chinese:
Mandarin: 求婚 (zh) (qiúhūn)
Danish: fri (da)
Dutch: ten huwelijk vragen
Finnish: kosia (fi)
French: demander en mariage
German: einen Heiratsantrag machen
Greek: κάνω πρόταση γάμου (káno prótasi gámou)
Hungarian: megkéri a kezét (hu)
Indonesian: melamar (id), meminang (id)
Italian: proporre il matrimonio
Japanese: プロポーズする (ja) (puropōzu suru), 結婚を申し込む (kekkon o mōshikomu), 求婚する (ja) (きゅうこんする, kyūkon suru)
Korean: 구애하다 (ko) (guae-hada), 프러포즈하다 (peureopojeuhada), 프러포즈를 하다 (peureopojeureul hada)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: داوای دەس کردن (daway des kirdin)
Northern Sami: sogŋostallat
Norwegian: fri (no)
Persian: خواستگاری (fa) (xâstgâri)
Polish: oświadczać się (pl) impf, oświadczyć się (pl) pf
Portuguese: pedir a mão
Romanian: peți (ro), a cere în căsătorie
Russian: де́лать предложе́ние impf (délatʹ predložénije), сде́лать предложе́ние (ru) pf (sdélatʹ predložénije) (+ dative case); проси́ть руки́ impf (prosítʹ rukí), попроси́ть руки́ pf (poprosítʹ rukí) (+ genitive case or possessive pronoun, e.g. "попросить её руки")
Spanish: pedir la mano, pedir matrimonio, proponer matrimonio
Swedish: fria (sv)
Turkish: evlenme teklif etmek

to intend

Bulgarian: възнамерявам (bg) (vǎznamerjavam)
Finnish: aikoa (fi)
German: beabsichtigen (de)
Greek: προτίθεμαι (el) (protíthemai)
Hungarian: tervez (hu), szándékozik (hu), szándékszik (hu)
Korean: 의도하다 (ko) (uido-hada)
Persian: خواستن (fa) (xâstan)
Polish: zamierzać (pl) impf
Portuguese: pretender (pt)
Turkish: niyet etmek (tr)

Noun edit

propose (plural proposes)

(obsolete) An objective or aim.
- 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 17, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:
  whose aime hath beene to make us not good and wittie, but wise and learned; She hath attained her propose.