First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
proceed
verb pro·ceed \prō-ˈsēd, prə-\
: to continue to do something
: to continue being done
: to do something after you have done something else
Full Definition of PROCEED
intransitive verb
1
: to come forth from a source : issue <strange sounds proceeded from the room>
2
a : to continue after a pause or interruption b : to go on in an orderly regulated way
3
4
: to move along a course : advance
See proceed defined for English-language learners
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Examples of PROCEED
- Tenet's problem is that the intelligence and the war proceeded in lockstep: no intelligence, no war. —Thomas Powers, New York Review of Books, 19 July 2007
- But we're both gasping, and proceed to play the ugliest, slowest game in history. —S. L. Price, Sports Illustrated, 31 Dec. 2007
- That ash includes light particles that strong winds proceed to carry over much of the country … —Jared M. Diamond, Collapse, 2005
- [+]more
Origin of PROCEED
Middle English proceden, from Anglo-French proceder, from Latin procedere, from pro- forward + cedere to go — more at pro-
Related to PROCEED
Synonym Discussion of PROCEED
spring, arise, rise, originate, derive, flow, issue, emanate, proceed, stem mean to come up or out of something into existence. spring implies rapid or sudden emerging <an idea that springs to mind>. arise and rise may both convey the fact of coming into existence or notice but rise often stresses gradual growth or ascent <new questions have arisen> <slowly rose to prominence>. originate implies a definite source or starting point <the fire originated in the basement>. derive implies a prior existence in another form <the holiday derives from an ancient Roman feast>. flow adds to spring a suggestion of abundance or ease of inception <words flowed easily from her pen>. issue suggests emerging from confinement through an outlet <blood issued from the cut>. emanate applies to the coming of something immaterial (as a thought) from a source <reports emanating from the capital>. proceed stresses place of origin, derivation, parentage, or logical cause <advice that proceeds from the best of intentions>. stem implies originating by dividing or branching off from something as an outgrowth or subordinate development <industries stemming from space research>.
Rhymes with PROCEED
accede, airspeed, bindweed, birdseed, blueweed, bourride, breast-feed, bur reed, burweed, cheerlead, chickweed, concede, crossbreed, cudweed, debride, degreed, duckweed, exceed, fairlead, fern seed, fireweed, flaxseed, force-feed, free reed, Godspeed, ground speed, gulfweed, half-breed, hand-feed, hawkweed, hayseed, high-speed, horseweed, impede, implead, inbreed, indeed, ironweed, Jamshid, jetbead, knapweed, knotweed, linseed, lip-read, milkweed, misdeed, mislead, misread, moonseed, nosebleed, off-speed, oilseed, pigweed, pinweed, pokeweed, pondweed, precede, proofread, ragweed, rapeseed, recede, reseed, rockweed, seaweed, secede, self-feed, Siegfried, sight-read, silkweed, smartweed, snakeweed, sneezeweed, speed-read, spoon-feed, stall-feed, stampede, stickseed, stickweed, stinkweed, succeed, ten-speed, tickseed, warp speed, weak-kneed, witchweed, wormseed
PROCEED Defined for Kids
proceed
verb pro·ceed \prō-ˈsēd\
pro·ceed·edpro·ceed·ing
Definition of PROCEED for Kids
1
: to go forward or onward : advance <The plane stopped in Chicago before proceeding to Boston.>
2
: to begin and continue with an action or process <… Grayson took the mound and proceeded to pitch … — Jerry Spinelli, Maniac Magee>
3
: to go or act by an orderly method <Did the meeting proceed according to plan?>
4
: to come from a source <Light proceeds from the sun.>
Word Root of PROCEED
The Latin word cedere, meaning “to go,” gives us the root ced. Words from the Latin cedere have something to do with going. To precede is to go before. To exceed is to go beyond a limit. To proceed is to go forward. To recede is to go back or away.
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