Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (part 40 of 60)

Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (part 40 of 60)

1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind. Thus were they plagued And worn with famine. Milton.

2. Fig.: To vex; to tease; to harass. She will plague the man that loves her most. Spenser.

Syn. -- To vex; torment; distress; afflict; harass; annoy; tease; tantalize; trouble; molest; embarrass; perplex.

PLAGUEFUL Plague"ful, a.

Defn: Abounding, or infecting, with plagues; pestilential; as, plagueful exhalations.

PLAGUELESS Plague"less, a.

Defn: Free from plagues or the plague.

PLAGUER Pla"guer, n.

Defn: One who plagues or annoys.

PLAGUILY Pla"gui*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plaguing manner; vexatiously; extremely. [Colloq.] "Ronsard is so plaguily stiff and stately." Landor.

PLAGUY Pla"guy, a.

Defn: Vexatious; troublesome; tormenting; as, a plaguy horse. [Colloq.] Also used adverbially; as, "He is so plaguy proud." Shak.

PLAICE Plaice, n. Etym: [F. plaise, plais, prob. fr. L. platessa flatish, plaice. See Place.] (Zoöl.) (a) A European food fish (Pleuronectes platessa), allied to the flounder, and growing to the weight of eight or ten pounds or more. (b) A large American flounder (Paralichthys dentatus; called also brail, puckermouth, and summer flounder. The name is sometimes applied to other allied species. [Written also plaise.] Plaice mouth, a mouth like that of a plaice; a small or wry mouth. [R.] B. Jonson.

PLAID Plaid, n. Etym: [Gael. plaide a blanket or plaid, contr. fr. peallaid a sheepskin, fr. peall a skin or hide. CF. Pillion.]

1. A rectangular garment or piece of cloth, usually made of the checkered material called tartan, but sometimes of plain gray, or gray with black stripes. It is worn by both sexes in Scotland.

2. Goods of any quality or material of the pattern of a plaid or tartan; a checkered cloth or pattern.

PLAID Plaid, a.

Defn: Having a pattern or colors which resemble a Scotch plaid; checkered or marked with bars or stripes at right angles to one another; as, plaid muslin.

PLAIDED Plaid"ed, a.

1. Of the material of which plaids are made; tartan. "In plaided vest." Wordsworth.

2. Wearing a plaid. Campbell.

PLAIDING Plaid"ing, n.

Defn: Plaid cloth.

PLAIN Plain, v. i. Etym: [OE. playne, pleyne, fr. F. plaindre. See Plaint.]

Defn: To lament; to bewail; to complain. [Archaic & Poetic] Milton. We with piteous heart unto you pleyne. Chaucer.

PLAIN Plain, v. t.

Defn: To lament; to mourn over; as, to plain a loss. [Archaic & Poetic] Sir J. Harrington.

PLAIN Plain, a. [Compar. Plainer; superl. Plainest.] Etym: [F., level, flat, fr. L. planus, perhaps akin to E. floor. Cf. Llano, Piano, Plan, Plane level, a level surface.]

1. Without elevations or depressions; flat; level; smooth; even. See Plane. The crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain. Isa. xl. 4.

2. Open; clear; unencumbered; equal; fair. Our troops beat an army in plain fight. Felton.

3. Not intricate or difficult; evident; manifest; obvious; clear; unmistakable. "'T is a plain case." Shak.

4. (a) Void of extraneous beauty or ornament; without conspicious embellishment; not rich; simple. (b) Not highly cultivated; unsophisticated; free from show or pretension; simple; natural; homely; common. "Plain yet pious Christians." Hammond. "The plain people." A. Lincoln. (c) Free from affectation or disguise; candid; sincere; artless; honest; frank. "An honest mind, and plain." Shak. (d) Not luxurious; not highly seasoned; simple; as, plain food. (e) Without beauty; not handsome; homely; as, a plain woman. (f) Not variegated, dyed, or figured; as, plain muslin. (g) Not much varied by modulations; as, a plain tune. Plain battle, open battle; pitched battle. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- Plain chant (Mus.) Same as Plain song, below. -- Plain chart (Naut.), a chart laid down on Mercator's projection. -- Plain dealer. (a) One who practices plain dealing. (b) A simpleton. [Obs.] Shak. -- Plain dealing. See under Dealing. -- Plain molding (Join.), molding of which the surfaces are plain figures. -- Plain sewing, sewing of seams by simple and common stitches, in distinct from fancy work, embroidery, etc.; -- distinguished also from designing and fitting garments. -- Plain song. (a) The Gregorian chant, or canto fermo; the prescribed melody of the Roman Catholic service, sung in unison, in tones of equal length, and rarely extending beyond the compass of an octave. (b) A simple melody. -- Plain speaking, plainness or bluntness of speech.

Syn. -- Level; flat; smooth; open; artless; unaffected; undisguised; frank; sincere; honest; candid; ingenuous; unembellished; downright; blunt; clear; simple; distinct; manifest; obvious; apparent. See Manifest.

PLAIN Plain, adv.

Defn: In a plain manner; plainly. "To speak short and pleyn." Chaucer. "To tell you plain." Shak.

PLAIN Plain, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. plaigne, F. plaine. See Plain, a.]

1. Level land; usually, an open field or a broad stretch of land with an even surface, or a surface little varied by inequalities; as, the plain of Jordan; the American plains, or prairies. Descending fro the mountain into playn. Chaucer. Him the Ammonite Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain. Milton.

2. A field of battle. [Obs.] Arbuthnot. Lead forth my soldiers to the plain. Shak.

PLAIN Plain, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plained (; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaining.] Etym: [Cf. Plane, v.]

1. To plane or level; to make plain or even on the surface. [R.] We would rake Europe rather, plain the East. Wither.

2. To make plain or manifest; to explain. What's dumb in show, I'll plain in speech. Shak.

PLAINANT Plain"ant, n. Etym: [See 1st Plain.] (Law)

Defn: One who makes complaint; the plaintiff. [Obs.]

PLAIN-DEALING Plain"-deal`ing, a.

Defn: Practicing plain dealing; artless. See Plain dealing, under Dealing. Shak.

PLAIN-HEARTED Plain"-heart`ed, a.

Defn: Frank; sincere; artless. Milton. -- Plain"-heart`ed*ness, n.

PLAINING Plain"ing, n.

Defn: Complaint. [Poetic] Shak.

PLAINING Plain"ing, a.

Defn: Complaining. [Poetic] Bryant.

PLAIN-LAID Plain"-laid`, a. (Naut.)

Defn: Consisting of strands twisted together in the ordinary way; as, a plain-laid rope. See Illust. of Cordage.

PLAINLY Plain"ly, adv.

Defn: In a plain manner; clearly.

PLAINNESS Plain"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plain.

PLAINSMAN Plains"man, n.; pl. -men (.

Defn: One who lives in the plains.

PLAIN-SPOKEN Plain"-spo`ken, a.

Defn: Speaking with plain, unreserved sincerity; also, spoken sincerely; as, plain-spoken words. Dryden.

PLAINT Plaint, n. Etym: [OE. plainte, pleynte, F. plainte, fr. L. plangere, planctum (plancta, fem. p.p.), to beat, beat the breast, lament. Cf. Complain, Plague, Plangent.]

1. Audible expression of sorrow; lamentation; complaint; hence, a mournful song; a lament. Chaucer."The Psalmist's mournful plaint." Wordsworth.

2. An accusation or protest on account of an injury. There are three just grounds of war with Spain: one of plaint, two upon defense. Bacon.

3. (Law)

Defn: A private memorial tendered to a court, in which a person sets forth his cause of action; the exhibiting of an action in writing. Blackstone.

PLAINTFUL Plaint"ful, a.

Defn: Containing a plaint; complaining; expressing sorrow with an audible voice. "My plaintful tongue." Sir P. Sidney.

PLAINTIFF Plain"tiff, n. Etym: [F. plaintif making complaint, plaintive; in Old French equiv. to plaignant complainant, prosecutor, fr. plaindre. See Plaint, and cf. Plaintive.] (Law)

Defn: One who commences a personal action or suit to obtain a remedy for an injury to his rights; -- opposed to Ant: defendant.

PLAINTIFF Plain"tiff, a.

Defn: See Plaintive. [Obs.] Prior.

PLAINTIVE Plain"tive, a. Etym: [F. plaintif. See Plaintiff, n.]

1. Repining; complaining; lamenting. Dryden.

2. Expressive of sorrow or melancholy; mournful; sad. "The most plaintive ditty." Landor. -- Plain"tive*ly, adv. -- Plain"tive*ness, n.

PLAINTLESS Plaint"less, a.

Defn: Without complaint; unrepining. "Plaintless patience." Savage.

PLAISANCE Plai`sance", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Pleasance.

PLAISE Plaise, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Plaice. [Obs.]

PLAISTER Plais"ter, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Plaster.

PLAIT Plait, n. Etym: [OE. playte, OF. pleit, L. plicatum, plicitum, p.p. of plicare to fold, akin to plectere to plait. See Ply, and cf. Plat to weave, Pleat, Plight fold.]

1. A flat fold; a doubling, as of cloth; a pleat; as, a box plait. The plaits and foldings of the drapery. Addison.

2. A braid, as of hair or straw; a plat. Polish plait. (Med.) Same as Plica.

PLAIT Plait, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plaited; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaiting.]

1. To fold; to double in narrow folds; to pleat; as, to plait a ruffle.

2. To interweave the strands or locks of; to braid; to plat; as, to plait hair; to plait rope.

PLAITED Plait"ed, a.

Defn: Folded; doubled over; braided; figuratively, involved; intricate; artful. Time shall unfold what plaited cunning hides. Shak.

PLAITER Plait"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plaits.

PLAN Plan, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. planus flat, level. See Plain, a.]

1. A draught or form; properly, a representation drawn on a plane, as a map or a chart; especially, a top view, as of a machine, or the representation or delineation of a horizontal section of anything, as of a building; a graphic representation; a diagram.

2. A scheme devised; a method of action or procedure expressed or described in language; a project; as, the plan of a constitution; the plan of an expedition. God's plans like lines pure and white unfold. M. R. Smith.

3. A method; a way of procedure; a custom. The simple plan, That they should take who have the power, And they should keep who can. Wordsworth. Body plan, Floor plan, etc. See under Body, Floor, etc.

Syn. -- Scheme; draught; delineation; plot; sketch; project; design; contrivance; device. See Scheme.

PLAN Plan, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planned; p. pr. & vb. n. Planning.]

1. To form a delineation of; to draught; to represent, as by a diagram.

2. To scheme; to devise; to contrive; to form in design; as, to plan the conquest of a country. Even in penance, planning sins anew. Goldsmith.

PLANARIA Pla*na"ri*a, n.; pl. L. Planariæ, E. -rias. Etym: [NL. See Planary.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of turbellarian worms belonging to Planaria, and many allied genera. The body is usually flat, thin, and smooth. Some species, in warm countries, are terrestrial.

PLANARIAN Pla*na"ri*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Planarida, or Dendrocoela; any turbellarian worm. -- Pla*na"ri*an, a.

PLANARIDA Pla*nar"i*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Turbellaria; the Dendrocoela.

PLANARIOID Pla*na"ri*oid, a. Etym: [Planaria + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like the planarians.

PLANARY Pla"na*ry, a. Etym: [L. planarius level. See Plane, a.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a plane. [R.]

PLANCH Planch, n. Etym: [F. planche.]

Defn: A plank. [Obs.] Ld. Berners.

PLANCH Planch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planched; p. pr. & vb. n. Planching.] Etym: [F. planche a board, plank. See Plank.]

Defn: To make or cover with planks or boards; to plank. [Obs.] "To that vineyard is a planched gate." Shak.

PLANCHER Planch"er, n. Etym: [F., planche. See Planch.]

1. A floor of wood; also, a plank. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. (Arch.)

Defn: The under side of a cornice; a soffit.

PLANCHER Planch"er, v. t.

Defn: To form of planks. [Obs.] Golding.

PLANCHET Planch"et, n. Etym: [F. planchette a small board, dim. of planche. See Planch.]

Defn: A flat piece of metal; especially, a disk of metal ready to be stamped as a coin.

PLANCHETTE Plan`chette", n. Etym: [F. See Planchet.]

1. A circumferentor. See Circumferentor.

2. A small tablet of wood supported on casters and having a pencil attached. The characters produced by the pencil on paper, while the hand rests on the instrument and it is allowed to move, are sometimes translated as of oracular or supernatural import.

PLANCHING Planch"ing, n.

Defn: The laying of floors in a building; also, a floor of boards or planks.

PLANE Plane, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. platanus, Gr. Place, and cf. Platane, Plantain the tree.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any tree of the genus Platanus.

Note: The Oriental plane (Platanus orientalis) is a native of Asia. It rises with a straight, smooth, branching stem to a great height, with palmated leaves, and long pendulous peduncles, sustaining several heads of small close-sitting flowers. The seeds are downy, and collected into round, rough, hard balls. The Occidental plane (Platanus occidentalis), which grows to a great height, is a native of North America, where it is popularly called sycamore, buttonwood, and buttonball, names also applied to the California species (Platanus racemosa).

PLANE Plane, a. Etym: [L. planus: cf. F. plan. See Plan, a.]

Defn: Without elevations or depressions; even; level; flat; lying in, or constituting, a plane; as, a plane surface.

Note: In science, this word (instead of plain) is almost exclusively used to designate a flat or level surface. Plane angle, the angle included between two straight lines in a plane. -- Plane chart, Plane curve. See under Chart and Curve. -- Plane figure, a figure all points of which lie in the same plane. If bounded by straight lines it is a rectilinear plane figure, if by curved lines it is a curvilinear plane figure. -- Plane geometry, that part of geometry which treats of the relations and properties of plane figures. -- Plane problem, a problem which can be solved geometrically by the aid of the right line and circle only. -- Plane sailing (Naut.), the method of computing a ship's place and course on the supposition that the earth's surface is a plane. -- Plane scale (Naut.), a scale for the use of navigators, on which are graduated chords, sines, tangents, secants, rhumbs, geographical miles, etc. -- Plane surveying, surveying in which the curvature of the earth is disregarded; ordinary field and topographical surveying of tracts of moderate extent. -- Plane table, an instrument used for plotting the lines of a survey on paper in the field. -- Plane trigonometry, the branch of trigonometry in which its principles are applied to plane triangles.

PLANE Plane, n. Etym: [F. plane, L. plana. See Plane, v. & a.]

1. (Geom.)

Defn: A surface, real or imaginary, in which, if any two points are taken, the straight line which joins them lies wholly in that surface; or a surface, any section of which by a like surface is a straight line; a surface without curvature.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: An ideal surface, conceived as coinciding with, or containing, some designated astronomical line, circle, or other curve; as, the plane of an orbit; the plane of the ecliptic, or of the equator.

3. (Mech.)

Defn: A block or plate having a perfectly flat surface, used as a standard of flatness; a surface plate.

4. (Joinery)

Defn: A tool for smoothing boards or other surfaces of wood, for forming moldings, etc. It consists of a smooth-soled stock, usually of wood, from the under side or face of which projects slightly the steel cutting edge of a chisel, called the iron, which inclines backward, with an apperture in front for the escape of shavings; as, the jack plane; the smoothing plane; the molding plane, etc. Objective plane (Surv.), the horizontal plane upon which the object which is to be delineated, or whose place is to be determined, is supposed to stand. -- Perspective plane. See Perspective. -- Plane at infinity (Geom.), a plane in which points infinitely distant are conceived as situated. -- Plane iron, the cutting chisel of a joiner's plane. -- Plane of polarization. (Opt.) See Polarization. -- Plane of projection. (a) The plane on which the projection is made, corresponding to the perspective plane in perspective; -- called also principal plane. (b) (Descriptive Geom.) One of the planes to which points are referred for the purpose of determining their relative position in space. -- Plane of refraction or reflection (Opt.), the plane in which lie both the incident ray and the refracted or reflected ray.

PLANE Plane, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planed; p. pr. & vb. n. Planing.] Etym: [Cf. F. planer, L. planare, fr. planus. See Plane, a., Plain, a., and cf. Planish.]

1. To make smooth; to level; to pare off the inequalities of the surface of, as of a board or other piece of wood, by the use of a plane; as, to plane a plank.

2. To efface or remove. He planed away the names . . . written on his tables. Chaucer.

3. Figuratively, to make plain or smooth. [R.] What student came but that you planed her path. Tennyson.

PLANE-PARALLEL Plane`-par"al*lel, a. (Optics)

Defn: Having opposite surfaces exactly plane and parallel, as a piece of glass.

PLANER Plan"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, planes; a planing machine; esp., a machine for planing wood or metals.

2. (Print.)

Defn: A wooden block used for forcing down the type in a form, and making the surface even. Hansard. Planer centers. See under Center.

PLANER TREE Plan"er tree`. Etym: [From J.S.Planer, a German botanist.] (Bot.)

Defn: A small-leaved North American tree (Planera aquatica) related to the elm, but having a wingless, nutlike fruit.

PLANET Plan"et, n. Etym: [OE. planete, F. planète, L. planeta, fr. Gr.

1. (Astron.)

Defn: A celestial body which revolves about the sun in an orbit of a moderate degree of eccentricity. It is distinguished from a comet by the absence of a coma, and by having a less eccentric orbit. See Solar system.

Note: The term planet was first used to distinguish those stars which have an apparent motion through the constellations from the fixed stars, which retain their relative places unchanged. The inferior planets are Mercury and Venus, which are nearer to the sun than is the earth; the superior planets are Mars, the asteroids, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, which are farther from the sun than is the earth. Primary planets are those which revolve about the sun; secondary planets, or moons, are those which revolve around the primary planets as satellites, and at the same time revolve with them about the sun.

2. A star, as influencing the fate of a men. There's some ill planet reigns. Shak. Planet gear. (Mach.) See Epicyclic train, under Epicyclic. -- Planet wheel, a gear wheel which revolves around the wheel with which it meshes, in an epicyclic train.

PLANE TABLE Plane" ta`ble.

Defn: See under Plane, a.

PLANETARIUM Plan`e*ta"ri*um, n. Etym: [NL.: cf. F. planétaire. See Planetary.]

Defn: An orrery. See Orrery.

PLANETARY Plan"et*a*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. L. planetarius an astrologer, F. planétaire planetary. See Planet.]

1. Of or pertaining to the planets; as, planetary inhabitants; planetary motions; planetary year.

2. Consisting of planets; as, a planetary system.

3. (Astrol.)

Defn: Under the dominion or influence of a planet. "Skilled in the planetary hours." Drayton.

4. Caused by planets. "A planetary plague." Shak.

5. Having the nature of a planet; erratic; revolving; wandering. "Erratical and planetary life." Fuller. Planetary days, the days of the week as shared among the planets known to the ancients, each having its day. Hutton. -- Planetary nebula, a nebula exhibiting a uniform disk, like that of a planet.

PLANETED Plan"et*ed, a.

Defn: Belonging to planets. [R.] Young.

PLANETIC; PLANETICAL Pla*net"ic, Pla*net"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. planeticus, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to planets. Sir T. Browne.

PLANETOID Plan"et*oid, n. Etym: [Planet + -oid.] (Astron.)

Defn: A body resembling a planet; an asteroid.

PLANETOIDAL Plan"et*oid*al, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a planetoid.

PLANE TREE Plane" tree`. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as 1st Plane.

PLANET-STRICKEN; PLANET-STRUCK Plan"et-strick`en, Plan"et-struck`, a.

Defn: Affected by the influence of planets; blasted. Milton. Like planet-stricken men of yore He trembles, smitten to the core By strong compunction and remorse. Wordsworth.

PLANETULE Plan"et*ule, n.

Defn: A little planet. [R.] Conybeare.

PLANGENCY Plan"gen*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plangent; a beating sound. [R.]

PLANGENT Plan"gent, a. Etym: [L. plangens, -entis, fr. plangere to beat. See Plaint.]

Defn: Beating; dashing, as a wave. [R.] "The plangent wave." H. Taylor.

PLANI-; PLANO- Plan"i-, Plan"o-. Etym: [L. planus. See Plane, a.]

Defn: Combining forms signifying flat, level, plane; as planifolious, planimetry, plano-concave.

PLANIFOLIOUS Plan`i*fo"li*ous, a. Etym: [Plani- + L. folium leaf.] (Bot.)

Defn: Flat-leaved.

PLANIFORM Plan"i*form, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Having a plane surface; as, a planiform, gliding, or arthrodial articulation.

PLANIMETER Pla*nim"e*ter, n. Etym: [Plani- + -meter. Cf. Planometer.]

Defn: An instrument for measuring the area of any plane figure, however irregular, by passing a tracer around the bounding line; a platometer.

PLANIMETRIC; PLANIMETRICAL Plan`i*met"ric, Plan`i*met"ric*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. planimétrique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to planimetry.

PLANIMETRY Pla*nim"e*try, n. Etym: [Cf. F. planimétrie.]

Defn: The mensuration of plane surfaces; -- distinguished from stereometry, or the mensuration of volumes.

PLANING Plan"ing,

Defn: a. & vb. n. fr. Plane, v. t. Planing machine. (a) See Planer. (b) A complex machine for planing wood, especially boards, containing usually a rapidly revolving cutter, which chips off the surface in small shavings as the piece to be planed is passed under it by feeding apparatus.

PLANIPENNATE Pla`ni*pen"nate, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Planipennia.

PLANIPENNIA Pla`ni*pen"ni*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. planus plane + penna wing.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A suborder of Neuroptera, including those that have broad, flat wings, as the ant-lion, lacewing, etc. Called also Planipennes.

PLANIPETALOUS Plan`i*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Plani- + petal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having flat petals.

PLANISH Plan"ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planished; p. pr. & vb. n. Planishing.] Etym: [OF. planir, F. planer. See Plane, v., and -ish.]

Defn: To make smooth or plane, as a metallic surface; to condense, toughen, and polish by light blows with a hammer.

PLANISHER Plan"ish*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, planishes. Weale.

PLANISHING Plan"ish*ing,

Defn: a. & vb. n. from Planish, v. t. Planishing rolls (Coining), rolls between which metal strips are passed while cold, to bring them to exactly the required thickness.

PLANISPHERE Plan"i*sphere, n. Etym: [Plani- + sphere: cf. F. planisphère. See Plain, and Sphere.]

Defn: The representation of the circles of the sphere upon a plane; especially, a representation of the celestial sphere upon a plane with adjustable circles, or other appendages, for showing the position of the heavens, the time of rising and setting of stars, etc., for any given date or hour.

PLANISPHERIC Plan`i*spher"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a planisphere.

PLANK Plank, n. Etym: [OE. planke, OF. planque, planche, F. planche, fr. L. planca; cf. Gr. Planch.]

1. A broad piece of sawed timber, differing from a board only in being thicker. See Board.

2. Fig.: That which supports or upholds, as a board does a swimmer. His charity is a better plank than the faith of an intolerant and bitter-minded bigot. Southey.

3. One of the separate articles in a declaration of the principles of a party or cause; as, a plank in the national platform. [Cant] Plank road, or Plank way, a road surface formed of planks. [U.S.] -- To walk the plank, to walk along a plank laid across the bulwark of a ship, until one overbalances it and falls into the sea; -- a method of disposing of captives practiced by pirates.

PLANK Plank, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planked; p. pr. & vb. n. Planking.]

1. To cover or lay with planks; as, to plank a floor or a ship. "Planked with pine." Dryden.

2. To lay down, as on a plank or table; to stake or pay cash; as, to plank money in a wager. [Colloq. U.S.]

3. To harden, as hat bodies, by felting.

4. (Wooden Manuf.)

Defn: To splice together the ends of slivers of wool, for subsequent drawing. Planked shad, shad split open, fastened to a plank, and roasted before a wood fire.

PLANKING Plank"ing, n.

1. The act of laying planks; also, planks, collectively; a series of planks in place, as the wooden covering of the frame of a vessel.

2. The act of splicing slivers. See Plank, v. t., 4.

PLANK-SHEER Plank"-sheer`, n. (Shipbuilding)

Defn: The course of plank laid horizontally over the timberheads of a vessel's frame.

PLANKTON Plank"ton (plank"ton), n. [NL., fr. Gr. plagto`n, neut. of plagto`s wandering, pla`zesqai to wander.] (Biol.)

Defn: All the animals and plants, taken collectively, which live at or near the surface of salt or fresh waters. --Plank*ton"ic (#), a.

PLANLESS Plan"less, a.

Defn: Having no plan.

PLANNER Plan"ner, n.

Defn: One who plans; a projector.

PLANO- Pla"no-.

Defn: See Plani-.

PLANOBLAST Plan"o*blast, n. Etym: [Gr. -blast.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any free-swimming gonophore of a hydroid; a hydroid medusa.

PLANO-CONCAVE Pla"no-con"cave, a. Etym: [Plano- + concave.]

Defn: Plane or flat on one side, and concave on the other; as, a plano-concave lens. See Lens.

PLANO-CONICAL Pla"no-con"ic*al, a. Etym: [Plano- + conical.]

Defn: Plane or flat on one side, and conical on the other. Grew.

PLANO-CONVEX Pla"no-con"vex, a. Etym: [Plano- + convex.]

Defn: Plane or flat on one side, and convex on the other; as, a plano-convex lens. See Convex, and Lens.

PLANOGAMETE Plan"o*ga*mete`, n. [Gr. wandering + E. gamete.] (Bot.)

Defn: One of the motile ciliated gametes, or zoögametes, found in isogamous plants, as many green algæ (Chlorophyceæ).

PLANO-HORIZONTAL Pla"no-hor`i*zon"tal, a. Etym: [Plano- + horizontal.]

Defn: Having a level horizontal surface or position. Lee.

PLANOMETER Pla*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Plano- + -meter. Cf. Planimeter.]

Defn: An instrument for gauging or testing a plane surface. See Surface gauge, under Surface.

PLANOMETRY Pla*nom"e*try, n. (Mech.)

Defn: The art or process of producing or gauging a plane surface.

PLANO-ORBICULAR Pla"no-or*bic"u*lar, a. Etym: [Plano- + orbicular.]

Defn: Plane or flat on one side, and spherical on the other.

PLANORBIS Pla*nor"bis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. planus flat + orbis a circle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any fresh-water air-breathing mollusk belonging to Planorbis and other allied genera, having shells of a discoidal form.

PLANO-SUBULATE Pla"no-su"bu*late, a. Etym: [Plano- + subulate.]

Defn: Smooth and awl-shaped. See Subulate.

PLANT Plant, n. Etym: [AS. plante, L. planta.]

1. A vegetable; an organized living being, generally without feeling and voluntary motion, and having, when complete, a root, stem, and leaves, though consisting sometimes only of a single leafy expansion, or a series of cellules, or even a single cellule.

Note: Plants are divided by their structure and methods of reproduction into two series, phænogamous or flowering plants, which have true flowers and seeds, and cryptogamous or flowerless plants, which have no flowers, and reproduce by minute one-celled spores. In both series are minute and simple forms and others of great size and complexity. As to their mode of nutrition, plants may be considered as self-supporting and dependent. Self-supporting plants always contain chlorophyll, and subsist on air and moisture and the matter dissolved in moisture, and as a general rule they excrete oxygen, and use the carbonic acid to combine with water and form the material for their tissues. Dependent plants comprise all fungi and many flowering plants of a parasitic or saprophytic nature. As a rule, they have no chlorophyll, and subsist mainly or wholly on matter already organized, thus utilizing carbon compounds already existing, and not excreting oxygen. But there are plants which are partly dependent and partly self-supporting. The movements of climbing plants, of some insectivorous plants, of leaves, stamens, or pistils in certain plants, and the ciliary motion of zoöspores, etc., may be considered a kind of voluntary motion.

2. A bush, or young tree; a sapling; hence, a stick or staff. "A plant of stubborn oak." Dryden.

3. The sole of the foot. [R.] "Knotty legs and plants of clay." B. Jonson.

4. (Com.)

Defn: The whole machinery and apparatus employed in carrying on a trade or mechanical business; also, sometimes including real estate, and whatever represents investment of capital in the means of carrying on a business, but not including material worked upon or finished products; as, the plant of a foundry, a mill, or a railroad.

5. A plan; an artifice; a swindle; a trick. [Slang] It was n't a bad plant, that of mine, on Fikey. Dickens.

6. (Zoöl.) (a) An oyster which has been bedded, in distinction from one of natural growth. (b) A young oyster suitable for transplanting. [Local, U.S.] Plant bug (Zoöl.), any one of numerous hemipterous insects which injure the foliage of plants, as Lygus lineolaris, which damages wheat and trees. -- Plant cutter (Zoöl.), a South American passerine bird of the genus Phytotoma, family Phytotomidæ. It has a serrated bill with which it cuts off the young shoots and buds of plants, often doing much injury. -- Plant louse (Zoöl.), any small hemipterous insect which infests plants, especially those of the families Aphidæ and Psyllidæ; an aphid.

PLANT Plant, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Planted; p. pr. & vb. n. Planting.] Etym: [AS. plantian, L. plantare. See Plant, n.]

1. To put in the ground and cover, as seed for growth; as, to plant maize.

2. To set in the ground for growth, as a young tree, or a vegetable with roots. Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees. Deut. xvi. 21.

3. To furnish, or fit out, with plants; as, to plant a garden, an orchard, or a forest.

4. To engender; to generate; to set the germ of. It engenders choler, planteth anger. Shak.

5. To furnish with a fixed and organized population; to settle; to establish; as, to plant a colony. Planting of countries like planting of woods. Bacon.

6. To introduce and establish the principles or seeds of; as, to plant Christianity among the heathen.

7. To set firmly; to fix; to set and direct, or point; as, to plant cannon against a fort; to plant a standard in any place; to plant one's feet on solid ground; to plant one's fist in another's face.

8. To set up; to install; to instate. We will plant some other in the throne. Shak.

PLANT Plant, v. i.

Defn: To perform the act of planting. I have planted; Apollos watered. 1 Cor. iii. 6.

PLANTABLE Plant"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being planted; fit to be planted. B. Edwards.

PLANTAGE Plant"age, n.

Defn: A word used once by Shakespeare to designate plants in general, or anything that is planted. As true as steel, as plantage to the moon. Shak. (Troil. iii. sc. 2).

PLANTAIN Plan"tain, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plantain-arbre, plantanier, Sp. plántano, plátano; prob. same word as plane tree.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A treelike perennial herb (Musa paradisiaca) of tropical regions, bearing immense leaves and large clusters of the fruits called plantains. See Musa.

2. The fruit of this plant. It is long and somewhat cylindrical, slightly curved, and, when ripe, soft, fleshy, and covered with a thick but tender yellowish skin. The plantain is a staple article of food in most tropical countries, especially when cooked. Plantain cutter, or Plantain eater (Zoöl.), any one of several large African birds of the genus Musophaga, or family Musophagidæ, especially Musophaga violacea. See Turaco. They are allied to the cuckoos. -- Plantain squirrel (Zoöl.), a Java squirrel (Sciurus plantani) which feeds upon plantains. -- Plantain tree (Bot.), the treelike herb Musa paradisiaca. See def. 1 (above).

PLANTAIN Plan"tain, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. plantago. Cf. Plant.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Plantago, but especially the P. major, a low herb with broad spreading radical leaves, and slender spikes of minute flowers. It is a native of Europe, but now found near the abode of civilized man in nearly all parts of the world. Indian plantain. (Bot.) See under Indian. -- Mud plantain, a homely North American aquatic plant (Heteranthera reniformis), having broad, reniform leaves. -- Rattlesnake plantain, an orchidaceous plant (Goodyera pubescens), with the leaves blotched and spotted with white. -- Ribwort plantain. See Ribwort. -- Robin's plantain, the Erigeron bellidifolium, a common daisylike plant of North America. -- Water plantain, a plant of the genus Alisma, having acrid leaves, and formerly regarded as a specific against hydrophobia. Loudon.

PLANTAL Plant"al, a. Etym: [L. planta a plant.]

Defn: Belonging to plants; as, plantal life. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

PLANTAR Plan"tar, a. Etym: [L. plantaris, fr. planta the sole of the foot.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the sole of the foot; as, the plantar arteries.

PLANTATION Plan*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. plantatio: cf. F. plantation.]

1. The act or practice of planting, or setting in the earth for growth. [R.]

2. The place planted; land brought under cultivation; a piece of ground planted with trees or useful plants; esp., in the United States and West Indies, a large estate appropriated to the production of the more important crops, and cultivated by laborers who live on the estate; as, a cotton plantation; a coffee plantation.

3. An original settlement in a new country; a colony. While these plantations were forming in Connecticut. B. Trumbull.

PLANT-CANE Plant"-cane`, n.

Defn: A stalk or shoot of sugar cane of the first growth from the cutting. The growth of the second and following years is of inferior quality, and is called rattoon.

PLANT-EATING Plant"-eat`ing, a.

Defn: Eating, or subsisting on, plants; as, a plant-eating beetle.

PLANTED Plant"ed, a. (Joinery)

Defn: Fixed in place, as a projecting member wrought on a separate piece of stuff; as, a planted molding.

PLANTER Plant"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, plants or sows; as, a planterof corn; a machine planter.

2. One who owns or cultivates a plantation; as, a sugar planter; a coffee planter.

3. A colonist in a new or uncultivated territory; as, the first planters in Virginia.

PLANTERSHIP Plant"er*ship, n.

Defn: The occupation or position of a planter, or the management of a plantation, as in the United States or the West Indies.

PLANTICLE Plant"i*cle, n. Etym: [Dim. of Plant.]

Defn: A young plant, or plant in embryo. E. Darwin.

PLANTIGRADA Plan`ti*gra"da, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A subdivision of Carnivora having plantigrade feet. It includes the bears, raccoons, and allied species.

PLANTIGRADE Plan"ti*grade, a. Etym: [L. planta sole of the foot + gradi to walk: cf. F. plantigrade.] (Zoöl.) (a) Walking on the sole of the foot; pertaining to the plantigrades. (b) Having the foot so formed that the heel touches the ground when the leg is upright.

PLANTIGRADE Plan"ti*grade, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A plantigrade animal, or one that walks or steps on the sole of the foot, as man, and the bears.

PLANTING Plant"ing, n.

1. The act or operation of setting in the ground for propagation, as seeds, trees, shrubs, etc.; the forming of plantations, as of trees; the carrying on of plantations, as of sugar, coffee, etc.

2. That which is planted; a plantation. Trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord. Isa. lxi. 3.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: The laying of the first courses of stone in a foundation. [Eng.]

PLANTLESS Plant"less, a.

Defn: Without plants; barren of vegetation.

PLANTLET Plant"let, n.

Defn: A little plant.

PLANTOCRACY Plan*toc"ra*cy, n. Etym: [Planter + -cracy, as in democracy.]

Defn: Government by planters; planters, collectively. [R.]

PLANTULE Plant"ule, n. Etym: [F., dim. of plante a plant, L. planta.] (Bot.)

Defn: The embryo which has begun its development in the act of germination.

PLANULA Plan"u*la, n.; pl. Planulæ. Etym: [L., a little plane.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: In embryonic development, a vesicle filled with fluid, formed from the morula by the divergence of its cells in such a manner as to give rise to a central space, around which the cells arrange themselves as an envelope; an embryonic form intermediate between the morula and gastrula. Sometimes used as synonymous with gastrula.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The very young, free-swimming larva of the coelenterates. It usually has a flattened oval or oblong form, and is entirely covered with cilia.

PLANXTY Planx"ty, n. Etym: [Cf. L. plangere to mourn aloud.] (Mus.)

Defn: An Irish or Welsh melody for the harp, sometimes of a mournful character.

PLAQUE Plaque, n. Etym: [F. Cf. Plack, and see Placard.]

Defn: Any flat, thin piece of metal, clay, ivory, or the like, used for ornament, or for painting pictures upon, as a slab, plate, dish, or the like, hung upon a wall; also, a smaller decoration worn on the person, as a brooch.

PLAQUETTE Pla`quette", n. [F., dim. of plaque plate, plaque. See Plaque.]

Defn: A small plaque, esp., in modern medal engraving, a small and delicate bas-relief, whether cast or struck from a die, or of form other than circular.

PLASH Plash, n. Etym: [OD. plasch. See Plash, v.]

1. A small pool of standing water; a puddle. Bacon. "These shallow plashes." Barrow.

2. A dash of water; a splash.

PLASH Plash, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Plashed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plashing.] Etym: [Cf. D. plassen, G. platschen. Cf. Splash.]

Defn: To dabble in water; to splash. "Plashing among bedded pebbles." Keats. Far below him plashed the waters. Longfellow.

PLASH Plash, v. t.

1. To splash, as water.

2. To splash or sprinkle with coloring matter; as, to plash a wall in imitation of granite.

PLASH Plash, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plashed (; p. pr. & vb. n. Plashing.] Etym: [OF. plaissier, plessier, to bend. Cf. Pleach.]

Defn: To cut partly, or to bend and intertwine the branches of; as, to plash a hedge. Evelyn.

PLASH Plash, n.

Defn: The branch of a tree partly cut or bent, and bound to, or intertwined with, other branches.

PLASHET Plash"et, n. Etym: [Plash + -et.]

Defn: A small pond or pool; a puddle.

PLASHING Plash"ing, n.

1. The cutting or bending and intertwining the branches of small trees, as in hedges.

2. The dashing or sprinkling of coloring matter on the walls of buildings, to imitate granite, etc.

PLASHOOT Plash"oot, n.

Defn: A hedge or fence formed of branches of trees interlaced, or plashed. [Obs.] Carew.

PLASHY Plash"y, a. Etym: [From 1st Plash.]

1. Watery; abounding with puddles; splashy. "Plashy fens." Milton. "The plashy earth." Wordsworth.

2. Specked, as if plashed with color. Keats.

PLASM Plasm, n. Etym: [L. plasma anything formed or molded, that which is molded, Gr. plasme. Cf. Plasma.]

1. A mold or matrix in which anything is cast or formed to a particular shape. [R.] Woodward.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Same as Plasma.

PLASMA Plas"ma, n. Etym: [See Plasm.]

1. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of quartz, of a color between grass green and leek green, which is found associated with common chalcedony. It was much esteemed by the ancients for making engraved ornaments.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The viscous material of an animal or vegetable cell, out of which the various tissues are formed by a process of differentiation; protoplasm.

3. Unorganized material; elementary matter.

4. (Med.)

Defn: A mixture of starch and glycerin, used as a substitute for ointments. U. S. Disp. Blood plasma (Physiol.), the colorless fluid of the blood, in which the red and white blood corpuscles are suspended. -- Muscle plasma (Physiol.), the fundamental part of muscle fibers, a thick, viscid, albuminous fluid contained within the sarcolemma, which on the death of the muscle coagulates to a semisolid mass.

PLASMATIC; PLASMATICAL Plas*mat"ic, Plas*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. Forming; shaping; molding. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to plasma; having the character of plasma; containing, or conveying, plasma.

PLASMATION Plas*ma"tion, n. Etym: [L. plasmatio.]

Defn: The act of forming or molding. [R.] Grafton.

PLASMATOR Plas*ma"tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A former; a fashioner. [R.] "The sovereign plasmator, God Almighty." Urquhart.

PLASMATURE Plas"ma*ture, n.

Defn: Form; mold. [R.]

PLASMIC Plas"mic, a.

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or connected with, plasma; plasmatic.

Defn: A piece of DNA, usually circular, functioning as part of the genetic material of a cell, not integrated with the chromosome and replicating independently of the chromosome, but transferred, like the chromosome, to subsequent generations. In bacteria, plasmids often carry the genes for antibiotic resistance; they are exploited in genetic engineering as the vehicles for introduction of extraneous DNA into cells, to alter the genetic makeup of the cell. The cells thus altered may produce desirable proteins which are extracted and used; in the case of genetically altered plant cells, the altered cells may grow into complete plants with changed properties, as for example, increased resistance to disease. .

PLASMIN Plas"min, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A proteid body, separated by some physiologists from blood plasma. It is probably identical with fibrinogen.

PLASMODIAL Plas*mo"di*al, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to, or like, a plasmodium; as, the plasmodial form of a life cycle.

PLASMODIUM Plas*mo"di*um, n.; pl. Plasmodia. Etym: [NL. See Plasma.]

1. (Biol.)

Defn: A jellylike mass of free protoplasm, without any union of amoeboid cells, and endowed with life and power of motion.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A naked mobile mass of protoplasm, formed by the union of several amoebalike young, and constituting one of the stages in the life cycle of Mycetozoa and other low organisms.

PLASMOGEN Plas"mo*gen, n. Etym: [Plasma + -gen.] (Biol.)

Defn: The important living portion of protoplasm, considered a chemical substance of the highest elaboration. Germ plasm and idioplasm are forms of plasmogen.

PLASMON; PLASMON BUTTER Plas"mon, n. [Cf. Plasma.]

Defn: A flourlike food preparation made from skim milk, and consisting essentially of the unaltered proteid of milk. It is also used in making biscuits and crackers, for mixing with cocoa, etc. A mixture of this with butter, water, and salt is called Plasmon butter, and resembles clotted cream in appearance.

PLASSON Plas"son, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The albuminous material composing the body of a cytode.

Note: It is considered simpler than protoplasm of an ordinary cell in that it has not undergone differentiation into the inner cell nucleus and the outer cell substance. Haeckel.

PLASTER Plas"ter, n. Etym: [AS., a plaster (in sense 1), fr. L. emplastrum, Gr. plastre a plaster (in sense 2), F. plâtre. Cf. Plastic, Emplaster, Piaster.] [Formerly written also plaister.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: An external application of a consistency harder than ointment, prepared for use by spreading it on linen, leather, silk, or other material. It is adhesive at the ordinary temperature of the body, and is used, according to its composition, to produce a medicinal effect, to bind parts together, etc.; as, a porous plaster; sticking plaster.

2. A composition of lime, water, and sand, with or without hair as a bond, for coating walls, ceilings, and partitions of houses. See Mortar.

3. Calcined gypsum, or plaster of Paris, especially when ground, as used for making ornaments, figures, moldings, etc.; or calcined gypsum used as a fertilizer. Plaster cast, a copy of an object obtained by pouring plaster of Paris mixed with water into a mold. -- Plaster of Paris. Etym: [So called because originally brought from a suburb of Paris.] (Chem.) Anhydrous calcium sulphate, or calcined gypsum, which forms with water a paste which soon sets or hardens, and is used for casts, moldings, etc. The term is loosely applied to any plaster stone or species of gypsum. -- Plaster of Paris bandage (Surg.), a bandage saturated with a paste of plaster of Paris, which on drying forms a perfectly fitting splint. -- Plaster stone, any species of gypsum. See Gypsum.

PLASTER Plas"ter, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plastered; p. pr. & vb. n. Plastering.] Etym: [Cf. OF. plastrer to plaster (in sense 2), F. plâtrer.]

1. To cover with a plaster, as a wound or sore.

2. To overlay or cover with plaster, as the ceilings and walls of a house.

3. Fig.: To smooth over; to cover or conceal the defects of; to hide, as with a covering of plaster. Bale.

PLASTERER Plas"ter*er, n.

1. One who applies plaster or mortar. "Thy father was a plasterer." Shak.

2. One who makes plaster casts. "The plasterer doth make his figures by addition." Sir H. Wotton.

PLASTERING Plas"ter*ing, n.

1. Same as Plaster, n., 2.

2. The act or process of overlaying with plaster.

3. A covering of plaster; plasterwork.

PLASTERLY Plas"ter*ly, a.

Defn: Resembling plaster of Paris. [R.] "Out of gypseous or plasterly ground." Fuller.

PLASTERWORK Plas"ter*work`, n.

Defn: Plastering used to finish architectural constructions, exterior or interior, especially that used for the lining of rooms. Ordinarly, mortar is used for the greater part of the work, and pure plaster of Paris for the moldings and ornaments.

