procession

The act of progressing or proceeding.

Noun

  1. The act of progressing or proceeding.
    • From whence it came to pass in the primitive times , that the Latin fathers taught expressly the procession of the Spirit from the Father and the Son - 1659, John Pearson, Exposition of the Creed:
    • Yet proof is here of men's unquenched desire / That the procession of their life might be / More equable majestic pure and free; […] - 1835, Richard Chenevix Trench, “The Same Continued”, in The Story of Justin Martyr,...
  2. A group of people or things moving along in an orderly, stately, or solemn manner; a train of persons advancing in order; a retinue.
    • a procession of mourners
    • the Lord Mayor's procession
    • Here comes the towneſ-men, on Proceſſion, / To preſent your Highneſſe with the man. - 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories,...
  3. A number of things happening in sequence (in space or in time).
  4. Litanies said in procession and not kneeling.
    • In many a form I see thee oft In myriad manners are thy praises told In old processions carved on Grecian urns - 1894, Orby Shipley, Carmina Mariana:
  5. The rapid dismissal of a series of batsmen.
    • Before he closed and opened his eyes, the bails on the wicket behind Johnny Masih were shattered. That was the beginning of a procession. The second ball clean bowled the batsman. The third ball was a catch for the...
    • Scotland moved nicely to 45 without loss before I took the first wicket and then it became a procession. - 2015, Steve Dolman, Edwin Smith: A Life in Derbyshire Cricket, page 36:

Origin

From Middle English processioun, borrowed from Old French pourciession, from Latin prōcessiō (“a marching forward, an advance, in Late Latin a religious procession”), from prōcēdere, past participle prōcessus (“to move forward, advance, proceed”); see proceed.

Forms

processions

Related

procedure proceed process -cade cavalcade cortege flypast march-past motorcade parade

Derived

double procession eternal procession funeral procession processional processionary processioner processionism processionist processionize processionwise single procession

Verb

  1. To take part in a procession.
  2. To honour with a procession.
  3. To ascertain, mark, and establish the boundary lines of (lands).
    • To procession the lands of such persons as desire it. - 1856, Alexander Mansfield Burrill, A Law Dictionary and Glossary, PROCESSIONING:

Forms

processions processioning processioned

Synonyms

process