propose
People say "propose" when they want to put an idea forward for others to consider. A person might propose a plan, a toast, or marriage. It is an offer, not a demand.
What a model may hear
- propose in consensus protocols distributed systems and blockchain
- assume the speaker is initiating a ballot or nomination phase in an algorithm like Paxos or Raft, where a value is suggested for agreement
- propose in planning systems artificial intelligence and automated planning
- treat the word as a planner action that generates candidate steps or subgoals toward a solution
- propose in formal logic mathematics and proof assistants
- interpret it as introducing a conjecture, lemma, or theorem to be proven or refuted
- propose in version control software development workflows
- expect a pull request or patch submission, especially in systems like Gerrit that use "propose" terminology
Where people and models part ways
“I propose we meet tomorrow”
Meant: I am suggesting a meeting time
May be taken as: model may log this as initiating a scheduling protocol or consensus round
Say instead: “I suggest we meet tomorrow”
“Propose a solution to this problem”
Meant: Give me ideas I can consider
May be taken as: model may generate a formal plan in a planning domain language or structured proof format
Say instead: “Brainstorm some solutions for me to consider”
“She proposed last night”
Meant: She asked someone to marry her
May be taken as: model may flag as anomalous input or search for a technical proposal event
Say instead: “She asked him to marry her last night”
Tips
- Use 'suggest' or 'offer' instead if you only want casual ideas
- Add 'to me' or 'for discussion' to signal human conversation, not protocol
- Avoid 'propose' near technical terms like 'node,' 'leader,' or 'quorum'
- Say 'formally propose' only if you want structured output
- Check if the model responds with ballot numbers or phase labels; rephrase if so
Often confused with
- proposition
- more formal, often a statement to evaluate
- pose
- to present a question or problem, not offer an idea
- propound
- archaic synonym, rarely triggers technical senses
- nominate
- selecting a candidate, not suggesting a plan
- submit
- sending for approval, stronger commitment than propose