PLASTERY Plas"ter*y, a.

Defn: Of the nature of plaster. The stone . . . is a poor plastery material. Clough.

-PLASTIC -plas"tic. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form signifying developing, forming, growing; as, heteroplastic, monoplastic, polyplastic.

PLASTIC Plas"tic, a. Etym: [L. plasticus, Gr. plastique.]

1. Having the power to give form or fashion to a mass of matter; as, the plastic hand of the Creator. Prior. See plastic Nature working to his end. Pope.

2. Capable of being molded, formed, or modeled, as clay or plaster; - - used also figuratively; as, the plastic mind of a child.

3. Pertaining or appropriate to, or characteristic of, molding or modeling; produced by, or appearing as if produced by, molding or modeling; -- said of sculpture and the kindred arts, in distinction from painting and the graphic arts. Medallions . . . fraught with the plastic beauty and grace of the palmy days of Italian art. J. S. Harford. Plastic clay (Geol.), one of the beds of the Eocene period; -- so called because used in making pottery. Lyell. -- Plastic element (Physiol.), one that bears within the germs of a higher form. -- Plastic exudation (Med.), an exudation thrown out upon a wounded surface and constituting the material of repair by which the process of healing is effected. -- Plastic foods. (Physiol.) See the second Note under Food. -- Plastic force. (Physiol.) See under Force. -- Plastic operation, an operation in plastic surgery. -- Plastic surgery, that branch of surgery which is concerned with the repair or restoration of lost, injured, or deformed parts of the body.

Defn: a substance composed predominantly of a synthetic organic high polymer capable of being cast or molded; many varieties of plastic are used to produce articles of commerce (after 1900). [MW10 gives origin of word as 1905]

PLASTICAL Plas"tic*al, a.

Defn: See Plastic. [R.]

PLASTICALLY Plas"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plastic manner.

PLASTICITY Plas*tic"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plasticité.]

1. The quality or state of being plastic.

2. (Physiol.)

Defn: Plastic force. Dunglison.

PLASTID; PLASTIDE Plas"tid, Plas"tide, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Biol.)

Defn: A formative particle of albuminous matter; a monad; a cytode. See the Note under Morphon. Haeckel.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the many minute granules found in the protoplasm of vegetable cells. They are divided by their colors into three classes, chloroplastids, chromoplastids, and leucoplastids.

PLASTIDOZOA Plas`ti*do*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Protoza.

PLASTIDULE Plas"ti*dule, n. Etym: [Dim. fr. Plastid.] (Biol.)

Defn: One of the small particles or organic molecules of protoplasm. Haeckel.

PLASTIN Plas"tin, n. Etym: [Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: A substance associated with nuclein in cell nuclei, and by some considered as the fundamental substance of the nucleus.

PLASTOGRAPHY Plas*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. The art of forming figures in any plastic material.

2. Imitation of handwriting; forgery.

PLASTRON Plas"tron, n. Etym: [F. plastron breastplate, plastron, LL. plastra a thin plate of metal. See Plaster.]

1. A piece of leather stuffed or padded, worn by fencers to protect the breast. Dryden.

3. (Anc. Armor)

Defn: An iron breastplate, worn under the hauberk.

3. (Anat.)

Defn: The ventral shield or shell of tortoises and turtles. See Testudinata.

4. A trimming for the front of a woman's dress, made of a different material, and narrowing from the shoulders to the waist.

-PLASTY -plas"ty. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A combining form denoting the act or process of forming, development, growth; as, autoplasty, perineoplasty.

PLAT Plat, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Platted; p. pr. & vb. n. Platting.] Etym: [See Plait.]

Defn: To form by interlaying interweaving; to braid; to plait. "They had platted a crown of thorns." Matt. xxvii. 29.

PLAT Plat, n.

Defn: Work done by platting or braiding; a plait. Her hair, nor loose, nor tied in formal plat. Shak.

PLAT Plat, n. Etym: [Cf. Plat flat, which perh. caused this spelling, and Plot a piece of ground.]

Defn: A small piece or plot of ground laid out with some design, or for a special use; usually, a portion of flat, even ground. This flowery plat, the sweet recess of Eve. Milton. I keep smooth plat of fruitful ground. Tennyson.

PLAT Plat, v. t.

Defn: To lay out in plats or plots, as ground.

PLAT Plat, a. Etym: [F. plat. See Plate, n.]

Defn: Plain; flat; level. [Obs.] Gower.

PLAT Plat, adv.

1. Plainly; flatly; downright. [Obs.] But, sir, ye lie, I tell you plat. Rom. of R.

2. Flatly; smoothly; evenly. [Obs.] Drant.

PLAT Plat, n.

1. The flat or broad side of a sword. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Chaucer.

2. A plot; a plan; a design; a diagram; a map; a chart. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] "To note all the islands, and to set them down in plat." Hakluyt.

PLATAN Plat"an, n. Etym: [L. platanus. See Plane the tree.] [Written also platane.]

Defn: The plane tree. Tennyson.

PLATANIST Plat"a*nist, n. Etym: [L. platanista a sort of fish, Gr. plataniste.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The soosoo.

PLATANUS Plat"a*nus, n. Etym: [See Plane the tree.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of trees; the plane tree.

PLATBAND Plat"band`, n. Etym: [F. plate-bande; plat, plate, flat, level + bande a band.]

1. A border of flowers in a garden, along a wall or a parterre; hence, a border.

2. (Arch.) (a) A flat molding, or group of moldings, the width of which much exceeds its projection, as the face of an architrave. (b) A list or fillet between the flutings of a column.

PLATE Plate, n. Etym: [OF. plate a plate of metal, a cuirsas, F. plat a plate, a shallow vessel of silver, other metal, or earth, fr. plat flat, Gr. Place, n.]

1. A flat, or nearly flat, piece of metal, the thickness of which is small in comparison with the other dimensions; a thick sheet of metal; as, a steel plate.

2. Metallic armor composed of broad pieces. Mangled . . . through plate and mail. Milton.

3. Domestic vessels and utensils, as flagons, dishes, cups, etc., wrought in gold or silver.

4. Metallic ware which is plated, in distinction from that which is genuine silver or gold.

5. A small, shallow, and usually circular, vessel of metal or wood, or of earth glazed and baked, from which food is eaten at table.

6. Etym: [Cf. Sp. plata silver.]

Defn: A piece of money, usually silver money. [Obs.] "Realms and islands were as plates dropp'd from his pocket." Shak.

7. A piece of metal on which anything is engraved for the purpose of being printed; hence, an impression from the engraved metal; as, a book illustrated with plates; a fashion plate.

8. A page of stereotype, electrotype, or the like, for printing from; as, publisher's plates.

9. That part of an artificial set of teeth which fits to the mouth, and holds the teeth in place. It may be of gold, platinum, silver, rubber, celluloid, etc.

10. (Arch.)

Defn: A horizontal timber laid upon a wall, or upon corbels projecting from a wall, and supporting the ends of other timbers; also used specifically of the roof plate which supports the ends of the roof trusses or, in simple work, the feet of the rafters.

11. (Her.)

Defn: A roundel of silver or tinctured argent.

12. (Photog.)

Defn: A sheet of glass, porcelain, metal, etc., with a coating that is sensitive to light.

13. A prize giving to the winner in a contest.

Note: Plate is sometimes used in an adjectival sense or in combination, the phrase or compound being in most cases of obvious signification; as, plate basket or plate-basket, plate rack or plate- rack. Home plate. (Baseball) See Home base, under Home. -- Plate armor. (a) See Plate, n., 2. (b) Strong metal plates for protecting war vessels, fortifications, and the like. -- Plate bone, the shoulder blade, or scapula. -- Plate girder, a girder, the web of which is formed of a single vertical plate, or of a series of such plates riveted together. -- Plate glass. See under Glass. -- Plate iron, wrought iron plates. -- Plate layer, a workman who lays down the rails of a railway and fixes them to the sleepers or ties. -- Plate mark, a special mark or emblematic figure stamped upon gold or silver plate, to indicate the place of manufacture, the degree of purity, and the like; thus, the local mark for London is a lion. -- Plate paper, a heavy spongy paper, for printing from engraved plates. Fairholt. -- Plate press, a press with a flat carriage and a roller, -- used for printing from engraved steel or copper plates. -- Plate printer, one who prints from engraved plates. -- Plate printing, the act or process of printing from an engraved plate or plates. -- Plate tracery. (Arch.) See under Tracery. -- Plate wheel (Mech.), a wheel, the rim and hub of which are connected by a continuous plate of metal, instead of by arms or spokes.

PLATE Plate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plated; p. pr. & vb. n. Plating.]

1. To cover or overlay with gold, silver, or other metals, either by a mechanical process, as hammering, or by a chemical process, as electrotyping.

2. To cover or overlay with plates of metal; to arm with metal for defense. Thus plated in habiliments of war. Shak.

3. To adorn with plated metal; as, a plated harness.

4. To beat into thin, flat pieces, or laminæ.

5. To calender; as, to plate paper.

PLATEAU Pla*teau", n.; pl. F. Plateaux (F. , E. Plateaus. Etym: [F., fr. OF. platel, properly a little plate. See Plate.]

1. A flat surface; especially, a broad, level, elevated area of land; a table-land.

2. An ornamental dish for the table; a tray or salver.

PLATEFUL Plate"ful, n.; pl. Platefuls (.

Defn: Enough to fill a plate; as much as a plate will hold.

PLATE-GILLED Plate"-gilled`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having flat, or leaflike, gills, as the bivalve mollusks.

PLATEL Pla"tel, n. Etym: [OF. See Plateau.]

Defn: A small dish.

PLATEN Plat"en, n. Etym: [F. platine, fr. plat flat. See Plate, and cf. Platin.] (Mach.) (a) The part of a printing press which presses the paper against the type and by which the impression is made. (b) Hence, an analogous part of a typewriter, on which the paper rests to receive an impression. (c) The movable table of a machine tool, as a planer, on which the work is fastened, and presented to the action of the tool; -- also called table.

PLATER Plat"er, n.

Defn: One who plates or coats articles with gold or silver; as, a silver plater.

2. A machine for calendering paper.

PLATERESQUE Plat`er*esque", a. Etym: [Sp. resco, from plata silver.] (Arch.)

Defn: Resembling silver plate; -- said of certain architectural ornaments.

PLATETROPE Plat"e*trope, n. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: One of a pair of a paired organs.

PLATFORM Plat"form`, n. Etym: [Plat, a. + -form: cf. F. plateforme.]

1. A plat; a plan; a sketch; a model; a pattern. Used also figuratively. [Obs.] Bacon.

2. A place laid out after a model. [Obs.] lf the platform just reflects the order. Pope.

3. Any flat or horizontal surface; especially, one that is raised above some particular level, as a framework of timber or boards horizontally joined so as to form a roof, or a raised floor, or portion of a floor; a landing; a dais; a stage, for speakers, performers, or workmen; a standing place.

4. A declaration of the principles upon which a person, a sect, or a party proposes to stand; a declared policy or system; as, the Saybrook platform; a political platform. "The platform of Geneva." Hooker.

5. (Naut.)

Defn: A light deck, usually placed in a section of the hold or over the floor of the magazine. See Orlop. Platform car, a railway car without permanent raised sides or covering; a f -- Platform scale, a weighing machine, with a flat platform on which objects are weighed.

PLATFORM Plat"form`, v. t.

1. To place on a platform. [R.]

2. To form a plan of; to model; to lay out. [Obs.] Church discipline is platformed in the Bible. Milton.

PLATHELMINTH Plat*hel"minth, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Platyelminthes.

PLATHELMINTHES Plat`hel*min"thes, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Platyelminthes.

PLATIN Plat"in, n. (Mach.)

Defn: See Platen.

PLATINA Plat"i*na, n. Etym: [Sp. or NL. See Platinum.] (Chem.)

Defn: Platinum. Platina mohr, platinum black. -- Platina yellow, a pigment prepared from platinum.

PLATING Plat"ing, n.

1. The art or process of covering anything with a plate or plates, or with metal, particularly of overlaying a base or dull metal with a thin plate of precious or bright metal, as by mechanical means or by electro-magnetic deposition.

2. A thin coating of metal laid upon another metal.

3. A coating or defensive armor of metal (usually steel) plates.

PLATINIC Pla*tin"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or containing, platinum; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which the element has a higher valence, as contrasted with the platinous compounds; as, platinic chloride (PtCl4).

PLATINICHLORIC Plat`i*ni*chlo"ric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or designating, an acid consisting of platinic chloride and hydrochloric acid, and obtained as a brownish red crystalline substance, called platinichloric, or chloroplatinic, acid.

PLATINIFEROUS Plat`i*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Platinum + -ferous.]

Defn: Yielding platinum; as, platiniferous sand.

PLATINIRIDIUM Plat`i*ni*rid"i*um, n. (Chem. & Min.)

Defn: A natural alloy of platinum and iridium occurring in grayish metallic rounded or cubical grains with platinum.

PLATINIZE Plat"i*nize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Platinized; p. pr. & vb. n. Platinizing.]

Defn: To cover or combine with platinum.

PLATINOCHLORIC Plat`i*no*chlo"ric, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid consisting of platinous chloride and hydrochloric acid, called platinochloric, or chloroplatinous, acid.

PLATINOCHLORIDE Plat`i*no*chlo"ride, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A double chloride of platinum and some other metal or radical; a salt of platinochloric acid.

PLATINOCYANIC Plat`i*no*cy*an"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or designating, an acid compound of platinous cyanide and hydrocyanic acid. It is obtained as a cinnaber-red crystalline substance.

PLATINOCYANIDE Plat`i*no*cy"a*nide, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A double cyanide of platinum and some other metal or radical; a salt of platinocyanic acid.

PLATINODE Plat"i*node, n. Etym: [Platinum + Gr. (Physics)

Defn: A cathode. [R.]

PLATINOID Plat"i*noid, a. Etym: [Platinum + -oid.]

Defn: Resembling platinum.

PLATINOID Plat"i*noid, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An alloy of German silver containing tungsten; -- used for forming electrical resistance coils and standards.

PLATINOTYPE Plat"i*no*type, n. Etym: [Platinum + -type.] (Photog.)

1. A permanent photographic picture or print in platinum black.

2. The process by which such pictures are produced.

PLATINOUS Plat"i*nous, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or containing, platinum; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which the element has a lower valence, as contrasted with the platinic compounds; as, platinous chloride (PtCl2).

PLATINUM Plat"i*num, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Sp. platina, from plata silver, LL. plata a thin plate of metal. See Plate, and cf. Platina.] (Chem.)

Defn: A metallic element, intermediate in value between silver and gold, occurring native or alloyed with other metals, also as the platinum arsenide (sperrylite). It is heavy tin-white metal which is ductile and malleable, but very infusible, and characterized by its resistance to strong chemical reagents. It is used for crucibles, for stills for sulphuric acid, rarely for coin, and in the form of foil and wire for many purposes. Specific gravity 21.5. Atomic weight 194.3. Symbol Pt. Formerly called platina. Platinum black (Chem.), a soft, dull black powder, consisting of finely divided metallic platinum obtained by reduction and precipitation from its solutions. It absorbs oxygen to a high degree, and is employed as an oxidizer. -- Platinum lamp (Elec.), a kind of incandescent lamp of which the luminous medium is platinum. See under Incandescent. -- Platinum metals (Chem.), the group of metallic elements which in their chemical and physical properties resemble platinum. These consist of the light platinum group, viz., rhodium, ruthenium, and palladium, whose specific gravities are about 12; and the heavy platinum group, viz., osmium, iridium, and platinum, whose specific gravities are over 21. -- Platinum sponge (Chem.), metallic platinum in a gray, porous, spongy form, obtained by reducing the double chloride of platinum and ammonium. It absorbs oxygen, hydrogen, and certain other gases, to a high degree, and is employed as an agent in oxidizing.

PLATITUDE Plat"i*tude, n. Etym: [F., from plat flat. See Plate.]

1. The quality or state of being flat, thin, or insipid; flat commonness; triteness; staleness of ideas of language. To hammer one golden grain of wit into a sheet of infinite platitude. Motley.

2. A thought or remark which is flat, dull, trite, or weak; a truism; a commonplace.

PLATITUDINARIAN Plat`i*tu`di*na"ri*an, n.

Defn: One addicted to uttering platitudes, or stale and insipid truisms. "A political platitudinarian." G. Eliot.

PLATITUDINIZE Plat`i*tu"di*nize, v. i.

Defn: To utter platitudes or truisms.

PLATITUDINOUS Plat`i*tu"di*nous, a.

Defn: Abounding in platitudes; of the nature of platitudes; uttering platitudes. -- Plat`i*tu"di*nous*ness, n.

PLATLY Plat"ly, a.

Defn: Flatly. See Plat, a. [Obs.]

PLATNESS Plat"ness, n.

Defn: Flatness. [Obs.] Palsgrave.

PLATOMETER Pla*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: See Planimeter.

PLATONIC; PLATONICAL Pla*ton"ic, Pla*ton"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. Platonicus, Gr. platonique.]

1. Of or pertaining to Plato, or his philosophy, school, or opinions.

2. Pure, passionless; nonsexual; philosophical. Platonic bodies, the five regular geometrical solids; namely, the tetrahedron, hexahedron or cube, octahedron, dodecahedron, and icosahedron. -- Platonic love, a pure, spiritual affection, subsisting between persons of opposite sex, unmixed with carnal desires, and regarding the mind only and its excellences; -- a species of love for which Plato was a warm advocate. -- Platonic year (Astron.), a period of time determined by the revolution of the equinoxes, or the space of time in which the stars and constellations return to their former places in respect to the equinoxes; -- called also great year. This revolution, which is caused by the precession of the equinoxes, is accomplished in about 26,000 years. Barlow.

PLATONIC Pla*ton"ic, n.

Defn: A follower of Plato; a Platonist.

PLATONICALLY Pla*ton"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a Platonic manner.

PLATONISM Pla"to*nism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. Platonisme.]

1. The doctrines or philosophy by Plato or of his followers.

Note: Plato believed God to be an infinitely wise, just, and powerful Spirit; and also that he formed the visible universe out of preëxistent amorphous matter, according to perfect patterns of ideas eternally existent in his own mind. Philosophy he considered as being a knowledge of the true nature of things, as discoverable in those eternal ideas after which all things were fashioned. In other words, it is the knowledge of what is eternal, exists necessarily, and is unchangeable; not of the temporary, the dependent, and changeable; and of course it is not obtained through the senses; neither is it the product of the understanding, which concerns itself only with the variable and transitory; nor is it the result of experience and observation; but it is the product of our reason, which, as partaking of the divine nature, has innate ideas resembling the eternal ideas of God. By contemplating these innate ideas, reasoning about them, and comparing them with their copies in the visible universe, reason can attain that true knowledge of things which is called philosophy. Plato's professed followers, the Academics, and the New Platonists, differed considerably from him, yet are called Platonists. Murdock.

2. An elevated rational and ethical conception of the laws and forces of the universe; sometimes, imaginative or fantastic philosophical notions.

PLATONIST Pla"to*nist, n.

Defn: One who adheres to the philosophy of Plato; a follower of Plato. Hammond.

PLATONIZE Pla"to*nize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Platonized; p. pr. & vb. n. Platonizing.]

Defn: To adopt the opinion of Plato or his followers. Milner.

PLATONIZE Pla"to*nize, v. t.

Defn: To explain by, or accomodate to, the Platonic philosophy. Enfield.

PLATONIZER Pla"to*ni`zer, n.

Defn: One who Platonizes.

PLATOON Pla*toon", n. Etym: [F. peloton a ball of thread, a knot or group of men, a platoon, from pelote a ball formed of things wound round. See Pellet.] (Mil.) (a) Formerly, a body of men who fired together; also, a small square body of soldiers to strengthen the angles of a hollow square. (b) Now, in the United States service, half of a company.

PLATT Platt, n. (Mining)

Defn: See Lodge, n. Raymond.

PLATTDEUTSCH Platt"deutsch`, n.

Defn: The modern dialects spoken in the north of Germany, taken collectively; modern Low German. See Low German, under German.

PLATTEN Plat"ten, v. t. Etym: [See Plat, a.] (Glass Making)

Defn: To flatten and make into sheets or plates; as, to platten cylinder glass.

PLATTER Plat"ter, n. Etym: [From Plat to braid.]

Defn: One who plats or braids.

PLATTER Plat"ter, n. Etym: [Probably fr. OF. platel, F. plateau. See Plateau.]

Defn: A large plate or shallow dish on which meat or other food is brought to the table. The attendants . . . speedly brought in several large, smoking platters, filled with huge pieces of beef. Sir W. Scott.

PLATTER-FACED Plat"ter-faced`, a.

Defn: Having a broad, flat face.

PLATTING Plat"ting, n.

Defn: Plaited strips or bark, cane, straw, etc., used for making hats or the like.

PLATY Plat"y, a.

Defn: Like a plate; consisting of plates.

PLATY- Plat"y-.

Defn: A combining form from Gr. platy`s broad, wide, flat; as, platypus, platycephalous.

PLATYCEPHALIC; PLATYCEPHALOUS Plat`y*ce*phal"ic, Plat`y*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Platy + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Broad-headed.

PLATYCNEMIC Plat`yc*ne"mic, a. Etym: [Platy + Gr. platycnémique.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of, relating to, or characterized by, platycnemism.

PLATYCNEMISM Pla*tyc"ne*mism, n. (Anat.)

Defn: Lateral flattening of the tibia.

PLATYCOELIAN Plat`y*coe"li*an, a. Etym: [Platy + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Flat at the anterior and concave at the posterior end; -- said of the centra of the vertebræ of some extinct dinouaurs.

PLATYELMINTHES Plat`y*el*min"thes, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Platy-, and Helminthes.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A class of helminthes including the cestodes, or tapeworms, the trematodes, and the turbellarians. Called also flatworms.

PLATYHELMIA Plat`y*hel"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Platyelminthes. [Written also Platyelmia.]

PLATYMETER Pla*tym"e*ter, n. Etym: [Platy + -meter.] (Elec.)

Defn: An apparatus for measuring the capacity of condensers, or the inductive capacity of dielectrics.

PLATYPOD Plat"y*pod, n. Etym: [Platy + -pod.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal having broad feet, or a broad foot.

PLATYPODA Pla*typ"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Prosobranchiata.

PLATYPTERA Pla*typ"te*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Pseudoneuroptera including the species which have four broad, flat wings, as the termites, or white-ants, and the stone flies (Perla).

PLATYPUS Plat"y*pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The duck mole. See under Duck.

PLATYRHINE Plat"y*rhine, a. Etym: [Platy + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the nose broad; -- opposed to Ant: leptorhine. -- n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Platyrhini.

PLATYRHINI Plat`y*rhi"ni, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of monkeys, including the American species, which have a broad nasal septum, thirty-six teeth, and usually a prehensile tail. See Monkey. [Written also Platyrrhini.]

PLAUD Plaud, v. t.

Defn: To applaud. [Obs.] Chapman.

PLAUDIT Plau"dit, n. Etym: [From L. plaudite do ye praise (which was said by players at the end of a performance), 2d pers. pl. imperative of plaudere. Cf. Plausible.]

Defn: A mark or expression of applause; praise bestowed. Not in the shouts and plaudits of the throng. Longfellow.

Syn. -- Acclamation; applause; encomium; commendation; approbation; approval.

PLAUDITORY Plau"di*to*ry, a.

Defn: Applauding; commending.

PLAUSIBILITY Plau`si*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plausibilité.]

1. Something worthy of praise. [Obs.] Integrity, fidelity, and other gracious plausibilities. E. Vaughan.

2. The quality of being plausible; speciousness. To give any plausibility to a scheme. De Quincey.

3. Anything plausible or specious. R. Browning.

PLAUSIBLE Plau"si*ble, a. Etym: [L. plausibilis praiseworthy, from plaudere, plausum, to applaud, clap the hands, strike, beat.]

1. Worthy of being applauded; praiseworthy; commendable; ready. [Obs.] Bp. Hacket.

2. Obtaining approbation; specifically pleasing; apparently right; specious; as, a plausible pretext; plausible manners; a plausible delusion. "Plausible and popular arguments." Clarendon.

3. Using specious arguments or discourse; as, a plausible speaker.

Syn. -- Plausible, Specious. Plausible denotes that which seems reasonable, yet leaves distrust in the judgment. Specious describes that which presents a fair appearance to the view and yet covers something false. Specious refers more definitely to the act or purpose of false representation; plausible has more reference to the effect on the beholder or hearer. An argument may by specious when it is not plausible because its sophistry is so easily discovered.

PLAUSIBLEIZE Plau"si*ble*ize, v. t.

Defn: To render plausible. [R.]

PLAUSIBLENESS Plau"si*ble*ness, n.

Defn: Quality of being plausible.

PLAUSIBLY Plau"si*bly, adv.

1. In a plausible manner.

2. Contentedly, readily. [Obs.] The Romans plausibly did give consent. Shak.

PLAUSIVE Plau"sive, a. Etym: [L. plaudere, plausum, to applaud.]

1. Applauding; manifesting praise. Young.

2. Plausible, specious. [Obs.] Shak.

PLAY Play, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Played; p. pr. & vb. n. Playing.] Etym: [OE. pleien, AS. plegian, plegan, to play, akin to plega play, game, quick motion, and probably to OS. plegan to promise, pledge, D. plegen to care for, attend to, be wont, G. pflegen; of unknown origin. sq. root28. Cf. Plight, n.]

1. To engage in sport or lively recreation; to exercise for the sake of amusement; to frolic; to spot. As Cannace was playing in her walk. Chaucer. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play! Pope. And some, the darlings of their Lord, Play smiling with the flame and sword. Keble.

2. To act with levity or thoughtlessness; to trifle; to be careless. "Nay," quod this monk, "I have no lust to pleye." Chaucer. Men are apt to play with their healths. Sir W. Temple.

3. To contend, or take part, in a game; as, to play ball; hence, to gamble; as, he played for heavy stakes.

4. To perform on an instrument of music; as, to play on a flute. One that . . . can play well on an instrument. Ezek. xxxiii. 32. Play, my friend, and charm the charmer. Granville.

5. To act; to behave; to practice deception. His mother played false with a smith. Shak.

6. To move in any manner; especially, to move regularly with alternate or reciprocating motion; to operate; to act; as, the fountain plays. The heart beats, the blood circulates, the lungs play. Cheyne.

7. To move gayly; to wanton; to disport. Even as the waving sedges play with wind. Shak. The setting sun Plays on their shining arms and burnished helmets. Addison. All fame is foreign but of true desert, Plays round the head, but comes not to the heart. Pope.

8. To act on the stage; to personate a character. A lord will hear your play to-night. Shak. Courts are theaters where some men play. Donne. To play into a person's hands, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit. -- To play off, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice. -- To play upon. (a) To make sport of; to deceive. Art thou alive Or is it fantasy that plays upon our eyesight. Shak. (b) To use in a droll manner; to give a droll expression or application to; as, to play upon words.

PLAY Play, v. t.

1. To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon upon a fortification; to play a trump. First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul. Herbert.

2. To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or the organ.

3. To perform, as a piece of music, on an instrument; as, to play a waltz on the violin.

4. To bring into sportive or wanton action; to exhibit in action; to execute; as, to play tricks. Nature here Wantoned as in her prime, and played at will Her virgin fancies. Milton.

5. To act or perform (a play); to represent in music action; as, to play a comedy; also, to act in the character of; to represent by acting; to simulate; to behave like; as, to play King Lear; to play the woman. Thou canst play the rational if thou wilt. Sir W. Scott.

6. To engage in, or go together with, as a contest for amusement or for a wager or prize; as, to play a game at baseball.

7. To keep in play, as a hooked fish, in order to land it. To play off, to display; to show; to put in exercise; as, to play off tricks. -- To play one's cards, to manage one's means or opportunities; to contrive. -- Played out, tired out; exhausted; at the end of one's resources. [Colloq.]

PLAY Play, n.

1. Amusement; sport; frolic; gambols.

2. Any exercise, or series of actions, intended for amusement or diversion; a game. John naturally loved rough play. Arbuthnot.

3. The act or practice of contending for victory, amusement, or a prize, as at dice, cards, or billiards; gaming; as, to lose a fortune in play.

4. Action; use; employment; exercise; practice; as, fair play; sword play; a play of wit. "The next who comes in play." Dryden.

5. A dramatic composition; a comedy or tragedy; a composition in which characters are represented by dialogue and action. A play ought to be a just image of human nature. Dryden.

6. The representation or exhibition of a comedy or tragedy; as, he attends ever play.

7. Performance on an instrument of music.

8. Motion; movement, regular or irregular; as, the play of a wheel or piston; hence, also, room for motion; free and easy action. "To give them play, front and rear." Milton. The joints are let exactly into one another, that they have no play between them. Moxon.

9. Hence, liberty of acting; room for enlargement or display; scope; as, to give full play to mirth. Play actor, an actor of dramas. Prynne. -- Play debt, a gambling debt. Arbuthnot. -- Play pleasure, idle amusement. [Obs.] Bacon. -- A play upon words, the use of a word in such a way as to be capable of double meaning; punning. -- Play of colors, prismatic variation of colors. -- To bring into play, To come into play, to bring or come into use or exercise. -- To hold in play, to keep occupied or employed. I, with two more to help me, Will hold the foe in play. Macaulay.

PLAYA Pla"ya, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: A beach; a strand; in the plains and deserts of Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, a broad, level spot, on which subsequently becomes dry by evaporation. Bartlett.

PLAYBILL Play"bill`, n.

Defn: A printed programme of a play, with the parts assigned to the actors.

PLAYBOOK Play"book`, n.

Defn: A book of dramatic compositions; a book of the play. Swift.

PLAYDAY Play"day`, n.

Defn: A day given to play or diversion; a holiday. Swift.

PLAYER Play"er, n.

1. One who plays, or amuses himself; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler. Shak.

2. One who plays any game.

3. A dramatic actor. Shak.

4. One who plays on an instrument of music. "A cunning player on a harp." 1 Sam. xvi. 16.

5. A gamester; a gambler.

PLAYFELLOW Play"fel`low, n.

Defn: A companion in amusements or sports; a playmate. Shak.

PLAYFERE Play"fere`, n. Etym: [Play + 1st fere.]

Defn: A playfellow. [Obs.] [Also, playfeer, playphere.] Holinsheld.

PLAYFUL Play"ful, a.

Defn: Sportive; gamboling; frolicsome; indulging a sportive fancy; humorous; merry; as, a playful child; a playful writer. -- Play"ful*ly, adv. -- Play"ful*ness, n.

PLAYGAME Play"game`, n.

Defn: Play of children. Locke.

PLAYGOER Play"go`er, n.

Defn: One who frequents playhouses, or attends dramatic performances.

PLAYGOING Play"go`ing, a.

Defn: Frequenting playhouses; as, the playgoing public. -- n.

Defn: The practice of going to plays.

PLAYGROUND Play"ground`, n.

Defn: A piece of ground used for recreation; as, the playground of a school.

PLAYHOUSE Play"house`, n. Etym: [AS. pleghus.]

1. A building used for dramatic exhibitions; a theater. Shak.

2. A house for children to play in; a toyhouse.

PLAYING Play"ing,

Defn: a. & vb. n. of Play. Playing cards. See under Card.

PLAYMAKER Play"mak`er, n.

Defn: A playwright. [R.]

PLAYMATE Play"mate`, n.

Defn: A companion in diversions; a playfellow.

PLAYSOME Play"some, a.

Defn: Playful; wanton; sportive. [R.] R. Browning. -- Play"some*ness, n. [R.]

PLAYTE Playte, n. (Naut.)

Defn: See Pleyt.

PLAYTHING Play"thing`, n.

Defn: A thing to play with; a toy; anything that serves to amuse. A child knows his nurse, and by degrees the playthings of a little more advanced age. Locke.

PLAYTIME Play"time`, n.

Defn: Time for play or diversion.

PLAYWRIGHT Play"wright`, n.

Defn: A maker or adapter of plays.

PLAYWRITER Play"writ`er, n.

Defn: A writer of plays; a dramatist; a playwright. Lecky.

PLAZA Pla"za, n. Etym: [Sp. See Place.]

Defn: A public square in a city or town.

PLEA Plea, n. Etym: [OE. plee, plai, plait, fr. OF. plait, plaid, plet, LL. placitum judgment, decision, assembly, court, fr. L. placitum that which is pleasing, an opinion, sentiment, from placere to please. See Please, and cf. Placit, Plead.]

1. (Law)

Defn: That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer; in a still more limited sense, and in modern practice, the defendant's answer to the plaintiff's declaration and demand. That which the plaintiff alleges in his declaration is answered and repelled or justified by the defendant's plea. In chancery practice, a plea is a special answer showing or relying upon one or more things as a cause why the suit should be either dismissed, delayed, or barred. In criminal practice, the plea is the defendant's formal answer to the indictment or information presented against him.

2. (Law)

Defn: A cause in court; a lawsuit; as, the Court of Common Pleas. See under Common. The Supreme Judicial Court shall have cognizance of pleas real, personal, and mixed. Laws of Massachusetts.

3. That which is alleged or pleaded, in defense or in justification; an excuse; an apology. "Necessity, the tyrant's plea." Milton. No plea must serve; 't is cruelty to spare. Denham.

4. An urgent prayer or entreaty. Pleas of the crown (Eng. Law), criminal actions.

PLEACH Pleach, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleached (; p. pr. & vb. n. Pleaching.] Etym: [Cf. OF. plaissier to bend, and also F. plisser to plait, L. plicare, plicitum, to fold, lay, or wind together. Cf. Plash to pleach.]

Defn: To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash; to interlock. "The pleached bower." Shak.

PLEAD Plead, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleaded (colloq. Plead or Pled); p. pr. & vb. n. Pleading.] Etym: [OE. pleden, plaiden, OF. plaidier, F. plaider, fr. LL. placitare, fr. placitum. See Plea.]

1. To argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; to speak by way of persuasion; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead with a judge or with a father. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor! Job xvi. 21.

2. (Law)

Defn: To present an answer, by allegation of fact, to the declaration of a plaintiff; to deny the plaintiff's declaration and demand, or to allege facts which show that ought not to recover in the suit; in a less strict sense, to make an allegation of fact in a cause; to carry on the allegations of the respective parties in a cause; to carry on a suit or plea. Blackstone. Burrill. Stephen.

3. To contend; to struggle. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEAD Plead, v. t.

1. To discuss, defend, and attempt to maintain by arguments or reasons presented to a tribunal or person having uthority to determine; to argue at the bar; as, to plead a cause before a court or jury. Every man should plead his own matter. Sir T. More.

Note: In this sense, argue is more generally used by lawyers.

2. To allege or cite in a legal plea or defense, or for repelling a demand in law; to answer to an indictment; as, to plead usury; to plead statute of limitations; to plead not guilty. Kent.

3. To allege or adduce in proof, support, or vendication; to offer in excuse; as, the law of nations may be pleaded in favor of the rights of ambassadors. Spenser. I will neither plead my age nor sickness, in excuse of faults. Dryden.

PLEADABLE Plead"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being pleaded; capable of being alleged in proof, defense, or vindication; as, a right or privilege pleadable at law. Dryden.

PLEADER Plead"er, n. Etym: [F. plaideur.]

1. One who pleads; one who argues for or against; an advotate. So fair a pleader any cause may gain. Dryden.

2. (Law)

Defn: One who draws up or forms pleas; the draughtsman of pleas or pleadings in the widest sense; as, a special pleader.

PLEADING Plead"ing, n.

Defn: The act of advocating, defending, or supporting, a cause by arguments.

PLEADINGLY Plead"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pleading manner.

PLEADINGS Plead"ings, n. pl. (Law)

Defn: The mutual pleas and replies of the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is joined, and the question made to rest on some single point. Blackstone.

PLEASANCE Pleas"ance, n. Etym: [F. plaisance. See Please.]

1. Pleasure; merriment; gayety; delight; kindness. [Archaic] Shak. "Full great pleasance." Chaucer. "A realm of pleasance." Tennyson.

2. A secluded part of a garden. [Archaic] The pleasances of old Elizabethan houses. Ruskin.

PLEASANT Pleas"ant, a. Etym: [F. plaisant. See Please.]

1. Pleasing; grateful to the mind or to the senses; agreeable; as, a pleasant journey; pleasant weather. Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ps. cxxxiii. 1.

2. Cheerful; enlivening; gay; sprightly; humorous; sportive; as, pleasant company; a pleasant fellow. From grave to light, from pleasant to serve. Dryden.

Syn. -- Pleasing; gratifying; agreeable; cheerful; good-humored; enlivening; gay; lively; merry; sportive; humorous; jocose; amusing; witty. -- Pleasant, Pleasing, Agreeable. Agreeable is applied to that which agrees with, or is in harmony with, one's tastes, character, etc. Pleasant and pleasing denote a stronger degree of the agreeable. Pleasant refers rather to the state or condition; pleasing, to the act or effect. Where they are applied to the same object, pleasing is more energetic than pleasant; as, she is always pleasant and always pleasing. The distinction, however, is not radical and not rightly observed.

PLEASANT Pleas"ant, n.

Defn: A wit; a humorist; a buffoon. [Obs.]

PLEASANTLY Pleas"ant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pleasant manner.

PLEASANTNESS Pleas"ant*ness, n.

Defn: The state or quality of being pleasant.

PLEASANTRY Pleas"ant*ry, n.; pl. Pleasantries. Etym: [F. plaisanterie. See Pleasant.]

Defn: That which denotes or promotes pleasure or good humor; cheerfulness; gayety; merriment; especially, an agreeable playfulness in conversation; a jocose or humorous remark; badinage. The grave abound in pleasantries, the dull in repartees and points of wit. Addison. The keen observation and ironical pleasantry of a finished man of the world. Macaulay.

PLEASANT-TONGUED Pleas"ant-tongued`, a.

Defn: Of pleasing speech.

PLEASE Please, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleased; p. pr. & vb. n. Pleasing.] Etym: [OE. plesen, OF. plaisir, fr. L. placere, akin to placare to reconcile. Cf. Complacent, Placable, Placid, Plea, Plead, Pleasure.]

1. To give pleasure to; to excite agreeable sensations or emotions in; to make glad; to gratify; to content; to satisfy. I pray to God that it may plesen you. Chaucer. What next I bring shall please thee, be assured. Milton.

2. To have or take pleasure in; hence, to choose; to wish; to desire; to will. Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he. Ps. cxxxv. 6. A man doing as he wills, and doing as he pleases, are the same things in common speech. J. Edwards.

3. To be the will or pleasure of; to seem good to; -- used impersonally. "It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Col. i. 19. To-morrow, may it please you. Shak. To be pleased in or with, to have complacency in; to take pleasure in. -- To be pleased to do a thing, to take pleasure in doing it; to have the will to do it; to think proper to do it. Dryden.

PLEASE Please, v. i.

1. To afford or impart pleasure; to excite agreeable emotions. What pleasing scemed, for her now pleases more. Milton. For we that live to please, must please to live. Johnson.

2. To have pleasure; to be willing, as a matter of affording pleasure or showing favor; to vouchsafe; to consent. Heavenly stranger, please to taste These bounties. Milton. That he would please 8give me my liberty. Swift.

PLEASED Pleased, a.

Defn: Experiencing pleasure. -- Pleas"ed*ly, adv. -- Pleas"ed*ness, n.

PLEASEMAN Please"man, n.

Defn: An officious person who courts favor servilely; a pickthank. [Obs.] Shak.

PLEASER Pleas"er, n.

Defn: One who pleases or gratifies.

PLEASING Pleas"ing, a.

Defn: Giving pleasure or satisfaction; causing agreeable emotion; agreeable; delightful; as, a pleasing prospect; pleasing manners. "Pleasing harmony." Shak. "Pleasing features." Macaulay. -- Pleas"ing*ly, adv. -- Pleas"ing*ness, n.

Syn. -- Gratifying; delightful; agreeable. See Pleasant.

PLEASING Pleas"ing, n.

Defn: An object of pleasure. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEASURABLE Pleas"ur*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of affording pleasure or satisfaction; gratifying; abounding in pleasantness or pleasantry. Planting of orchards is very . . . pleasurable. Bacon. O, sir, you are very pleasurable. B. Jonson. -- Pleas"ur*a*ble*ness, n. -- Pleas"ur*a*bly, adv.

PLEASURE Pleas"ure, n. Etym: [F. plaisir, originally an infinitive. See Please.]

1. The gratification of the senses or of the mind; agreeable sensations or emotions; the excitement, relish, or happiness produced by the expectation or the enjoyment of something good, delightful, or satisfying; -- opposed to Ant: pain, Ant: sorrow, etc. At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps. xvi. 11.

2. Amusement; sport; diversion; self-indulgence; frivolous or dissipating enjoyment; hence, sensual gratification; -- opposed to labor, service, duty, self-denial, etc. "Not sunk in carnal pleasure." Milton. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man. Prov. xxi. 17. Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. iii. 4.

3. What the will dictates or prefers as gratifying or satisfying; hence, will; choice; wish; purpose. "He will do his pleasure on Babylon." Isa. xlviii. 14. Use your pleasure; if your love do not presuade you to come, let not my letter. Shak.

4. That which pleases; a favor; a gratification. Shak. Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure Acts xxv. 9. At pleasure, by arbitrary will or choice. Dryden. -- To take pleasure in, to have enjoyment in. Ps. cxlvii. 11.

Note: Pleasure is used adjectively, or in the formation of self- explaining compounds; as, pleasure boat, pleasure ground; pleasure house, etc.

Syn. -- Enjoyment; gratification; satisfaction; comfort; solace; joy; gladness; delight; will; choice; preference; purpose; command; favor; kindness.

PLEASURE Pleas"ure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleasured; p. pr. & vb. n. Pleasuring.]

Defn: To give or afford pleasure to; to please; to gratify. Shak. [Rolled] his hoop to pleasure Edith. Tennyson.

PLEASURE Pleas"ure, v. i.

Defn: To take pleasure; to seek pursue pleasure; as, to go pleasuring.

PLEASUREFUL Pleas"ure*ful, a.

Defn: Affording pleasure. [R.]

PLEASURELESS Pleas"ure*less, a.

Defn: Devoid of pleasure. G. Eliot.

PLEASURER Pleas"ur*er, n.

Defn: A pleasure seeker. Dickens.

PLEASURIST Pleas"ur*ist, n.

Defn: A person devoted to worldly pleasure. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

PLEAT Pleat, n. & v. t.

Defn: See Plait.

PLEBE Plebe, n. Etym: [F. plèbe, fr. L. plebs.]

1. The common people; the mob. [Obs.] The plebe with thirst and fury prest. Sylvester.

2. Etym: [Cf. Plebeian.]

Defn: A member of the lowest class in the military academy at West Point. [Cant, U.S.]

PLEBEIAN Ple*be"ian, a. Etym: [L. plebeius, from plebs, plebis, the common people: cf. F. plébéien.]

1. Of or pertaining to the Roman plebs, or common people.

2. Of or pertaining to the common people; vulgar; common; as, plebeian sports; a plebeian throng.

PLEBEIAN Ple*be"ian, n.

1. One of the plebs, or common people of ancient Rome, in distinction from patrician.

2. One of the common people, or lower rank of men.

PLEBEIANCE Ple*be"iance, n.

1. Plebeianism. [Obs.]

2. Plebeians, collectively. [Obs.]

PLEBEIANISM Ple*be"ian*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plébéianisme.]

1. The quality or state of being plebeian.

2. The conduct or manners of plebeians; vulgarity.

PLEBEIANIZE Ple*be"ian*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plebeianized; p. pr. & vb. n. Plebeianizing.]

