(in the UK) the person in charge of a college at some universities （英国某些大学的）学院院长 (in the US) a senior official who manages the affairs of some colleges and universities （美国某些大学的）教务长 (in Scotland) the head of a council in some towns, cities and districts （苏格兰的）市长，镇长，区长 the head of a group of priests belonging to a particular cathedral 座堂主任；教区长
Word Originlate Old English profost ‘head of a chapter, prior’, reinforced in Middle English by Anglo-Norman French provost, from medieval Latin propositus, synonym of Latin praepositus ‘head, chief’, past participle of praeponere ‘set over’, from prae ‘ahead’ + ponere ‘to place’.