subs. (theatrical).—1. An actor: i.e., one who belongs to ‘The Profession’ = acting. Hence, PRO’S-BIBLE = The Era newspaper; PRO’S-TESTAMENT = The Sunday Times.
c. 1860. Music Hall Song, ‘Oh She was such a Beautiful Girl.’ Oh, why did she bolt with another PRO.
1880. G. R. SIMS, Ballads of Babylon (Forgotten—A Last Interview). And the quiet PRO’S pass onward to the stage-door up the court.
1886–96. MARSHALL, ‘Pomes’ from the Pink ’Un (‘The Merry Stumer’), 8. It was told me by Tinribs, a Fleet-street PRO.
1893. MILLIKEN, ’Arry Ballads, 38, ‘’Arry at the Gaiety.’ All our PROS feet their nose out of joint since this Comerdee Frongsay lot came.
2. (university).—A pro-proctor: a second in command in the proctorial police.
1823. JOHN CAMPBELL, Hints for Oxford, 10. They [Freshmen] cap the PRO.’S too in the street.
1869. W. BRADWOOD, The O. V. H., x. The proctor (more strictly a PRO.) backed out of the room with wholesale apologies.