Defn: To render plebeian, common, or vulgar.

PLEBICOLIST Ple*bic"o*list, n. Etym: [L. plebs the common people + colere to cultivate.]

Defn: One who flatters, or courts the favor of, the common people; a demagogue. [R.]

PLEBIFICATION Pleb`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. plebs the common people + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]

Defn: A rendering plebeian; the act of vulgarizing. [R.] You begin with the attempt to popularize learning . . . but you will end in the plebification of knowledge. Coleridge.

PLEBISCITARY Ple*bis"ci*ta*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to plebiscite. The Century.

PLEBISCITE Pleb"i*scite, n. Etym: [F. plébiscite, fr. L. plebiscitum.]

Defn: A vote by universal male suffrage; especially, in France, a popular vote, as first sanctioned by the National Constitution of 1791. [Written also plebiscit.] Plebiscite we have lately taken, in popular use, from the French. Fitzed. Hall.

PLEBISCITUM Ple`bis*ci"tum, n. Etym: [L., fr. plebs, plebis, common people + scitum decree.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A law enacted by the common people, under the superintendence of a tribune or some subordinate plebeian magistrate, without the intervention of the senate.

PLEBS Plebs (plebz), n. [L. Cf. Plebe.]

1. The commonalty of ancient Rome who were citizens without the usual political rights; the plebeians; -- distinguished from the patricians.

2. Hence, the common people; the populace; --construed as a pl.

PLECTILE Plec"tile, a. Etym: [L. plectilis.]

Defn: Woven; plaited. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PLECTOGNATH Plec"tog*nath, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plectognathi. -- n.

Defn: One of the Plectognathi.

PLECTOGNATHI Plec*to"gna*thi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of fishes generally having the maxillary bone united with the premaxillary, and the articular united with the dentary.

Note: The upper jaw is immovably joined to the skull; the ventral fins are rudimentary or wanting; and the body is covered with bony plates, spines, or small rough ossicles, like shagreen. The order includes the diodons, filefishes, globefishes, and trunkfishes.

PLECTOGNATHIC; PLEC-TOGNATHOUS Plec`tog*nath"ic, Plec-tog"na*thous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plectognathi.

PLECTOSPONDYLI Plec`to*spon"dy*li, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive suborder of fresh-water physostomous fishes having the anterior vertebræ united and much modified; the Eventognathi.

PLECTOSPONDYLOUS Plec`to*spon"dy*lous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plectospondyli.

PLECTRUM Plec"trum, n.; pl. L. Plectra, E. Plectrums. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: A small instrument of ivory, wood, metal, or quill, used in playing upon the lyre and other stringed instruments.

PLED Pled,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Plead [Colloq.] Spenser.

PLEDGE Pledge, n. Etym: [OF. plege, pleige, pledge, guaranty, LL. plegium, plivium; akin to OF. plevir to bail, guaranty, perhaps fr. L. praebere to proffer, offer (sc. fidem a trust, a promise of security), but cf. also E. play. sq. root28. Cf. Prebend, Replevin.]

1. (Law)

Defn: The transfer of possession of personal property from a debtor to a creditor as security for a debt or engagement; also, the contract created between the debtor and creditor by a thing being so delivered or deposited, forming a species of bailment; also, that which is so delivered or deposited; something put in pawn.

Note: Pledge is ordinarily confined to personal property; the title or ownership does not pass by it; possession is essential to it. In all these points it differs from a mortgage [see Mortgage]; and in the last, from the hypotheca of the Roman law. See Hypotheca. Story. Kent.

2. (Old Eng. Law)

Defn: A person who undertook, or became responsible, for another; a bail; a surety; a hostage. "I am Grumio's pledge." Shak.

3. A hypothecation without transfer of possession.

4. Anything given or considered as a security for the performance of an act; a guarantee; as, mutual interest is the best pledge for the performance of treaties. "That voice, their liveliest pledge of hope." Milton.

5. A promise or agreement by which one binds one's self to do, or to refrain from doing, something; especially, a solemn promise in writing to refrain from using intoxicating liquors or the like; as, to sign the pledge; the mayor had made no pledges.

6. A sentiment to which assent is given by drinking one's health; a toast; a health. Dead pledge. Etym: [A translation of LL. mortuum vadium.] (Law) A mortgage. See Mortgage. -- Living pledge. Etym: [A translation of LL. vivum vadium.] (Law) The conveyance of an estate to another for money borrowed, to be held by him until the debt is paid out of the rents and profits. -- To hold in pledge, to keep as security. -- To put in pledge, to pawn; to give as security.

Syn. -- See Earnest.

PLEDGE Pledge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pledged; p. pr. & vb. n. Pledging.] Etym: [Cf. OF. pleiger to give security. See Pledge, n.]

1. To deposit, as a chattel, in pledge or pawn; to leave in possession of another as security; as, to pledge one's watch.

2. To give or pass as a security; to guarantee; to engage; to plight; as, to pledge one's word and honor. We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. The Declaration of Independence.

3. To secure performance of, as by a pledge. [Obs.] To pledge my vow, I give my hand. Shak.

4. To bind or engage by promise or declaration; to engage solemnly; as, to pledge one's self.

5. To invite another to drink, by drinking of the cup first, and then handing it to him, as a pledge of good will; hence, to drink the health of; to toast. Pledge me, my friend, and drink till thou be'st wise. Cowley.

PLEDGEE Pledg*ee", n.

Defn: The one to whom a pledge is given, or to whom property pledged is delivered.

PLEDGELESS Pledge"less, a.

Defn: Having no pledge.

PLEDGEOR; PLEDGOR Pledge*or", Pledg*or", n. (Law)

Defn: One who pledges, or delivers anything in pledge; a pledger; -- opposed to Ant: pledgee.

Note: This word analogically requires the e after g, but the spelling pledgor is perhaps commoner.

PLEDGER Pledg"er, n.

Defn: One who pledges.

PLEDGERY Pledg"er*y, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. pleigerie.]

Defn: A pledging; suretyship. [Obs.]

PLEDGET Pledg"et, n. Etym: [Prov. E., a small plug.]

1. A small plug. [Prov. End.]

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A string of oakum used in calking.

3. (Med.)

Defn: A compress, or small flat tent of lint, laid over a wound, ulcer, or the like, to exclude air, retain dressings, or absorb the matter discharged.

PLEGEPODA Ple*gep"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (-poda. In allusion to the rapid strokes of the vibrating cilia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Infusoria.

PLEIAD Ple"iad, n.

Defn: One of the Pleiades.

PLEIADES Ple"ia*des, n. pl. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (

1. (Myth.)

Defn: The seven daughters of Atlas and the nymph Pleione, fabled to have been made by Jupiter a constellation in the sky.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: A group of small stars in the neck of the constellation Taurus. Job xxxviii. 31.

Note: Alcyone, the brightest of these, a star of the third magnitude, was considered by Mädler the central point around which our universe is revolving, but there is no sufficient evidence of such motion. Only six pleiads are distinctly visible to the naked eye, whence the ancients supposed that a sister had concealed herself out of shame for having loved a mortal, Sisyphus.

PLEIN Plein, a.

Defn: Plan. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEIN Plein, v. i. & t.

Defn: To complain. See Plain. [Obs.]

PLEIN Plein, a. Etym: [OF. & F., fr. L. plenus.]

Defn: Full; complete. [Obs.] "Plein remission." Chaucer. -- Plein"ly, adv.

PLEIOCENE Plei"o*cene, a. (Geol.)

Defn: See Pliocene.

PLEIOPHYLLOUS Plei*oph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having several leaves; -- used especially when several leaves or leaflets appear where normally there should be only one.

PLEIOSAURUS Plei`o*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL.] (Paleon.)

Defn: Same as Pliosaurus.

PLEISTOCENE Pleis"to*cene, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the epoch, or the deposits, following the Tertiary, and immediately preceding man. -- n.

Defn: The Pleistocene epoch, or deposits.

PLENAL Ple"nal, a. Etym: [L. plenus full. Cf. Plenary.]

Defn: Full; complete; as, a plenal view or act. [Obs.]

PLENARILY Ple"na*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plenary manner.

PLENARINESS Ple"na*ri*ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being plenary.

PLENARTY Plen"ar*ty, n.

Defn: The state of a benefice when occupied. Blackstone.

PLENARY Ple"na*ry, a. Etym: [LL. plenarius, fr. L. plenus full. See Plenty.]

Defn: Full; entire; complete; absolute; as, a plenary license; plenary authority. A treatise on a subject should be plenary or full. I. Watts. Plenary indulgence (R. C. Ch.), an entire remission of temporal punishment due to, or canonical penance for, all sins. -- Plenary inspiration. (Theol.) See under Inspiration.

PLENARY Ple"na*ry, n. (Law)

Defn: Decisive procedure. [Obs.]

PLENE Plene, æ. Etym: [L. plenus full.]

Defn: Full; complete; plenary. [Obs.]

PLENICORN Ple"ni*corn, n. Etym: [L. plenus full + cornu horn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A ruminant having solid horns or antlers, as the deer. Brande & C.

PLENILUNARY Plen`i*lu"na*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the full moon. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PLENILUNE Plen"i*lune, n. Etym: [L. plenilunium; plenus full + luna the moon.]

Defn: The full moon. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

PLENIPOTENCE; PLENIPOTENCY Ple*nip"o*tence, Ple*nip"o*ten*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plenipotent. [R.]

PLENIPOTENT Ple*nip"o*tent, a. Etym: [L. plenus full + potens, -entis, potent.]

Defn: Possessing full power. [R.] Milton.

PLENIPOTENTIARY Plen`i*po*ten"ti*a*ry, n.; pl. Plenipotentiaries. Etym: [LL. plenipotentiarius: cf. F. plénipotentiaire.]

Defn: A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or envoy to a foreign court, with full power to negotiate a treaty, or to transact other business.

PLENIPOTENTIARY Plen`i*po*ten"ti*a*ry, a.

Defn: Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers. Howell.

PLENISH Plen"ish, v. t. Etym: [See Replenish.]

1. To replenish. [Obs.] T. Reeve.

2. To furnish; to stock, as a house or farm. [Scot.]

PLENISHING Plen"ish*ing, n.

Defn: Household furniture; stock. [Scot.]

PLENIST Ple"nist, n. Etym: [L. plenus full; cf. F. pléniste.]

Defn: One who holds that all space is full of matter.

PLENITUDE Plen"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. plenitudo, fr. plenus full; cf. F. plenitude.]

1. The quality or state of being full or complete; fullness; completeness; abundance; as, the plenitude of space or power.

2. Animal fullness; repletion; plethora. [Obs.]

PLENITUDINARIAN Plen`i*tu`di*na"ri*an, n.

Defn: A plenist.

PLENITUDINARY Plen`i*tu"di*na*ry, a.

Defn: Having plenitude; full; complete; thorough. [Obs.]

PLENTEOUS Plen"te*ous, a. Etym: [From Plenty.]

1. Containing plenty; abundant; copious; plentiful; sufficient for every purpose; as, a plenteous supply. "Reaping plenteous crop." Milton.

2. Yielding abundance; productive; fruitful. "The seven plenteous years." Gen. xli. 34.

3. Having plenty; abounding; rich. The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods. Deut. xxviii. 11.

Syn. -- Plentiful; copious; full. See Ample. -- Plen"te*ous*ly, adv. -- Plen"te*ous*ness, n.

PLENTEVOUS Plen"te*vous, a.

Defn: Plenteous. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLENTIFUL Plen"ti*ful, a.

1. Containing plenty; copious; abundant; ample; as, a plentiful harvest; a plentiful supply of water.

2. Yielding abundance; prolific; fruitful. If it be a long winter, it is commonly a more plentiful year. Bacon.

3. Lavish; profuse; prodigal. [Obs.] He that is plentiful in expenses will hardly be preserved from Bacon. -- Plen"ti*ful*ly, adv. -- Plen"ti*ful*ness, n.

PLENTY Plen"ty, n.; pl. Plenties, in Shak. Etym: [OE. plentee, plente, OF. plenté, fr. L. plenitas, fr. plenus full. See Full, a., and cf. Complete.]

Defn: Full or adequate supply; enough and to spare; sufficiency; specifically, abundant productiveness of the earth; ample supply for human wants; abundance; copiousness. "Plenty of corn and wine." Gen. xxvii. 28. "Promises Britain peace and plenty." Shak. Houses of office stuffed with plentee. Chaucer. The teeming clouds Descend in gladsome plenty o'er the world. Thomson.

Syn. -- Abundance; exuberance. See Abundance.

PLENTY Plen"ty, a.

Defn: Plentiful; abundant. [Obs. or Colloq.] If reasons were as plenty as blackberries. Shak. (Folio ed.) Those countries where shrubs are plenty. Goldsmith.

PLENUM Ple"num, n. Etym: [L., fr. plenus full.]

Defn: That state in which every part of space is supposed to be full of matter; -- opposed to vacuum. G. Francis.

PLEOCHROIC Ple`o*chro"ic, a.

Defn: Having the property of pleochroism.

PLEOCHROISM Ple*och"ro*ism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The property possessed by some crystals, of showing different colors when viewed in the direction of different axes.

PLEOCHROMATIC Ple*och`ro*mat"ic, a.

Defn: Pleochroic.

PLEOCHROMATISM Ple`o*chro"ma*tism, n.

Defn: Pleochroism.

PLEOCHROOUS Ple*och"ro*ous, a.

Defn: Pleochroic.

PLEOMORPHIC Ple`o*mor"phic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to pleomorphism; as, the pleomorphic character of bacteria.

PLEOMORPHISM Ple`o*mor"phism, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The property of crystallizing under two or more distinct fundamental forms, including dimorphism and trimorphism.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The theory that the various genera of bacteria are phases or variations of growth of a number of Protean species, each of which may exhibit, according to undetermined conditions, all or some of the forms characteristic of the different genera and species.

PLEOMORPHOUS Ple`o*mor"phous, a.

Defn: Having the property of pleomorphism.

PLEONASM Ple"o*nasm, ( n. Etym: [L. pleonasmus, Gr. Full, a., and cf. Poly-, Plus.] (Rhet.)

Defn: Redundancy of language in speaking or writing; the use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; as, I saw it with my own eyes.

PLEONAST Ple"o*nast, n.

Defn: One who is addicted to pleonasm. [R.] C. Reade.

PLEONASTE Ple"o*naste, n. Etym: [Gr.pléonaste.] (Min.)

Defn: A black variety of spinel.

PLEONASTIC; PLEONASTICAL Ple`o*nas"tic, Ple`o*nas"tic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pléonastique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to pleonasm; of the nature of pleonasm; redundant.

PLEONASTICALLY Ple`o*nas"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pleonastic manner.

PLEOPOD Ple"o*pod, n.; pl. E. Pleopods, L. Pleopoda. Etym: [Gr. -pod.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the abdominal legs of a crustacean. See Illust. under Crustacea.

PLEROME Ple"rome, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The central column of parenchyma in a growing stem or root.

PLEROPHORY Ple*roph"o*ry, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Fullness; full persuasion. "A plerophory of assurance." Bp. Hall.

PLESANCE Ples"ance, n.

Defn: Pleasance. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLESH Plesh, n.

Defn: A pool; a plash. [Obs.] Spenser.

PLESIMORPHISM Ple`si*mor"phism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The property possessed by some substances of crystallizing in closely similar forms while unlike in chemical composition.

PLESIOMORPHOUS Ple`si*o*mor"phous, a.

Defn: Nearly alike in form.

PLESIOSAUR Ple"si*o*saur, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of the Plesiosauria.

PLESIOSAURIA Ple`si*o*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Plesiosaurus.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct order of Mesozoic marine reptiles including the genera Plesiosaurus, and allied forms; -- called also Sauropterygia.

PLESIOSAURIAN Ple`si*o*sau"ri*an, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: A plesiosaur.

PLESIOSAURUS Ple`si*o*sau"rus, n.; pl. Plesiosauri. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of large extinct marine reptiles, having a very long neck, a small head, and paddles for swimming. It lived in the Mesozoic age.

PLESSIMETER Ples*sim"e*ter, n.

Defn: See Pleximeter.

PLETE Plete, v. t. & i.

Defn: To plead. [Obs.] P. Plowman.

PLETHORA Pleth"o*ra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Pleonasm.]

1. Overfullness; especially, excessive fullness of the blood vessels; repletion; that state of the blood vessels or of the system when the blood exceeds a healthy standard in quantity; hyperæmia; -- opposed to anæmia.

2. State of being overfull; excess; superabundance. He labors under a plethora of wit and imagination. Jeffrey.

PLETHORETIC Pleth`o*ret"ic, a.

Defn: Plethoric. [Obs.] Johnson.

PLETHORIC Ple*thor"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. pléthorique.]

Defn: Haeving a full habit of body; characterized by plethora or excess of blood; as, a plethoric constitution; -- used also metaphorically. "Plethoric phrases." Sydney Smith. "Plethoric fullness of thought." De Quincey.

PLETHORICAL Ple*thor"ic*al, a.

Defn: Plethoric. [R.] -- Ple*thor"ic*al*ly, adv. Burke.

PLETHORY Pleth"o*ry, n.

Defn: Plethora. Jer. Taylor.

PLETHRON; PLETHRUM Pleth"ron, Pleth"rum, n.; pl. Plethra. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A long measure of 100 Greek, or 101 English, feet; also, a square measure of 10,000 Greek feet.

PLETHYSMOGRAPH Pleth"ys*mo*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for determining and registering the variations in the size or volume of a limb, as the arm or leg, and hence the variations in the amount of blood in the limb. -- Pleth`ys*mo*graph"ic, a.

PLETHYSMOGRAPHY Pleth`ys*mog"ra*phy, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: The study, by means of the plethysmograph, of the variations in size of a limb, and hence of its blood supply.

PLEURA Pleu"ra, n.,

Defn: pl. of Pleuron.

PLEURA Pleu"ra, n.; pl. L. Pleuræ, E. Pleuras. Etym: [NL., n. fem., fr. Gr.

1. (Anat.) (a) The smooth serous membrane which closely covers the lungs and the adjacent surfaces of the thorax; the pleural membrane. (b) The closed sac formed by the pleural membrane about each lung, or the fold of membrane connecting each lung with the body wall.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pleuron.

PLEURAL Pleu"ral, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pleura or pleuræ, or to the sides of the thorax.

PLEURALGIA Pleu*ral"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Pain in the side or region of the ribs.

PLEURAPOPHYSIS Pleu`ra*poph"y*sis, n.; pl. Pleurapophyses. Etym: [NL. See Pleura, and Apophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the ventral processes of a vertebra, or the dorsal element in each half of a hemal arch, forming, or corresponding to, a vertebral rib. -- Pleu*rap`o*phys"i*al, a. Owen.

PLEURENCHYMA Pleu*ren"chy*ma, n. Etym: [Gr. parenchyma.] (Bot.)

Defn: A tissue consisting of long and slender tubular cells, of which wood is mainly composed.

PLEURIC Pleu"ric, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Pleural.

PLEURISY Pleu"ri*sy, n. Etym: [F. pleurésie, L. pleurisis, pleuritis, Gr pleyri is (sc. no`sos), fr. pleyra` rib, side.] (Med.)

Defn: An inflammation of the pleura, usually accompanied with fever, pain, difficult respiration, and cough, and with exudation into the pleural cavity. Pleurisy root. (Bot.) (a) The large tuberous root of a kind of milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) which is used as a remedy for pleuritic and other diseases. (b) The plant itself, which has deep orange-colored flowers; -- called also butterfly weed.

PLEURITE Pleu"rite, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pleuron.

PLEURITIC; PLEURITICAL Pleu*rit"ic, Pleu*rit"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. pleuriticus, Gr. pleurétique.] (Med.) (a) Of or pertaining to pleurisy; as, pleuritic symptoms. (b) Suffering from pleurisy.

PLEURITIS Pleu*ri"tis, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: Pleurisy.

PLEURO- Pleu"ro-. Etym: [See Pleura.]

Defn: A combining form denoting relation to a side; specif., connection with, or situation in or near, the pleura; as, pleuroperitoneum.

PLEUROBRACHIA Pleu`ro*brach"i*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Pleuro-, and Brachium.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of ctenophores having an ovate body and two long plumose tentacles.

PLEUROBRANCH Pleu"ro*branch, n. Etym: [See Pleuro-, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of the gills of a crustacean that is attached to the side of the thorax.

PLEUROBRANCHIA Pleu`ro*bran"chi*a, n.; pl. Pleuroeranchiæ. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pleurobranch.

PLEUROCARP Pleu"ro*carp, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Any pleurocarpic moss.

PLEUROCARPIC; PLEUROCARPOUS Pleu`ro*car"pic, Pleu`ro*car"pous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Side-fruited; -- said of those true mosses in which the pedicels or the capsules are from lateral archegonia; -- opposed to Ant: acrocarpous.

PLEUROCENTRUM Pleu`ro*cen"trum, n. Etym: [NL. see Pleuro-, and Centrum.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the lateral elements in the centra of the vertebræ in some fossil batrachians.

PLEURODERES Pleu*rod"e*res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of fresh-water turtles in which the neck can not be retracted, but is bent to one side, for protection. The matamata is an example.

PLEURODONT Pleu"ro*dont, a. Etym: [Pleuro- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the teeth consolidated with the inner edge of the jaw, as in some lizards.

PLEURODONT Pleu"ro*dont, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any lizard having pleurodont teeth.

PLEURODYNIA Pleu`ro*dyn"i*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A painful affection of the side, simulating pleurisy, usually due to rheumatism.

PLEURON Pleu"ron, n.; pl. Pleura. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the sides of an animal. (b) One of the lateral pieces of a somite of an insect. (c) One of lateral processes of a somite of a crustacean.

PLEURONECTOID Pleu`ro*nec"toid, a. Etym: [NL. Pleuronectes, name of a genus (fr. Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Pleuronectidæ, or Flounder family.

PLEUROPERICARDIAL Pleu`ro*per`i*car"di*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pleura and pericardium.

PLEUROPERIPNEUMONY Pleu`ro*per`ip*neu"mo*ny, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + peripneumony.] (Med.)

Defn: Pleuropneumonia.

PLEUROPERITONEAL Pleu`ro*per`i*to*ne"al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pleural and peritoneal membranes or cavities, or to the pleuroperitoneum.

PLEUROPERITONEUM Pleu`ro*per`i*to*ne"um, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + peritoneum.] (Anat.)

Defn: The pleural and peritoneal membranes, or the membrane lining the body cavity and covering the surface of the inclosed viscera; the peritoneum; -- used especially in the case of those animals in which the body cavity is not divided.

Note: Peritoneum is now often used in the sense of pleuroperitoneum, the pleuræ being regarded as a part of the peritoneum, when the body cavity is undivided.

PLEUROPNEUMONIA Pleu`ro*pneu*mo"ni*a, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + pneumonia.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the pleura and lungs; a combination of pleurisy and pneumonia, esp. a kind of contagions and fatal lung plague of cattle.

PLEUROPTERA Pleu*rop"te*ra, n. pl Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of Isectivora, including the colugo.

PLEUROSIGMA Pleu`ro*sig"ma, n. Etym: [NL. See Pleuro-, and Sigma.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of diatoms of elongated elliptical shape, but having the sides slightly curved in the form of a letter S. Pleurosigma angulatum has very fine striations, and is a favorite object for testing the high powers of microscopes.

PLEUROSTEON Pleu*ros"te*on, n.; pl. L. Pleurostea, E. -ons. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The antero-lateral piece which articulates the sternum of birds.

PLEUROTHOTONUS Pleu`ro*thot"o*nus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A species of tetanus, in which the body is curved laterally. Quain. Dunglison.

PLEUROTOMA Pleu*rot"o*ma, n.; pl. L. Pleurotomæ, E. Pleurotomas. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any marine gastropod belonging to Pleurotoma, and ether allied genera of the family Pleurotmidæ. The species are very numerous, especially in tropical seas. The outer lip has usually a posterior notch or slit.

PLEVIN Plev"in, n. Etym: [OF. plevine. See Replevin.]

Defn: A warrant or assurance. [Obs.]

PLEXIFORM Plex"i*form, a. Etym: [Plexus + -form: cf. F. Plexiforme.]

Defn: Like network; complicated. Quincy.

PLEXIMETER Plex*im"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Med.)

Defn: A small, hard, elastic plate, as of ivory, bone, or rubber, placed in contact with body to receive the blow, in examination by mediate percussion. [Written also plexometer.]

PLEXURE Plex"ure, n. Etym: [See Plexus.]

Defn: The act or process of weaving together, or interweaving; that which is woven together. H. Brooke.

PLEXUS Plex"us, n.; pl. L. Plexus, E. Plexuses. Etym: [L., a twining, braid, fr. plectere, plexum, to twine, braid.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A network of vessels, nerves, or fibers.

2. (Math.)

Defn: The system of equations required for the complete expression of the relations which exist between a set of quantities. Brande & C.

PLEY Pley, v. & n.

Defn: See Play. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEY Pley, a.

Defn: Full See Plein. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEYT Pleyt, n. (Naut.)

Defn: An old term for a river boat.

PLIABILITY Pli`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being pliable; flexibility; as, pliability of disposition. "Pliability of movement." Sir W. Scott.

PLIABLE Pli"a*ble, a. Etym: [F., fr. plier to bend, to fold. See Ply, v.]

1. Capable of being plied, turned, or bent; easy to be bent; flexible; pliant; supple; limber; yielding; as, willow is a pliable plant.

2. Flexible in disposition; readily yielding to influence, arguments, persuasion, or discipline; easy to be persuaded; -- sometimes in a bad sense; as, a pliable youth. "Pliable she promised to be." Dr. H. More. -- Pli"a*ble*ness, n. -- Pli"a*bly, adv.

PLIANCY Pli"an*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being pliant in sense; as, the pliancy of a rod. "Avaunt all specious pliancy of mind." Wordsworth.

PLIANT Pli"ant, a. Etym: [F. pliant, p. pr. of plier to bend. See Ply, v.]

1. Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking; flexible; pliable; lithe; limber; plastic; as, a pliant thread; pliant wax. Also used figuratively: Easily influenced for good or evil; tractable; as, a pliant heart. The will was then ductile and pliant to right reason. South.

2. Favorable to pliancy. [R.] "A pliant hour." Shak. -- Pli"ant*ly, adv. -- Pli"ant*ness, n.

PLICA Pli"ca, n. Etym: [LL., a fold, fr. L. plicare to fold. See Ply, v.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: A disease of the hair (Plica polonica), in which it becomes twisted and matted together. The disease is of Polish origin, and is hence called also Polish plait. Dunglison.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A diseased state in plants in which there is an excessive development of small entangled twigs, instead of ordinary branches.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The bend of the wing of a bird.

PLICATE; PLICATED Pli"cate, Pli"ca*ted, a. Etym: [L. plicatus, p. p. of plicare to fold.]

Defn: Plaited; folded like a fan; as, a plicate leaf. -- Pli"cate*ly, adv.

PLICATION Pli*ca"tion, n.

Defn: A folding or fold; a plait. Richardson.

PLICATURE Plic"a*ture, n. Etym: [L. plicatura, fr. plicare to fold.]

Defn: A fold; a doubling; a plication. Dr. H. More.

PLICIDENTINE Plic`i*den"tine, n. Etym: [LL. plica fold + E. dentine.] (Anat.)

Defn: A form of dentine which shows sinuous lines of structure in a transverse section of the tooth.

PLIED Plied,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Ply.

PLIERS Pli"ers, n. pl. Etym: [From Ply to bend, fold.]

Defn: A kind of small pinchers with long jaws, -- used for bending or cutting metal rods or wire, for handling small objects such as the parts of a watch, etc.

PLIFORM Pli"form, a Etym: [Ply a fold + -form.]

Defn: In the form of a ply, fold, or doubling. [Obs.] Pennant.

PLIGHT Plight, obs.

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Plight, to pledge. Chaucer.

PLIGHT Plight, obs.

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Pluck. Chaucer.

PLIGHT Plight, v. t. Etym: [OE. pliten; probably through Old French, fr. LL. plectare, L. plectere. See Plait, Ply.]

Defn: To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.[Obs.] "To sew and plight." Chaucer. A plighted garment of divers colors. Milton.

PLIGHT Plight, n.

Defn: A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment. [Obs.] "Many a folded plight." Spenser.

PLIGHT Plight, n. Etym: [OE. pliht danger, engagement, AS. pliht danger, fr. pleón to risk; akin to D. plicht duty, G. pflicht, Dan. pligt. sq. root28. Cf. Play.]

1. That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge. "That lord whose hand must take my plight." Shak.

2. Etym: [Perh. the same word as plight a pledge, but at least influenced by OF. plite, pliste, ploit, ploi, a condition, state; cf. E. plight to fold, and F. pli a fold, habit, plier to fold, E. ply.]

Defn: Condition; state; -- risk, or exposure to danger, often being implied; as, a luckless plight. "Your plight is pitied." Shak. To bring our craft all in another plight Chaucer.

PLIGHT Plight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Plighting.] Etym: [AS. plihtan to expose to danger, pliht danger;cf. D. verplichten to oblige, engage, impose a duty, G. verpflichten, Sw. förplikta, Dan. forpligte. See Plight, n.]

1. To pledge; to give as a pledge for the performance of some act; as, to plight faith, honor, word; -- never applied to property or goods. " To do them plighte their troth." Piers Plowman. He plighted his right hand Unto another love, and to another land. Spenser. Here my inviolable faith I plight. Dryden.

2. To promise; to engage; to betroth. Before its setting hour, divide The bridegroom from the plighted bride. Sir W. Scott.

PLIGHTER Plight"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plights.

PLIM Plim, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Plump.]

Defn: To swell, as grain or wood with water. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.

PLIMSOLL'S MARK Plim"soll's mark`. (Naut.)

Defn: A mark conspicuously painted on the port side of all British sea-going merchant vessels, to indicate the limit of submergence allowed by law; -- so called from Samuel Plimsoll, by whose efforts the act of Parliament to prevent overloading was procured.

PLINTH Plinth, n. Etym: [L. plinthus, Gr. flint: cf. F. plinthe.]

Defn: (Arch.) In classical architecture, a vertically faced member immediately below the circular base of a column; also, the lowest member of a pedestal; hence, in general, the lowest member of a base; a sub-base; a block upon which the moldings of an architrave or trim are stopped at the bottom. See Illust. of Column.

PLIOCENE Pli"o*cene, a. [Written also pleiocene.] Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or characterizing, the most recent division of the Tertiary age.

PLIOCENE Pli"o*cene, n. (Geol.)

Defn: The Pliocene period or deposits.

PLIOHIPPUS Pli`o*hip"pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. E. pliocene + Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of horses from the Pliocene deposits. Each foot had a single toe (or hoof), as in the common horse.

PLIOSAURUS Pli`o*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of marine reptiles allied to Plesiosaurus, but having a much shorter neck.

PLITT Plitt, n. Etym: [Russ. plete.]

Defn: An instrument of punishment or torture resembling the knout, used in Russia.

PLOC Ploc, n. Etym: [F.] (Naut.)

Defn: A mixture of hair and tar for covering the bottom of a ship.

PLOCE Plo"ce, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure in which a word is separated or repeated by way of emphasis, so as not only to signify the individual thing denoted by it, but also its peculiar attribute or quality; as, "His wife's a wife indeed." Bailey.

PLOD Plod, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Plodded; p. pr. & vb. n. Plodding.] Etym: [Gf. Gael. plod a clod, a pool; also, to strike or pelt with a clod or clods.]

1. To travel slowly but steadily; to trudge. Shak.

2. To toil; to drudge; especially, to study laboriously and patiently. "Plodding schoolmen." Drayton.

PLOD Plod, v. t.

Defn: To walk on slowly or heavily. The ploughman homeward plods his weary way. Gray.

PLODDER Plod"der, n.

Defn: One who plods; a drudge.

PLODDING Plod"ding, a.

Defn: Progressing in a slow, toilsome manner; characterized by laborious diligence; as, a plodding peddler; a plodding student; a man of plodding habits. --Plod"ding*ly, adv.

PLONGE Plonge, v. t. Etym: [See Plunge.]

Defn: To cleanse, as open drains which are entered by the tide, by stirring up the sediment when the tide ebbs.

PLONGEE Plon`gée", n. Etym: [F. See Plunge.] (Mil.)

Defn: A slope or sloping toward the front; as, the plongée of a parapet; the plongée of a shell in its course. [Sometimes written plonge.]

PLOP Plop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Plopped; p. pr. & vb. n. Plopping.] [Imitative.]

Defn: To fall, drop, or move in any way, with a sudden splash or slap, as on the surface of water.

The body plopped up, turning on its side. Kipling.

PLOP Plop, n.

Defn: Act of plopping; the sound made in plopping.

PLOT Plot, n. Etym: [AS. plot; cf. Goth. plats a patch. Cf. Plat a piece of ground.]

1. A small extent of ground; a plat; as, a garden plot. Shak.

2. A plantation laid out. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

3. (Surv.)

Defn: A plan or draught of a field, farm, estate, etc., drawn to a scale.

PLOT Plot, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Plotting.]

Defn: To make a plot, map, pr plan, of; to mark the position of on a plan; to delineate. This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth. Carew.

PLOT Plot, n. Etym: [Abbrev. from complot.]

1. Any scheme, stratagem, secret design, or plan, of a complicated nature, adapted to the accomplishment of some purpose, usually a treacherous and mischievous one; a conspiracy; an intrigue; as, the Rye-house Plot. I have overheard a plot of death. Shak. O, think what anxious moments pass between The birth of plots and their last fatal periods! Addison.

2. A share in such a plot or scheme; a participation in any stratagem or conspiracy. [Obs.] And when Christ saith. Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce. Milton.

3. Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue. [Obs.] "A man of much plot." Denham.

4. A plan; a purpose. "No other plot in their religion but serve Got and save their souls." Jer. Taylor.

5. In fiction, the story of a play, novel, romance, or poem, comprising a complication of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means. If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before. Pope.

Syn. -- Intrigue; stratagem; conspiracy; cabal; combination; contrivance.

PLOT Plot, v. i.

1. To form a scheme of mischief against another, especially against a government or those who administer it; to conspire. Shak. The wicked plotteth against the just. Ps. xxxvii. 12.

2. To contrive a plan or stratagem; to scheme. The prince did plot to be secretly gone. Sir H. Wotton.

PLOT Plot, v. t.

Defn: To plan; to scheme; to devise; to contrive secretly. "Plotting an unprofitable crime." Dryden. "Plotting now the fall of others." Milton

PLOTFUL Plot"ful, a.

Defn: Abounding with plots.

PLOTINIAN Plo*tin"i*an, a.

Defn: Of pertaining to the Plotinists or their doctrines.

PLOTINIST Plo*ti"nist, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A disciple of Plotinus, a celebrated Platonic philosopher of the third century, who taught that the human soul emanates from the divine Being, to whom it reunited at death.

PLOT-PROOF Plot"-proof`, a.

Defn: Secure against harm by plots. Shak.

PLOTTER Plot"ter, n.

Defn: One who plots or schemes; a contriver; a conspirator; a schemer. Dryden.

PLOUGH Plough, n. & v.

Defn: See Plow.

PLOUTER Plout"er, v. i. [Also plowter, plotter.] [Perh. imitative.]

Defn: To wade or move about with splashing; to dabble; also, to potter; trifle; idle. [Scot. & Dial. Eng.]

I did not want to plowter about any more. Kipling.

PLOUTER Plout"er, n. [Also plowter.]

Defn: Act of ploutering; floundering; act or sound of splashing. [Scot. & Dial.Eng.]

PLOVER Plov"er, n. Etym: [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See Float.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds belonging to the family Charadridæ, and especially those belonging to the subfamily Charadrinsæ. They are prized as game birds.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any grallatorial bird allied to, or resembling, the true plovers, as the crab plover (Dromas ardeola); the American upland, plover (Bartramia longicauda); and other species of sandpipers.

Note: Among the more important species are the blackbellied, or blackbreasted, plover (Charadrius squatarola) of America and Europe; -- called also gray plover, bull-head plover, Swiss plover, sea plover, and oxeye; the golden plover (see under Golden); the ring or ringed plover (Ægialitis hiaticula). See Ringneck. The piping plover (Ægialitis meloda); Wilson's plover (Æ. Wilsonia); the mountain plover (Æ. montana); and the semipalmated plover (Æ. semipalmata), are all small American species. Bastard plover (Zoöl.), the lapwing. -- Long-legged, or yellow-legged, plover. See Tattler. -- Plover's page, the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.] -- Rock plover, or Stone plover, the black-bellied plover. [Prov. Eng.] -- Whistling plover. (a) The golden plover. (b) The black-bellied plover.

PLOW; PLOUGH Plow, Plough (plou), n. Etym: [OE. plouh, plou, AS. ploh; akin to D. ploeg, G. pflug, OHG. pfluog, pfluoh, Icel. plogr, Sw. plog, Dan. ploug, plov, Russ. plug', Lith. plugas.]

1. A well-known implement, drawn by horses, mules, oxen, or other power, for turning up the soil to prepare it for bearing crops; also used to furrow or break up the soil for other purposes; as, the subsoil plow; the draining plow. Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow. Dryden.

2. Fig.: Agriculture; husbandry. Johnson.

3. A carucate of land; a plowland. [Obs.] [Eng.] Johan, mine eldest son, shall have plowes five. Tale of Gamelyn.

4. A joiner's plane for making grooves; a grooving plane.

5. (Bookbinding)

Defn: An implement for trimming or shaving off the edges of books.

6. (Astron.)

Defn: Same as Charles's Wain. Ice plow, a plow used for cutting ice on rivers, ponds, etc., into cakes suitable for storing. [U. S.] -- Mackerel plow. See under Mackerel. -- Plow alms, a penny formerly paid by every plowland to the church. Cowell. -- Plow beam, that part of the frame of a plow to which the draught is applied. See Beam, n., 9. -- Plow Monday, the Monday after Twelth Day, or the end of Christmas holidays. -- Plow staff. (a) A kind of long-handled spade or paddle for cleaning the plowshare; a paddle staff. (b) A plow handle. -- Snow plow, a structure, usually

PLOW; PLOUGH Plow, Plough, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plowed (ploud) or Ploughed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plowing or Ploughing.]

1. To turn up, break up, or trench, with a plow; to till with, or as with, a plow; as, to plow the ground; to plow a field.

2. To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in; to run through, as in sailing. Let patient Octavia plow thy visage up With her prepared nails. Shak. With speed we plow the watery way. Pope.

3. (Bookbinding)

Defn: To trim, or shave off the edges of, as a book or paper, with a plow. See Plow, n., 5.

4. (Joinery)

Defn: To cut a groove in, as in a plank, or the edge of a board; especially, a rectangular groove to receive the end of a shelf or tread, the edge of a panel, a tongue, etc. To plow in, to cover by plowing; as, to plow in wheat. -- To plow up, to turn out of the ground by plowing.plow ahead, to continue in spite of obstacles or resistence by others.

Note: Often used in a bad sense, meaning to continue obstinately in spite of the contrary advice of others. plow through, to execute a difficult or laborious task steadily, esp. one containing many parts; as, he plowed through the stack of correspondence until all had been answered.

PLOW; PLOUGH Plow, Plough (plou), v. i.

Defn: To labor with, or as with, a plow; to till or turn up the soil with a plow; to till or turn up the soil with a plow; to prepare the soil or bed for anything. Shak. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow Isa. xxviii. 24.

PLOWABLE; PLOUGHABLE Plow"a*ble, Plough"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being plowed; arable.

PLOWBOTE; PLOUGHBOTE Plow"bote`, Plough"bote`, n. (Eng. Law)

Defn: Wood or timber allowed to a tenant for the repair of instruments of husbandry. See Bote.

PLOWBOY; PLOUGHBOY Plow"boy`, Plough"boy`, n.

Defn: A boy that drives or guides a team in plowing; a young rustic.

PLOWER; PLOUGHER Plow"er, Plough"er, n.

Defn: One who plows; a plowman; a cultivator.

PLOWFOOT; PLOUGHFOOT Plow"foot`, Plough"foot`, n.

Defn: An adjustable staff formerly attached to the plow beam to determine the depth of the furrow. Piers Plowman.

PLOWGANG; PLOUGHGANG Plow"gang`, Plough"gang`, n.

Defn: Same as Plowgate.

PLOWGATE; PLOUGHGATE Plow"gate`, Plough"gate`, n.

Defn: The Scotch equivalent of the English word plowland. Not having one plowgate of land. Sir W. Scott.

PLOWHEAD; PLOUGHHEAD Plow"head`, Plough"head`, n.

Defn: The clevis or draught iron of a plow.

PLOWLAND; PLOUGLAND Plow"land`, Ploug"land`, n.

1. Land that is plowed, or suitable for tillage.

2. (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: the quantity of land allotted for the work of one plow; a hide.

PLOWMAN; PLOUGHMAN Plow"man, Plough"man, n.; pl. -men (.

1. One who plows, or who holds and guides a plow; hence, a husbandman. Chaucer. Macaulay.

2. A rustic; a countryman; a field laborer. Plowman's spikenard (Bot.), a European composite weed (Conyza squarrosa), having fragrant roots. Dr. Prior.

PLOWPOINT; PLOUGHPOINT Plow"point`, Plough"point`, n.

Defn: A detachable share at the extreme front end of the plow body.

PLOWSHARE; PLOUGHSHARE Plow"share`, Plough"share", n.

Defn: The share of a plow, or that part which cuts the slice of earth or sod at the bottom of the furrow. Plowshare bone (Anat.), the pygostyle.

PLOWTAIL; PLOUGHTAIL Plow"tail`, Plough"tail`, n.

Defn: The hind part or handle of a plow.

PLOWWRIGHT; PLOUGHWRIGHT Plow"wright`, Plough"wright`, n.

Defn: One who makes or repairs plows.

PLOY Ploy, n.

Defn: Sport; frolic. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

PLOY Ploy, v. i. Etym: [Prob. abbrev. fr. deploy.] (Mil.)

Defn: To form a column from a line of troops on some designated subdivision; -- the opposite of deploy. Wilhelm.

PLOYMENT Ploy"ment, n. (Mil.)

Defn: The act or movement of forming a column from a line of troops on some designated subdivision; -- the opposite of deployment.

PLUCK Pluck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plucked; p. pr. & vb. n. Plucking.] Etym: [AS. pluccian; akin to LG. & D. plukken, G. pflücken, Icel. plokka, plukka, Dan. plukke, Sw. plocka.

1. To pull; to draw. Its own nature . . . plucks on its own dissolution. Je

2. Especially, to pull with sudden force or effort, or to pull off or out from something, with a twitch; to twitch; also, to gather, to pick; as, to pluck feathers from a fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes. I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude. Milton. E'en children followed, with endearing wile, And plucked his gown to share the good man's smile. Goldsmith.

3. To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl. They which pass by the way do pluck her. Ps. lxxx.

4. (Eng. Universities)

Defn: To reject at an examination for degrees. C. Bronté. To pluck away, to pull away, or to separate by pulling; to tear away. -- To pluck down, to pull down; to demolish; to reduce to a lower state. -- to pluck off, to pull or tear off; as, to pluck off the skin. -- to pluck up. (a) To tear up by the roots or from the foundation; to eradicate; to exterminate; to destroy; as, to pluck up a plant; to pluk up a nation. Jer. xii. 17. (b) To gather up; to summon; as, to pluck up courage.

PLUCK Pluck, v. i.

Defn: To make a motion of pulling or twitching; -- usually with at; as, to pluck at one's gown.

PLUCK Pluck, n.

1. The act of plucking; a pull; a twitch.

2. Etym: [Prob. so called as being plucked out after the animal is killed; or cf. Gael. & Ir. pluc a lump, a knot, a bunch.]

