Толковый словарь английского языка Oxford English Reference - provost

n. 1 Brit. the head of some colleges esp. at Oxford or Cambridge. 2 Eccl. a the head of a chapter in a cathedral. b hist. the head of a religious community. 3 Sc. the head of a municipal corporation or burgh. 4 the Protestant minister of the principal church of a town etc. in Germany etc. 5 US a high administrative officer in a university. 6 = provost marshal. Phrases and idioms provost guard US a body of soldiers under a provost marshal. provost marshal 1 the head of military police in camp or on active service. 2 the master-at-arms of a ship in which a court-martial is to be held. Derivatives provostship n. Etymology: ME f. OE profost & AF provost, prevost f. med.L propositus for praepositus: see PRAEPOSTOR