The difference between Prior and Provost
When used as nouns, prior means a high-ranking member of a monastery, usually lower in rank than an abbot, whereas provost means a dean: the head of a cathedral chapter.
Prior is also adverb with the meaning: previously.
Prior is also adjective with the meaning: advance.
Provost is also verb with the meaning: to be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.
check bellow for the other definitions of Prior and Provost
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Prior as an adjective:
Advance; previous; coming before.
Examples:
"I had no prior knowledge you were coming."
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Prior as an adjective:
Former, previous.
Examples:
"His prior residence was smaller than his current one."
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Prior as an adverb (colloquial):
Previously.
Examples:
"The doctor had known three months prior."
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Prior as a noun:
A high-ranking member of a monastery, usually lower in rank than an abbot.
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Prior as a noun (historical):
A chief magistrate in Italy.
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Prior as a noun (US, law enforcement):
A previous arrest or criminal conviction on someone's record.
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Prior as a noun (statistics):
In Bayesian inference, a prior probability distribution, one based on information or belief before additional data is collected.
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Provost as a noun (religion, historical):
One placed in charge: a head, a chief, particularly: A dean: the head of a cathedral chapter. The head of various other ecclesiastical bodies, even muezzins. The minister of the chief Protestant church of a town or region in Germany, the Low Countries, and Scandinavia. The head of various colleges and universities. A ruler. A mayor: the chief magistrate of a town, particularly the head of a burgh or the former chiefs of various towns in France, Flanders, or other Continental European countries.
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Provost as a noun (religion, historical):
A senior deputy, a superintendent, particularly: A prior: an abbot's second-in-command. A senior deputy administrator; a vice-president of academic affairs. A steward or seneschal: a medieval agent given management of a feudal estate or charged with collecting fees; a title of the archangel Michael. Any manager or overseer in a medieval or early modern context. A viceroy. A governor. A reeve. Various Roman offices, as prefect and praetor. A constable: a medieval or early modern official charged with arresting, holding, and punishing criminals. An officer of the military police, particularly provost marshal or provost sergeant. An assistant fencing master.
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Provost as a noun (UK, military, _, slang, obsolete):
A provost cell: a military cell or prison.
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Provost as a verb (UK, transitive, used in passive, obsolete, military, _, slang):
To be delivered to a provost marshal for punishment.
Examples:
"Around the time of the [[w:Rebellions of 1837 Rebellions of 1837]] and the [[w:First Anglo-Afghan War First Anglo-Afghan War]], British servicemen spoke of being provosted."