Defn: The heart, liver, and lights of an animal.

3. Spirit; courage; indomitable resolution; fortitude. Decay of English spirit, decay of manly pluck. Thackeray.

4. The act of plucking, or the state of being plucked, at college. See Pluck, v. t., 4.

5. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The lyrie. [Prov. Eng.]

PLUCKED Plucked, a.

Defn: Having courage and spirit. [R.]

PLUCKER Pluck"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, plucks. Thou setter up and plucker down of kings. Shak.

2. A machine for straightening and cleaning wool.

PLUCKER TUBE Plück"er tube. [So named after Julius Plücker, a German physicist.] (Physics) (a) A vacuum tube, used in spectrum analysis, in which the part through which the discharge takes place is a capillary tube, thus producing intense incandescence of the contained gases. (b) Crookes tube.

PLUCKILY Pluck"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plucky manner.

PLUCKINESS Pluck"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plucky.

PLUCKLESS Pluck"less, a.

Defn: Without pluck; timid; faint-hearted.

PLUCKY Pluck"y, a. [Compar. Pluckier; superl. Pluckiest.]

Defn: Having pluck or courage; characterized by pluck; displaying pluck; courageous; spirited; as, a plucky race. If you're plucky, and not over subject to fright. Barham.

PLUFF Pluff, v. t. Etym: [Prob. of imitative origin.]

Defn: To throw out, as smoke, dust, etc., in puffs. [Scot.]

PLUFF Pluff, n.

1. A puff, as of smoke from a pipe, or of dust from a puffball; a slight explosion, as of a small quantity of gunpowder. [Scot.]

2. A hairdresser's powder puff; also, the act of using it. [Scot.]

PLUG Plug, n. Etym: [Akin to D. plug, G. pflock, Dan. plök, plug, Sw. plugg; cf. W. ploc.]

1. Any piece of wood, metal, or other substance used to stop or fill a hole; a stopple.

2. A flat oblong cake of pressed tobacco. [U. S.]

3. A high, tapering silk hat. [Slang, U.S.]

4. A worthless horse. [Slang, U.S.]

5. (Building)

Defn: A block of wood let into a wall, to afford a hold for nails. Fire plug, a street hydrant to which hose may be attached. [U. S.] -- Hawse plug (Naut.), a plug to stop a hawse hole. -- Plug and feather. (Stone Working) See Feather, n., 7. -- Plug centerbit, a centerbit ending in a small cylinder instead of a point, so as to follow and enlarge a hole previously made, or to form a counterbore around it. -- Plug rod (Steam Eng.) , a rod attached to the beam for working the valves, as in the Cornish engine. -- Plug valve (Mech.), a tapering valve, which turns in a case like the plug of a faucet.

PLUG Plug, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plugged; p. pr. & vb. n. Plugging.]

Defn: To stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole.

PLUG BOARD Plug board. (Elec.)

Defn: A switchboard in which connections are made by means of plugs.

PLUGGER Plug"ger, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plugs.

PLUGGING Plug"ging, n.

1. The act of stopping with a plug.

2. The material of which a plug or stopple is made.

PLUM Plum, n. Etym: [AS.plume, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. Prune a dried plum.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called plum tree. The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. G. Bentham. are in bold format, like collocations.

Note: Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from the Prunus domestica are described; among them the greengage, the Orleans, the purple gage, or Reine Claude Violette, and the German prune, are some of the best known.

Note: Among the true plums are; Beach plum, the Prunus maritima, and its crimson or purple globular drupes, -- Bullace plum. See Bullace. -- Chickasaw plum, the American Prunus Chicasa, and its round red drupes. -- Orleans plum, a dark reddish purple plum of medium size, much grown in England for sale in the markets. -- Wild plum of America, Prunus Americana, with red or yellow fruit, the original of the Iowa plum and several other varieties. Among plants called plum, but of other genera than Prunus, are; Australian plum, Cargillia arborea and C. australis, of the same family with the persimmon. -- Blood plum, the West African Hæmatostaphes Barteri. -- Cocoa plum, the Spanish nectarine. See under Nectarine. -- Date plum. See under Date. -- Gingerbread plum, the West African Parinarium macrophyllum. -- Gopher plum, the Ogeechee lime. -- Gray plum, Guinea plum. See under Guinea. -- Indian plum, several species of Flacourtia.

2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.

3. A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant language, the sum of £100,000 sterling; also, the person possessing it. Plum bird, Plum budder (Zoöl.), the European bullfinch. -- Plum gouger (Zoöl.), a weevil, or curculio (Coccotorus scutellaris), which destroys plums. It makes round holes in the pulp, for the reception of its eggs. The larva bores into the stone and eats the kernel. -- Plum weevil (Zoöl.), an American weevil which is very destructive to plums, nectarines cherries, and many other stone fruits. It lays its eggs in crescent-shaped incisions made with its jaws. The larva lives upon the pulp around the stone. Called also turk, and plum curculio. See Illust. under Curculio.

PLUMA Plu"ma, n.; pl. Plumæ. Etym: [L.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A feather.

PLUMAGE Plum"age, n. Etym: [F., from plume a feather.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The entire clothing of a bird.

Note: It consist of the contour feathers, or the ordinary feathers covering the head, neck, and body; the tail feathers, with their upper and lower coverts; the wing feathers, including primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, with their coverts; and the down which lies beneath the contour feathers. See Illust. under Bird.

PLUMASSARY Plu*mas"sa*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plumasseau.]

Defn: A plume or collection of ornamental feathers.

PLUMASSIER Plu`mas`sier", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: One who prepares or deals in ornamental plumes or feathers.

PLUMB Plumb, n. Etym: [F. plomb, L. plumbum lead, a leaden ball or bullet; cf. Gr. Plummet, Plunge.]

Defn: A little mass or weight of lead, or the like, attached to a line, and used by builders, etc., to indicate a vertical direction; a plummet; a plumb bob. See Plumb line, below. Plumb bob. See Bob, 4. -- Plumb joint, in sheet-metal work, a lap joint, fastened by solder. -- Plumb level. See under Level. -- Plumb line. (a) The cord by which a plumb bob is suspended; a plummet. (b) A line directed to the center of gravity of the earth. -- Plumb rule, a narrow board with a plumb line, used by builders and carpenters.

PLUMB Plumb, a.

Defn: Perpendicular; vertical; conforming the direction of a line attached to a plumb; as, the wall is plumb.

PLUMB Plumb, adv.

Defn: In a plumb direction; perpendicularly. "Plumb down he falls." Milton.

PLUMB Plumb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plumbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plumbing.]

1. To adjust by a plumb line; to cause to be perpendicular; as, to plumb a building or a wall.

2. To sound with a plumb or plummet, as the depth of water; hence, to examine by test; to ascertain the depth, quality, dimension, etc.; to sound; to fathom; to test. He did not attempt to plumb his intellect. Ld. Lytton.

3. To seal with lead; as, to plumb a drainpipe.

4. To supply, as a building, with a system of plumbing.

PLUMBAGE Plumb"age, n.

Defn: Leadwork [R.]

PLUMBAGIN Plum*ba"gin, n. Etym: [L. plumbago leadwort, fr. plumbum lead; cf. F. plombagin.] (Chem.)

Defn: A crystalline substance said to be found in the root of a certain plant of the Leadwort (Plumbago) family.

PLUMBAGINEOUS Plum`ba*gin"e*ous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Pertaining to natural order (Plumbagineæ) of gamopetalous herbs, of which plumbago is the type. The order includes also the marsh rosemary, the thrift, and a few other genera.

PLUMBAGINOUS Plum*bag"i*nous, a.

Defn: Resembling plumbago; consisting of, or containing, plumbago; as, a plumbaginous slate.

PLUMBAGO Plum*ba"go, n. Etym: [L., from plumbum lead.]

1. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Graphite.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbaceous plants with pretty salver-shaped corollas, usually blue or violet; leadwort.

PLUMBEAN; PLUMBEOUS Plum"be*an, Plum"be*ous, a. Etym: [L. plumbeus, from plumbum the metal lead.]

1. Consisting of, or resembling, lead. J. Ellis.

2. Dull; heavy; stupid. [R.] J. P. Smith.

PLUMBER Plumb"er, n. Etym: [F. plombier. See Plumb.]

Defn: One who works in lead; esp., one who furnishes, fits, and repairs lead, iron, or glass pipes, and other apparatus for the conveyance of water, gas, or drainage in buildings.

PLUMBER BLOCK Plumb"er block`.

Defn: A pillow block.

PLUMBERY Plumb"er*y, n. Etym: [F. plomberie.]

1. The business of a plumber. [Obs.]

2. A place where plumbing is carried on; lead works.

PLUMBIC Plum"bic, a. Etym: [From Plumbum.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, resembling, or containing, lead; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which it has a higher valence as contrasted with plumbous compounds; as, plumbic oxide.

PLUMBIFEROUS Plum*bif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Plumbum + -ferous.]

Defn: Producing or containing lead. Kirwan.

PLUMBING Plumb"ing, n.

1. The art of casting and working in lead, and applying it to building purposes; especially, the business of furnishing, fitting, and repairing pipes for conducting water, sewage, etc. Gwilt.

2. The lead or iron pipes, and other apparatus, used in conveying water, sewage, etc., in a building.

PLUMBISM Plum"bism, n. Etym: [From Plumbum.] (Med.)

Defn: A diseased condition, produced by the absorption of lead, common among workers in this metal or in its compounds, as among painters, typesetters, etc. It is characterized by various symptoms, as lead colic, lead line, and wrist drop. See under Colic, Lead, and Wrist.

PLUMBOUS Plum"bous, a. Etym: [From Plumbum.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or containing, lead; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which it has a lower valence as contrasted with plumbic compounds.

PLUMBUM Plum"bum, n. Etym: [L.] (Chem.)

Defn: The technical name of lead. See Lead.

PLUMCOT Plum"cot, n. [Plum + apricot.] (Hort.)

Defn: A cross between the plum and apricot.

PLUME Plume, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. pluma. Cf. Fly, v.]

1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather. Wings . . . of many a colored plume. Milton.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An ornamental tuft of feathers.

3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling feathers. His high plume, that nodded o'er his head. Dryden.

4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides himself; a prize or reward. "Ambitious to win from me some plume." Milton.

5. (Bot.)

Defn: A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses. Plume bird (Zoöl.), any bird that yields ornamental plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of Florida (Ardea candidissima). -- Plume grass. (Bot) (a) A kind of grass (Erianthus saccharoides) with the spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in swamps in the Southern United States. (b) The still finer E. Ravennæ from the Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended to the whole genus. -- Plume moth (Zoöl.), any one of numerous small, slender moths, belonging to the family Pterophoridæ. Most of them have the wings deeply divided into two or more plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the grapevine. -- Plume nutmeg (Bot.), an aromatic Australian tree (Atherosperma moschata), whose numerous carpels are tipped with long plumose persistent styles.

PLUME Plume, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plumed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pluming.] Etym: [Cf. F. plumer to pluck, to strip, L. plumare to cover with feathers.]

1. To pick and adjust the plumes or feathers of; to dress or prink. Pluming her wings among the breezy bowers. W. Irving.

2. To strip of feathers; to pluck; to strip; to pillage; also, to peel. [Obs.] Bacon. Dryden.

3. To adorn with feathers or plumes. "Farewell the plumed troop." Shak.

4. To pride; to vaunt; to boast; -- used reflexively; as, he plumes himself on his skill. South. Plumed adder (Zoöl.), an African viper (Vipera, or Clotho, cornuta), having a plumelike structure over each eye. It is venomous, and is related to the African puff adder. Called also horned viper and hornsman. -- Plumed partridge (Zoöl.), the California mountain quail (Oreortyx pictus). See Mountain quail, under Mountain.

PLUMELESS Plume"less, a.

Defn: Without plumes.

PLUMELET Plume"let, n. Etym: [Plume + -let.]

Defn: A small plume. When rosy plumelets tuft the larch. Tennyson.

PLUMERY Plum"er*y, n.

Defn: Plumes, collectively or in general; plumage. [R.] Southey.

PLUMICORN Plu"mi*corn, n. Etym: [L. pluma feather + cornu horn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An ear tuft of feathers, as in the horned owls.

PLUMIGEROUS Plu*mig"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. plumiger; pluma a feather + gerere to bear.]

Defn: Feathered; having feathers. Bailey

PLUMILIFORM Plu*mil"i*form, a. Etym: [L. plumula, or plumella a little feather (dim. of pluma feather) + -form.]

Defn: Having the of a plume or feather. [R.]

PLUMIPED Plu"mi*ped, a. Etym: [L. plumipes, -edis; pluma a feather + pes: cf. F. plumipède.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having feet covered with feathers. -- n.

Defn: A plumiped bird.

PLUMMET Plum"met, n. Etym: [OE. plommet, OF. plommet, fr. plom, plum, lead, F. plomb. See Plumb.]

1. A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water. I'll sink him deeper than e'er plummet sounded. Shak.

2. A plumb bob or a plumb line. See under Plumb, n.

3. Hence, any weight.

4. A piece of lead formerly used by school children to rule paper for writing. Plummet line, a line with a plummet; a sounding line.

PLUMMING Plum"ming, n. Etym: [See Plumb.] (Min.)

Defn: The operation of finding, by means of a mine dial, the place where to sink an air shaft, or to bring an adit to the work, or to find which way the lode inclines.

PLUMMY Plum"my, a. Etym: [From Plum.]

Defn: Of the nature of a plum; desirable; profitable; advantageous. [Colloq.] "For the sake of getting something plummy." G. Eliot.

PLUMOSE; PLUMOUS Plu*mose", Plu"mous, a. Etym: [L. plumosus, fr. pluma feather: cf. F. plumeux.]

1. Having feathers or plumes.

2. Having hairs, or other párts, arranged along an axis like a feather; feathery; plumelike; as, a plumose leaf; plumose tentacles.

PLUMOSITE Plu"mo*site, n. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Jamesonite.

PLUMOSITY Plu*mos"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plumose.

PLUMP Plump, a. [Compar. Plumper; superl. Plumpest.] Etym: [OE. plomp rude, clumsy; akin to D. plomp, G., Dan., & Sw. plump; probably of imitative origin. Cf. Plump, adv.]

Defn: Well rounded or filled out; full; fleshy; fat; as, a plump baby; plump cheeks. Shak. The god of wine did his plump clusters bring. T. Carew.

PLUMP Plump, n.

Defn: A knot; a cluster; a group; a crowd; a flock; as, a plump of trees, fowls, or spears. [Obs.] To visit islands and the plumps of men. Chapman.

PLUMP Plump, v. i. Etym: [Cf. D. plompen, G. plumpen, Sw. plumpa, Dan. plumpe. See Plump, a.]

1. To grow plump; to swell out; as, her cheeks have plumped.

2. To drop or fall suddenly or heavily, all at once."Dulcissa plumps into a chair." Spectator.

3. To give a plumper. See Plumper, 2.

PLUMP Plump, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plumped; p. pr. & vb. n. Plumping.]

1. To make plump; to fill (out) or support; -- often with up.plump up the pillows To plump up the hollowness of their history with improbable miracles. Fuller.

2. To cast or let drop all at once, suddenly and heavily; as, to plump a stone into water.

3. To give (a vote), as a plumper. See Plumper, 2.

PLUMP Plump, adv. Etym: [Cf. D. plomp, interj., G. plump, plumps. Cf. Plump, a. &v.]

Defn: Directly; suddenly; perpendicularly. "Fall plump." Beau. & Fl.

PLUMPER Plump"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, plumps or swells out something else; hence, something carried in the mouth to distend the cheeks.

2. (English Elections)

Defn: A vote given to one candidate only, when two or more are to be elected, thus giving him the advantage over the others. A person who gives his vote thus is said to plump, or to plump his vote.

3. A voter who plumps his vote. [Eng.]

4. A downright, unqualified lie. [Colloq. or Low]

PLUMPLY Plump"ly, adv.

Defn: Fully; roundly; plainly; without reserve. [Colloq.]

PLUMPNESS Plump"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plump.

PLUMPY Plump"y, a.

Defn: Plump; fat; sleek. "Plumpy Bacchus." Shak.

PLUMULA Plu"mu*la, n.; pl. L. Plumule, E.-las. Etym: [L. See Plumule.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A plumule.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A down feather.

PLUMULACEOUS Plu`mu*la"ceous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Downy; bearing down.

PLUMULAR Plu"mu*lar, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Relating to a plumule.

PLUMULARIA Plu`mu*la"ri*a, n.; pl. L. Plumularlæ, E. Plumularias. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any hydroid belonging to Plumularia and other genera of the family Plumularidæ. They generally grow in plumelike forms.

PLUMULARIAN Plu`mu*la"ri*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any Plumularia. Also used adjectively.

PLUMULE Plu"mule, n. Etym: [L. plumula, dim. of pluma a feather; cf. F. plumule.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The first bud, or gemmule, of a young plant; the bud, or growing point, of the embryo, above the cotyledons. See Illust. of Radicle. Gray.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) A down feather. (b) The aftershaft of a feather. See Illust. under Feather. (c) One of the featherlike scales of certain male butterflies.

PLUMULOSE Plu"mu*lose", a.

Defn: Having hairs branching out laterally, like the parts of a feather.

PLUMY Plum"y, a.

Defn: Covered or adorned with plumes, or as with plumes; feathery. "His plumy crest." Addison. "The plumy trees." J. S. Blackie.

PLUNDER Plun"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plundered; p. pr. & vb. n. Plundering.] Etym: [G. plündern to plunder, plunder frippery, baggage.]

1. To take the goods of by force, or without right; to pillage; to spoil; to sack; to strip; to rob; as, to plunder travelers. Nebuchadnezzar plunders the temple of God. South.

2. To take by pillage; to appropriate forcibly; as, the enemy plundered all the goods they found.

Syn. -- To pillage; despoil; sack; rifle; strip; rob.

PLUNDER Plun"der, n.

1. The act of plundering or pillaging; robbery. See Syn. of Pillage. Inroads and plunders of the Saracens. Sir T. North.

2. That which is taken by open force from an enemy; pillage; spoil; booty; also, that which is taken by theft or fraud. "He shared in the plunder." Cowper.

3. Personal property and effects; baggage or luggage. [Slang, Southwestern U.S.]

PLUNDERAGE Plun"der*age, n. (Mar. Law)

Defn: The embezzlement of goods on shipboard. Wharton.

PLUNDERER Plun"der*er, n.

Defn: One who plunders or pillages.

PLUNGE Plunge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plunged; p. pr. & vb. n. Plunging.] Etym: [OE. ploungen, OF. plongier, F. plonger, fr. (assumed) LL. plumbicare, fr. L. plumbum lead. See Plumb.]

1. To thrust into water, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse; to cause to penetrate or enter quickly and forcibly; to thrust; as, to plunge the body into water; to plunge a dagger into the breast. Also used figuratively; as, to plunge a nation into war. "To plunge the boy in pleasing sleep." Dryden. Bound and plunged him into a cell. Tennyson. We shall be plunged into perpetual errors. I. Watts.

2. To baptize by immersion.

3. To entangle; to embarrass; to overcome. [Obs.] Plunged and graveled with three lines of Seneca. Sir T. Browne.

PLUNGE Plunge, v. i.

1. To thrust or cast one's self into water or other fluid; to submerge one's self; to dive, or to rush in; as, he plunged into the river. Also used figuratively; as, to plunge into debt. Forced to plunge naked in the raging sea. Dryden. To plunge into guilt of a murther. Tillotson.

2. To pitch or throw one's self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does. Some wild colt, which . . . flings and plunges. Bp. Hall.

3. To bet heavily and with seeming recklessness on a race, or other contest; in an extended sense, to risk large sums in hazardous speculations. [Cant] Plunging fire (Gun.), firing directed upon an enemy from an elevated position.

PLUNGE Plunge, n.

1. The act of thrusting into or submerging; a dive, leap, rush, or pitch into, or as into, water; as, to take the water with a plunge.

2. Hence, a desperate hazard or act; a state of being submerged or overwhelmed with difficulties. [R.] She was brought to that plunge, to conceal her husband's murder or accuse her son. Sir P. Sidney. And with thou not reach out a friendly arm, To raise me from amidst this plunge of sorrows Addison.

3. The act of pitching or throwing one's self headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse.

4. Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation. [Cant] Plunge bath, an immersion by plunging; also, a large bath in which the bather can wholly immerse himself. -- Plunge, or plunging, battery (Elec.), a voltaic battery so arranged that the plates can be plunged into, or withdrawn from, the exciting liquid at pleasure.

PLUNGER Plun"ger, n.

1. One who, or that which, plunges; a diver.

2. A long solid cylinder, used, instead of a piston or bucket, as a forcer in pumps.

3. One who bets heavily and recklessly on a race; a reckless speculator. [Cant]

4. (Pottery)

Defn: A boiler in which clay is beaten by a wheel to a creamy consistence. Knight.

5. (Gun.)

Defn: The firing pin of a breechloader. Plunger bucket, a piston, without a valve, in a pump. -- Plunger pole, the pump rod of a pumping engine. -- Plunger pump, a pump, as for water, having a plunger, instead of a piston, to act upon the water. It may be single-acting or double- acting

PLUNK Plunk, v. t. [Imitative.] [Chiefly Colloq.]

1. To pluck and release quickly (a musical string); to twang.

2. To throw, push, drive heavily, plumply, or suddenly; as, to plunk down a dollar; also, to hit or strike.

3. To be a truant from (school). [Scot.]

PLUNK Plunk, n.

1. Act or sound of plunking. [Colloq.]

2. [Slang] (a) A large sum of money. [Obs.] (b) A dollar. [U. S.]

PLUNK Plunk, v. i. [Chiefly Colloq.]

1. To make a quick, hollow, metallic, or harsh sound, as by pulling hard on a taut string and quickly releasing it; of a raven, to croak.

2. To drop or sink down suddenly or heavily; to plump.

3. To play truant, or "hooky". [Scot.]

PLUNKET Plun"ket, n.

Defn: A kind of blue color; also, anciently, a kind of cloth, generally blue.

PLUPERFECT Plu"per`fect, a. Etym: [L. plus more + perfectus perfect; cf. F. plus-que-parfait, L. plusquamperfectum.]

Defn: More than perfect; past perfect; -- said of the tense which denotes that an action or event was completed at or before the time of another past action or event. -- n.

Defn: The pluperfect tense; also, a verb in the pluperfect tense.

PLURAL Plu"ral, a Etym: [L. pluralis, from plus, pluris, more; cf. F. pluriel, OF. plurel. See Plus.]

Defn: Relating to, or containing, more than one; designating two or more; as, a plural word. Plural faith, which is too much by one. Shak. Plural number (Gram.), the number which designates more than one. See Number, n., 8.

PLURAL Plu"ral, n. (Gram.)

Defn: The plural number; that form of a word which expresses or denotes more than one; a word in the plural form.

PLURALISM Plu"ral*ism, n.

1. The quality or state of being plural, or in the plural number.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: The state of a pluralist; the holding of more than one ecclesiastical living at a time. [Eng.]

PLURALIST Plu"ral*ist, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: A clerk or clergyman who holds more than one ecclesiastical benefice. [Eng.] Of the parochial clergy, a large proportion were pluralists. Macaulay.

PLURALITY Plu*ral"i*ty, n.; pl. pluralities. Etym: [L. pluralitas: cf. F. pluralité.]

1. The state of being plural, or consisting of more than one; a number consisting of two or more of the same kind; as, a plurality of worlds; the plurality of a verb.

2. The greater number; a majority; also, the greatest of several numbers; in elections, the excess of the votes given for one candidate over those given for another, or for any other, candidate. When there are more than two candidates, the one who receives the plurality of votes may have less than a majority. See Majority. Take the plurality of the world, and they are neither wise nor good. L'Estrange.

3. (Eccl.)

Defn: See Plurality of benefices, below. Plurality of benefices (Eccl.), the possession by one clergyman of more than one benefice or living. Each benefice thus held is called a plurality. [Eng.]

PLURALIZATION Plu`ral*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of pluralizing. H. Spencer.

PLURALIZE Plu"ral*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pluralized; p. pr. & vb. n. Pluralizing.]

1. To make plural by using the plural termination; to attribute plurality to; to express in the plural form.

2. To multiply; to make manifold. [R.]

PLURALIZE Plu"ral*ize, v. i.

1. To take a plural; to assume a plural form; as, a noun pluralizes. Earle.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: To hold more than one benefice at the same time. [Eng.]

PLURALIZER Plu"ral*i`zer, n. (Eccl.)

Defn: A pluralist. [R.]

PLURALLY Plu"ral*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plural manner or sense.

PLURI- Plu"ri-. Etym: [See Plus.]

Defn: A combining form from L. plus, pluris, more, many; as pluriliteral.

PLURIES Plu"ri*es, n. Etym: [So called from L. pluries many times, often, which occurs in the first clause.] (Law)

Defn: A writ issued in the third place, after two former writs have been disregarded. Mozley & W.

PLURIFARIOUS Plu`ri*fa"ri*ous, a. Etym: [L. plurifarius, fr. L. plus, pluris, many. Cf. Bifarious.]

Defn: Of many kinds or fashions; multifarious.

PLURIFOLIOLATE Plu`ri*fo"li*o*late, a. Etym: [Pluri- + foliolate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having several or many leaflets.

PLURILITERAL Plu`ri*lit"er*al, a. Etym: [Pluri- + literal.]

Defn: Consisting of more letters than three. -- n.

Defn: A pluriliteral word.

PLURILOCULAR Plu`ri*loc"u*lar, a. Etym: [Pluri- + locular.]

Defn: Having several cells or loculi; specifically (Bot.),

Defn: having several divisions containing seeds; as, the lemon and the orange are plurilocular fruits. Plurilocular sporangia (Bot.), many-celled sporangia, each cell containing a single spore, as in many algæ.

PLURIPAROUS Plu*rip"a*rous, a. Etym: [Pluri- + L. parere to bring forth.]

Defn: Producing several young at a birth; as, a pluriparous animal.

PLURIPARTITE Plu`ri*par"tite, a. Etym: [Pluri- + partite.] (Bot.)

Defn: Deeply divided into several portions.

PLURIPRESENCE Plu`ri*pres"ence, n. Etym: [Pluri- + presence.]

Defn: Presence in more places than one. [R.] Johnson.

PLURISY Plu"ri*sy, n. Etym: [L. plus, pluris, more.]

Defn: Superabundance; excess; plethora. [Obs.] Shak.

PLUS Plus, a. Etym: [L., more; akin to Gr. full. See Full, a., and cf. Più, Pleonasm.]

1. (Math.)

Defn: More, required to be added; positive, as distinguished from negative; -- opposed to Ant: minus.

2. Hence, in a literary sense, additional; real; actual. Success goes invariably with a certain plus or positive power. Emerson. Plus sign (Math.), the sign (+) which denotes addition, or a positive quantity.

PLUSH Plush, n. Etym: [F. pluche, peluche (cf. It. peluzzo), fr. L. pilus hair. See pile hair, and cf. Peruke.]

Defn: A textile fabric with a nap or shag on one side, longer and softer than the nap of velvet. Cowper.

PLUSHY Plush"y, a.

Defn: Like plush; soft and shaggy. H. Kingsley.

PLUTARCHY Plu"tar*chy, n. Etym: [Gr. -archy.]

Defn: Plutocracy; the rule of wealth. [R.]

PLUTEAL Plu"te*al, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a pluteus.

PLUTEUS Plu"te*us, n.; pl. L. Plutei, E. Pluteuses. Etym: [L., a shed.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The free-swimming larva of sea urchins and ophiurans, having several long stiff processes inclosing calcareous rods.

PLUTO Plu"to, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The son of Saturn and Rhea, brother of Jupiter and Neptune; the dark and gloomy god of the Lower World. Pluto monkey (Zoöl.), a long- tailed African monkey (Cercopithecus pluto), having side whiskers. The general color is black, more or less grizzled; the frontal band is white.

PLUTOCRACY Plu*toc"ra*cy, n. Etym: [Gr. plutocratie.]

Defn: A form of government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of the wealthy classes; government by the rich; also, a controlling or influential class of rich men.

PLUTOCRAT Plu"to*crat, n.

Defn: One whose wealth gives him power or influence; one of the plutocracy.

PLUTOCRATIC Plu`to*crat"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to plutocracy; as, plutocratic ideas. Bagehot.

PLUTOLOGY Plu*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. -logy.]

Defn: The science which treats of wealth.

PLUTONIAN Plu*to"ni*an, a. Etym: [L. Plutonius, Gr. plutonien.]

Defn: Plutonic. Poe.

PLUTONIAN Plu*to"ni*an, n. (Geol.)

Defn: A Plutonist.

PLUTONIC Plu*ton"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. plutonique. See Pluto.]

1. Of or pertaining to Pluto; Plutonian; hence, pertaining to the interior of the earth; subterranean.

2. Of, pertaining to, or designating, the system of the Plutonists; igneous; as, the Plutonic theory. Plutonic action (Geol.), the influence of volcanic heat and other subterranean forces under pressure. -- Plutonic rocks (Geol.), granite, porphyry, and some other igneous rocks, supposed to have consolidated from a melted state at a great depth from the surface. Cf. Intrusive rocks, under Intrusive. -- Plutonic theory. (Geol.) See Plutonism.

PLUTONISM Plu"to*nism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plutonisme.]

Defn: The theory, early advanced in geology, that the successive rocks of the earth''s crust were formed by igneous fusion; -- opposed to the Neptunian theory.

PLUTONIST Plu"to*nist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plutoniste.]

Defn: One who adopts the geological theory of igneous fusion; a Plutonian. See Plutonism.

PLUTUS Plu"tus, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The son of Jason and Ceres, and the god of wealth. He was represented as bearing a cornucopia, and as blind, because his gifts were bestowed without discrimination of merit.

PLUVIAL Plu"vi*al, a. Etym: [L. pluvialis, fr. pluvia rain: cf. F. pluvial. See Plover.]

1. Of or pertaining to rain; rainy. [R.]

2. (Geol.)

Defn: Produced by the action of rain.

PLUVIAL Plu"vi*al, n. Etym: [LL. pluviale a garment which keeps off the rain: cf. F. pluvial.]

Defn: A priest's cope.

PLUVIAMETER Plu`vi*am"e*ter, n.

Defn: See Pluviometer.

PLUVIAMETRICAL Plu`vi*a*met"ric*al, a.

Defn: See Pluviometrical.

PLUVIAN Plu"vi*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The crocodile bird.

PLUVIOGRAPH Plu"vi*o*graph, n. [L. pluvia rain + -graph.]

Defn: A self-registering rain gauge.

PLUVIOGRAPHY Plu`vi*og"ra*phy, n. [L. pluvia rain + -graphy.]

Defn: The branch of meteorology treating of the automatic registration of the precipitation of rain, snow, etc.; also, the graphic presentation of precipitation data.

PLUVIOMETER Plu`vi*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [L. pluvia rain + -meter: cf. F. pluviomètre.]

Defn: An instrument for ascertaining the amount of rainfall at any place in a given time; a rain gauge.

PLUVIOMETRICAL Plu`vi*o*met"ric*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pluviométrique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a pluviometer; determined by a pluviometer.

PLUVIOMETRY Plu`vi*om"e*try, n. [L. pluvia rain + -metry.]

Defn: That department of meteorology that treats of the measurement of the precipitation of rain, snow, etc.

PLUVIOSCOPE Plu"vi*o*scope, n. [L. pluvia rain + -scope.]

Defn: A rain gauge.

PLUVIOSE Plu`vi`ôse", n. Etym: [F. See Pluvious.]

Defn: The fifth month of the French republican calendar adopted in 1793. It began January 20, and ended February 18. See Vendémiaire.

PLUVIOUS Plu"vi*ous, a. Etym: [L. pluviosus, pluvius, fr. pluvia rain: cf. F. pluvieux. See Pluvial, a.]

Defn: Abounding in rain; rainy; pluvial. Sir T. Browne.

PLY Ply, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plied; p. pr. & vb. n. Plying.] Etym: [OE. plien, F. plier to fold, to bend, fr. L. plicare; akin to Gr. flechten. Cf. Apply, Complex, Display, Duplicity, Employ, Exploit, Implicate, Plait, Pliant, Flax.]

1. To bend. [Obs.] As men may warm wax with handes plie. Chaucer.

2. To lay on closely, or in folds; to work upon steadily, or with repeated acts; to press upon; to urge importunately; as, to ply one with questions, with solicitations, or with drink. And plies him with redoubled strokes Dryden. He plies the duke at morning and at night. Shak.

3. To employ diligently; to use steadily. Go ply thy needle; meddle not. Shak.

4. To practice or perform with diligence; to work at. Their bloody task, unwearied, still they ply. Waller.

PLY Ply, v. i.

1. To bend; to yield. [Obs.] It would rather burst atwo than plye. Chaucer. The willow plied, and gave way to the gust. L'Estrange.

2. To act, go, or work diligently and steadily; especially, to do something by repeated actions; to go back and forth; as, a steamer plies between certain ports. Ere half these authors be read (which will soon be with plying hard and daily). Milton. He was forced to ply in the streets as a porter. Addison. The heavy hammers and mallets plied. Longfellow.

3. (Naut.)

Defn: To work to windward; to beat.

PLY Ply, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pli, fr. plier. See Ply, v.]

1. A fold; a plait; a turn or twist, as of a cord. Arbuthnot.

2. Bent; turn; direction; bias. The late learners can not so well take the ply. Bacon. Boswell, and others of Goldsmith's contemporaries, . . . did not understand the secret plies of his character. W. Irving. The czar's mind had taken a strange ply, which it retained to the last. Macaulay.

Note: Ply is used in composition to designate folds, or the number of webs interwoven; as, a three-ply carpet.

PLYER Ply"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plies; specifically: (a) pl.

Defn: A kind of balance used in raising and letting down a drawbridge. It consists of timbers joined in the form of a St. Andrew's cross. (b) pl.

Defn: See Pliers.

PLYGHT Plyght, v. & n.

Defn: See Plight. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLYMOUTH BRETHREN Plym"outh Breth"ren.

Defn: The members of a religious sect which first appeared at Plymouth, England, about 1830. They protest against sectarianism, and reject all official ministry or clergy. Also called Brethren, Christian Brethren, Plymouthists, etc. The Darbyites are a division of the Brethren.

PNEOMETER Pne*om"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A spirometer.

PNEUMATIC; PNEUMATICAL Pneu*mat"ic, Pneu*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. pneumaticus, Gr. fnehan: cf. F. pneumatique. Cf. Pneumonia.]

1. Consisting of, or resembling, air; having the properties of an elastic fluid; gaseous; opposed to dense or solid. The pneumatical substance being, in some bodies, the native spirit of the body. Bacon.

2. Of or pertaining to air, or to elastic fluids or their properties; pertaining to pneumatics; as, pneumatic experiments. "Pneumatical discoveries." Stewart.

3. Moved or worked by pressure or flow of air; as, a pneumatic instrument; a pneumatic engine.

4. (Biol.)

Defn: Fitted to contain air; Having cavities filled with air; as, pneumatic cells; pneumatic bones. Pneumatic action, or Pneumatic lever (Mus.), a contrivance for overcoming the resistance of the keys and other movable parts in an organ, by causing compressed air from the wind chest to move them. -- Pneumatic dispatch, a system of tubes, leading to various points, through which letters, packages, etc., are sent, by the flow and pressure of air. -- Pneumatic elevator, a hoisting machine worked by compressed air. -- Pneumatic pile, a tubular pile or cylinder of large diameter sunk by atmospheric pressure. -- Pneumatic pump, an air-exhausting or forcing pump. -- Pneumatic railway. See Atmospheric railway, under Atmospheric. -- Pneumatic syringe, a stout tube closed at one end, and provided with a piston, for showing that the heat produced by compressing a gas will ignite substances. -- Pneumatic trough, a trough, generally made of wood or sheet metal, having a perforated shelf, and used, when filled with water or mercury, for collecting gases in chemical operations. -- Pneumatic tube. See Pneumatic dispatch, above.

PNEUMATICITY Pneu`ma*tic"i*ty, n. (Biol.)

Defn: The state of being pneumatic, or of having a cavity or cavities filled with air; as, the pneumaticity of the bones of birds.

PNEUMATICS Pneu*mat"ics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pneumatique.]

1. That branch of science which treats of the mechanical properties of air and other elastic fluids, as of their weight, pressure, elasticity, etc. See Mechanics.

2. (Philos. & Theol.)

Defn: The scientific study or knowledge of spiritual beings and their relations to God, angels, and men.

PNEUMATO- Pneu"ma*to-.

Defn: A combining form from Gr. wind, air, breath, respiration; as, pneumatograph, pneumatology.

PNEUMATOCELE Pneu*mat"o*cele, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + Gr. pneumatocèle.] (Med.)

Defn: A distention of the scrotum by air; also, hernia of the lungs.

PNEUMATOCYST Pneu*mat"o*cyst, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + cyst.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A cyst or sac of a siphonophore, containing air, and serving as a float, as in Physalia.

PNEUMATOGARM Pneu*mat"o*garm, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + -gram.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A tracing of the respiratory movements, obtained by a pneumatograph or stethograph.

PNEUMATOGRAPH Pneu*mat"o*graph, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + -graph.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for recording the movements of the thorax or chest wall during respiration; -- also called stethograph.

PNEUMATOLOGICAL Pneu`ma*to*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pneumatologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to pneumatology.

PNEUMATOLOGIST Pneu`ma*tol"o*gist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pneumatologiste.]

Defn: One versed in pneumatology.

PNEUMATOLOGY Pneu`ma*tol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + -logy: cf. F. pneumatologie.]

1. The doctrine of, or a treatise on, air and other elastic fluids. See Pneumatics, 1.

2. (Philos. & Theol.)

Defn: The science of spiritual being or phenomena of any description.

PNEUMATOMETER Pneu`ma*tom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + -meter.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for measuring the amount of force exerted by the lungs in respiration.

PNEUMATOMETRY Pneu`ma*tom"e*try, n.

Defn: See Spirometry.

PNEUMATOPHORE Pneu*mat"o*phore, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Pneumonophora.

PNEUMATOTHORAX Pneu`ma*to*tho"rax, n. Etym: [Pneumato- + thorax.] (Med.)

Defn: See Pneumothorax.

PNEUMO- Pneu"mo-.

Defn: A combining form from Gr. a lung; as, pneumogastric, pneumology.

PNEUMOCOCCUS Pneu`mo*coc"cus, n. Etym: [See Pneumo-, and Coccus.] (Biol.)

Defn: A form of micrococcus found in the sputum (and elsewhere) of persons suffering with pneumonia, and thought to be the cause of this disease.

PNEUMOGASTRIC Pneu`mo*gas"tric, a. Etym: [Pneumo- + gastric.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the lungs and the stomach. -- n.

Defn: The pneumogastric nerve. Pneumogastric nerve (Anat.), one of the tenth pair of cranial nerves which are distributed to the pharynx, esophagus, larynx, lungs, heart, stomach, liver, and spleen, and, in fishes and many amphibia, to the branchial apparatus and also to the sides of the body.

PNEUMOGRAPH Pneu"mo*graph, n.

Defn: Same as Pneumatograph.

PNEUMOGRAPHY Pneu*mog"ra*phy, n Etym: [Pneumo- + -graphy.]

Defn: A description of the lungs. Dunglison.

PNEUMOLOGY Pneu*mol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Pneumo- + -logy.] (Anat.)

Defn: The science which treats of the lungs.

PNEUMOMETER Pneu*mom"e*ter, n. Etym: [Pneumo- + -meter.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A spirometer.

PNEUMOMETRY Pneu*mom"e*try, n.

Defn: Measurement of the capacity of the lungs for air. Dunglison.

PNEUMONIA Pneu*mo"ni*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Pneumatio, Pulmonary.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the lungs.

Note: Catarrhal pneumonia, or Broncho-pneumonia, is inflammation of the lung tissue, associated with catarrh and with marked evidences of inflammation of bronchial membranes, often chronic; -- also called lobular pneumonia, from its affecting single lobules at a time. -- Croupous pneumonia, or ordinary pneumonia, is an acute affection characterized by sudden onset with a chill, high fever, rapid course, and sudden decline; -- also called lobar pneumonia, from its affecting a whole lobe of the lung at once. See under Croupous. -- Fibroid pneumonia is an inflammation of the interstitial connective tissue lying between the lobules of the lungs, and is very slow in its course, producing shrinking and atrophy of the lungs.

PNEUMONIC Pneu*mon"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. pneumonique.] (a) Of or pertaining to the lungs; pulmonic. (b) Of or pertaining to pneumonia; as, pneumonic symptoms.

PNEUMONIC Pneu*mon"ic, n. (Med.)

Defn: A medicine for affections of the lungs.

PNEUMONITIC Pneu`mo*nit"ic, a. (Med.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to pneumonitis.

PNEUMONITIS Pneu`mo*ni"tis, n. Etym: [NL. See Pneumo-, and -itis.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the lungs; pneumonia.

PNEUMONOMETER Pneu`mo*nom"e*ter, n. Etym: [See Pneumo-, and -meter.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A spirometer; a pneumometer.

PNEUMONOPHORA Pneu`mo*noph"o*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The division of Siphonophora which includes the Physalia and allied genera; -- called also Pneumatophoræ.

PNEUMONY Pneu"mo*ny, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pneumonie.]

Defn: See Pneumonia.

PNEUMOOTOKA; PNEUMOOETOKA Pneu`mo*öt"o*ka, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Pneumo-, and Oöticoid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Sauropsida.

PNEUMOPHORA Pneu*moph"o*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Pneumonophora.] (Zoöl.) (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of holothurians having an internal gill, or respiratory tree.

PNEUMOSKELETON Pneu`mo*skel"e*ton, n. Etym: [Pneumo- + skeleton.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A chitinous structure which supports the gill in some invertebrates.

PNEUMOTHERAPY Pneu`mo*ther"a*py, n. Etym: [Gr. therapy.] (Med.)

Defn: The treatment of disease by inhalations of compressed or rarefied air.

PNEUMOTHORAX Pneu`mo*tho"rax, n. Etym: [Gr. thorax.] (Med.)

Defn: A condition in which air or other gas is present in the cavity of the chest; -- called also pneumatothorax.

PNIGALION Pni*ga"li*on, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Nightmare.

PNYX Pnyx, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: The place at Athens where the meetings of the people were held for making decrees, etc.

POA Po"a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of grasses, including a great number of species, as the kinds called meadow grass, Kentucky blue grass, June grass, and spear grass (which see).

POACH Poach, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poached; p. pr. & vb. n. Poaching.] Etym: [F. pocher to place in a pocket, to poach eggs (the yolk of the egg being as it were pouched in the white), from poche pocket, pouch. See Pouch, v. &n.]

1. To cook, as eggs, by breaking them into boiling water; also, to cook with butter after breaking in a vessel. Bacon.

2. To rob of game; to pocket and convey away by stealth, as game; hence, to plunder. Garth.

POACH Poach, v. i.

Defn: To steal or pocket game, or to carry it away privately, as in a bag; to kill or destroy game contrary to law, especially by night; to hunt or fish unlawfully; as, to poach for rabbits or for salmon.

POACH Poach, v. t. Etym: [Cf. OF. pocher to thrust or dig out with the fingers, to bruise (the eyes), F. pouce thumb, L. pollex, and also E. poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and poke to thrust against.]

1. To stab; to pierce; to spear, \as fish. [Obs.] Carew.

2. To force, drive, or plunge into anything. [Obs.] His horse poching one of his legs into some hollow ground. Sir W. Temple.

