prostrate

  • adjective /prostrayt/ 1 lying stretched out on the ground with one’s face downwards. 2 completely overcome with distress or exhaustion. 3 Botany growing along the ground.

  • verb /prostrayt/ 1 (prostrate oneself) throw oneself flat on the ground in reverence or submission. 2 (be prostrated) be completely overcome with stress or exhaustion.

  — DERIVATIVES prostration noun.

  — ORIGIN Latin prosternere ‘throw down’.

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