3. To make soft or muddy by trampling Tennyson.

4. To begin and not complete. [Obs.] Bacon.

POACH Poach, v. i.

Defn: To become soft or muddy. Chalky and clay lands . . . chap in summer, and poach in winter. Mortimer.

POACHARD Poach"ard, n. Etym: [From Poach to stab.] [Written also pocard, pochard.] (Zoöl.) (a) A common European duck (Aythya ferina); -- called also goldhead, poker, and fresh-water, or red-headed, widgeon. (b) The American redhead, which is closely allied to the European poachard. Red-crested poachard (Zoöl.), an Old World duck (Branta rufina). -- Scaup poachard, the scaup duck. -- Tufted poachard, a scaup duck (Aythya, or Fuligula cristata), native of Europe and Asia.

POACHER Poach"er, n.

1. One who poaches; one who kills or catches game or fish contrary to law.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The American widgeon. [Local, U.S.] Sea poacher (Zoöl.), the lyrie.

POACHINESS Poach"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being poachy; marshiness.

POACHY Poach"y, a. Etym: [See Poach to stab.]

Defn: Wet and soft; easily penetrated by the feet of cattle; -- said of land

POAK; POAKE Poak, Poake, n.

Defn: Waste matter from the preparation of skins, consisting of hair, lime, oil, etc.

POCAN Po"can, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The poke (Phytolacca decandra); -- called also pocan bush.

POCHARD Po"chard, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Poachard.

POCK Pock, n. Etym: [OE. pokke, AS. pocc, poc; akin to D. pok, G. pocke, and perh. to E. poke a pocket. Cf. Pox.] (Med.)

Defn: A pustule raised on the surface of the body in variolous and vaccine diseases. Of pokkes and of scab every sore. Chaucer.

POCKARRED Pock"arred, a.

Defn: See Pockmarked. [Obs.]

POCK-BROKEN Pock"-bro`ken, a.

Defn: Broken out, or marked, with smallpox; pock-fretten.

POCKET Pock"et, n. Etym: [OE. poket, Prov. F. & OF. poquette, F. pochette, dim. fr. poque, pouque, F. poche; probably of Teutonic origin. See Poke a pocket, and cf. Poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and Pouch.]

1. A bag or pouch; especially; a small bag inserted in a garment for carrying small articles, particularly money; hence, figuratively, money; wealth.

2. One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into which the balls are driven.

3. A large bag or sack used in packing various articles, as ginger, hops, cowries, etc.

Note: In the wool or hop trade, the pocket contains half sack, or about 168 Ibs.; but it is a variable quantity, the articles being sold by actual weight.

4. (Arch.)

Defn: A hole or space covered by a movable piece of board, as in a floor, boxing, partitions, or the like.

5. (Mining.) (a) A cavity in a rock containing a nugget of gold, or other mineral; a small body of ore contained in such a cavity. (b) A hole containing water.

6. (Nat.)

Defn: A strip of canvas, sewn upon a sail so that a batten or a light spar can placed in the interspace.

7. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pouch.

Note: Pocket is often used adjectively, or in the formation of compound words usually of obvious signification; as, pocket comb, pocket compass, pocket edition, pocket handkerchief, pocket money, pocket picking, or pocket-picking, etc. Out of pocket. See under Out, prep. -- Pocket borough, a borough "owned" by some person. See under Borough. [Eng.] -- Pocket gopher (Zoöl.), any one of several species of American rodents of the genera Geomys, and Thomomys, family Geomydæ. They have large external cheek pouches, and are fossorial in their habits. they inhabit North America, from the Mississippi Valley west to the Pacific. Called also pouched gopher. -- Pocket mouse (Zoöl.), any species of American mice of the family Saccomyidæ. They have external cheek pouches. Some of them are adapted for leaping (genus Dipadomys), and are called kangaroo mice. They are native of the Southwestern United States, Mexico, etc. -- Pocket piece, a piece of money kept in the pocket and not spent. -- Pocket pistol, a pistol to be carried in the pocket. -- Pocket sheriff (Eng. Law), a sheriff appointed by the sole authority of the crown, without a nomination by the judges in the exchequer. Burrill. deep pocket, or deep pockets, wealth or substantial financial assets.

Note: Used esp. in legal actions, where plaintiffs desire to find a defendant with "deep pockets", so as to be able to actually obtain the sum of damages which may be judged due to him. This contrasts with a "judgment-proof" defendant, one who has neither assets nor insurance, and against whom a judgment for monetary damages would be worthless.

POCKET Pock"et, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pocketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pocketing.]

1. To put, or conceal, in the pocket; as, to pocket the change. He would pocket the expense of the license. Sterne.

2. To take clandestinely or fraudulently. He pocketed pay in the names of men who had long been dead. Macaulay. To pocket a ball (Billiards), to drive a ball into a pocket of the table. -- To pocket an insult, affront, etc., to receive an affront without open resentment, or without seeking redress. "I must pocket up these wrongs." Shak.

POCKETBOOK Pock"et*book`, n.

Defn: A small book or case for carrying papers, money, etc., in the pocket; also, a notebook for the pocket.

POCKETFUL Pock"et*ful, n.; pl. Pocketfuls (.

Defn: As much as a pocket will hold; enough to fill a pocket; as, pocketfuls of chestnuts.

POCKETKNIFE Pock"et*knife`, n.; pl. -knives (.

Defn: A knife with one or more blades, which fold into the handle so as to admit of being carried in the pocket.

POCKET VETO Pocket veto.

Defn: The retention by the President of the United States of a bill unsigned so that it does not become a law, in virtue of the following constitutional provision (Const. Art. I., sec. 7, cl. 2): "If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law." Also, an analogous retention of a bill by a State governor.

POCK-FRETTEN Pock"-fret`ten, a.

Defn: See Pockmarked.

POCKINESS Pock"i*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being pocky.

POCKMARK Pock"mark, n.

Defn: A mark or pit made by smallpox.

POCKMARKED Pock"marked`, a.

Defn: Marked by smallpox; pitted.

POCK-PITTED Pock"-pit`ted, a.

Defn: Pockmarked; pitted.

POCK-PUDDING Pock"-pud`ding, n.

Defn: A bag pudding; a name of reproach or ridicule formerly applied by the Scotch to the English.

POCKWOOD Pock"wood`, n. Etym: [So called because formerly used as a specific for the pock.] (Bot.)

Defn: Lignum-vitæ.

POCKY Pock"y, a. [Compar. Pockier; superl. Pockiest.]

Defn: Full of pocks; affected with smallpox or other eruptive disease. Bp. Hall.

POCO Po"co, adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: A little; -- used chiefly in phrases indicating the time or movement; as, poco più allegro, a little faster; poco largo, rather slow. Poco a poco Etym: [It.] (Mus.) Little by little; as, poco a poco crescendo, gradually increasing in loudness.

POCOCK Po"cock, n.

Defn: Peacock. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POCOCURANTE Po`co*cu*ran"te, n. Etym: [It. poco curante caring little.]

Defn: A careless person; a trifler. [R.]

POCOCURANTISM Po`co*cu*ran"tism. n.

Defn: Carelessness; apathy; indifference. [R.] Carlyle.

POCOSON Po*co"son, n.

Defn: Low, wooded grounds or swamps in Eastern Maryland and Virginia. [Written also poquoson.] Washington.

POCULENT Poc"u*lent, a. Etym: [L. poculentus, fr. poculum a cup.]

Defn: Fit for drink. [Obs.] "Some those herbs which are not esculent, are . . . poculent." Bacon.

POCULIFORM Poc"u*li*form, a. Etym: [L. poculum a cup + -form: cf. F. poculiforme.]

Defn: Having the shape of a goblet or drinking cup.

-POD -pod. Etym: [See Foot.]

Defn: A combining form or suffix from Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot; as, decapod, an animal having ten feet; phyllopod, an animal having leaflike feet; myriapod, hexapod.

POD Pod, n. Etym: [Probably akin to pudding, and perhaps the same word as pad a cushion; cf. also Dan. pude pillow, cushion, and also E. cod a husk, pod.]

1. A bag; a pouch. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Tusser.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A capsule of plant, especially a legume; a dry dehiscent fruit. See Illust. of Angiospermous.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A considerable number of animals closely clustered together; -- said of seals. Pod auger, or pod bit, an auger or bit the channel of which is straight instead of twisted.

POD Pod, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Podded; p. pr. & vb. n. Podding.]

Defn: To swell; to fill; also, to produce pods.

-PODA -po*da.

Defn: A New Latin plural combining form or suffix from Gr. foot; as, hexapoda, myriapoda. See -pod.

PODAGRA Pod"a*gra, n. Etym: [L. See Podagric.] (Med.)

Defn: Gout in the joints of the foot; -- applied also to gout in other parts of body.

PODAGRIC; PODAGRICAL Po*dag"ric, Po*dag"ric*al, a. Etym: [L. podagricus, Gr.

1. Pertaining to the gout; gouty; caused by gout.

2. Afflicted with gout. Sir T. Browne.

PODAGROUS Pod"a*grous, a.

Defn: Gouty; podagric.

PODALGIA Po*dal"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: pain in the foot, due to gout, rheumatism, etc.

PODARTHRUM Po*dar"thrum, n.; pl. Podarthra. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The foot joint; in birds, the joint between the metatarsus and the toes.

PODDED Pod"ded, a.

Defn: Having pods.

PODDER Pod"der, n.

Defn: One who collects pods or pulse.

PODESTA Po*des"ta, n. Etym: [It. podestà, fr. L. potestas power, magistracy. See Potent.]

1. One of the chief magistrates of the Italian republics in the Middle Ages. Brande & C.

2. A mayor, alderman, or other magistrate, in some towns of Italy.

PODETIUM Po*de"ti*um, n.; pl. Podetia, E. Podetiums. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A stalk which bears the fructification in some lichens, as in the so-called reindeer moss.

PODGE Podge, n. Etym: [Cf. G. patsche puddle, mire.]

1. A puddle; a plash. Skinner.

2. Porridge. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

PODGY Podg"y, a.

Defn: Fat and short; pudgy.

PODICAL Pod"i*cal a. Etym: [L. podex, podicis, the anus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Anal; -- applied to certain organs of insects.

PODICEPS Pod"i*ceps, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. podex, podicis, anus + pes foot.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Grebe.

PODIUM Po"di*um, n.; pl. Podia. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Pew.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: A low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall. It is especially employed by archæologists in two senses: (a) The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheater, from the top of which the seats began. (b) The masonry under the stylobate of a temple, sometimes a mere foundation, sometimes containing chambers. See Illust. of Column.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The foot.

PODLEY Pod"ley, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A young coalfish.

PODO- Pod"o-. Etym: [See Foot.]

Defn: A combining form or prefix from Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot; as, podocarp, podocephalous, podology.

PODOBRANCH Pod"o*branch, n. Etym: [See Podo-, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of branchiæ attached to the bases of the legs in Crustacea.

PODOBRANCHIA Pod`o*bran"chi*a n., pl. Podobranchle. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Podobranch.

PODOCARP Pod"o*carp, n. Etym: [Podo- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A stem, or footstalk, supporting the fruit.

PODOCEPHALOUS Pod`o*ceph"a*lous, a. Etym: [Podo- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a head of flowers on a long peduncle, or footstalk.

PODOGYNIUM Pod`o*gyn"i*um, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot + (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Basigynium

PODOPHTHALMIA Pod`oph*thal"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Podophthalmic.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The stalk-eyed Crustacea, -- an order of Crustacea having the eyes supported on movable stalks. It includes the crabs, lobsters, and prawns. Called also Podophthalmata, and Decapoda.

PODOPHTHALMIC; PODOPHTHALMOUS Pod`oph*thal"mic, Pod`oph*thal"mous, a. Etym: [Podo- + Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) Having the eyes on movable footstalks, or pedicels. (b) Of or pertaining to the Podophthalmia.

PODOPHTHALMITE Pod`oph*thal"mite, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The eyestalk of a crustacean.

PODOPHYLLIN Pod`o*phyl"lin, n. Etym: [From Podophyllum.] (Chem.)

Defn: A brown bitter gum extracted from the rootstalk of the May apple (Podophyllum peltatum). It is a complex mixture of several substances.

PODOPHYLLOUS Pod`o*phyl"lous, a.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having thin, flat, leaflike locomotive organs.

2. (Anat.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or composing, the layer of tissue, made up of laminæ, beneath a horse's hoof.

PODOPHYLLUM Pod`o*phyl"lum, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot +

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of herbs of the Barberry family, having large palmately lobed peltate leaves and solitary flower. There are two species, the American Podohyllum peltatum, or May apple, the Himalayan P. Emodi.

2. (Med.)

Defn: The rhizome and rootlet of the May apple (Podophyllum peltatum), -- used as a cathartic drug.

PODOSCAPH Pod"o*scaph, n. Etym: [Podo- + Gr.

Defn: A canoe-shaped float attached to the foot, for walking on water.

PODOSPERM Pod"o*sperm, n. Etym: [Podo- + Gr. podosperme.] (Bot.)

Defn: The stalk of a seed or ovule.

PODOSTOMATA Pod`o*stom"a*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot + (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of Bryozoa of which Rhabdopleura is the type. See Rhabdopleura.

PODOTHECA Pod`o*the"ca, n.; pl. Podothecæ. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot + (Zoöl.)

Defn: The scaly covering of the foot of a bird or reptile.

PODRIDA Po*dri"da, n. Etym: [Sp., rotten.]

Defn: A miscellaneous dish of meats. See Olla-podrida.

PODURA Po*du"ra, n.; pl. L. Poduræ, E. Poduras. Etym: [NL.; Gr. poy`s, podo`s, foot +

Defn: Any small leaping thysanurous insect of the genus Podura and related genera; a springtail. Podura scale (Zoöl.), one of the minute scales with which the body of a podura is covered. They are used as test objects for the microscope.

PODURID Po*du"rid, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of Podura or allied genera. -- a.

Defn: Pertaining to the poduras.

POE Po"e, n.

Defn: Same as Pol.

POEBIRD Po"e*bird`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The parson bird.

POECILE Poe"ci*le, n.

Defn: Same as Poicile.

POECILITIC Poe`ci*lit"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.) (a) Mottled with various colors; variegated; spotted; -- said of certain rocks. (b) Specifically: Of or pertaining to, or characterizing, Triassic and Permian sandstones of red and other colors. [Also written poikilitic.]

POECILOPOD Poe*cil"o*pod, n. Etym: [Cf. F. poecilopode.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Poecilopoda. Also used adjectively.

POECILOPODA Poe`ci*lop"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. -poda.] (Zoöl.) (a) Originally, an artificial group including many parasitic Entomostraca, together with the horseshoe crabs (Limuloidea). (b) By some recent writers applied to the Merostomata.

POEM Po"em, n. Etym: [L. poëma, Gr. poëme.]

1. A metrical composition; a composition in verse written in certain measures, whether in blank verse or in rhyme, and characterized by imagination and poetic diction; -- contradistinguished from prose; as, the poems of Homer or of Milton.

2. A composition, not in verse, of which the language is highly imaginative or impassioned; as, a prose poem; the poems of Ossian.

POEMATIC Po`em*at"ic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Pertaining to a poem, or to poetry; poetical. [R.] Coleridge.

POENAMU Po*e"na*mu, n. (Min.)

Defn: A variety of jade or nephrite, -- used in New Zealand for the manufacture of axes and weapons.

POENOLOGY Poe*nol"o*gy, n.

Defn: See Penology.

POEPHAGA Po*eph"a*ga, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of herbivorous marsupials including the kangaroos and their allies. -- Po*eph"a*gous, a.

POESY Po"e*sy, n. Etym: [F. poésie (cf. It. poesia), L. poesis, from Gr. Posy.]

1. The art of composing poems; poetical skill or faculty; as, the heavenly gift of poesy. Shak.

2. Poetry; metrical composition; poems. Music and poesy used to quicken you. Shak.

3. A short conceit or motto engraved on a ring or other thing; a posy. Bacon.

POET Po"et, n. Etym: [F. poëte, L. poëta, fr. Gr. Poem.]

Defn: One skilled in making poetry; one who has a particular genius for metrical composition; the author of a poem; an imaginative thinker or writer. The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven. Shak. A poet is a maker, as the word signifies. Dryden. Poet laureate. See under Laureate.

POETASTER Po"et*as`ter, n.

Defn: An inferior rhymer, or writer of verses; a dabbler in poetic art. The talk of forgotten poetasters. Macaulay.

POETASTRY Po"et*as`try, n.

Defn: The works of a poetaster. [R.]

POETESS Po"et*ess, n. Etym: [Cf. F. poétesse.]

Defn: A female poet.

POETIC; POETICAL Po*et"ic, Po*et"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. poëticus, Gr. poétiquee.]

1. Of or pertaining to poetry; suitable for poetry, or for writing poetry; as, poetic talent, theme, work, sentiments. Shak.

2. Expressed in metrical form; exhibiting the imaginative or the rhythmical quality of poetry; as, a poetical composition; poetical prose. Poetic license. See License, n., 4.

POETICALLY Po*et"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a poetic manner.

POETICS Po*et"ics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. poétique, L. poëtica, poëtice, Gr.

Defn: The principles and rules of the art of poetry. J. Warton.

POETICULE Po*et"i*cule, n.

Defn: A poetaster. Swinburne.

POETIZE Po"et*ize, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Poetized; p. pr. & vb. n. Poetizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. poétiser.]

Defn: To write as a poet; to compose verse; to idealize. I versify the truth, not poetize. Donne.

POETRY Po"et*ry, n. Etym: [OF. poeterie. See Poet.]

1. The art of apprehending and interpreting ideas by the faculty of imagination; the art of idealizing in thought and in expression. For poetry is the blossom and the fragrance of all human knowledge, human thoughts, human passions, emotions, language. Coleridge.

2. Imaginative language or composition, whether expressed rhythmically or in prose. Specifically: Metrical composition; verse; rhyme; poems collectively; as, heroic poetry; dramatic poetry; lyric or Pindaric poetry. "The planetlike music of poetry." Sir P. Sidney. She taketh most delight In music, instruments, and poetry. Shak.

POETS' CORNER Po"ets' Cor"ner.

Defn: An angle in the south transept of Westminster Abbey, London; -- so called because it contains the tombs of Chaucer, Spenser, Dryden, Ben Jonson, Gray, Tennyson, Browning, and other English poets, and memorials to many buried elsewhere.

POETSHIP Po"et*ship, n.

Defn: The state or personality of a poet. [R.]

POGAMOGGAN Pog`a*mog"gan, n. [North Amer. Indian.]

Defn: An aboriginal weapon consisting of a stone or piece of antler fastened to the end of a slender wooden handle, used by American Indians from the Great Plains to the Mackenzie River.

POGGY Pog"gy, n. (Zoöl.) (a) See Porgy. (b) A small whale.

POGY Po"gy, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The menhaden.

Note: Pogy is often confounded with porgy, and therefore incorrectly applied to various fishes.

POH Poh, interj.

Defn: An exclamation expressing contempt or disgust; bah !

POHAGEN Po*ha"gen, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Pauhaugen.

POI Po"i, n.

Defn: A national food of the Hawaiians, made by baking and pounding the kalo (or taro) root, and reducing it to a thin paste, which is allowed to ferment.

POICILE; POECILE Poi"ci*le, or; Poe"ci*le, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. poecile.]

Defn: The frescoed porch or gallery in Athens where Zeno taught. R. Browning.

POIGNANCY Poign"an*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being poignant; as, the poignancy of satire; the poignancy of grief. Swift.

POIGNANT Poign"ant, a. Etym: [F., p. pr. of poindre to sting, fr. L. pungere to prick, sting. See Pungent.]

1. Pricking; piercing; sharp; pungent. "His poignant spear." Spenser. "Poynaunt sauce." Chaucer.

2. Fig.: Pointed; keen; satirical. His wit . . . became more lively and poignant. Sir W. Scott.

POIGNANTLY Poign"ant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a poignant manner.

POIKILITIC Poi`ki*lit"ic, a. (Geol.)

Defn: See Poecilitic.

POIKILOCYTE Poi"ki*lo*cyte, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: An irregular form of corpuscle found in the blood in cases of profound anæmia, probably a degenerated red blood corpuscle.

POIKILOTHERMAL; POIKILOTHERMIC Poi`ki*lo*ther"mal, Poi`ki*lo*ther"mic, a. Etym: [Gr. thermal, thermic.] (Physiol.)

Defn: Having a varying body temperature. See Homoiothermal.

POIKILOTHERMOUS Poi`ki*lo*ther"mous, a. (Physiol.)

Defn: Poikilothermal.

POINCIANA Poin`ci*a"na, n. Etym: [NL. Named after M. de Poinci, a governor of the French West Indies.] (Bot.)

Defn: A prickly tropical shrub (Cæsalpinia, formerly Poinciana, pulcherrima), with bipinnate leaves, and racemes of showy orange-red flowers with long crimson filaments.

Note: The genus Poinciana is kept up for three trees of Eastern Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and India.

POIND Poind, v. t. Etym: [See Pound to confine.]

1. To impound, as cattle. [Obs. or Scot.] Flavel.

2. To distrain. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

POINDER Poind"er, n.

1. The keeper of a cattle pound; a pinder. [Obs. or Scot.] T. Adams.

2. One who distrains property. [Scot.] Jamieson.

POINSETTIA Poin*set"ti*a, n. Etym: [NL. Named after Joel R. Poinsett of South Carolina.] (Bot.)

Defn: A Mexican shrub (Euphorbia pulcherrima) with very large and conspicuous vermilion bracts below the yellowish flowers.

POINT Point, v. t. & i.

Defn: To appoint. [Obs.] Spenser.

POINT Point, n. Etym: [F. point, and probably also pointe, L. punctum, puncta, fr. pungere, punctum, to prick. See Pungent, and cf. Puncto, Puncture.]

1. That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, esp. the sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.

2. An instrument which pricks or pierces, as a sort of needle used by engravers, etchers, lace workers, and others; also, a pointed cutting tool, as a stone cutter's point; -- called also pointer.

3. Anything which tapers to a sharp, well-defined termination. Specifically: A small promontory or cape; a tract of land extending into the water beyond the common shore line.

4. The mark made by the end of a sharp, piercing instrument, as a needle; a prick.

5. An indefinitely small space; a mere spot indicated or supposed. Specifically: (Geom.) That which has neither parts nor magnitude; that which has position, but has neither length, breadth, nor thickness, -- sometimes conceived of as the limit of a line; that by the motion of which a line is conceived to be produced.

6. An indivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge. When time's first point begun Made he all souls. Sir J. Davies.

7. A mark of punctuation; a character used to mark the divisions of a composition, or the pauses to be observed in reading, or to point off groups of figures, etc.; a stop, as a comma, a semicolon, and esp. a period; hence, figuratively, an end, or conclusion. And there a point, for ended is my tale. Chaucer. Commas and points they set exactly right. Pope.

8. Whatever serves to mark progress, rank, or relative position, or to indicate a transition from one state or position to another, degree; step; stage; hence, position or condition attained; as, a point of elevation, or of depression; the stock fell off five points; he won by tenpoints. "A point of precedence." Selden. "Creeping on from point to point." Tennyson. A lord full fat and in good point. Chaucer.

9. That which arrests attention, or indicates qualities or character; a salient feature; a characteristic; a peculiarity; hence, a particular; an item; a detail; as, the good or bad points of a man, a horse, a book, a story, etc. He told him, point for point, in short and plain. Chaucer. In point of religion and in point of honor. Bacon. Shalt thou dispute With Him the points of liberty Milton.

10. Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established; as, the point of an anecdote. "Here lies the point." Shak. They will hardly prove his point. Arbuthnot.

11. A small matter; a trifle; a least consideration; a punctilio. This fellow doth not stand upon points. Shak. [He] cared not for God or man a point. Spenser.

12. (Mus.)

Defn: A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time; as: (a) (Anc. Mus.) A dot or mark distinguishing or characterizing certain tones or styles; as, points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.; hence, a note; a tune. "Sound the trumpet -- not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war." Sir W. Scott. (b) (Mod. Mus.) A dot placed at the right hand of a note, to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half, as to make a whole note equal to three half notes, a half note equal to three quarter notes.

13. (Astron.)

Defn: A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended; as, the equinoctial points; the solstitial points; the nodal points; vertical points, etc. See Equinoctial Nodal.

14. (Her.)

Defn: One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.

15. (Naut.) (a) One of the points of the compass (see Points of the compass, below); also, the difference between two points of the compass; as, to fall off a point. (b) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See Reef point, under Reef.

16. (Anc. Costume)

Defn: A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress. Sir W. Scott.

17. Lace wrought the needle; as, point de Venise; Brussels point. See Point lace, below.

18. pl. (Railways)

Defn: A switch. [Eng.]

19. An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer. [Cant, U. S.]

20. (Cricket)

Defn: A fielder who is stationed on the off side, about twelve or fifteen yards from, and a little in advance of, the batsman.

21. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game; as, the dog came to a point. See Pointer.

22. (Type Making)

Defn: A standard unit of measure for the size of type bodies, being one twelfth of the thickness of pica type. See Point system of type, under Type.

23. A tyne or snag of an antler.

24. One of the spaces on a backgammon board.

25. (Fencing)

Defn: A movement executed with the saber or foil; as, tierce point.

Note: The word point is a general term, much used in the sciences, particularly in mathematics, mechanics, perspective, and physics, but generally either in the geometrical sense, or in that of degree, or condition of change, and with some accompanying descriptive or qualifying term, under which, in the vocabulary, the specific uses are explained; as, boiling point, carbon point, dry point, freezing point, melting point, vanishing point, etc. At all points, in every particular, completely; perfectly. Shak. -- At point, In point, At, In, or On, the point, as near as can be; on the verge; about (see About, prep., 6); as, at the point of death; he was on the point of speaking. "In point to fall down." Chaucer. "Caius Sidius Geta, at point to have been taken, recovered himself so valiantly as brought day on his side." Milton. -- Dead point. (Mach.) Same as Dead center, under Dead. -- Far point (Med.), in ophthalmology, the farthest point at which objects are seen distinctly. In normal eyes the nearest point at which objects are seen distinctly; either with the two eyes together (binocular near point), or with each eye separately (monocular near point). -- Nine points of the law, all but the tenth point; the greater weight of authority. -- On the point. See At point, above. -- Point lace, lace wrought with the needle, as distinguished from that made on the pillow. -- Point net, a machine-made lace imitating a kind of Brussels lace (Brussels ground). -- Point of concurrence (Geom.), a point common to two lines, but not a point of tangency or of intersection, as, for instance, that in which a cycloid meets its base. -- Point of contrary flexure, a point at which a curve changes its direction of curvature, or at which its convexity and concavity change sides. -- Point of order, in parliamentary practice, a question of order or propriety under the rules. -- Point of sight (Persp.), in a perspective drawing, the point assumed as that occupied by the eye of the spectator. -- Point of view, the relative position from which anything is seen or any subject is considered. -- Points of the compass (Naut.), the thirty-two points of division of the compass card in the mariner's compass; the corresponding points by which the circle of the horizon is supposed to be divided, of which the four marking the directions of east, west, north, and south, are called cardinal points, and the rest are named from their respective directions, as N. by E., N. N. E., N. E. by N., N. E., etc. See Illust. under Compass. -- Point paper, paper pricked through so as to form a stencil for transferring a design. -- Point system of type. See under Type. -- Singular point (Geom.), a point of a curve which possesses some property not possessed by points in general on the curve, as a cusp, a point of inflection, a node, etc. -- To carry one's point, to accomplish one's object, as in a controversy. -- To make a point of, to attach special importance to. -- To make, or gain, a point, accomplish that which was proposed; also, to make advance by a step, grade, or position. -- To mark, or score, a point, as in billiards, cricket, etc., to note down, or to make, a successful hit, run, etc. -- To strain a point, to go beyond the proper limit or rule; to stretch one's authority or conscience. -- Vowel point, in Hebrew, and certain other Eastern and ancient languages, a mark placed above or below the consonant, or attached to it, representing the vowel, or vocal sound, which precedes or follows the consonant.

POINT Point, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pointing.] Etym: [Cf. F. pointer. See Point, n.]

1. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end; as, to point a dart, or a pencil. Used also figuratively; as, to point a moral.

2. To direct toward an abject; to aim; as, to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort.

3. Hence, to direct the attention or notice of. Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them. Pope.

4. To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate; as, to point a composition.

5. To mark (as Hebrew) with vowel points.

6. To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to indicate, as if by pointing; as, the error was pointed out. Pope. He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech. Dickens.

7. To indicate or discover by a fixed look, as game.

8. (Masonry)

Defn: To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.

9. (Stone Cutting)

Defn: To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool. To point a rope (Naut.), to taper and neatly finish off the end by interweaving the nettles. -- To point a sail (Naut.), to affix points through the eyelet holes of the reefs. -- To point off, to divide into periods or groups, or to separate, by pointing, as figures. -- To point the yards (of a vessel) (Naut.), to brace them so that the wind shall strike the sails obliquely. Totten.

POINT Point (point), v. i.

1. To direct the point of something, as of a finger, for the purpose of designating an object, and attracting attention to it; -- with at. Now must the world point at poor Katharine. Shak. Point at the tattered coat and ragged shoe. Dryden.

2. To indicate the presence of game by fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do. He treads with caution, and he points with fear. Gay.

3. (Med.)

Defn: To approximate to the surface; to head; -- said of an abscess. To point at, to treat with scorn or contempt by pointing or directing attention to. -- To point well (Naut.), to sail close to the wind; -- said of a vessel.

POINTAL Point"al, n. Etym: [From Point: cf. F. pointal an upright wooden prop, OF. pointille a prick or prickle.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The pistil of a plant.

2. A kind of pencil or style used with the tablets of the Middle Ages. "A pair of tablets [i. e., tablets] . . . and a pointel." Chaucer.

3. (Arch.)

Defn: See Poyntel. [Obs. or R.]

POINT ALPHABET Point alphabet.

Defn: An alphabet for the blind with a system of raised points corresponding to letters.

POINT APPLIQUE Point appliqué.

Defn: Lace having a needle-made design applied to a net ground, this ground often being machine-made.

POINT-BLANK Point`-blank", n. Etym: [F. point point + blanc white.]

1. The white spot on a target, at which an arrow or other missile is aimed. [Obs.] Jonson.

2. (Mil.) (a) With all small arms, the second point in which the natural line of sight, when horizontal, cuts the trajectory. (b) With artillery, the point where the projectile first strikes the horizontal plane on which the gun stands, the axis of the piece being horizontal.

POINT-BLANK Point`-blank", a.

1. Directed in a line toward the object aimed at; aimed directly toward the mark.

2. Hence, direct; plain; unqualified; -- said of language; as, a point-blank assertion. Point-blank range, the extent of the apparent right line of a ball discharged. -- Point-blank shot, the shot of a gun pointed directly toward the object to be hit.

POINT-BLANK Point`-blank", adv.

Defn: In a point-blank manner. To sin point-blank against God's word. Fuller.

POINT D'APPUI Point` d'ap`pui". Etym: [F.] (Mil.)

Defn: See under Appui.

POINT-DEVICE; POINT-DEVISE Point`-de*vice", Point`-de*vise", a. Etym: [OE. at point devis; at at + point point, condition + devis exact, careful, OF. devis fixed, set. See Device.]

Defn: Uncommonly nice and exact; precise; particular. You are rather point-devise in your accouterments. Shak. Thus he grew up, in logic point-devise, Perfect in grammar, and in rhetoric nice. Longfellow.

POINT-DEVICE; POINT-DEVISE Point`-de*vice", Point`-de*vise", adv.

Defn: Exactly. [Obs.] Shak.

POINTED Point"ed, a.

1. Sharp; having a sharp point; as, a pointed rock.

2. Characterized by sharpness, directness, or pithiness of expression; terse; epigrammatic; especially, directed to a particular person or thing. His moral pleases, not his pointed wit. Pope. Pointed arch (Arch.), an arch with a pointed crown. -- Pointed style (Arch.), a name given to that style of architecture in which the pointed arch is the predominant feature; -- more commonly called Gothic. -- Point"ed*ly, adv. -- Point"ed*ness, n.

POINTEL Point"el, n. Etym: [From Point. Cf. Pointal.]

Defn: See Pointal.

POINTER Point"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, points. Specifically: (a) The hand of a timepiece. (b) (Zoöl.) One of a breed of dogs trained to stop at scent of game, and with the nose point it out to sportsmen. (c) pl. (Astron.)

Defn: The two stars (Merak and Dubhe) in the Great Bear, the line between which points nearly in the direction of the north star. See Illust. of Ursa Major. (b) pl. (Naut.)

Defn: Diagonal braces sometimes fixed across the hold.

POINTING Point"ing, n.

1. The act of sharpening.

2. The act of designating, as a position or direction, by means of something pointed, as a finger or a rod.

3. The act or art of punctuating; punctuation.

4. The act of filling and finishing the joints in masonry with mortar, cement, etc.; also, the material so used.

5. The rubbing off of the point of the wheat grain in the first process of high milling.

6. (Sculpt.)

Defn: The act or process of measuring, at the various distances from the surface of a block of marble, the surface of a future piece of statuary; also, a process used in cutting the statue from the artist's model.

POINTINGSTOCK Point`ing*stock`, n.

Defn: An object of ridicule or scorn; a laughingstock. Shak.

POINTLESS Point"less, a.

Defn: Having no point; blunt; wanting keenness; obtuse; as, a pointless sword; a pointless remark.

Syn. -- Blunt; obtuse, dull; stupid.

POINTLESSLY Point"less*ly, adv.

Defn: Without point.

POINTLETED Point"let*ed, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a small, distinct point; apiculate. Henslow.

POINTREL Poin"trel, n.

Defn: A graving tool. Knight.

POINTSMAN Points"man, n.; pl. -men (-men).

Defn: A man who has charge of railroad points or switches. [Eng.]

POINT SWITCH Point switch. (Railroads)

Defn: A switch made up of a rail from each track, both rails being tapered far back and connected to throw alongside the through rail of either track.

POISE Poise, n. Etym: [OE. pois, peis, OF. pois, peis, F. poids, fr. L. pensum a portion weighed out, pendere to weigh, weigh out. Cf. Avoirdupois, Pendant, Poise, v.] [Formerly written also peise.]

1. Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend; heaviness. "Weights of an extraordinary poise." Evelyn.

2. The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed.

3. The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest. Bentley.

4. That which causes a balance; a counterweight. Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment. Dryden.

POISE Poise, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poised, (; p. pr. & vb. n. Poising.] Etym: [OE. poisen, peisen, OF. & F. peser, to weigh, balance, OF. il peise, il poise, he weighs, F. il pèse, fr. L. pensare, v. intens. fr. pendere to weigh. See Poise, n., and cf. Pensive.] [Formerly written also peise.]

1. To balance; to make of equal weight; as, to poise the scales of a balance.

2. To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance. Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky; Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie. Dryden.

3. To counterpoise; to counterbalance. One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality. Shak. To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit. Dryden.

4. To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh. He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise the weight, and discern the evidence. South.

5. To weigh (down); to oppress. [Obs.] Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow. Shak.

POISE Poise, v. i.

Defn: To hang in equilibrium; to be balanced or suspended; hence, to be in suspense or doubt. The slender, graceful spars Poise aloft in air. Longfellow.

POISER Pois"er, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The balancer of dipterous insects.

POISON Poi"son, n. Etym: [F. poison, in Old French also, a potion, fr. L. potio a drink, draught, potion, a poisonous draught, fr. potare to drink. See Potable, and cf. Potion.]

1. Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism, is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly effect upon it; as, morphine is a deadly poison; the poison of pestilential diseases.

2. That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as, the poison of evil example; the poison of sin. Poison ash. (Bot.) (a) A tree of the genus Amyris (A. balsamifera) found in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a black liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous qualities. (b) The poison sumac (Rhus venenata). [U. S.] -- Poison dogwood (Bot.), poison sumac. -- Poison fang (Zoöl.), one of the superior maxillary teeth of some species of serpents, which, besides having the cavity for the pulp, is either perforated or grooved by a longitudinal canal, at the lower end of which the duct of the poison gland terminates. See Illust. under Fang. -- Poison gland (Biol.), a gland, in animals or plants, which secretes an acrid or venomous matter, that is conveyed along an organ capable of inflicting a wound. -- Poison hemlock (Bot.), a poisonous umbelliferous plant (Conium maculatum). See Hemlock. -- Poison ivy (Bot.), a poisonous climbing plant (Rhus Toxicodendron) of North America. It is common on stone walls and on the trunks of trees, and has trifoliate, rhombic-ovate, variously notched leaves. Many people are poisoned by it, if they touch the leaves. See Poison sumac. Called also poison oak, and mercury. -- Poison nut. (Bot.) (a) Nux vomica. (b) The tree which yields this seed (Strychnos Nuxvomica). It is found on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts. -- Poison oak (Bot.), the poison ivy; also, the more shrubby Rhus diversiloba of California and Oregon. Poison sac. (Zoöl.) Same as Poison gland, above. See Illust. under Fang. -- Poison sumac (Bot.), a poisonous shrub of the genus Rhus (R. venenata); -- also called poison ash, poison dogwood, and poison elder. It has pinnate leaves on graceful and slender common petioles, and usually grows in swampy places. Both this plant and the poison ivy (Rhus Toxicodendron) have clusters of smooth greenish white berries, while the red-fruited species of this genus are harmless. The tree (Rhus vernicifera) which yields the celebrated Japan lacquer is almost identical with the poison sumac, and is also very poisonous. The juice of the poison sumac also forms a lacquer similar to that of Japan.

Syn. -- Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity. -- Poison, Venom. Poison usually denotes something received into the system by the mouth, breath, etc. Venom is something discharged from animals and received by means of a wound, as by the bite or sting of serpents, scorpions, etc. Hence, venom specifically implies some malignity of nature or purpose.

POISON Poi"son, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poisoned; p. pr. & vb. n. Poisoning.] Etym: [Cf. OF. poisonner, F. empoissoner, L. potionare to give to drink. See Poison, n.]

1. To put poison upon or into; to infect with poison; as, to poison an arrow; to poison food or drink. "The ingredients of our poisoned chalice." Shak.

2. To injure or kill by poison; to administer poison to. If you poison us, do we not die Shak.

3. To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; as, vice poisons happiness; slander poisoned his mind. Whispering tongues can poison truth. Coleridge.

POISON Poi"son, v. i.

Defn: To act as, or convey, a poison. Tooth that poisons if it bite. Shak.

POISONABLE Poi"son*a*ble, a.

1. Capable of poisoning; poisonous. [Obs.] "Poisonable heresies." Tooker.

2. Capable of being poisoned.

POISON BUSH Poison bush. In Australia: (a) Any fabaceous shrub of the genus Gastrolobium, the herbage of which is poisonous to stock; also, any species of several related genera, as Oxylobium, Gompholobium, etc. (b) The plant Myoporum deserti, often distinguished as Ellangowan poison bush or dogwood poison bush. (c) The ulmaceous plant Trema cannabina, which, though not poisonous, is injurious to stock because of its large amount of fiber.

POISON CUP Poison cup.

1. A cup containing poison.

2. A cup that was supposed to break on having poison put into it.

POISONER Poi"son*er, n.

Defn: One who poisons. Shak.

POISONOUS Poi"son*ous, a.

Defn: Having the qualities or effects of poison; venomous; baneful; corrupting; noxious. Shak. -- Poi"son*ous*ly, adv. -- Poi"son*ous*ness, n.

POISONSOME Poi"son*some, a.

Defn: Poisonous.[Obs.] Holland.

POISURE Poi"sure, n. Etym: [See Poise.]

Defn: Weight. [Obs.]

POITREL Poi"trel, n. Etym: [OE. poitrel, F. poitrail, fr. L. pectorale a breastplate, fr. pectoralis, a. See Pectoral, a.] (Anc. Armor)

Defn: The breastplate of the armor of a horse. See Peytrel. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POIZE Poize, n.

Defn: See Poise. [Obs.]

POKAL Po*kal", n. Etym: [G.]

Defn: A tall drinking cup.

POKE Poke, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A large North American herb of the genus Phytolacca (P. decandra), bearing dark purple juicy berries; -- called also garget, pigeon berry, pocan, and pokeweed. The root and berries have emetic and purgative properties, and are used in medicine. The young shoots are sometimes eaten as a substitute for asparagus, and the berries are said to be used in Europe to color wine.

POKE Poke, n. Etym: [AS. poca, poha, pohha; akin to Icel. poki, OD. poke, and perh. to E. pock; cf. also Gael.poca, and OF. poque. Cf. Pock, Pocket, Pouch.]

1. A bag; a sack; a pocket. "He drew a dial from his poke." Shak. They wallowed as pigs in a poke. Chaucer.

2. A long, wide sleeve; -- called also poke sleeve. To boy a pig a poke (that is, in a bag), to buy a thing without knowledge or examination of it. Camden.

POKE Poke, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poked; p. pr. & vb. n. Poking.] Etym: [Cf. LG. poken to prick, pierce, thrust, pok a dagger, knife, D. pook, G. pocken to beat, also Ir. poc a blow, Gael. puc to push.]

1. To thrust or push against or into with anything pointed; hence, to stir up; to excite; as, to poke a fire. He poked John, and said "Sleepest thou " Chaucer.

2. To thrust with the horns; to gore.

3. Etym: [From 5th Poke, 3.]

Defn: To put a poke on; as, to poke an ox. [Colloq. U. S.] To poke fun, to excite fun; to joke; to jest. [Colloq.] -- To poke fun at, to make a butt of; to ridicule. [Colloq.]

POKE Poke, v. i.

Defn: To search; to feel one's way, as in the dark; to grope; as, to poke about. A man must have poked into Latin and Greek. Prior.

POKE Poke, n.

1. The act of poking; a thrust; a jog; as, a poke in the ribs. Ld. Lytton.

2. A lazy person; a dawdler; also, a stupid or uninteresting person. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.

3. A contrivance to prevent an animal from leaping or breaking through fences. It consists of a yoke with a pole inserted, pointed forward. [U.S.] Poke bonnet, a bonnet with a straight, projecting front.

POKEBAG Poke"bag`, n. Etym: [So called in allusion to its baglike nest.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European long-tailed titmouse; -- called also poke-pudding. [Prov. Eng.]

POKER Pok"er, n. Etym: [From Poke to push.]

1. One who pokes.

2. That which pokes or is used in poking, especially a metal bar or rod used in stirring a fire of coals.

3. A poking-stick. Decker.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The poachard. [Prov. Eng.] Poker picture, a picture formed in imitation of bisterwashed drawings, by singeing the surface of wood with a heated poker or other iron. Fairholt.

POKER Pok"er, n. Etym: [Of uncertain etymol.]

Defn: A game at cards derived from brag, and first played about 1835 in the Southwestern United States. Johnson's Cyc.

Note: A poker hand is played with a poker deck, composed of fifty-two cards, of thirteeen values, each card value being represented once in each of four "suits", namely spades, hearts, diamonds, and clubs. The game is played in many variations, but almost invariably the stage of decision as to who wins occurs when each player has five cards (or chooses five cards from some larger number available to him). The winner usually is the player with the highest-valued hand, but, in some variations, the winner may be the player with the lowest-valued hand. The value of a hand is ranked by hand types, representing the relationships of the cards to each other. [The hand types are ranked by the probability of receiving such a hand when dealt five cards.] Within each hand type the value is also ranked by the values of the cards. The hand types are labeled, in decreasing value: five of a kind; royal flush; straight flush; four of a kind; full house (coll. full boat, or boat); flush; straight; three of a kind; two pairs; one pair; and, when the contending players have no hands of any of the above types, the player with the highest-valued card wins -- if there is a tie, the next-highest-valued card of the tied players determines the winner, and so on. If two players have the same type of hand, the value of the cards within each type determines the winner; thus, if two players both have three of a kind (and no other player has a higher type of hand), the player whose three matched cards have the highest card value is the winner.

POKER Pok"er, n. Etym: [Cf. Dan. pokker the deuce, devil, also W. pwci, a hobgoblin, bugbear, and E. puck.]

Defn: Any imagined frightful object, especially one supposed to haunt the darkness; a bugbear. [Colloq. U. S.]

POKER DICE Poker dice.

Defn: A game played with five dice in which the count is usually made, in order, by pairs, two pairs, three of a kind, full houses, four of a kind, and five of a kind (the highest throw), similar to poker; also, the dice used in this game, esp. when marked with the ace, king, queen, jack, ten, and nine instead of the usual digits.

POKERISH Pok"er*ish, a.

Defn: Infested by pokers; adapted to excite fear; as, a pokerish place. [Colloq. U. S.] There is something pokerish about a deserted dwelling. Lowell.

POKERISH Pok"er*ish, a.

Defn: Stiff like a poker. [Colloq.]

POKET Pok"et, n.

Defn: A pocket. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POKEWEED Poke"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Poke, the plant.

POKEY Pok"ey, a.

Defn: See Poky.

POKING Pok"ing, a.

Defn: Drudging; servile. [Colloq.] Bred to some poking profession. Gray.

POKING-STICK Pok"ing-stick`, n.

Defn: A small stick or rod of steel, formerly used in adjusting the plaits of ruffs. Shak.

POKY Pok"y, a. Etym: [Written also pokey.]

1. Confined; cramped. [Prov. Eng.]

2. Dull; tedious; uninteresting. [Colloq.]

POLACCA Po*lac"ca, n. Etym: [It. polacca, polaccra, polacra; cf. F. polaque, polacre, Sp. polacre,] [Written also polacre.]

1. (Naut.)

Defn: A vessel with two or three masts, used in the Mediterranean. The masts are usually of one piece, and without tops, caps, or crosstrees.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: See Polonaise.

POLACK Po"lack, n.

Defn: A Polander. Shak.

POLACRE Po*la"cre, n.

Defn: Same as Polacca, 1.

POLANDER Po"land*er, n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Poland; a Pole.

POLAR Po"lar, a. Etym: [Cf. F. polaire. See Pole of the earth.]

1. Of or pertaining to one of the poles of the earth, or of a sphere; situated near, or proceeding from, one of the poles; as, polar regions; polar seas; polar winds.

2. Of or pertaining to the magnetic pole, or to the point to which the magnetic needle is directed.

3. (Geom.)

Defn: Pertaining to, reckoned from, or having a common radiating point; as, polar coördinates. Polar axis, that axis of an astronomical instrument, as an equatorial, which is parallel to the earths axis. -- Polar bear (Zoöl.), a large bear (Ursus, or Thalarctos, maritimus) inhabiting the arctic regions. It sometimes measures nearly nine feet in length and weighs 1,600 pounds. It is partially amphibious, very powerful, and the most carnivorous of all the bears. The fur is white, tinged with yellow. Called also White bear. See Bear. -- Polar body, cell, or globule (Biol.), a minute cell which separates by karyokinesis from the ovum during its maturation. In the maturation of ordinary ova two polar bodies are formed, but in parthogenetic ova only one. The first polar body formed is usually larger than the second one, and often divides into two after its separation from the ovum. Each of the polar bodies removes maternal chromatin from the ovum to make room for the chromatin of the fertilizing spermatozoön; but their functions are not fully understood. -- Polar circles (Astron. & Geog.), two circles, each at a distance from a pole of the earth equal to the obliquity of the ecliptic, or about 23º 28', the northern called the arctic circle, and the southern the antarctic circle. -- Polar clock, a tube, containing a polarizing apparatus, turning on an axis parallel to that of the earth, and indicating the hour of the day on an hour circle, by being turned toward the plane of maximum polarization of the light of the sky, which is always 90º from the sun. -- Polar coördinates. See under 3d Coördinate. -- Polar dial, a dial whose plane is parallel to a great circle passing through the poles of the earth. Math. Dict. -- Polar distance, the angular distance of any point on a sphere from one of its poles, particularly of a heavenly body from the north pole of the heavens. -- Polar equation of a line or surface, an equation which expresses the relation between the polar coördinates of every point of the line or surface. -- Polar forces (Physics), forces that are developed and act in pairs, with opposite tendencies or properties in the two elements, as magnetism, electricity, etc. -- Polar hare (Zoöl.), a large hare of Arctic America (Lepus arcticus), which turns pure white in winter. It is probably a variety of the common European hare (L. timidus). -- Polar lights, the aurora borealis or australis. -- Polar, or Polaric, opposition or contrast (Logic), an opposition or contrast made by the existence of two opposite conceptions which are the extremes in a species, as white and black in colors; hence, as great an opposition or contrast as possible. -- Polar projection. See under Projection. -- Polar spherical triangle (Spherics), a spherical triangle whose three angular points are poles of the sides of a given triangle. See 4th Pole, 2. -- Polar whale (Zoöl.), the right whale, or bowhead. See Whale.

POLAR Po"lar, n. (Conic Sections)

Defn: The right line drawn through the two points of contact of the two tangents drawn from a given point to a given conic section. The given point is called the pole of the line. If the given point lies within the curve so that the two tangents become imaginary, there is still a real polar line which does not meet the curve, but which possesses other properties of the polar. Thus the focus and directrix are pole and polar. There are also poles and polar curves to curves of higher degree than the second, and poles and polar planes to surfaces of the second degree.

POLARCHY Pol"ar*chy, n.

Defn: See Polyarchy.

POLARIC Po*lar"ic, a.

Defn: See Polar. [R.]

POLARILY Po"lar*i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a polary manner; with polarity. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

POLARIMETER Po`lar*im"e*ter, n. Etym: [Polar + -meter.] (Opt.)

Defn: An instrument for determining the amount of polarization of light, or the proportion of polarized light, in a partially polarized ray.

POLARIMETRY Po`lar*im"e*try, n. (Opt.)

Defn: The art or process of measuring the polarization of light.

POLARIS Po*la"ris, n. Etym: [NL. See Polar.] (Astron.)

Defn: The polestar. See North star, under North.

POLARISCOPE Po*lar"i*scope, n. Etym: [Polar + -scope.] (Opt.)

Defn: An instrument consisting essentially of a polarizer and an analyzer, used for polarizing light, and analyzing its properties.

POLARISCOPIC Po*lar`i*scop"ic, a. (Opt.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the polariscope; obtained by the use of a polariscope; as, polariscopic observations.

POLARISCOPY Po`lar*is"co*py, n. (Opt.)

Defn: The art or rocess of making observations with the polariscope.

POLARISTIC Po`lar*is"tic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, or exhibiting, poles; having a polar arrangement or disposition; arising from, or dependent upon, the possession of poles or polar characteristics; as, polaristic antagonism.

POLARITY Po*lar"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polarité.]

1. (Physics)

Defn: That quality or condition of a body in virtue of which it exhibits opposite, or contrasted, properties or powers, in opposite, or contrasted, parts or directions; or a condition giving rise to a contrast of properties corresponding to a contrast of positions, as, for example, attraction and repulsion in the opposite parts of a magnet, the dissimilar phenomena corresponding to the different sides of a polarized ray of light, etc.

2. (Geom.)

Defn: A property of the conic sections by virtue of which a given point determines a corresponding right line and a given right line determines a corresponding point. See Polar, n.

POLARIZABLE Po"lar*i`za*ble, a.

Defn: Susceptible of polarization.

POLARIZATION Po`lar*i*za"tion, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polarisation.]

1. The act of polarizing; the state of being polarized, or of having polarity.

2. (Opt.)

Defn: A peculiar affection or condition of the rays of light or heat, in consequence of which they exhibit different properties in different directions.

Note: If a beam of light, which has been reflected from a plate of unsilvered glass at an angle of about 56°, be received upon a second plate of glass similar to the former, and at the same angle of incidence, the light will be readily reflected when the two planes of incidence are parallel to each other, but will not be reflected when the two planes of incidence are perpendicular to each other. The light has, therefore, acquired new properties by reflection from the first plate of glass, and is called polarized light, while the modification which the light has experienced by this reflection is called polarization. The plane in which the beam of light is reflected from the first mirror is called the plane of polarization. The angle of polarization is the angle at which a beam of light must be reflected, in order that the polarization may be the most complete. The term polarization was derived from the theory of emission, and it was conceived that each luminous molecule has two poles analogous to the poles of a magnet; but this view is not now held. According to the undulatory theory, ordinary light is produced by vibrations transverse or perpendicular to the direction of the ray, and distributed as to show no distinction as to any particular direction. But when, by any means, these, vibrations are made to take place in one plane, the light is said to be plane polarized. If only a portion of the vibrations lie in one plane the ray is said to be partially polarized. Light may be polarized by several methods other than by reflection, as by refraction through most crystalline media, or by being transmitted obliquely through several plates of glass with parallel faces. If a beam of polarized light be transmitted through a crystal of quartz in the direction of its axis, the plane of polarization will be changed by an angle proportional to the thickness of the crystal. This phenomenon is called rotatory polarization. A beam of light reflected from a metallic surface, or from glass surfaces under certain peculiar conditions, acquires properties still more complex, its vibrations being no longer rectilinear, but circular, or elliptical. This phenomenon is called circular or elliptical polarization.

3. (Elec.)

Defn: An effect produced upon the plates of a voltaic battery, or the electrodes in an electrolytic cell, by the deposition upon them of the gases liberated by the action of the current. It is chiefly due to the hydrogen, and results in an increase of the resistance, and the setting up of an opposing electro-motive force, both of which tend materially to weaken the current of the battery, or that passing through the cell.

POLARIZE Po"lar*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polarized; p. pr. & vb. n. Polarizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. polariser.]

Defn: To communicate polarity to.

POLARIZER Po"lar*i`zer, n. (Physics)

Defn: That which polarizes; especially, the part of a polariscope which receives and polarizes the light. It is usually a reflecting plate, or a plate of some crystal, as tourmaline, or a doubly refracting crystal.

POLARY Po"lar*y, a.

Defn: Tending to a pole; having a direction toward a pole. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

POLATOUCHE Po`la`touche", n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A flying squirrel (Sciuropterus volans) native of Northern Europe and Siberia; -- called also minene.

POLDER Pol"der, n. Etym: [D.]

Defn: A tract of low land reclaimed from the sea by of high embankments. [Holland & Belgium]

POLDWAY Pold"way`, n. Etym: [Cf. Poledavy.]

Defn: A kind of coarse bagging, -- used for coal sacks. Weale.

POLE Pole, n. Etym: [Cf. G. Pole a Pole, Polen Poland.]

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Poland; a Polander.

POLE Pole, n. Etym: [As. pal, L. palus, akin to pangere to make fast. Cf. Pale a stake, Pact.]

1. A long, slender piece of wood; a tall, slender piece of timber; the stem of a small tree whose branches have been removed; as, specifically: (a) A carriage pole, a wooden bar extending from the front axle of a carriage between the wheel horses, by which the carriage is guided and held back. (b) A flag pole, a pole on which a flag is supported. (c) A Maypole. See Maypole. (d) A barber's pole, a pole painted in stripes, used as a sign by barbers and hairdressers. (e) A pole on which climbing beans, hops, or other vines, are trained.

2. A measuring stick; also, a measure of length equal to 5 Bacon. Pole bean (Bot.), any kind of bean which is customarily trained on poles, as the scarlet runner or the Lima bean. -- Pole flounder (Zoöl.), a large deep-water flounder (Glyptocephalus cynoglossus), native of the northern coasts of Europe and America, and much esteemed as a food fish; -- called also craig flounder, and pole fluke. -- Pole lathe, a simple form of lathe, or a substitute for a lathe, in which the work is turned by means of a cord passing around it, one end being fastened to the treadle, and the other to an elastic pole above. -- Pole mast (Naut.), a mast formed from a single piece or from a single tree. -- Pole of a lens (Opt.), the point where the principal axis meets the surface. -- Pole plate (Arch.), a horizontal timber resting on the tiebeams of a roof and receiving the ends of the rafters. It differs from the plate in not resting on the wall.

POLE Pole, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poled; p. pr. & vb. n. Poling.]

1. To furnish with poles for support; as, to pole beans or hops.

2. To convey on poles; as, to pole hay into a barn.

3. To impel by a pole or poles, as a boat.

4. To stir, as molten glass, with a pole.

POLE Pole, n. Etym: [L. polus, Gr. pôle.]

1. Either extremity of an axis of a sphere; especially, one of the extremities of the earth's axis; as, the north pole.

2. (Spherics)

Defn: A point upon the surface of a sphere equally distant from every part of the circumference of a great circle; or the point in which a diameter of the sphere perpendicular to the plane of such circle meets the surface. Such a point is called the pole of that circle; as, the pole of the horizon; the pole of the ecliptic; the pole of a given meridian.

3. (Physics)

Defn: One of the opposite or contrasted parts or directions in which a polar force is manifested; a point of maximum intensity of a force which has two such points, or which has polarity; as, the poles of a magnet; the north pole of a needle.

4. The firmament; the sky. [Poetic] Shoots against the dusky pole. Milton.

5. (Geom.)

Defn: See Polarity, and Polar, n. Magnetic pole. See under Magnetic. -- Poles of the earth, or Terrestrial poles (Geog.), the two opposite points on the earth's surface through which its axis passes. -- Poles of the heavens, or Celestial poles, the two opposite points in the celestial sphere which coincide with the earth's axis produced, and about which the heavens appear to revolve.

POLEAX; POLEAXE Pole"ax`, Pole"axe`, n. Etym: [OE. pollax; cf. OD. pollexe. See Poll head, and Ax.]

Defn: Anciently, a kind of battle-ax with a long handle; later, an ax or hatchet with a short handle, and a head variously patterned; -- used by soldiers, and also by sailors in boarding a vessel.

POLECAT Pole"cat`, n. Etym: [Probably fr. F. poule hen, and originally, a poultry cat, because it feeds on poultry. See Poultry.] (Zoöl.) (a) A small European carnivore of the Weasel family (Putorius foetidus). Its scent glands secrete a substance of an exceedingly disagreeable odor. Called also fitchet, foulmart, and European ferret. (b) The zorilla. The name is also applied to other allied species.

POLEDAVY Pole"da`vy, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain.]

Defn: A sort of coarse canvas; poldway. [Obs.] Howell.

POLELESS Pole"less, a.

Defn: Without a pole; as, a poleless chariot.

POLEMARCH Pol"e*march, n. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: In Athens, originally, the military commanderin-chief; but, afterward, a civil magistrate who had jurisdiction in respect of strangers and sojourners. In other Grecian cities, a high military and civil officer.

POLEMIC Po*lem"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. polémique.]

1. Of or pertaining to controversy; maintaining, or involving, controversy; controversial; disputative; as, a polemic discourse or essay; polemic theology.

2. Engaged in, or addicted to, polemics, or to controversy; disputations; as, a polemic writer. South.

POLEMIC Po*lem"ic, n.

1. One who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant. The sarcasms and invectives of the young polemic. Macaulay.

2. A polemic argument or controversy.

POLEMICAL Po*lem"ic*al, a.

Defn: Polemic; controversial; disputatious. -- Po*lem"ic*al*ly, adv. Polemical and impertinent disputations. Jer. Taylor.

POLEMICIST Po*lem"i*cist, n.

Defn: A polemic. [R.]

POLEMICS Po*lem"ics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polémique.]

Defn: The art or practice of disputation or controversy, especially on religious subjects; that branch of theological science which pertains to the history or conduct of ecclesiastical controversy.

POLEMIST Pol"e*mist, n.

Defn: A polemic. [R.]

POLEMONIACEOUS Pol`e*mo`ni*a"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants (Polemoniaceæ), which includes Polemonium, Phlox, Gilia, and a few other genera.

POLEMONIUM Pol`e*mo"ni*um. n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of gamopetalous perennial herbs, including the Jacob's ladder and the Greek valerian.

POLEMOSCOPE Po*lem"o*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. -scope: cf. F. polémoscope.]

Defn: An opera glass or field glass with an oblique mirror arranged for seeing objects do not lie directly before the eye; -- called also diagonal, or side, opera glass.

POLEMY Pol"e*my, n. Etym: [See Polemic.]

Defn: Warfare; war; hence, contention; opposition. [Obs.]

POLENTA Po*len"ta, n. Etym: [It., fr. L. polenta peeled barley.]

Defn: Pudding made of Indian meal; also, porridge made of chestnut meal. [Italy]

POLER Pol"er, n.

Defn: One who poles.

POLER Pol"er, n.

Defn: An extortioner. See Poller. [Obs.] Bacon.

POLESTAR Pole"star`, n.

1. Polaris, or the north star. See North star, under North.

2. A guide or director.

POLEWARDS Pole"wards, adv.

Defn: Toward a pole of the earth. "The regions further polewards." Whewell.

POLEWIG Pole"wig, n. Etym: [Cf. Polliwig.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European spotted goby (Gobius minutus); -- called also pollybait. [Prov. Eng.]

POLEY Po"ley, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Poly.

POLEY Po"ley, a.

Defn: Without horns; polled. [Prov. Eng.] "That poley heifer." H. Kingsley.

POLIANITE Po"li*a*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: Manganese dioxide, occurring in tetragonal crystals nearly as hard as quartz.

POLICATE Pol"i*cate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pollicate.

POLICE Po*lice", n. Etym: [F., fr. L. politia the condition of a state, government, administration, Gr. pur, puri. Cf. Policy polity, Polity.]

1. A judicial and executive system, for the government of a city, town, or district, for the preservation of rights, order, cleanliness, health, etc., and for the enforcement of the laws and prevention of crime; the administration of the laws and regulations of a city, incorporated town, or borough.

2. That which concerns the order of the community; the internal regulation of a state.

3. The organized body of civil officers in a city, town, or district, whose particular duties are the preservation of good order, the prevention and detection of crime, and the enforcement of the laws.

4. (Mil.)

Defn: Military police, the body of soldiers detailed to preserve civil order and attend to sanitary arrangements in a camp or garrison.

5. The cleaning of a camp or garrison, or the state Police commissioner, a civil officer, usually one of a board, commissioned to regulate and control the appointment, duties, and discipline of the police. -- Police constable, or Police officer, a policeman. -- Police court, a minor court to try persons brought before it by the police. -- Police inspector, an officer of police ranking next below a superintendent. -- Police jury, a body of officers who collectively exercise jurisdiction in certain cases of police, as levying taxes, etc.; -- so called in Louisiana. Bouvier. -- Police justice, or Police magistrate, a judge of a police court. -- Police offenses (Law), minor offenses against the order of the community, of which a police court may have final jurisdiction. -- Police station, the headquarters of the police, or of a section of them; the place where the police assemble for orders, and to which they take arrested persons.

POLICE Po*lice", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Policed; p. pr. & vb. n. Policing.]

1. To keep in order by police.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To make clean; as, to police a camp.

POLICED Po*liced", a.

Defn: Regulated by laws for the maintenance of peace and order, enforced by organized administration. "A policed kingdom." Howell.

POLICEMAN Po*lice"man, n.; pl. Policemen (.

Defn: A member of a body of police; a constable.

POLICE POWER Police power. (Law)

Defn: The inherent power of a government to regulate its police affairs. The term police power is not definitely fixed in meaning. In the earlier cases in the United States it was used as including the whole power of internal government, or the powers of government inherent in every sovereignty to the extent of its dominions (11 Peters (U. S.) 102). The later cases have excepted from its domain the development and administration of private law. Modern political science defines the power as a branch of internal administration in the exercise of which the executive should move within the lines of general principles prescribed by the constitution or the legislature, and in the exercise of which the most local governmental organizations should participate as far as possible (Burgess). Under this limitation the police power, as affecting persons, is the power of the state to protect the public against the abuse of individual liberty, that is, to restrain the individual in the exercise of his rights when such exercise becomes a danger to the community. The tendency of judicial and popular usage is towards this narrower definition.

POLICIAL Po*li"cial (, a.

Defn: Relating to the police. [R.]

POLICIED Pol"i*cied, a.

Defn: Policed. [Obs.] Bacon.

POLICY Pol"i*cy, n.; pl. Policies. Etym: [L. politia, Gr. police, Of. police. See Police, n.]

1. Civil polity. [Obs.]

2. The settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of a state.

3. The method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course.

4. Management or administration based on temporal or material interest, rather than on principles of equity or honor; hence, worldly wisdom; dexterity of management; cunning; stratagem.

5. Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit. The very policy of a hostess, finding his purse so far above his clothes, did detect him. Fuller.

6. Motive; object; inducement. [Obs.] What policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an injury Sir P. Sidney.

Syn. -- See Polity.

POLICY Pol"i*cy, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Policied; p. pr. & vb. n. Policying.]

Defn: To regulate by laws; to reduce to order. [Obs.] "Policying of cities." Bacon.

POLICY Pol"i*cy, n. Etym: [F. police; cf. Pr. polissia, Sp. pólizia, It. pólizza; of uncertain origin; cf. L. pollex thumb (as being used in pressing the seal), in LL. also, seal; or cf. LL. politicum, poleticum, polecticum, L. polyptychum, account book, register, fr. Gr. apodixa a receipt.]

1. A ticket or warrant for money in the public funds.

2. The writing or instrument in which a contract of insurance is embodied; an instrument in writing containing the terms and conditions on which one party engages to indemnify another against loss arising from certain hazards, perils, or risks to which his person or property may be exposed. See Insurance.

3. A method of gambling by betting as to what numbers will be drawn in a lottery; as, to play policy. Interest policy, a policy that shows by its form that the assured has a real, substantial interest in the matter insured. -- Open policy, one in which the value of the goods or property insured is not mentioned. -- Policy book, a book to contain a record of insurance policies. -- Policy holder, one to whom an insurance policy has been granted. -- Policy shop, a gambling place where one may bet on the numbers which will be drawn in lotteries. -- Valued policy, one in which the value of the goods, property, or interest insured is specified. -- Wager policy, a policy that shows on the face of it that the contract it embodies is a pretended insurance, founded on an ideal risk, where the insured has no interest in anything insured.

POLING Pol"ing, n. Etym: [From Pole a stick.]

1. The act of supporting or of propelling by means of a pole or poles; as, the poling of beans; the poling of a boat.

2. (Gardening)

Defn: The operation of dispersing worm casts over the walks with poles.

3. One of the poles or planks used in upholding the side earth in excavating a tunnel, ditch, etc.

POLISH Pol"ish, a. Etym: [From Pole a Polander.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants. -- n.

Defn: The language of the Poles.

POLISH Pol"ish, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polished; p. pr. & vb. n. Polishing.] Etym: [F. polir, L. polire. Cf. Polite, -ish]

1. To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster; as, to polish glass, marble, metals, etc.

2. Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite; as, to polish life or manners. Milton. To polish off, to finish completely, as an adversary. [Slang] W. H. Russell.

POLISH Pol"ish, v. i.

Defn: To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface; as, steel polishes well. Bacon.

POLISH Pol"ish, n.

1. A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster. Another prism of clearer glass and better polish. Sir I. Newton.

2. Anything used to produce a gloss.

3. Fig.: Refinement; elegance of manners. This Roman polish and this smooth behavior. Addison.

POLISHABLE Pol"ish*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being polished.

POLISHED Pol"ished, a.

Defn: Made smooth and glossy, as by friction; hence, highly finished; refined; polite; as, polished plate; polished manners; polished verse.

POLISHEDNESS Pol"ished*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being polished.

POLISHER Pol"ish*er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, polishes; also, that which is used in polishing. Addison.

POLISHING Pol"ish*ing,

Defn: a. & n. from Polish. Polishing iron, an iron burnisher; esp., a small smoothing iron used in laundries. -- Polishing slate. (a) A gray or yellow slate, found in Bohemia and Auvergne, and used for polishing glass, marble, and metals. (b) A kind of hone or whetstone; hone slate. -- Polishing snake, a tool used in cleaning lithographic stones. -- Polishing wheel, a wheel or disk coated with, or composed of, abrading material, for polishing a surface.

POLISHMENT Pol"ish*ment, n.

Defn: The act of polishing, or the state of being polished. [R.]

POLISSOIR Po`lis`soir", n. [F.]

1. A polishing or grinding implement or instrument.

2. (Glass Making) A tool consisting of a flat wooden block with a long iron handle, used for flattening out split cylinders of blown glass.

POLITE Po*lite", a. [Compar. Politer; superl. Politest.] Etym: [L. politus, p. p. of polire to polish: cf. F. poli. See Polish, v.]

1. Smooth; polished. [Obs.] Rays of light falling on a polite surface. Sir I. Newton.

2. Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil. He marries, bows at court, and grows polite. Pope.

3. Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature. Macaulay.

Syn. -- Polished; refined; well bred; courteous; affable; urbane; civil; courtly; elegant; genteel.

POLITE Po*lite", v. t.

Defn: To polish; to refine; to render polite. [Obs.] Ray.

POLITELY Po*lite"ly, adv.

1. In a polished manner; so as to be smooth or glossy. [Obs.] Milton.

2. In a polite manner; with politeness.

POLITENESS Po*lite"ness, n.

1. High finish; smoothness; burnished elegance. [R.] Evelyn.

2. The quality or state of being polite; refinement of manners; urbanity; courteous behavior; complaisance; obliging attentions.

Syn. -- Courtesy; good breeding; refinement; urbanity; courteousness; affability; complaisance; civility; gentility; courtliness. -- Politeness, Courtesy. Politeness denotes that ease and gracefulness of manners which first sprung up in cities, connected with a desire to please others by anticipating their wants and wishes, and studiously avoiding whatever might give them pain. Courtesy is, etymologically, the politeness of courts. It displays itself in the address and manners; it is shown more especially in receiving and entertaining others, and is a union of dignified complaisance and kindness.

POLITESSE Pol`i*tesse", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Politeness.

POLITIC Pol"i*tic, a. Etym: [L. politicus political, Gr. politique. See Police, and cf. ePolitical.]

1. Of or pertaining to polity, or civil government; political; as, the body politic. See under Body. He with his people made all but one politic body. Sir P. Sidney.

2. Pertaining to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy; well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong; -- said of things; as, a politic treaty. "Enrich'd with politic grave counsel." Shak.

3. Sagacious in promoting a policy; ingenious in devising and advancing a system of management; devoted to a scheme or system rather than to a principle; hence, in a good sense, wise; prudent; sagacious; and in a bad sense, artful; unscrupulous; cunning; -- said of persons. Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy. Shak.

Syn. -- Wise; prudent; sagacious; discreet; provident; wary; artful; cunning.

POLITIC Pol`i*tic, n.

Defn: A politician. [Archaic] Bacon. Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark he borrows a lantern; Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars. Lowell.

POLITICAL Po*lit"i*cal, a.

1. Having, or conforming to, a settled system of administration. [R.] "A political government." Evelyn.

2. Of or pertaining to public policy, or to politics; relating to affairs of state or administration; as, a political writer. "The political state of Europe." Paley.

3. Of or pertaining to a party, or to parties, in the state; as, his political relations were with the Whigs.

4. Politic; wise; also, artful. [Obs.] Sterne. Political economy, that branch of political science or philosophy which treats of the sources, and methods of production and preservation, of the material wealth and prosperity of nations.

POLITICALISM Po*lit"i*cal*ism, n.

Defn: Zeal or party spirit in politics.

POLITICALLY Po*lit"i*cal*ly, adv.

1. In a political manner.

2. Politicly; artfully. [Obs.] Knolles.

POLITICASTER Po*lit"i*cas`ter, n. Etym: [Cf. It. politicastro.]

Defn: A petty politician; a pretender in politics. Milton.

POLITICIAN Pol`i*ti"cian, n. Etym: [Cf. F. politicien.]

1. One versed or experienced in the science of government; one devoted to politics; a statesman. While empiric politicians use deceit. Dryden.

2. One primarily devoted to his own advancement in public office, or to the success of a political party; -- used in a depreciatory sense; one addicted or attached to politics as managed by parties (see Politics, 2); a schemer; an intriguer; as, a mere politician. Like a scurvy politician, seem To see the things thou dost not. Shak. The politician . . . ready to do anything that he apprehends for his advantage. South.

POLITICIAN Pol`i*ti"cian, a.

Defn: Cunning; using artifice; politic; artful. "Ill-meaning politician lords." Milton.

POLITICIST Po*lit"i*cist, n.

Defn: A political writer. [R.]

POLITICLY Pol"i*tic*ly, adv.

Defn: In a politic manner; sagaciously; shrewdly; artfully. Pope.

POLITICS Pol"i*tics, n. Etym: [Cf. F. politique, Gr. Politic.]

1. The science of government; that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals.

2. The management of a political party; the conduct and contests of parties with reference to political measures or the administration of public affairs; the advancement of candidates to office; in a bad sense, artful or dishonest management to secure the success of political candidates or parties; political trickery. When we say that two men are talking politics, we often mean that they are wrangling about some mere party question. F. W. Robertson.

POLITIZE Pol"i*tize, v. i.

Defn: To play the politician; to dispute as politicians do. [Obs.] Milton.

POLITURE Pol"i*ture, n. Etym: [L. politura, fr. polire to polish. See Polish, v.]

Defn: Polish; gloss. [Obs.] Donne.

POLITY Pol"i*ty, n.; pl. Polities. Etym: [L. politia, Gr. politie. See 1st Policy, Police.]

1. The form or constitution of the civil government of a nation or state; the framework or organization by which the various departments of government are combined into a systematic whole. Blackstone. Hooker.

2. Hence: The form or constitution by which any institution is organized; the recognized principles which lie at the foundation of any human institution. Nor is possible that any form of polity, much less polity ecclesiastical, should be good, unless God himself be author of it. Hooker.

3. Policy; art; management. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Syn. -- Policy. -- Polity, Policy. These two words were originally the same. Polity is now confined to the structure of a government; as, civil or ecclesiastical polity; while policy is applied to the scheme of management of public affairs with reference to some aim or result; as, foreign or domestic policy. Policy has the further sense of skillful or cunning management.

POLITZERIZATION Po*litz`er*i*za"tion, n. (Med.)

Defn: The act of inflating the middle ear by blowing air up the nose during the act of swallowing; -- so called from Prof. Politzer of Vienna, who first practiced it.

POLIVE Pol"ive, n.

Defn: A pulley. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POLKA Pol"ka, n. Etym: [Pol. Polka a Polish woman: cf. F. & G. polka.]

1. A dance of Polish origin, but now common everywhere. It is performed by two persons in common time.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: A lively Bohemian or Polish dance tune in 2-4 measure, with the third quaver accented. Polka jacket, a kind of knit jacket worn by women.

POLL Poll, n. Etym: [From Polly, The proper name.]

Defn: A parrot; -- familiarly so called.

POLL Poll, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: One who does not try for honors, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman. [Cambridge Univ., Eng.]

POLL Poll, n. Etym: [Akin to LG. polle the head, the crest of a bird, the top of a tree, OD. pol, polle, Dan. puld the crown of a hat.]

1. The head; the back part of the head. "All flaxen was his poll." Shak.

2. A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of heads or individuals. We are the greater poll, and in true fear They gave us our demands. Shak. The muster file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll. Shak.

3. Specifically, the register of the names of electors who may vote in an election.

4. The casting or recording of the votes of registered electors; as, the close of the poll. All soldiers quartered in place are to remove . . . and not to return till one day after the poll is ended. Blackstone.

5. pl.

Defn: The place where the votes are cast or recorded; as, to go to the polls.

6. The broad end of a hammer; the but of an ax.

7. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European chub. See Pollard, 3 (a). Poll book, a register of persons entitled to vote at an election. -- Poll evil (Far.), an inflammatory swelling or abscess on a horse's head, confined beneath the great ligament of the neck. -- Poll pick (Mining), a pole having a heavy spike on the end, forming a kind of crowbar. -- Poll tax, a tax levied by the head, or poll; a capitation tax.

POLL Poll, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polled; p. pr. & vb. n. Polling.]

1. To remove the poll or head of; hence, to remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop; to shear; as, to poll the head; to poll a tree. When he [Absalom] pollled his head. 2 Sam. xiv. 26. His death did so grieve them that they polled themselves; they clipped off their horse and mule's hairs. Sir T. North.

2. To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop; -- sometimes with off; as, to poll the hair; to poll wool; to poll grass. Who, as he polled off his dart's head, so sure he had decreed That all the counsels of their war he would poll off like it. Chapman.

3. To extort from; to plunder; to strip. [Obs.] Which polls and pills the poor in piteous wise. Spenser.

4. To impose a tax upon. [Obs.]

5. To pay as one's personal tax. The man that polled but twelve pence for his head. Dryden.

6. To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, esp. for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one. Polling the reformed churches whether they equalize in number those of his three kingdoms. Milton.

7. To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters; as, he polled a hundred votes more than his opponent. And poll for points of faith his trusty vote. Tickell.

8. (Law)

Defn: To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation; as, a polled deed. See Dee. Burrill. To poll a jury, to call upon each member of the jury to answer individually as to his concurrence in a verdict which has been rendered.

POLL Poll, v. i.

Defn: To vote at an election. Beaconsfield.

POLLACK Pol"lack, n. Etym: [Cf. G. & D. pollack, and Gael. pollag a little pool, a sort of fish.] (Zoöl.) (a) A marine gadoid food fish of Europe (Pollachius virens). Called also greenfish, greenling, lait, leet, lob, lythe, and whiting pollack. (b) The American pollock; the coalfish.

POLLAGE Poll"age, n.

Defn: A head or poll tax; hence, extortion. [Obs.] Foxe.

POLLAN Pol"lan, n. Etym: [Cf. Gael. pollag a kind of fish.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A lake whitefish (Coregonus pollan), native of Ireland. In appearance it resembles a herring.

POLLARD Pol"lard, n. Etym: [From Poll the head.]

1. A tree having its top cut off at some height above the ground, that may throw out branches. Pennant.

2. A clipped coin; also, a counterfeit. [Obs.] Camden.

3. (Zoöl.) (a) A fish, the chub. (b) A stag that has cast its antlers. (c) A hornless animal (cow or sheep).

POLLARD Pol"lard, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pollarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Pollarding.]

Defn: To lop the tops of, as trees; to poll; as, to pollard willows. Evelyn.

POLLAX Poll"ax`, n.

Defn: A poleax. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POLLED Polled, a.

Defn: Deprived of a poll, or of something belonging to the poll. Specifically: (a) Lopped; -- said of trees having their tops cut off. (b) Cropped; hence, bald; -- said of a person. "The polled bachelor." Beau. & Fl. (c) Having cast the antlers; -- said of a stag. (d) Without horns; as, polled cattle; polled sheep.

POLLEN Pol"len, n. Etym: [L. pollen fine flour, fine dust; cf. Gr.

1. Fine bran or flour. [Obs.] Bailey.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The fecundating dustlike cells of the anthers of flowers. See Flower, and Illust. of Filament. Pollen grain (Bot.), a particle or call of pollen. -- Pollen mass, a pollinium. Gray. -- Pollen sac, a compartment of an anther containing pollen, -- usually there are four in each anther. -- Pollen tube, a slender tube which issues from the pollen grain on its contact with the stigma, which it penetrates, thus conveying, it is supposed, the fecundating matter of the grain to the ovule.

POLLENARIOUS Pol`len*a"ri*ous, a.

Defn: Consisting of meal or pollen.

POLLENED Pol"lened, a.

Defn: Covered with pollen. Tennyson.

POLLENIFEROUS Pol`len*if"er*ous, a. Etym: [Pollen + -ferous.] (Bot.)

Defn: Producing pollen; polliniferous.

POLLENIN Pol"len*in, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pollénine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A substance found in the pollen of certain plants. [R.]

POLLENIZE Pol"len*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pollenized; p. pr. & vb. n. Pollenizing.]

Defn: To supply with pollen; to impregnate with pollen.

POLLER Poll"er, n. Etym: [From Poll]

Defn: One who polls; specifically: (a) One who polls or lops trees. (b) One who polls or cuts hair; a barber. [R.] (c) One who extorts or plunders. [Obs.] Bacon. (d) One who registers voters, or one who enters his name as a voter.

POLLEX Pol"lex, n.; pl. Pollices. Etym: [L., the thumb.] (Anat.)

Defn: The first, or preaxial, digit of the fore limb, corresponding to the hallux in the hind limb; the thumb. In birds, the pollex is the joint which bears the bastard wing.

POLLICATE Pol"li*cate, a. Etym: [L. pollex, pollicis, a thumb.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a curved projection or spine on the inner side of a leg joint; -- said of insects.

POLLICITATION Pol*lic`i*ta"tion, n. Etym: [L. pollicitatio, fr. pollicitari to promise, v. intens. fr. polliceri to promise: cf. F. pollicitation.]

1. A voluntary engagement, or a paper containing it; a promise. Bp. Burnet.

2. (Roman Law)

Defn: A promise without mutuality; a promise which has not been accepted by the person to whom it is made. Bouvier.

POLLINATE Pol"li*nate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pollinose.

POLLINATE Pol"li*nate, v. t. (Bot.)

Defn: To apply pollen to (a stigma). -- Pol`li*na"tion, n. (Bot.)

POLLINCTOR Pol*linc"tor, n. Etym: [L., fr. pollingere.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: One who prepared corpses for the funeral.

POLLING Poll"ing, n. Etym: [See Poll the head.]

1. The act of topping, lopping, or cropping, as trees or hedges.

2. Plunder, or extortion. [Obs.] E. Hall.

3. The act of voting, or of registering a vote. Polling booth, a temporary structure where the voting at an election is done; a polling place.

POLLINIFEROUS Pol`li*nif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. pollen, -inis, pollen + -ferous: cf. F. pollinifère.] (Bot.)

Defn: Producing pollen; polleniferous.

POLLINIUM Pol*lin"i*um, n.; pl. Pollinia. Etym: [NL. See Pollen.] (Bot.)

Defn: A coherent mass of pollen, as in the milkweed and most orchids.

POLLINOSE Pol"li*nose`, a. Etym: [L. pollen, -inis, dust.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the surface covered with a fine yellow dust, like pollen.

POLLIWIG; POLLIWOG Pol"li*wig, Pol"li*wog, n. Etym: [OE. polwigle. Cf. Poll head, and Wiggle.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A tadpole; -- called also purwiggy and porwigle.

POLLOCK Pol"lock, n. Etym: [See Pollack.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A marine gadoid fish (Pollachius carbonarius), native both of the European and American coasts. It is allied to the cod, and like it is salted and dried. In England it is called coalfish, lob, podley, podling, pollack, etc.

POLLUCITE Pol"lu*cite, n. Etym: [See Pollux, and 4th Castor.] (Min.)

Defn: A colorless transparent mineral, resembling quartz, occurring with castor or castorite on the island of Elba. It is a silicate of alumina and cæsia. Called also pollux.

POLLUTE Pol*lute", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polluted; p. pr. & vb. n. Polluting.] Etym: [L. pollutus, p. p. of polluere to defile, to pollute, from a prep. appearing only in comp. + luere to wash. See Position, Lave.]

1. To make foul, impure, or unclean; to defile; to taint; to soil; to desecrate; -- used of physical or moral defilement. The land was polluted with blood. Ps. cvi. 38 Wickedness . . . hath polluted the whole earth. 2 Esd. xv. 6.

2. To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonor.

3. (Jewish Law)

Defn: To render ceremonially unclean; to disqualify or unfit for sacred use or service, or for social intercourse. Neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die. Num. xviii. 32. They have polluted themselves with blood. Lam. iv. 14.

Syn. -- To defile; soil; contaminate; corrupt; taint; vitiate; debauch; dishonor; ravish.

POLLUTE Pol*lute", a. Etym: [L. pollutus.]

Defn: Polluted. [R.] Milton.

POLLUTED Pol*lut"ed, a.

Defn: Defiled; made unclean or impure; debauched. -- Pol*lut"ed*ly, adv. -- Pol*lut"ed*ness, n.

POLLUTER Pol*lut"er, n.

Defn: One who pollutes. Dryden.

POLLUTING Pol*lut"ing, a.

Defn: Adapted or tending to pollute; causing defilement or pollution. -- Pol*lut"ing*ly, adv.

POLLUTION Pol*lu"tion, n. Etym: [L. pollutio: cf. F. pollution.]

1. The act of polluting, or the state of being polluted (in any sense of the verb); defilement; uncleanness; impurity.

2. (Med.)

Defn: The emission of semen, or sperm, at other times than in sexual intercourse. Dunglison.

POLLUX Pol"lux, n. Etym: [L., the twin brother of castor; also, the constellation.]

1. (Astron.)

Defn: A fixed star of the second magnitude, in the constellation Gemini. Cf. 3d Castor.

2. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Pollucite.

POLLY Pol"ly, n.

Defn: A woman's name; also, a popular name for a parrot.

POLLYWOG Pol"ly*wog, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A polliwig.

POLO Po"lo, n. Etym: [Of Eastern origin; -- properly, the ball used in the game.]

1. A game of ball of Eastern origin, resembling hockey, with the players on horseback.

2. A similar game played on the ice, or on a prepared floor, by players wearing skates.

POLONAISE Po`lo*naise", a. Etym: [F. polonais, polonaise, Polish.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Poles, or to Poland. [Written also Polonese.]

POLONAISE Po`lo*naise", n. Etym: [Written also Polonese and Polonoise.]

1. The Polish language.

2. An article of dress for women, consisting of a body and an outer skirt in one piece.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: A stately Polish dance tune, in 3-4 measure, beginning always on the beat with a quaver followed by a crotchet, and closing on the beat after a strong accent on the second beat; also, a dance adapted to such music; a polacca.

POLONESE Po`lo*nese", a. & n.

Defn: See Polonaise.

POLONIUM Po*lo"ni*um, n. [NL. So named after Poland, in L. form Polonia, one of the discoverers being a Pole.] (Chem.)

Defn: A supposed new element, a radioactive substance discovered by M. and MMe. Curie in pitchblende. It is closely related chemically to bismuth. It emits only alpha rays and is perhaps identical with radium F.

POLONY Po*lo"ny, n. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. fr. Bologna.]

Defn: A kind of sausage made of meat partly cooked.

POLRON Pol"ron, n.

Defn: See Pauldron.

POLT Polt, n. Etym: [Cf. E. pelt, L. pultare to beat, strike.]

Defn: A blow or thump. Halliwell. -- a.

Defn: Distorted. Pot foot, a distorted foot. Sir T. Herbert.

POLT-FOOT; POLT-FOOTED Polt"-foot`, Polt"-foot`ed, a.

Defn: Having a distorted foot, or a clubfoot or clubfeet. B. Jonson.

POLTROON Pol*troon", n. Etym: [F. poltron, from It. poltrone an idle fellow, sluggard, coward, poltro idle, lazy, also, bed, fr. OHG. polstar, bolstar, cushion, G. polster, akin to E. bolster. See Bolster.]

Defn: An arrant coward; a dastard; a craven; a mean-spirited wretch. Shak.

POLTROON Pol*troon", a.

Defn: Base; vile; contemptible; cowardly.

POLTROONERY Pol*troon"er*y, n. Etym: [F. poltronnerie; cf. It. poltroneria.]

Defn: Cowardice; want of spirit; pusillanimity.

POLTROONISH Pol*troon"ish, a.

Defn: Resembling a poltroon; cowardly.

POLVERINE Pol"ve*rine, n. Etym: [It. polverino, fr. polvere ust, L. pulvis, - veris. See Powder.]

Defn: Glassmaker's ashes; a kind of potash or pearlash, brought from the Levant and Syria, -- used in the manufacture of fine glass.

POLWIG Pol"wig, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A polliwig. Holland.

POLY- Pol"y-. Etym: [See Full, a.]

Defn: A combining form or prefix from Gr. poly`s, many; as, polygon, a figure of many angles; polyatomic, having many atoms; polychord, polyconic.

POLY Po"ly, n. Etym: [L. polium, the name of a plant, perhaps Teucrium polium, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A whitish woolly plant (Teucrium Polium) of the order Labiatæ, found throughout the Mediterranean region. The name, with sundry prefixes, is sometimes given to other related species of the same genus. [Spelt also poley.] Poly mountain. See Poly-mountain, in Vocabulary.

POLYACID Pol`y*ac"id, a. Etym: [Poly- + acid.] (Chem.)

Defn: Capable of neutralizing, or of combining with, several molecules of a monobasic acid; having more than one hydrogen atom capable of being replaced by acid radicals; -- said of certain bases; as, calcium hydrate and glycerin are polyacid bases.

POLYACOUSTIC Pol`y*a*cous"tic, a. Etym: [Poly- + acoustic: cf. F. polyacoustique.]

Defn: Multiplying or magnifying sound. -- n.

Defn: A polyacoustic instrument.

POLYACOUSTICS Pol`y*a*cous"tics, n.

Defn: The art of multiplying or magnifying sounds.

POLYACRON Pol`y*a"cron, n.; pl. Polyacra, E. Polyacrons. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. poly`s many + 'a`kron summit.] (Geom.)

Defn: A solid having many summits or angular points; a polyhedron.

POLYACTINIA Pol`y*ac*tin"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Actinia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias, have numerous simple tentacles.

POLYADELPHIA Pol`y*a*del"phi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants having stamens united in three or more bodies or bundles by the filaments.

POLYADELPHIAN; POLYADELPHOUS Pol`y*a*del"phi*an, Pol`y*a*del"phous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the class Polyadelphia; having stamens united in three or more bundles.

POLYANDRIA Pol`y*an"dri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polyandry.] (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of monoclinous or hermaphrodite plants, having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.

POLYANDRIAN Pol`y*an"dri*an, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Polyandrous.

POLYANDRIC Pol`y*an"dric, a. Etym: [Cf. polyandrique.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, polyandry; mating with several males. "Polyandric societies." H. Spencer.

POLYANDROUS Pol`y*an"drous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the class Polyandria; having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.

POLYANDRY Pol`y*an"dry, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. polyandrie.]

Defn: The possession by a woman of more than one husband at the same time; -- contrasted with Ant: monandry.

Note: In law, this falls under the head of polygamy.

POLYANTHUS Pol`y*an"thus, n.; pl. Polyanthuses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. [Written also polyanthos.] (Bot.) (a) The oxlip. So called because the peduncle bears a many-flowered umbel. See Oxlip. (b) A bulbous flowering plant of the genus Narcissus (N. Tazetta, or N. polyanthus of some authors). See Illust. of Narcissus.

POLYARCHIST Pol"y*ar`chist, n.

Defn: One who advocates polyarchy; -- opposed to monarchist. Cudworth.

POLYARCHY Pol"y*ar`chy, n. Etym: [Poly- + -archy: cf. F. polyarchie. Cf. Polarchy.]

Defn: A government by many persons, of whatever order or class. Cudworth.

POLYATOMIC Pol`y*a*tom"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + atomic.] (Chem.) (a) Having more than one atom in the molecule; consisting of several atoms. (b) Having a valence greater than one. [Obs.]

POLYAUTOGRAPHY Pol`y*au*tog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Poly- + autography.]

Defn: The act or practice of multiplying copies of one's own handwriting, or of manuscripts, by printing from stone, -- a species of lithography.

POLYBASIC Pol`y*ba"sic, a. Etym: [Poly- + basic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Capable of neutralizing, or of combining with, several molecules of a monacid base; having several hydrogen atoms capable of being replaced by basic radicals; -- said of certain acids; as, sulphuric acid is polybasic.

POLYBASITE Pol`y*ba"site, n. Etym: [See Polybasic.] (Min.)

Defn: An iron-black ore of silver, consisting of silver, sulphur, and antimony, with some copper and arsenic.

POLYBRANCHIA Pol`y*bran"chi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Nudibranchiata including those which have numerous branchiæ on the back.

POLYBROMIDE Pol`y*bro"mide, n. Etym: [Poly- + bromide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A bromide containing more than one atom of bromine in the molecule.

POLYCARPELLARY Pol`y*car"pel*la*ry, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Composed of several or numerous carpels; -- said of such fruits as the orange.

POLYCARPIC; POLYCARPOUS Pol`y*car"pic, Pol`y*car"pous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Bot.) (a) Bearing fruit repeatedly, or year after year. (b) Having several pistils in one flower.

POLYCHAETA Pol`y*chæ"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the two principal groups of Chætopoda. It includes those that have prominent parapodia and fascicles of setæ. See Illust. under Parapodia.

POLYCHLORIDE Pol`y*chlo"ride, n. Etym: [Poly- + chloride.] (Chem.)

Defn: A chloride containing more than one atom of chlorine in the molecule.

POLYCHOERANY Pol`y*choer"a*ny, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A government by many chiefs, princes, or rules. [Obs.] Cudworth.

POLYCHORD Pol"y*chord, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Having many strings.

POLYCHORD Pol"y*chord, n. (Mus.) (a) A musical instrument of ten strings. (b) An apparatus for coupling two octave notes, capable of being attached to a keyed instrument.

POLYCHREST Pol"y*chrest, n. Etym: [Gr. polychreste.] (Med.)

Defn: A medicine that serves for many uses, or that cures many diseases. [Obs.] Polychrest salt (Old Med. Chem.), potassium sulphate, specifically obtained by fusing niter with sulphur.

POLYCHROISM Pol"y*chro*ism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: Same as Pleochroism.

POLYCHROITE Pol"y*chro*ite, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. polychroïte.] (Chem.)

Defn: The coloring matter of saffron; -- formerly so called because of the change of color on treatment with certain acids; -- called also crocin, and safranin.

POLYCHROMATE Pol`y*chro"mate, n. Etym: [See Polychromic.] (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of a polychromic acid.

POLYCHROMATE Pol`y*chro"mate, n. Etym: [See Polychromatic.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound which exhibits, or from which may be prepared, a variety of colors, as certain solutions derived from vegetables, which display colors by fluorescence.

POLYCHROMATIC Pol`y*chro*mat"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + chromatic.]

Defn: Showing a variety, or a change, of colors. Polychromatic acid (Old Chem.), a substance obtained by the action of nitric acid on aloes.

POLYCHROME Pol"y*chrome, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: Esculin; -- so called in allusion to its fluorescent solutions. [R.]

POLYCHROME Pol"y*chrome, a. Etym: [Cf. F. polychrome.]

Defn: Executed in the manner of polychromy; as, polychrome printing.

POLYCHROMIC Pol`y*chro"mic, a. Etym: [Poly- + (sense 1) Gr. chromic.]

1. Polychromatic.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, any one of several acids (known only in their salts) which contain more than one atom of chromium.

POLYCHROMOUS Pol`y*chro"mous, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to polychromy; many-colored; polychromatic.

POLYCHROMY Pol"y*chro`my, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Anc. Art)

Defn: The art or practice of combining different colors, especially brilliant ones, in an artistic way.

POLYCHRONIOUS Pol`y*chro"ni*ous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: Enduring through a long time; chronic.

POLYCLINIC Pol`y*clin"ic, n. Etym: [Poly- + clinic.] (Med.)

Defn: A clinic in which diseases of many sorts are treated; especially, an institution in which clinical instruction is given in all kinds of disease.

POLYCONIC Pol`y*con"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + conic.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or based upon, many cones. Polyconic projection (Map Making), a projection of the earth's surface, or any portion thereof, by which each narrow zone is projected upon a conical surface that touches the sphere along this zone, the conical surface being then unrolled. This projection differs from conic projection in that latter assumes but one cone for the whole map. Polyconic projection is that in use in the United States coast and geodetic survey.

POLYCOTYLEDON Pol`y*cot`y*le"don, n. Etym: [Poly- + cotyledon: cf. F. polycotylédone.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant that has many, or more than two, cotyledons in the seed. -- Pol`y*cot`y*led"on*ous, a.

POLYCOTYLEDONARY Pol`y*cot`y*led"on*a*ry, a. Etym: [Poly- + cotyledonary.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having the villi of the placenta collected into definite patches, or cotyledons.

POLYCRACY Po*lyc"ra*cy, n. Etym: [Poly- + -cracy, as in democracy.]

Defn: Government by many rulers; polyarchy.

POLYCROTIC Pol`y*crot"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Physiol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to polycrotism; manifesting polycrotism; as, a polycrotic pulse; a polycrotic pulse curve.

POLYCROTISM Po*lyc"ro*tism, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: That state or condition of the pulse in which the pulse curve, or sphygmogram, shows several secondary crests or elevations; -- contrasted with monocrotism and dicrotism.

POLYCYSTID Pol`y*cys"tid, n. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the Polycystidea. (b) One of the Polycystina. -- a.

Defn: Pertaining to the Polycystidea, or the Polycystina.

POLYCYSTIDEA Pol`y*cys*tid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Cystidea.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Gregarinæ including those that have two or more internal divisions of the body.

POLYCYSTINA Pol`y*cys*ti"na, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Cyst.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Radiolaria including numerous minute marine species. The skeleton is composed of silica, and is often very elegant in form and sculpture. Many have been found in the fossil state.

POLYCYSTINE Pol`y*cys"tine, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Polycystina. -- n.

Defn: One of the Polycystina.

POLYCYTTARIA Pol`y*cyt*ta"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Radiolaria. It includes those having one more central capsules.

POLYDACTYLISM Pol`y*dac"tyl*ism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. polydactylisme.] (Anat.)

Defn: The possession of more that the normal number of digits.

POLYDIPSIA Pol`y*dip"si*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Excessive and constant thirst occasioned by disease.

POLYEDRON Pol`y*e"dron, n.

Defn: See Polyhedron.

POLYEDROUS Pol`y*e"drous, a.

Defn: See Polyhedral.

POLYEIDIC Pol`y*ei"dic, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Passing through several distinct larval forms; -- having several distinct kinds of young.

POLYEIDISM Pol`y*ei"dism, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The quality or state of being polyeidic.

POLYEMBRYONATE Pol`y*em"bry*o*nate, a. Etym: [Poly- + embryonate.] (Bot.)

Defn: Consisting of, or having, several embryos; polyembryonic.

POLYEMBRYONIC Pol`y*em`bry*on"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + embryonic.] (Bot.)

Defn: Polyembryonate.

POLYEMBRYONY Pol`y*em"bry*o*ny, n. Etym: [See Poly-, and Embryo.] (Bot.)

Defn: The production of two or more embryos in one seed, due either to the existence and fertilization of more than one embryonic sac or to the origination of embryos outside of the embryonic sac.

POLYFOIL Pol"y*foil, n. Etym: [Poly- + foil, n.] (Arch.)

Defn: Same as Multifoil.

POLYGALA Po*lyg"a*la, n. Etym: [L., milkwort, fr. Gr.

Defn: A genus of bitter herbs or shrubs having eight stamens and a two-celled ovary (as the Seneca snakeroot, the flowering wintergreen, etc.); milkwort.

POLYGALACEOUS Pol`y*ga*la"ceous, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants (Polygalaceæ) of which Polygala is the type.

POLYGALIC Po*lyg"a*lic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, Polygala; specifically, designating an acrid glucoside (called polygalic acid, senegin, etc.), resembling, or possibly identical with, saponin.

POLYGAMIA Pol`y*ga"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polygamous.] (Bot.) (a) A Linnæan class of plants, characterized by having both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant. (b) A name given by Linnæus to file orders of plants having syngenesious flowers.

POLYGAMIAN Pol`y*ga"mi*an, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Polygamous.

POLYGAMIST Po*lyg"a*mist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polygamiste, polygame, Gr. a.]

Defn: One who practices polygamy, or maintains its lawfulness.

POLYGAMIZE Po*lyg"a*mize, v. i.

Defn: To practice polygamy; to marry several wives. Sylvester. Coleridge.

POLYGAMOUS Po*lyg"a*mous, a. Etym: [Gr. Bigamy.]

1. Of or pertaining to polygamy; characterized by, or involving, polygamy; having a plurality of wives; as, polygamous marriages; -- opposed to monogamous.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pairing with more than one female. Most deer, cattle, and sheep are polygamous. Darwin.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: Belonging to the Polygamia; bearing both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant.

POLYGAMY Po*lyg"a*my, n. Etym: [Gr. polygamie.]

1. The having of a plurality of wives or husbands at the same time; usually, the marriage of a man to more than one woman, or the practice of having several wives, at the same time; -- opposed to monogamy; as, the nations of the East practiced polygamy. See the Note under Bigamy, and cf. Polyandry.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The state or habit of having more than one mate.

3. (Bot.)

Defn: The condition or state of a plant which bears both perfect and unisexual flowers.

POLYGASTRIAN Pol`y*gas"tri*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Polygastrica. [Obs.]

POLYGASTRIC Pol`y*gas"tric, a. Etym: [Poly- + gastric: cf. F. polygastrique.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Having several bellies; -- applied to muscles which are made up of several bellies separated by short tendons.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Polygastrica. [Obs.]

POLYGASTRIC Pol`y*gas"tric, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Polygastrica.

POLYGASTRICA Pol`y*gas"tri*ca, n. pl. Etym: [NL. So called because they were supposed to have several stomachs, or digestive cavities.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Infusoria. [Obs.]

POLYGENESIS; POLYGENY Pol`y*gen"e*sis, Po*lyg"e*ny, n. Etym: [Poly- + genesis, or root of Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: The theory that living organisms originate in cells or embryos of different kinds, instead of coming from a single cell; -- opposed to monogenesis.

POLYGENETIC Pol`y*ge*net"ic, a.

1. Having many distinct sources; originating at various places or times. 2. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to polygenesis; polyphyletic. Polygenetic mountain range (Geol.), one which is composite, or consists of two or more monogenetic ranges, each having had its own history of development. Dana.

POLYGENIC Pol`y*gen"ic, a. (Biol.)

Defn: Of or relating to polygeny; polygenetic.

POLYGENISM Po*lyg"e*nism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polygénisme.] (Biol.)

Defn: The doctrine that animals of the same species have sprung from more than one original pair.

POLYGENIST Po*lyg"e*nist, n. (Biol.)

Defn: One who maintains that animals of the same species have sprung from more than one original pair; -- opposed to monogenist.

POLYGENOUS Po*lyg"e*nous, a. Etym: [Poly- + -genous: cf. Gr.

Defn: Consisting of, or containing, many kinds; as, a polygenous mountain. Kirwan.

POLYGLOT Pol"y*glot, a. Etym: [Gr. polyglotte.]

1. Containing, or made up, of, several languages; as, a polyglot lexicon, Bible.

2. Versed in, or speaking, many languages.

POLYGLOT Pol"y*glot, n.

1. One who speaks several languages. [R.] "A polyglot, or good linguist." Howell.

2. A book containing several versions of the same text, or containing the same subject matter in several languages; esp., the Scriptures in several languages. Enriched by the publication of polyglots. Abp. Newcome.

POLYGLOTTOUS Pol`y*glot"tous, a. Etym: [See Polyglot.]

Defn: Speaking many languages; polyglot. [R.] "The polyglottous tribes of America." Max Müller.

POLYGON Pol"y*gon, n. Etym: [Gr. polygone.] (Geom.)

Defn: A plane figure having many angles, and consequently many sides; esp., one whose perimeter consists of more than four sides; any figure having many angles. Polygon of forces (Mech.), a polygonal figure, the sides of which, taken successively, represent, in length and direction, several forces acting simultaneously upon one point, so that the side necessary to complete the figure represents the resultant of those forces. Cf. Parallelogram of forces, under Parallelogram.

POLYGONACEOUS Pol`y*go*na"ceous, a. Etym: [See Polygonum.] (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order of apetalous plants (Polygonaceæ), of which the knotweeds (species of Polygonum) are the type, and which includes also the docks (Rumex), the buckwheat, rhubarb, sea grape (Coccoloba), and several other genera.

POLYGONAL Po*lyg"o*nal, a.

Defn: Having many angles. Polygonal numbers, certain figurate numbers. See under Figurate.

POLYGONEUTIC Pol`y*go*neu"tic, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having two or more broods in a season.

POLYGONOMETRY Pol`y*go*nom"e*try, n. Etym: [Polygon + -metry.]

Defn: The doctrine of polygons; an extension of some of the principles of trigonometry to the case of polygons.

POLYGONOUS Po*lyg"o*nous, a.

Defn: Polygonal.

POLYGONUM Po*lyg"o*num, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants embracing a large number of species, including bistort, knotweed, smartweed, etc.

POLYGONY Po*lyg"o*ny, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Polygonum.

POLYGORDIUS Pol`y*gor"di*us, n. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Gordius.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of marine annelids, believed to be an ancient or ancestral type. It is remarkable for its simplicity of structure and want of parapodia. It is the type of the order Archiannelida, or Gymnotoma. See Loeven's larva.

POLYGRAM Pol"y*gram, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A figure consisting of many lines. [R.] Barlow.

POLYGRAPH Pol"y*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. polygraphe.]

1. An instrument for multiplying copies of a writing; a manifold writer; a copying machine.

2. In bibliography, a collection of different works, either by one or several authors. Brande & C.

POLYGRAPHIC; POLYGRAPHICAL Pol`y*graph"ic, Pol`y*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. polygraphique.]

Defn: Pertaining to, or employed in, polygraphy; as, a polygraphic instrument.

2. Done with a polygraph; as, a polygraphic copy.

POLYGRAPHY Po*lyg"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. polygraphie.]

1. Much writing; writing of many books. [Obs.] Fuller.

2. The art of writing in various ciphers, and of deciphering the same. [R.]

3. The art or practice of using a polygraph.

POLYGROOVED Pol"y*grooved`, a. Etym: [Poly- + groove.]

Defn: Having many grooves; as, a polygrooved rifle or gun (referring to the rifling).

POLYGYN Pol"y*gyn, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polygyne. See Polygyny.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the order Polygynia.

POLYGYNIA Pol`y*gyn"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polygyny.] (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan order of plants having many styles.

POLYGYNIAN; POLYGYNOUS Pol`y*gyn"i*an, Po*lyg"y*nous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having many styles; belonging to the order Polygynia.

POLYGYNIST Po*lyg"y*nist, n.

Defn: One who practices or advocates polygyny. H. Spenser.

POLYGYNY Po*lyg"y*ny, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: The state or practice of having several wives at the same time; marriage to several wives. H. Spenser.

POLYHALITE Pol`y*ha"lite, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A mineral usually occurring in fibrous masses, of a brick-red color, being tinged with iron, and consisting chiefly of the sulphates of lime, magnesia, and soda.

POLYHEDRAL; POLYHEDRICAL Pol`y*he"dral, Pol`y*hed"ric*al, a. Etym: [See Polyhedron.] (Geom.)

Defn: Having many sides, as a solid body. Polyhedral angle, an angle bounded by three or more plane angles having a common vertex.

POLYHEDRON Pol`y*he"dron, n.; pl. E. Polyhedrons., L. Polyhedra. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. polyèdre.]

1. (Geom.)

Defn: A body or solid contained by many sides or planes.

2. (Opt.)

Defn: A polyscope, or multiplying glass.

POLYHEDROUS Pol`y*he"drous, a.

Defn: Polyhedral.

POLYHISTOR Pol`y*his"tor, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: One versed in various learning. [R.]

POLYHYMNIA Pol`y*hym"ni*a, n. Etym: [L., from Gr. (Anc. Myth.)

Defn: The Muse of lyric poetry.

POLYIODIDE Pol`y*i"o*dide, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A iodide having more than one atom of iodine in the molecule.

POLYLOGY Po*lyl"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Talkativeness. [R.]

POLYLOQUENT Po*lyl"o*quent, a. Etym: [Poly- + L. loquens, p. pr. of logui to speak.]

Defn: Garrulous; loquacious. [R.]

POLYMASTISM Pol`y*mas"tism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The condition of having more than two mammæ, or breasts.

POLYMATHIC Pol`y*math"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. polymathique. See Polymathy.]

Defn: Pertaining to polymathy; acquainted with many branches of learning.

POLYMATHIST Po*lym"a*thist, n.

Defn: One versed in many sciences; a person of various learning.

POLYMATHY Po*lym"a*thy, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: The knowledge of many arts and sciences; variety of learning. Johnson.

POLYMENISCOUS Pol`y*me*nis"cous, a. Etym: [See Poly-, and Meniscus.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having numerous facets; -- said of the compound eyes of insects and crustaceans.

POLYMER Pol"y*mer, n. Etym: [See Polymeric.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any one of two or more substances related to each other by polymerism; specifically, a substance produced from another substance by chemical polymerization. [Formerly also written polymere.]

POLYMERIC Pol`y*mer"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: Having the same percentage composition (that is, having the same elements united in the same proportion by weight), but different molecular weights; -- often used with with; thus, cyanic acid (CNOH), fulminic acid (C2N2O2H2), and cyanuric acid (C3N3O3H3), are polymeric with each other.

Note: The figures expressing the number of atoms of each element in a number of polymeric substances are respectively multiples and factors of each other, or have some simple common divisor. The relation may be merely a numerical one, as in the example given above, or a chemical one, as in the case of aldehyde, paraldehyde, and metaldehyde.

POLYMERISM Po*lym"er*ism, n. (Chem.) (a) The state, quality, or relation of two or more polymeric substances. (b) The act or process of forming polymers.

POLYMERIZATION Pol`y*mer`i*za"tion, n. (Chem.)

Defn: The act or process of changing to a polymeric form; the condition resulting from such change.

POLYMERIZE Pol"y*mer*ize, v. t. (Chem.)

Defn: To cause polymerization of; to produce polymers from; to increase the molecular weight of, without changing the atomic proportions; thus, certain acids polymerize aldehyde.

POLYMERIZE Pol"y*mer*ize, v. i. (Chem.)

Defn: To change into another substance having the same atomic proportions, but a higher molecular weight; to undergo polymerization; thus, aldehyde polymerizes in forming paraldehyde.

POLYMEROUS Po*lym"er*ous, a.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Having many parts or members in each set. Gray.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Polymeric. [Obs.]

POLYMNIA Po*lym"ni*a, n.

Defn: See Polyhymnia.

POLYMNITE Pol"ym*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A stone marked with dendrites and black lines, and so disposed as to represent rivers, marshes, etc.

POLYMORPH Pol"y*morph, n. Etym: [Gr. polymorphe.] (Crystallog.)

Defn: A substance capable of crystallizing in several distinct forms; also, any one of these forms. Cf. Allomorph.

POLYMORPHIC Pol`y*mor"phic, a.

Defn: Polymorphous.

POLYMORPHISM Pol`y*mor"phism, n.

1. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Same as Pleomorphism.

2. (Biol.) (a) The capability of assuming different forms; the capability of widely varying in form. (b) Existence in many forms; the coexistence, in the same locality, of two or more distinct forms independent of sex, not connected by intermediate gradations, but produced from common parents.

POLYMORPHOSIS Pol`y*mor*pho"sis, n. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Morphosis.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The assumption of several structural forms without a corresponding difference in function; -- said of sponges, etc.

POLYMORPHOUS Pol`y*mor"phous, a.

1. Having, or assuming, a variety of forms, characters, or styles; as, a polymorphous author. De Quincey.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: Having, or occurring in, several distinct forms; -- opposed to monomorphic.

POLYMORPHY Pol"y*mor`phy, n.

Defn: Existence in many forms; polymorphism.

POLY-MOUNTAIN Po`ly-moun"tain, n. (Bot.) (a) Same as Poly, n. (b) The closely related Teucrium montanum, formerly called Polium montanum, a plant of Southern Europe. (c) The Bartsia alpina, a low purple-flowered herb of Europe.

POLYMYODAE Pol`y*my"o*dæ, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polymyoid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Oscines.

POLYMYODOUS Pol`y*my"o*dous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Polymyoid.

POLYMYOID Po*lym"y*oid, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having numerous vocal muscles; of or pertaining to the Polymyodæ.

POLYNEME Pol"y*neme, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of tropical food fishes of the family Polynemidæ. They have several slender filaments, often very long, below the pectoral fin. Some of them yield isinglass of good quality. Called also threadfish.

POLYNEMOID Pol`y*ne"moid, a. Etym: [Polyneme + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the polynemes, or the family Polynemidæ.

POLYNESIAN Pol`y*ne"sian, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Polynesia (the islands of the eastern and central Pacific), or to the Polynesians.

POLYNESIANS Pol`y*ne"sians, n. pl.; sing. Polynesian. (Ethnol.)

Defn: The race of men native in Polynesia.

POLYNIA Po*lyn"i*a, n. Etym: [Russ. poluineia a warm place in water, i. e., a place which does not freeze.]

Defn: The open sea supposed to surround the north pole. Kane.

POLYNOMIAL Pol`y*no"mi*al, n. Etym: [Poly- + -nomial, as in monomial, binomial: cf. F. polynôme.] (Alg.)

Defn: An expression composed of two or more terms, connected by the signs plus or minus; as, a2 - 2ab + b2.

POLYNOMIAL Pol`y*no"mi*al, a.

1. Containing many names or terms; multinominal; as, the polynomial theorem.

2. Consisting of two or more words; having names consisting of two or more words; as, a polynomial name; polynomial nomenclature.

POLYNUCLEAR Pol`y*nu"cle*ar, a. Etym: [Poly- + nuclear.] (Biol.)

Defn: Containing many nuclei.

POLYNUCLEOLAR Pol`y*nu*cle"o*lar, a. Etym: [Poly- + nucleolar.] (Biol.)

Defn: Having more than one nucleolus.

POLYOMMATOUS Pol`y*om"ma*tous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: Having many eyes.

POLYONOMOUS Pol`y*on"o*mous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: Having many names or titles; polyonymous. Sir W. Jones.

POLYONOMY Pol`y*on"o*my, n. Etym: [Cf. Gr.

Defn: The use of a variety of names for the same object. G. S. Faber.

POLYONYM Pol"y*o*nym, n.

1. An object which has a variety of names.

2. A polynomial name or term.

POLYONYMOUS Pol`y*on"y*mous, a.

Defn: Polyonomous.

POLYOPTRON; POLYOPTRUM Pol`y*op"tron, Pol`y*op"trum, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Opt.)

Defn: A glass through which objects appear multiplied, but diminished in size. [R.]

POLYORAMA Pol`y*o*ra"ma, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: A view of many objects; also, a sort of panorama with dissolving views.

POLYP Pol"yp, n. Etym: [L. polypus, Gr. polype. See Poly- and Foot, and cf. Polypode, Polypody, Poulp.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the feeding or nutritive zooids of a hydroid or coral. (b) One of the Anthozoa. (c) pl.

Defn: Same as Anthozoa. See Anthozoa, Madreporaria, Hydroid. [Written also polype.] Fresh-water polyp, the hydra. -- Polyp stem (Zoöl.), that portion of the stem of a siphonophore which bears the polypites, or feeding zooids.

POLYPAROUS Po*lyp"a*rous, a. Etym: [Poly- + L. parere to produce.]

Defn: Producing or bearing a great number; bringing forth many.

POLYPARY Pol"y*pa*ry, n.; pl. Polyparies. Etym: [See Polyp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Polypidom.

POLYPE Pol"ype, n. Etym: [F.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Polyp.

POLYPEAN Pol`y*pe"an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a polyp, or polyps.

POLYPERYTHRIN Pol`y*pe*ryth"rin, n. Etym: [Polyp + Gr. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A coloring matter found in many simple Anthozoa and some hydroids.

POLYPETALOUS Pol`y*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Poly- + petal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Consisting of, or having, several or many separate petals; as, a polypetalous corolla, flower, or plant. Martyn.

POLYPHAGOUS Po*lyph"a*gous, a. Etym: [L. polyphagus, Gr. polyphage.]

Defn: Eating, or subsisting on, many kinds of food; as, polyphagous animals.

POLYPHAGY Po*lyph""a*gy, n.

Defn: The practice or faculty of subsisting on many kinds of food.

POLYPHARMACY Pol`y*phar"ma*cy, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. polypharmacie.] (Med.) (a) The act or practice of prescribing too many medicines. (b) A prescription made up of many medicines or ingredients. Dunglison.

POLYPHASE Pol"y*phase, a. [Poly- + phase.] (Elec.)

Defn: Having or producing two or more phases; multiphase; as, a polyphase machine, a machine producing two or more pressure waves of electro-motive force, differing in phase; a polyphase current.

POLYPHASER Pol"y*phas`er, n. (Elec.)

Defn: A machine generating more than one pressure wave; a multiphaser.

POLYPHEMUS Pol`y*phe"mus, n. Etym: [L. Polyphemus the one-eyed Cyclops who was blinded by Ulysses.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A very large American moth (Telea polyphemus) belonging to the Silkworm family (Bombycidæ). Its larva, which is very large, bright green, with silvery tubercles, and with oblique white stripes on the sides, feeds on the oak, chestnut, willow, cherry, apple, and other trees. It produces a large amount of strong silk. Called also American silkworm.

POLYPHONE Pol"y*phone, n.

Defn: A character or vocal sign representing more than one sound, as read, which is pronounced red or rèd.

POLYPHONIC Pol`y*phon"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. polyphone.]

1. Having a multiplicity of sounds.

2. Characterized by polyphony; as, Assyrian polyphonic characters.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: Consisting of several tone series, or melodic parts, progressing simultaneously according to the laws of counterpoint; contrapuntal; as, a polyphonic composition; -- opposed to homophonic, or monodic.

POLYPHONISM Po*lyph"o*nism, n.

Defn: Polyphony.

POLYPHONIST Po*lyph"o*nist, n.

1. A proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist.

2. (Mus.)

Defn: A master of polyphony; a contrapuntist.

POLYPHONOUS Po*lyph"o*nous, a.

Defn: Same as Polyphonic.

POLYPHONY Po*lyph"o*ny, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. Multiplicity of sounds, as in the reverberations of an echo.

2. Plurality of sounds and articulations expressed by the same vocal sign.

3. (Mus.)

Defn: Composition in mutually related, equally important parts which share the melody among them; contrapuntal composition; -- opposed to homophony, in which the melody is given to one part only, the others filling out the harmony. See Counterpoint.

POLYPHORE Pol"y*phore, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A receptacle which bears many ovaries.

POLYPHOTAL; POLYPHOTE Pol`y*pho"tal, Pol"y*phote, a. [Poly- + Gr., , light.] (Elec.)

Defn: Pertaining to or designating arc lamps so constructed that more than one can be used on a single circuit.

POLYPHYLETIC Pol`y*phy*let"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Biol.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or characterized by, descent from more than one root form, or from many different root forms; polygenetic; -- opposed to Ant: monophyletic.

POLYPHYLLOUS Po*lyph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Many-leaved; as, a polyphyllous calyx or perianth.

POLYPI Pol"y*pi, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Anthozoa.

POLYPIDE Pol"y*pide, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the ordinary zooids of the Bryozoa. [Spellt also polypid.]

POLYPIDOM Po*lyp"i*dom, n. Etym: [Polypus + L. domus house.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A coral, or corallum; also, one of the coral-like structure made by bryozoans and hydroids.

POLYPIER Po`ly`pier", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A polypidom.

POLYPIFERA Pol`y*pif"e*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Anthozoa.

POLYPIFEROUS Pol*y*pif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Polypus + -ferous.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Bearing polyps, or polypites.

POLYPIPAROUS Pol`y*pip"a*rous, a. Etym: [Polypus + L. parere to produce.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Producing polyps.

POLYPITE Pol"y*pite, n.

1. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the feeding zooids, or polyps, of a coral, hydroid, or siphonophore; a hydranth. See Illust. of Campanularian. (b) Sometimes, the manubrium of a hydroid medusa.

2. (Paleon.)

Defn: A fossil coral.

POLYPLACOPHORA Pol`y*pla*coph"o*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Placophora.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Placophora.

POLYPLASTIC Pol`y*plas"tic, a. Etym: [Poly- + -plastic.] (Biol.)

Defn: Assuming, or having the power of assuming, many forms; as, a polyplastic element which does not preserve its original shape.

POLYPODE Pol`y*pode, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polypode. See Polypody.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant of the genus Polypodium; polypody. [Written also polypod.]

POLYPODE Pol"y*pode, n. Etym: [Gr. polypode. See Polyp.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal having many feet; a myriapod.

POLYPODIUM Pol"y*po`di*um, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Polyp, and cf. 2d Polypode.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants of the order Filices or ferns. The fructifications are in uncovered roundish points, called sori, scattered over the inferior surface of the frond or leaf. There are numerous species.

POLYPODY Pol"y*po`dy, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Polypodium.

POLYPOID Pol"y*poid, a. Etym: [Polyp + -oid.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Like a polyp; having the nature of a polyp, but lacking the tentacles or other parts.

2. (Med.)

Defn: Resembling a polypus in appearance; having a character like that of a polypus.

POLYPOMEDUSAE Pol`y*po*me*du"sæ, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polyp, and Medusa.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Hydrozoa.

POLYPOROUS Po*lyp"o*rous, a. Etym: [Poly- + porous.]

Defn: Having many pores. Wright.

POLYPORUS Po*lyp"o*rus, n.; pl. Polypori. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of fungi having the under surface full of minute pores; also, any fungus of this genus.

Note: Polyporus fomentarius was formerly dried and cut in slices for tinder, called amadou. P. betulinus is common in America, and forms very large thick white semicircular excrescences on birch trees. Several species of Polyporous are considered edible.

POLYPOUS Pol"y*pous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. polypeux. See Polyp.]

Defn: Of the nature of a polypus; having many feet or roots, like the polypus; affected with polypus.

POLYPRAGMATIC; POLYPRAGMATICAL Pol`y*prag*mat"ic, Pol`y*prag*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [Poly- + pragmatic, -ical.]

Defn: Overbusy; officious. [R.] Heywood.

POLYPRAGMATY Pol`y*prag"ma*ty, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: The state of being overbusy. [R.]

POLYPROTODONTA Pol`y*pro`to*don"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of marsupials in which there are more fore incisor teeth in each jaw.

POLYPTEROIDEI Po*lyp`te*roi"de*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polypterus, and -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A suborder of existing ganoid fishes having numerous fins along the back. The bichir, or Polypterus, is the type. See Illust. under Crossopterygian.

POLYPTERUS Po*lyp`te*rus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An African genus of ganoid fishes including the bichir.

POLYPTOTON Pol`yp*to"ton, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure by which a word is repeated in different forms, cases, numbers, genders, etc., as in Tennyson's line, -- "My own heart's heart, and ownest own, farewell."

POLYPUS Pol"y*pus, n.; pl. E. Polypuses, L. Polypi. Etym: [L. See Polyp.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Polyp.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A tumor, usually with a narrow base, somewhat resembling a pear, -- found in the nose, uterus, etc., and produced by hypertrophy of some portion of the mucous membrane.

POLYRHIZOUS Pol`y*rhi"zous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having numerous roots, or rootlets.

POLYSCHEMATIST Pol`y*sche"ma*tist, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr.

Defn: Having, or existing in, many different forms or fashions; multiform.

POLYSCOPE Pol"y*scope, n. Etym: [Gr. polyscope.]

1. (Opt.)

Defn: A glass which makes a single object appear as many; a multiplying glass. Hutton.

2. (Med.)

Defn: An apparatus for affording a view of the different cavities of the body.

POLYSEPALOUS Pol`y*sep"al*ous, a. Etym: [Poly- + sepal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the sepals separate from each other.

POLYSILICIC Pol`y*si*lic"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + silicic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to compounds formed by the condensation of two or more molecules of silicic acid. Polysilicic acid (Chem.), any one of a series of acids formed by the condensation of two or more molecules of silicic acid, with elimination of water.

POLYSPAST Pol"y*spast, n. Etym: [L. polyspaston, fr. Gr. polyspaste.] (Surg.)

Defn: A machine consisting of many pulleys; specifically, an apparatus formerly used for reducing luxations.

POLYSPERMOUS Pol`y*sper"mous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Containing many seeds; as, a polyspermous capsule or berry. Martyn.

POLYSPERMY Pol"y*sper`my, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Fullness of sperm, or seed; the passage of more than one spermatozoön into the vitellus in the impregnation of the ovum.

POLYSPOROUS Pol`y*spor"ous, a. Etym: [Poly- + spore.] (Bot.)

Defn: Containing many spores.

POLYSTOMATA Pol`y*stom"a*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of trematode worms having more two suckers. Called also Polystomea and Polystoma.

POLYSTOME Pol"y*stome, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having many mouths.

POLYSTOME Pol"y*stome, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal having many mouths; -- applied to Protozoa.

POLYSTYLE Pol"y*style, a. Etym: [Gr. polystyle.] (Arch.)

Defn: Having many columns; -- said of a building, especially of an interior part or court; as, a polystyle hall. -- n.

Defn: A polystyle hall or edifice.

POLYSULPHIDE Pol`y*sul"phide, n. Etym: [Poly- + sulphide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A sulphide having more than one atom of sulphur in the molecule; -- contrasted with monosulphide.

POLYSULPHURET Pol`y*sul"phu*ret, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A polysulphide. [Obsoles.]

POLYSYLLABIC; POLYSYLLABICAL Pol`y*syl*lab"ic, Pol`y*syl*lab"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. polysyllabique.]

Defn: Pertaining to a polysyllable; containing, or characterized by, polysyllables; consisting of more than three syllables.

POLYSYLLABICISM Pol`y*syl*lab"i*cism, n.

Defn: Polysyllabism.

POLYSYLLABICITY Pol`y*syl`la*bic"i*ty, n.

Defn: Polysyllabism.

POLYSYLLABISM Pol`y*syl"la*bism, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being polysyllabic.

POLYSYLLABLE Pol"y*syl`la*ble, n. Etym: [Poly- + syllable.]

Defn: A word of many syllables, or consisting of more syllables than three; -- words of less than four syllables being called monosyllables, dissyllables, and trisyllables.

POLYSYNDETIC Pol`y*syn*det"ic, a.

Defn: Characterized by polysyndeton, or the multiplication of conjunctions. -- Pol`y*syn*det"ic*al*ly, adv.

POLYSYNDETON Pol`y*syn"de*ton, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure by which the conjunction is often repeated, as in the sentence, "We have ships and men and money and stores." Opposed to asyndeton.

POLYSYNTHESIS Pol`y*syn"the*sis, n. Etym: [Poly- + synthesis.]

1. The act or process of combining many separate elements into a whole.

2. (Philol.)

Defn: The formation of a word by the combination of several simple words, as in the aboriginal languages of America; agglutination. Latham.

POLYSYNTHETIC Pol`y*syn*thet"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + synthetic.]

Defn: Characterized by polysynthesis; agglutinative. Polysynthetic twinning (Min.), repeated twinning, like that of the triclinic feldspar, producing fine parallel bands in alternately reversed positions.

POLYSYNTHETICISM Pol`y*syn*thet"i*cism, n.

Defn: Polysynthesis.

POLYTECHNIC Pol`y*tech"nic, a. Etym: [Gr. polytechnique.]

Defn: Comprehending, or relating to, many arts and sciences; -- applied particularly to schools in which many branches of art and science are taught with especial reference to their practical application; also to exhibitions of machinery and industrial products.

POLYTECHNICAL Pol`y*tech"nic*al, a.

Defn: Polytechnic.

POLYTECHNICS Pol`y*tech"nics, n.

Defn: The science of the mechanic arts.

POLYTHALAMIA Pol`y*tha*la"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polythalamous.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Foraminifera including those having a manychambered shell.

POLYTHALAMOUS Pol`y*thal"a*mous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Many-chambered; -- applied to shells of Foraminifera and cephalopods. See Illust. of Nautilus.

POLYTHEISM Pol"y*the*ism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. polythéisme.]

Defn: The doctrine of, or belief in, a plurality of gods. In the Old Testament, the gradual development of polytheism from the primitive monotheism may be learned. Shaff-Herzog.

POLYTHEIST Pol"y*the*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polythéiste.]

Defn: One who believes in, or maintains the doctrine of, a plurality of gods.

POLYTHEISTIC; POLYTHEISTICAL Pol`y*the*is"tic, Pol`y*the*is"tic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to polytheism; characterized by polytheism; professing or advocating polytheism; as, polytheistic worship; a polytheistic author, or nation. -- Pol`y*the*is"tic*al*ly, adv.

POLYTHEIZE Pol"y*the*ize, v. i.

Defn: To adhere to, advocate, or inculcate, the doctrine of polytheism. Milman.

POLYTHELISM Pol`y*the"lism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. qhlh` a nipple.] (Anat.)

Defn: The condition of having more than two teats, or nipples.

POLYTOCOUS Po*lyt"o*cous, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing fruit repeatedly, as most perennial plants; polycarpic.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Producing many or young.

POLYTOMOUS Po*lyt"o*mous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Subdivided into many distinct subordinate parts, which, however, not being jointed to the petiole, are not true leaflets; -- said of leaves. Henslow.

POLYTOMY Po*lyt"o*my, n. (Logic)

Defn: A division into many members. F. Bowen.

POLYTUNGSTATE Pol`y*tung"state, n.

Defn: A salt of polytungstic acid.

POLYTUNGSTIC Pol`y*tung"stic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Containing several tungsten atoms or radicals; as, polytungstic acid. Polytungstic acid (Chem.), any one of several complex acids of tungsten containing more than one atom of tungsten.

POLYTYPE Pol"y*type, n. Etym: [Poly- + -type.] (Print.)

Defn: A cast, or facsimile copy, of an engraved block, matter in type, etc. (see citation); as, a polytype in relief. By pressing the wood cut into semifluid metal, an intaglio matrix is produced: and from this matrix, in a similar way, a polytype in relief is obtained. Hansard.

POLYTYPE Pol"y*type, a. (Print.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to polytypes; obtained by polytyping; as, a polytype plate.

POLYTYPE Pol"y*type, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polytyped; p. pr. & vb. n. Polytyping.] (Print.)

Defn: To produce a polytype of; as, to polytype an engraving.

POLYURIA Pol`y*u"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Urine.] (Med.)

Defn: A persistently excessive flow of watery urine, with low specific gravity and without the presence of either albumin or sugar. It is generally accompanied with more or less thirst.

POLYVALENT Po*lyv"a*lent, a. Etym: [Poly- + L. valens, p. pr. See Valent.] (Chem.)

Defn: Multivalent.

POLYVE Pol"yve, n. Etym: [See Polive.]

Defn: A pulley. [Obs.]

POLYZOA Pol`y*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Bryozoa. See Illust. under Bryozoa, and Phylactolæmata.

POLYZOAN Pol`y*zo"an, n. (Zoöl.) (a) Any species of Polyzoa; one of the Polyzoa. (b) A polyzoön.

POLYZOARIUM Pol`y*zo*a"ri*um, n.; pl. Polyzoaria. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Polyzoary.

POLYZOARY Pol`y*zo"a*ry, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The compound organism of a polyzoan.

POLYZONAL Pol`y*zon"al, a. Etym: [Poly- + zonal.]

Defn: Consisting of many zones or rings. Polyzonal lens (Opt.), a lens made up of pieces arranged zones or rings, -- used in the lanterns of lighthouses.

POLYZOON; POLYZOOEN Pol`y*zo"ön, n.; pl. Polyzoa. Etym: [NL. See Polyzoan.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the individual zooids forming the compound organism of a polyzoan.

POMACE Pom"ace, n. Etym: [L. ponum a fruit, LL., an apple: cf. LL. pomagium, pomacium.]

Defn: The substance of apples, or of similar fruit, crushed by grinding.

POMACENTROID Po`ma*cen"troid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Pomacentridæ, a family of bright-colored tropical fishes having spiny opercula; -- often called coral fishes.

POMACEOUS Po*ma"ceous, a. Etym: [LL. ponum an apple.]

1. (Bot.) (a) Like an apple or pear; producing pomes. (b) Of or pertaining to a suborder (Pomeæ) of rosaceous plants, which includes the true thorn trees, the quinces, service berries, medlars, and loquats, as well as the apples, pears, crabs, etc.

2. Like pomace.

POMADE Po*made", n. Etym: [F. pommade pomatum, OF. pomade cider (cf. Sp. pomada, It. pomata, LL. pomata a drink made of apples), from L. pomum fruit, LL., an apple. Cf. Pomatum.]

1. Cider. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

2. Perfumed ointment; esp., a fragrant unguent for the hair; pomatum; -- originally made from apples.

POMANDER Po*man"der, n. Etym: [Sp. poma.] (a) A perfume to be carried with one, often in the form of a ball. (b) A box to contain such perfume, formerly carried by ladies, as at the end of a chain; -- more properly pomander box. [Obs.] Bacon.

POMARINE Po"ma*rine, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the nostril covered with a scale. Pomarine jager (Zoöl.), a North Atlantic jager (Stercorarius pomarinus) having the elongated middle tail feathers obtuse. The adult is black.

POMATUM Po*ma"tum, n. Etym: [See Pomade.]

Defn: A perfumed unguent or composition, chiefly used in dressing the hair; pomade. Wiseman.

POMATUM Po*ma"tum, v. t.

Defn: To dress with pomatum.

POME Pome, n. Etym: [L. pomum a fruit: cf. F. pomme apple. Cf. Pomade.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A fruit composed of several cartilaginous or bony carpels inclosed in an adherent fleshy mass, which is partly receptacle and partly calyx, as an apple, quince, or pear.

2. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A ball of silver or other metal, which is filled with hot water, and used by the priest in cold weather to warm his hands during the service.

POME Pome, v. i. Etym: [Cf. F. pommer. See Pome, n.]

Defn: To grow to a head, or form a head in growing. [Obs.]

POMEGRANATE Pome"gran`ate, n. Etym: [OE. pomgarnet, OF. pome de grenate, F. grenade, L. pomum a fruit + granatus grained, having many grains or seeds. See Pome, and Garnet, Grain.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The fruit of the tree Punica Granatum; also, the tree itself (see Balaustine), which is native in the Orient, but is successfully cultivated in many warm countries, and as a house plant in colder climates. The fruit is as large as an orange, and has a hard rind containing many rather large seeds, each one separately covered with crimson, acid pulp.

2. A carved or embroidered ornament resembling a pomegranate. Ex. xxviii. 33.

POMEL Pom"el, n.

Defn: A pommel. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POMELO Pom"e*lo, n. Etym: [Cf. Pompelmous.]

Defn: A variety of shaddock, called also grape fruit.

POMELY Pome"ly, a. Etym: [OF. pomelé, F. pommelé. See Pome.]

Defn: Dappled. [Obs.] "Pomely gray." Chaucer.

POMERANIAN Pom`e*ra"ni*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Pomerania, a province of Prussia on the Baltic Sea. -- n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Pomerania. Pomeranian dog (Zoöl.), the loup-loup, or Spitz dog.

POMEWATER Pome"wa`ter, n.

Defn: A kind of sweet, juicy apple. [Written also pomwater.] Shak.

POMEY Pom"ey, n.; pl. Pomeys. Etym: [F. pommé grown round, or like an apple, p. p. of pommer to pome.] (Her.)

Defn: A figure supposed to resemble an apple; a roundel, -- always of a green color.

POMFRET Pom"fret, n. Etym: [Perhaps corrupt. fr. Pg. pampano a kind of fish.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of two or more species of marine food fishes of the genus Stromateus (S. niger, S. argenteus) native of Southern Europe and Asia. (b) A marine food fish of Bermuda (Brama Raji).

POMICULTURE Po"mi*cul`ture, n. [L. pomum fruit + cultura culture.] (Hort.)

Defn: The culture of fruit; pomology as an art.

POMIFEROUS Po*mif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. pomifer; pomum fruit + ferre to bear: cf. F. pomifère.] (Bot.) (a) Bearing pomes, or applelike fruits. (b) Bearing fruits, or excrescences, more or less resembling an apple.

POMMAGE Pom"mage (; 48), n.

Defn: See Pomage.

POMME Pom`mé", a. Etym: [F. See Pomey.] (Her.)

Defn: Having the ends terminating in rounded protuberances or single balls; -- said of a cross.

POMME BLANCHE Pomme` blanche". Etym: [F., literally, white apple.]

Defn: The prairie turnip. See under Prairie.

POMMEL Pom"mel, n. Etym: [OE. pomel, OF. pomel, F. pommeau, LL. pomellus, fr. L. pomum fruit, LL. also, an apple. See Pome.]

Defn: A knob or ball; an object resembling a ball in form; as: (a) The knob on the hilt of a sword. Macaulay. (b) The knob or protuberant part of a saddlebow. (c) The top (of the head). Chaucer. (d) A knob forming the finial of a turret or pavilion.

POMMEL Pom"mel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pommeled or Pommelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Pommeling or Pommelling.]

Defn: To beat soundly, as with the pommel of a sword, or with something knoblike; hence, to beat with the fists. [Written also pummel.]

POMMELION Pom*mel"ion, n. Etym: [See Pommel: cf. LL. pomilio pygmy.] (Mil.)

Defn: The cascabel, or hindmost knob, of a cannon. [R.]

POMMETTE Pom`met`té", a. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Having two balls or protuberances at each end; -- said of a cross.

POMOLOGICAL Po`mo*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pomologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to pomology.

POMOLOGIST Po*mol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in pomology; one who culticvates fruit trees.

POMOLOGY Po*mol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. pomum fruit + -logy: cf. F. pomologie.]

Defn: The science of fruits; a treatise on fruits; the cultivation of fruits and fruit trees.

POMONA Po*mo"na, n. Etym: [L., from pomum fruit.] (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of fruits and fruit trees.

POMP Pomp, n. Etym: [OE. pompe, F. pompe, L. pompa, fr. Gr. Pump a shoe.]

1. A procession distinguished by ostentation and splendor; a pageant. "All the pomps of a Roman triumph." Addison.

2. Show of magnificence; parade; display; power.

Syn. -- Display; parade; pageant; pageantry; splendor; state; magnificence; ostentation; grandeur; pride.

POMP Pomp, v. i.

Defn: To make a pompons display; to conduct. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

POMPADOUR Pom"pa*dour, n.

Defn: A crimson or pink color; also, a style of dress cut low and square in the neck; also, a mode of dressing the hair by drawing it straight back from the forehead over a roll; -- so called after the Marchioness de Pompadour of France. Also much used adjectively.

POMPANO Pom"pa*no, n. Etym: [Sp. pámpano.] [Written also pampano.] (Zoöl.)

1. Any one of several species of marine fishes of the genus Trachynotus, of which four species are found on the Atlantic coast of the United States; -- called also palometa.

Note: They have a brilliant silvery or golden luster, and are highly esteemed as food fishes. The round pompano (T. thomboides) and the Carolina pompano (T. Carolinus) are the most common. Other species occur on the Pacific coast.

2. A California harvest fish (Stromateus simillimus), highly valued as a food fish. Pompano shell (Zoöl.), a small bivalve shell of the genus Donax; -- so called because eaten by the pompano. [Florida]

POMPATIC Pom*pat"ic, a. Etym: [L. pompaticus.]

Defn: Pompous. [Obs.] Barrow.

POMPEIAN Pom*pe"ian, a. [L. Pompeianus.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of, Pompeii, an ancient city of Italy, buried by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 a. d., and partly uncovered by modern excavations.

POMPEIAN RED Pompeian red. (Art)

Defn: A brownish red approaching maroon, supposed to be imitated from the color of the wall panels of houses in Pompeii, which were decorated during the last age of the Republic.

POMPELMOUS Pom"pel*mous, n.; pl. Pompelmouses. Etym: [D. pompelmoes; cf. G. pompelmuse, F. pamplemousse, and F. pompoléon.] (Bot.)

Defn: A shaddock, esp. one of large size.

POMPET Pom"pet, n. Etym: [OF. pompette.] (Print.)

Defn: The ball formerly used to ink the type.

POMPHOLYX Pom"pho*lyx, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Old Chem.)

Defn: Impure zinc oxide.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A skin disease in which there is an eruption of bullæ, without inflammation or fever.

POMPILLION Pom*pil"lion, n.

Defn: An ointment or pomatum made of black poplar buds. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

POMPION Pom"pi*on, n. Etym: [OF. pompon. See Pumpkin.]

Defn: See Pumpion.

POMPIRE Pom"pire, n. Etym: [L. pomum a fruit, LL. also, an apple + pirum a pear.]

Defn: A pearmain. [Obs.]

POMPOLEON Pom*po"le*on, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Pompelmous.

POM-POM Pom"-pom`, n. [Imitative.]

Defn: A Vickers-Maxim one-pounder automatic machine cannon using metallic ammunition fed from a lopped belt attached to the gun; -- popularly so called from its peculiar drumming sound in action. Sometimes, any of other similar automatic cannons.

POMPON Pom"pon, n. Etym: [F.]

1. Any trifling ornament for a woman's dress or bonnet.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: A tuft or ball of wool, or the like, sometimes worn by soldiers on the front of the hat, instead of a feather.

POMPOSITY Pom*pos"i*ty, n.; pl. Pomposities (.

Defn: The quality or state of being pompous; pompousness. Thackeray.

POMPOSO Pom*po"so, a. & adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Grand and dignified; in grand style.

POMPOUS Pomp"ous, a. Etym: [F. pompeux, L. pomposus. See Pomp.]

1. Displaying pomp; stately; showy with grandeur; magnificent; as, a pompous procession.

2. Ostentatious; pretentious; boastful; vainlorious; as, pompous manners; a pompous style. "Pompous in high presumption." Chaucer. he pompous vanity of the old schoolmistress. Thackeray. -- Pom"ous*ly, adv. -- Pomp"ous*ness, n.

POMPTINE Pomp"tine, a.

Defn: See Pontine.

POMWATER Pom"wa`ter, n.

Defn: Same as Pomewater.

PONCELET Ponce"let, n. [After Jean Victor Poncelet, French engineer.] (Physics)

Defn: A unit of power, being the power obtained from an expenditure of one hundred kilogram-meters of energy per second. One poncelet equals g watts, when g is the value of the acceleration of gravity in centimeters.

PONCHO Pon"cho, n.; pl. Ponchos (. Etym: [Sp.]

1. A kind of cloak worn by the Spanish Americans, having the form of a blanket, with a slit in the middle for the head to pass through. A kind of poncho made of rubber or painted cloth is used by the mounted troops in the United States service.

2. A trade name for camlets, or stout worsteds.

POND Pond, n. Etym: [Probably originally, an inclosed body of water, and the same word as pound. See Pound an inclosure.]

Defn: A body of water, naturally or artificially confined, and usually of less extent than a lake. "Through pond or pool." Milton. Pond hen (Zoöl.), the American coot. See Coot (a). -- Pond lily (Bot.), the water lily. See under Water, and Illust. under Nymphæa. -- Pond snail (Zoöl.), any gastropod living in fresh-water ponds or lakes. The most common kinds are air-breathing snails (Pulmonifera) belonging to Limnæa, Physa, Planorbis, and allied genera. The operculated species are pectinibranchs, belonging to Melantho, Valvata, and various other genera. -- Pond spice (Bot.), an American shrub (Tetranthera geniculata) of the Laurel family, with small oval leaves, and axillary clusters of little yellow flowers. The whole plant is spicy. It grows in ponds and swamps from Virginia to Florida. -- Pond tortoise, Pond turtle (Zoöl.), any freshwater tortoise of the family Emydidæ. Numerous species are found in North America.

POND Pond, v. t.

Defn: To make into a pond; to collect, as water, in a pond by damming.

POND Pond, v. t. Etym: [See Ponder.]

Defn: To ponder. [Obs.] Pleaseth you, pond your suppliant's plaint. Spenser.

PONDER Pon"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pondered; p. pr. & vb. n. Pondering.] Etym: [L. ponderare, fr. pondus, ponderis, a weight, fr. pendere to weigh: cf. F. pondérer. See Pendant, and cf. Pound a weight.]

1. To weigh. [Obs.]

2. To weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully; to consider attentively. Ponder the path of thy feet. Prov. iv. 26.

Syn. -- To Ponder, Consider, Muse. To consider means to view or contemplate with fixed thought. To ponder is to dwell upon with long and anxious attention, with a view to some practical result or decision. To muse is simply to think upon continuously with no definite object, or for the pleasure it gives. We consider any subject which is fairly brought before us; we ponder a concern involving great interests; we muse on the events of childhood.

PONDER Pon"der, v. i.

Defn: To think; to deliberate; to muse; -- usually followed by on or over. Longfellow.

PONDERABILITY Pon`der*a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pondérabilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being ponderable.

PONDERABLE Pon"der*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. ponderabilis: cf. F. pondérable.]

Defn: Capable of being weighed; having appreciable weight. -- Pon"der*a*ble*ness, n.

PONDERAL Pon"der*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pondéral.]

Defn: Estimated or ascertained by weight; -- distinguished from numeral; as, a ponderal drachma. [R.] Arbuthnot.

PONDERANCE Pon"der*ance, n. Etym: [L. ponderans, p. pr. of ponderare to weigh: cf. OF. ponderant of weight.]

Defn: Weight; gravity. [R.] Gregory.

PONDERARY Pon"der*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to weight; as, a ponderary system. [R.] M'Culloch.

PONDERATE Pon"der*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. ponderatus, p. p. of ponderare. See Ponder.]

Defn: To consider; to ponder. [R.]

PONDERATE Pon"der*ate, v. i.

Defn: To have weight or influence. [R.]

PONDERATION Pon`der*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. ponderatio: cf. F. pondération.]

Defn: The act of weighing. [R.] Arbuthnot.

PONDERER Pon"der*er, n.

Defn: One who ponders.

PONDERING Pon"der*ing, a.

Defn: Deliberating. -- Pon"der*ing*ly, adv.

PONDEROSITY Pon`der*os"i*ty, n.; pl. Ponderosities. Etym: [OF. ponderosité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being ponderous; weight; gravity; heaviness, ponderousness; as, the ponderosity of gold. Ray.

PONDEROUS Pon"der*ous, a. Etym: [L. ponderosus, from pondus, -eris, a weight: cf. F. pondéreux. See Ponder.]

1. Very heavy; weighty; as, a ponderous shield; a ponderous load; the ponderous elephant. The sepulcher . . . Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws. Shak.

2. Important; momentous; forcible. "Your more ponderous and settled project." Shak.

3. Heavy; dull; wanting; lightless or spirit; as, a ponderous style; a ponderous joke. Ponderous spar (Min.), heavy spar, or barytes. See Barite.

PONDEROUSLY Pon"der*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a ponderous manner.

PONDEROUSNESS Pon"der*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being ponderous; ponderosity.

PONDFISH Pond"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of American fresh-water fishes belonging to the family Centrarchidæ; -- called also pond perch, and sunfish.

Note: The common pondfish of New England (Lepomis gibbosus) is called also bream, pumpkin seed, and sunny. See Sunfish. The long-eared pondfish (Lepomis auritus) of the Eastern United States is distinguished by its very long opercular flap.

PONDWEED Pond"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any aquatic plant of the genus Potamogeton, of which many species are found in ponds or slow-moving rivers. Choke pondweed, an American water weed (Anarcharis, or Elodea, Canadensis.) See Anacharis. -- Horned pondweed, the Zannichellia palustris, a slender, branching aquatic plant, having pointed nutlets.

PONE Pone, n. Etym: [Of Amer. Indian origin.]

Defn: A kind of johnnycake. [Written also paune.] [Southern U. S.]

PONENT Po"nent, a. Etym: [OF., fr. It. ponente, properly, setting (applied to the setting sun), fr. L. ponens, p. pr. of ponere to set, put.]

Defn: Western; occidental. [R.] Forth rush the levant and the ponent winds. Milton.

PONGEE Pon*gee", n. Etym: [Of East Indian origin.]

Defn: A fabric of undyed silk from India and China.

PONGHEE Pon*ghee", n. Etym: [From the native name.]

Defn: A Buddhist priest of the higher orders in Burmah. Malcom.

PONGO Pon"go, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any large ape; especially, the chimpanzee and the orang-outang.

PONIARD Pon"iard, n. Etym: [F. poignard (cf. It. pugnale, Sp. puñal), fr. L. pugio, -onis; probably akin to pugnus fist, or fr. pugnus fist, as held in the fist. See Pugnacious.]

Defn: A kind of dagger, -- usually a slender one with a triangular or square blade. She speaks poniards, and every word stabs. Shak.

PONIARD Pon"iard, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poniarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Poniarding.]

Defn: To pierce with a poniard; to stab. Cowper.

PONIBILITY Po`ni*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. ponere to place.]

Defn: The capability of being placed or located. [Obs.] Barrow.

PONS Pons, n.; pl. Pontes. Etym: [L., a bridge.] (Anat.)

Defn: A bridge; -- applied to several parts which connect others, but especially to the pons Varolii, a prominent band of nervous tissue situated on the ventral side of the medulla oblongata and connected at each side with the hemispheres of the cerebellum; the mesocephalon. See Brain. Pons asinorum. Etym: [L., literally, bridge of asses.] See Asses' bridge, under Ass.

PONTAGE Pon"tage (; 48), n. Etym: [LL. pontagium, from L. pons, pontis, a bridge: cf. F. pontage.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A duty or tax paid for repairing bridges. Ayliffe.

PONTEE Pon*tee", n. Etym: [F. pontil, pontis.] (Glass Making)

Defn: An iron rod used by glass makers for manipulating the hot glass; -- called also, puntil, puntel, punty, and ponty. See Fascet.

PONTIC Pon"tic, a. Etym: [L. Ponticus, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Pontus, Euxine, or Black Sea.

PONTIFEX Pon"ti*fex, n.; pl. Pontifices. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A high priest; a pontiff.

PONTIFF Pon"tiff, n. Etym: [F. pontife, L. pontifex, -ficis; pons, pontis, a bridge (perhaps originally, a way, path) + facere to make. Cf. Pontoon.]

Defn: A high priest. Especially: (a) One of the sacred college, in ancient Rome, which had the supreme jurisdiction over all matters of religion, at the head of which was the Pontifex Maximus. Dr. W. Smith. (b) (Jewish Antiq.) The chief priest. (c) (R. C. Ch.) The pope.

PONTIFIC Pon*tif"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. L. pontificius.]

1. Relating to, or consisting of, pontiffs or priests. "The pontific college with their augurs and flamens." Milton.

2. Of or pertaining to the pope; papal. Shenstone.

PONTIFICAL Pon*tif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. pontificalis: cf. F. pontifical. See Pontiff.]

1. Of or pertaining to a pontiff, or high priest; as, pontifical authority; hence, belonging to the pope; papal.

2. Of or pertaining to the building of bridges. [R.] Now had they brought the work by wondrous art Pontifical, a ridge of pendent rock Over the vexed abyss. Milton.

PONTIFICAL Pon*tif"ic*al, n. Etym: [F.]

1. A book containing the offices, or formulas, used by a pontiff. South.

2. pl.

Defn: The dress and ornaments of a pontiff. "Dressed in full pontificals." Sir W. Scott.

PONTIFICALITY Pon*tif`i*cal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state and government of the pope; the papacy. [R.] Bacon.

PONTIFICALLY Pon*tif"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pontifical manner.

PONTIFICATE Pon*tif"i*cate, n. Etym: [L. pontificatus: cf. F. pontificat. See Pontiff.]

1. The state or dignity of a high priest; specifically, the office of the pope. Addison.

2. The term of office of a pontiff. Milman.

PONTIFICATE Pon*tif"i*cate, v. i. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: To perform the duty of a pontiff.

PONTIFICE Pon"ti*fice, n. Etym: [L. pons, pontis, a bridge + facere to make. Cf. Pontiff.]

Defn: Bridgework; structure or edifice of a bridge. [R.] Milton.

PONTIFICIAL Pon`ti*fi"cial, a. Etym: [L. pontificius.]

Defn: Papal; pontifical. [Obs.] "Pontificial writers." Burton.

PONTIFICIAN Pon`ti*fi"cian, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pontiff or pope. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

PONTIFICIAN Pon`ti*fi"cian, n.

Defn: One who adheres to the pope or papacy; a papist. [Obs.] Bp. Montagu.

PONTIL Pon"til, n.

Defn: Same as Pontee.

PONTILE Pon"tile, a. Etym: [L. pontilis pertaining to a bridge.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pons Varolii. See Pons.

PONTINE Pon"tine, a. Etym: [L. Pontinus or Pomptinus, an appellation given to a district in Latium, near Pometia.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to an extensive marshy district between Rome and Naples. [Written also Pomptine.]

PONTLEVIS Pont"le*vis, n. Etym: [F., properly, a drawbridge.] (Man.)

Defn: The action of a horse in rearing repeatedly and dangerously.

PONTON Pon*ton", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Pontoon.

PONTOON Pon*toon", n. Etym: [F. ponton (cf. It. pontone), from L. ponto, - onis, fr. pons, pontis, a bridge, perhaps originally, a way, path: cf. Gr. path, pathi, panthan. Cf. Punt a boat.]

1. (Mil.)

Defn: A wooden flat-bottomed boat, a metallic cylinder, or a frame covered with canvas, India rubber, etc., forming a portable float, used in building bridges quickly for the passage of troops.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A low, flat vessel, resembling a barge, furnished with cranes, capstans, and other machinery, used in careening ships, raising weights, drawing piles, etc., chiefly in the Mediterranean; a lighter. Pontoon bridge, a bridge formed with pontoons. -- Pontoon train, the carriages of the pontoons, and the materials they carry for making a pontoon bridge.

Note: The French spelling ponton often appears in scientific works, but pontoon is more common form.

PONTOONING Pon*toon"ing, n.

Defn: The act, art, or process of constructing pontoon bridges. "Army instruction in pontooning." Gen. W. T. Shermah.

PONTVOLANT Pont`vo*lant" (; F. ), n. Etym: [F. pont bridge + volant flying.] (Mil.)

Defn: A kind of light bridge, used in sieges, for surprising a post or outwork which has but a narrow moat; a flying bridge.

PONTY Pon"ty, n. (Class Making)

Defn: See Pontee.

PONY Po"ny, n.; pl. Ponies (. [Written also poney.] Etym: [Gael. ponaidh.]

1. A small horse.

2. Twenty-five pounds sterling. [Slang, Eng.]

3. A translation or a key used to avoid study in getting lessons; a crib. [College Cant]

4. A small glass of beer. [Slang] Pony chaise, a light, low chaise, drawn by a pony or a pair of ponies. -- Pony engine, a small locomotive for switching cars from one track to another. [U.S.] -- Pony truck (Locomotive Engine), a truck which has only two wheels. -- Pony truss (Bridge Building), a truss which has so little height that overhead bracing can not be used.

POOD Pood, n. Etym: [Russ. pud'.]

Defn: A Russian weight, equal to forty Russian pounds or about thirty-six English pounds avoirdupois.

POODLE Poo"dle, n. Etym: [G. pudel.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A breed of dogs having curly hair, and often showing remarkable intelligence in the performance of tricks.

POOH Pooh, interj. Etym: [Of. imitative origin; cf. Icel. pu.]

Defn: Pshaw! pish! nonsense! -- an expression of scorn, dislike, or contempt.

POOH-POOH Pooh`-pooh", v. t.

Defn: To make light of; to treat with derision or contempt, as if by saying pooh! pooh! [Colloq.] Thackeray.

POOKOO Poo"koo, n. Etym: [From the native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A red African antelope (Kobus Vardoni) allied to the water buck.

POOL Pool, n. Etym: [AS. pol; akin to LG. pool, pohl, D. poel, G. pfuhl; cf. Icel. pollr, also W. pwll, Gael. poll.]

1. A small and rather deep collection of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream; a reservoir for water; as, the pools of Solomon. Wyclif. Charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. Bacon. The sleepy pool above the dam. Tennyson.

2. A small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle. "The filthy mantled pool beyond your cell." Shak.

POOL Pool, n. Etym: [F. poule, properly, a hen. See Pullet.] [Written also poule.]

1. The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a snare; also, the receptacle for the stakes.

2. A game at billiards, in which each of the players stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game; a game of skill in pocketing the balls on a pool table.

Note: This game is played variously, but commonly with fifteen balls, besides one cue ball, the contest being to drive the most balls into the pockets. He plays pool at the billiard houses. Thackeray.

3. In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners.

4. Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join.

5. A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed; as, the pool took all the wheat offered below the limit; he put $10,000 into the pool.

6. (Railroads)

Defn: A mutual arrangement between competing lines, by which the receipts of all are aggregated, and then distributed pro rata according to agreement.

7. (Law)

Defn: An aggregation of properties or rights, belonging to different people in a community, in a common fund, to be charged with common liabilities. Pin pool, a variety of the game of billiards in which small wooden pins are set up to be knocked down by the balls. -- Pool ball, one of the colored ivory balls used in playing the game at billiards called pool. -- Pool snipe (Zoöl.), the European redshank. [Prov. Eng.] -- Pool table, a billiard table with pockets.

POOL Pool, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pooled; p. pr. & vb. n. Pooling.]

Defn: To put together; to contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of; as, the companies pooled their traffic. Finally, it favors the poolingof all issues. U. S. Grant.

POOL Pool, v. i.

Defn: To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.

POOLER Pool"er, n.

Defn: A stick for stirring a tan vat.

POOLING Pool"ing, n. (Law)

Defn: The act of uniting, or an agreement to unite, an aggregation of properties belonging to different persons, with a view to common liabilities or profits.

POON Poon, n. Etym: [Canarese ponne.]

Defn: A name for several East Indian, or their wood, used for the masts and spars of vessels, as Calophyllum angustifolium, C. inophullum, and Sterculia foetida; -- called also peon.

POONAC Poo"nac, n.

Defn: A kind of oil cake prepared from the cocoanut. See Oil cake, under Cake.

POONAH PAINTING Poo"nah paint`ing. [From Poona, in Bombay Province, India.]

Defn: A style of painting, popular in England in the 19th century, in which a thick opaque color is applied without background and with scarcely any shading, to thin paper, producing flowers, birds, etc., in imitation of Oriental work. Hence: Poonah brush, paper, painter, etc.

POONGA OIL Poon"ga oil`.

Defn: A kind of oil used in India for lamps, and for boiling with dammar for pitching vessels. It is pressed from the seeds of a leguminous tree (Pongamia glabra).

POOP Poop, n. (Arch.)

Defn: See 2d Poppy.

POOP Poop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pooped; p. pr. & vb. n. Pooping.] Etym: [Cf. D. poepen. See Pop.]

Defn: To make a noise; to pop; also, to break wind.

POOP Poop, n. Etym: [F. poupe; cf. Sp. & Pg. popa, It. poppa; all fr. L. puppis.] (Naut.)

Defn: A deck raised above the after part of a vessel; the hindmost or after part of a vessel's hull; also, a cabin covered by such a deck. See Poop deck, under Deck. See also Roundhouse. With wind in poop, the vessel plows the sea. Dryden. The poop was beaten gold. Shak.

POOP Poop, v. t. (Naut.) (a) To break over the poop or stern, as a wave. "A sea which he thought was going to poop her." Lord Dufferin. (b) To strike in the stern, as by collision.

POOPED Pooped, p. p. & a. (Naut.) (a) Having a poop; furnished with a poop. (b) Struck on the poop.

POOPING Poop"ing, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The act or shock of striking a vessel's stern by a following wave or vessel.

POOR Poor, a. [Compar. Poorer (; 254); superl. Poorest.] Etym: [OE. poure or povre, OF. povre, F. pauvre, L. pauper; the first syllable of which is probably akin to paucus few (see Paucity, Few), and the second to parare to prepare, procure. See Few, and cf. Parade, Pauper, Poverty.]

1. Destitute of property; wanting in material riches or goods; needy; indigent.

Note: It is often synonymous with indigent and with necessitous denoting extreme want. It is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but who are not rich; as, a poor man or woman; poor people.

2. (Law)

Defn: So completely destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public.

3. Hence, in very various applications:

Defn: Destitute of such qualities as are desirable, or might naturally be expected; as: (a) Wanting in fat, plumpness, or fleshiness; lean; emaciated; meager; as, a poor horse, ox, dog, etc. "Seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed." Gen. xli. 19. (b) Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as, poor health; poor spirits. "His genius . . . poor and cowardly." Bacon. (c) Of little value or worth; not good; inferior; shabby; mean; as, poor clothes; poor lodgings. "A poor vessel." Clarendon. (d) Destitute of fertility; exhausted; barren; sterile; -- said of land; as, poor soil. (e) Destitute of beauty, fitness, or merit; as, a poor discourse; a poor picture. (f) Without prosperous conditions or good results; unfavorable; unfortunate; unconformable; as, a poor business; the sick man had a poor night. (g) Inadequate; insufficient; insignificant; as, a poor excuse. That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day. Calamy.

4. Worthy of pity or sympathy; -- used also sometimes as a term of endearment, or as an expression of modesty, and sometimes as a word of contempt. And for mine own poor part, Look you, I'll go pray. Shak. Poor, little, pretty, fluttering thing. Prior.

5. Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Matt. v. 3. Poor law, a law providing for, or regulating, the relief or support of the poor. -- Poor man's treacle (Bot.), garlic; -- so called because it was thought to be an antidote to animal poison. [Eng] Dr. Prior. -- Poor man's weatherglass (Bot.), the red-flowered pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), which opens its blossoms only in fair weather. -- Poor rate, an assessment or tax, as in an English parish, for the relief or support of the poor. -- Poor soldier (Zoöl.), the friar bird. -- The poor, those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy. In a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public. "I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor, the less they provide for themselves." Franklin.

POOR Poor, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European codfish (Gadus minutus); -- called also power cod.

POORBOX Poor"box`, n.

Defn: A receptacle in which money given for the poor is placed.

POORHOUSE Poor"house`, n.

Defn: A dwelling for a number of paupers maintained at public expense; an almshouse; a workhouse.

POOR-JOHN Poor"-john`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European fish, similar to the cod, but of inferior quality. Poor-john and apple pies are all our fare. Sir J. Harrington.

POORLINESS Poor"li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being poorly; ill health.

POORLY Poor"ly, adv.

1. In a poor manner or condition; without plenty, or sufficiency, or suitable provision for comfort; as, to live poorly.

2. With little or no success; indifferently; with little profit or advantage; as, to do poorly in business.

3. Meanly; without spirit. Nor is their courage or their wealth so low, That from his wars they poorly would retire. Dryden.

4. Without skill or merit; as, he performs poorly. Poorly off, not well off; not rich.

POORLY Poor"ly, a.

Defn: Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health. "Having been poorly in health." T. Scott.

POORNESS Poor"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being poor (in any of the senses of the adjective). Bacon.

POOR-SPIRITED Poor"-spir`it*ed, a.

Defn: Of a mean spirit; cowardly; base. -- Poor"-spir`it*ed*ness, n.

POOR-WILL Poor"-will`, n. Etym: [So called in imitation of its note.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird of the Western United States (Phalænoptilus Nutalli) allied to the whip-poor-will.

POOR-WILLIE Poor"-wil`lie, n. Etym: [So called in imitation of its note.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The bar-tailed godwit. [Prov. Eng.]

POP Pop, n. Etym: [Of imitative origin. Cf. Poop.]

1. A small, sharp, quick explosive sound or report; as, to go off with a pop. Addison.

2. An unintoxicating beverage which expels the cork with a pop from the bottle containing it; as, ginger pop; lemon pop, etc. Hood.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European redwing. [Prov. Eng.] Pop corn. (a) Corn, or maize, of peculiar excellence for popping; especially, a kind the grains of which are small and compact. (b) Popped corn; which has been popped.

POP Pop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Popped; p. pr. & vb. n. Popping.]

1. To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound; as, the muskets popped away on all sides.

2. To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart; -- with in, out, upon, off, etc. He that killed my king . . . Popp'd in between the election and my hopes. Shak. A trick of popping up and down every moment. Swift.

3. To burst open with a pop, when heated over a fire; as, this corn pops well.

POP Pop, v. t.

1. To thrust or push suddenly; to offer suddenly; to bring suddenly and unexpectedly to notice; as, to pop one's head in at the door. He popped a paper into his hand. Milton.

2. To cause to pop; to cause to burst open by heat, as grains of Indian corn; as, to pop corn or chestnuts. To pop off, to thrust away, or put off promptly; as, to pop one off with a denial. Locke. -- To pop the question, to make an offer of marriage to a lady. [Colloq.] Dickens.

POP Pop, adv.

Defn: Like a pop; suddenly; unexpectedly. "Pop goes his plate." Beau. & Fl.

POPE Pope, n. Etym: [AS. papa, L. papa father, bishop. Cf. Papa, Papal.]

1. Any ecclesiastic, esp. a bishop. [Obs.] Foxe.

2. The bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. See Note under Cardinal.

3. A parish priest, or a chaplain, of the Greek Church.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fish; the ruff. Pope Joan, a game at cards played on a round board with compartments. -- Pope's eye, the gland surrounded with fat in the middle of the thigh of an ox or sheep. R. D. Blackmore. -- Pope's nose, the rump, or uropygium, of a bird. See Uropygium.

POPEDOM Pope"dom, n. Etym: [AS. papedom.]

1. The place, office, or dignity of the pope; papal dignity. Shak.

2. The jurisdiction of the pope.

POPELING Pope"ling, n.

1. A petty or deputy pope.

2. An adherent of the pope. [R.] Marlowe.

POPELOTE Pop"e*lote, n.

Defn: A word variously explained as "a little puppet," "a little doll," or "a young butterfly." Cf. Popet. [Obs.] So gay a popelote, so sweet a wench. Chaucer.

POPERY Pop"er*y, n.

Defn: The religion of the Roman Catholic Church, comprehending doctrines and practices; -- generally used in an opprobrious sense.

POPE'S HEAD Pope's head.

Defn: A long-handled brush for dusting ceilings, etc., also for washing windows. [Cant]

POPET Pop"et, n.

Defn: A puppet. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POPGUN Pop"gun`, n.

Defn: A child's gun; a tube and rammer for shooting pellets, with a popping noise, by compression of air.

POPINJAY Pop"in*jay, n. Etym: [OE. popingay, papejay, OF. papegai, papegaut; cf. Pr. papagai, Sp. & Pg. papagayo, It. pappagallo, LGr. gallus cock, or the same word as E. jay, F. geai. Cf. Papagay.]

1. (Zoöl.) (a) The green woodpecker. (b) A parrot. The pye and popyngay speak they know not what. Tyndale.

2. A target in the form of a parrot. [Scot.]

3. A trifling, chattering, fop or coxcomb. "To be so pestered with a popinjay." Shak.

POPISH Pop"ish, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pope; taught or ordained by the pope; hence, of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church; -- often used opprobriously. -- Pop"ish*ly, adv. -- Pop"ish*ness, n.

POPLAR Pop"lar, n. Etym: [OE. popler, OF. poplier, F. peuplier, fr. L. populus poplar.] (Bot.)

1. Any tree of the genus Populus; also, the timber, which is soft, and capable of many uses.

Note: The aspen poplar is Populus tremula and P. tremuloides; Balsam poplar is P. balsamifera; Lombardy poplar (P. dilatata) is a tall, spiry tree; white poplar is Populus alba.

2. The timber of the tulip tree; -- called also white poplar. [U.S.]

POPLEXY Po*plex"y, n.

Defn: Apoplexy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POPLIN Pop"lin, n. Etym: [F. popeline, papeline.]

Defn: A fabric of many varieties, usually made of silk and worsted, - - used especially for women's dresses. Irish poplin, a fabric with silk warp and worsted weft, made in Ireland.

POPLITEAL Pop*lit"e*al, a. Etym: [From L. poples, -itis, the ham.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the ham; in the region of the ham, or behind the knee joint; as, the popliteal space.

POPLITIC Pop*lit"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Popliteal.

POPOVTSY Po*pov"tsy, n. pl. [Russ., prop., those having popes or priests.]

Defn: See Raskolnik.

POPPER Pop"per, n.

Defn: A utensil for popping corn, usually a wire basket with a long handle.

POPPER Pop"per, n.

Defn: A dagger. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POPPET Pop"pet, n.

1. See Puppet.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: One of certain upright timbers on the bilge ways, used to support a vessel in launching. Totten.

3. (Mach.)

Defn: An upright support or guide fastened at the bottom only. Poppet head, Puppet head. See Headstock (a).

POPPIED Pop"pied, a. Etym: [See 1st Poppy.]

1. Mingled or interspersed with poppies. "Poppied corn." Keats.

2. Affected with poppy juice; hence, figuratively, drugged; drowsy; listless; inactive. [R.] The poppied sails doze on the yard. Lowell.

POPPING Pop"ping,

Defn: a. & n. from Pop. Popping crease. (Cricket) See under Crease.

POPPLE Pop"ple, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Pop.]

Defn: To move quickly up and down; to bob up and down, as a cork on rough water; also, to bubble. Cotton.

POPPLE Pop"ple, n.

1. The poplar. [Prov. Eng. & Local, U. S.]

2. Tares. [Obs.] "To sow popple among wheat." Bale.

POPPY Pop"py, n.; pl. Poppies. Etym: [OE. popy, AS. popig, L. papaver.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant or species of the genus Papaver, herbs with showy polypetalous flowers and a milky juice. From one species (Papaver somniferum) opium is obtained, though all the species contain it to some extent; also, a flower of the plant. See Illust. of Capsule. California poppy (Bot.), any yellow-flowered plant of the genus Eschscholtzia. -- Corn poppy. See under Corn. -- Horn, or Horned, poppy. See under Horn. -- Poppy bee (Zoöl.), a leaf-cutting bee (Anthocopa papaveris) which uses pieces cut from poppy petals for the lining of its cells; -- called also upholsterer bee. -- Prickly poppy (Bot.), Argemone Mexicana, a yellow-flowered plant of the Poppy family, but as prickly as a thistle. -- Poppy seed, the seed the opium poppy (P. somniferum). -- Spatling poppy (Bot.), a species of Silene (S. inflata). See Catchfly.

POPPY; POPPYHEAD Pop"py, Pop"py*head`, n. Etym: [F. poupée doll, puppet. See Puppet.] (Arch.)

Defn: A raised ornament frequently having the form of a final. It is generally used on the tops of the upright ends or elbows which terminate seats, etc., in Gothic churches.

POPULACE Pop"u*lace, n. Etym: [F. populace, fr. It. popolaccio, popolazzo, fr. popolo people, L. populus. See People.]

Defn: The common people; the vulgar; the multitude, -- comprehending all persons not distinguished by rank, office, education, or profession. Pope. To . . . calm the peers and please the populace. Daniel. They . . . call us Britain's barbarous populaces. Tennyson.

Syn. -- Mob; people; commonalty.

POPULACY Pop"u*la*cy, n.

Defn: Populace. [Obs.] Feltham.

POPULAR Pop"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. popularis, fr. populus people: cf. F. populaire. See People.]

1. Of or pertaining to the common people, or to the whole body of the people, as distinguished from a select portion; as, the popular voice; popular elections. "Popular states." Bacon. "So the popular vote inclines." Milton. The commonly held in popular estimation are greatest at a distance. J. H. Newman.

2. Suitable to common people; easy to be comprehended; not abstruse; familiar; plain. Homilies are plain popular instructions. Hooker.

3. Adapted to the means of the common people; possessed or obtainable by the many; hence, cheap; common; ordinary; inferior; as, popular prices; popular amusements. The smallest figs, called popular figs, . . . are, of all others, the basest and of least account. Holland.

4. Beloved or approved by the people; pleasing to people in general, or to many people; as, a popular preacher; a popular law; a popular administration.

5. Devoted to the common people; studious of the favor of the populace. [R.] Such popular humanity is treason. Addison.

6. Prevailing among the people; epidemic; as, a popular disease. [Obs.] Johnson. Popular action (Law), an action in which any person may sue for penalty imposed by statute. Blackstone.

POPULARES Pop`u*la"res, n. pl. Etym: [L.]

Defn: The people or the people's party, in ancient Rome, as opposed to the optimates.

POPULARITY Pop`u*lar"i*ty, n.; pl. Popularities. Etym: [L. popularitas an effort to please the people: cf. F. popularité.]

1. The quality or state of being popular; especially, the state of being esteemed by, or of being in favor with, the people at large; good will or favor proceeding from the people; as, the popularity of a law, statesman, or a book. A popularity which has lasted down to our time. Macaulay.

2. The quality or state of being adapted or pleasing to common, poor, or vulgar people; hence, cheapness; inferiority; vulgarity. This gallant laboring to avoid popularity falls into a habit of affectation. B. Jonson.

3. Something which obtains, or is intended to obtain, the favor of the vulgar; claptrap. Popularities, and circumstances which . . . sway the ordinary judgment. Bacon.

4. The act of courting the favor of the people. [Obs.] "Indicted . . . for popularity and ambition." Holland.

5. Public sentiment; general passion. [R.] A little time be allowed for the madness of popularity to cease. Bancroft.

POPULARIZATION Pop`u*lar*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of making popular, or of introducing among the people.

POPULARIZE Pop"u*lar*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Popularized; p. pr. & vb. n. Popularizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. populariser.]

Defn: To make popular; to make suitable or acceptable to the common people; to make generally known; as, to popularize philosophy. "The popularizing of religious teaching." Milman.

POPULARIZER Pop"u*lar*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who popularizes.

POPULARLY Pop"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a popular manner; so as to be generally favored or accepted by the people; commonly; currently; as, the story was popularity reported. The victor knight, Bareheaded, popularly low had bowed. Dryden.

POPULARNESS Pop"u*lar*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being popular; popularity. Coleridge.

POPULATE Pop"u*late, a. Etym: [L. populus people. See People.]

Defn: Populous. [Obs.] Bacon.

POPULATE Pop"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Populated; p. pr. & vb. n. Populating.]

Defn: To furnish with inhabitants, either by natural increase or by immigration or colonization; to cause to be inhabited; to people.

POPULATE Pop"u*late, v. i.

Defn: To propagate. [Obs.] Great shoals of people which go on to populate. Bacon.

POPULATION Pop`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. populatio: cf. F. population.]

1. The act or process of populating; multiplication of inhabitants.

2. The whole number of people, or inhabitants, in a country, or portion of a country; as, a population of ten millions.

POPULATOR Pop"u*la`tor, n.

Defn: One who populates.

POPULICIDE Pop"u*li*cide`, n. Etym: [L. populus people + caedere to kill.]

Defn: Slaughter of the people. [R.]

POPULIN Pop"u*lin, n. Etym: [L. populus poplar: cf. F. populine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A glycoside, related to salicin, found in the bark of certain species of the poplar (Populus), and extracted as a sweet white crystalline substance.

POPULISM Pop"u*lism, n. (U. S. Politics)

Defn: The political doctrines advocated by the People's party.

POPULIST Pop"u*list, n. [L. populus people + -ist.] (U. S. Politics)

Defn: A member of the People's party. -- Pop`u*lis"tic (#), a.

POPULOSITY Pop`u*los"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. populositas: cf. F. populosité.]

Defn: Populousness.[Obs.]

POPULOUS Pop"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. populosus, fr. populus people: cf. F. populeux.]

1. Abounding in people; full of inhabitants; containing many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of the country. Heaven, yet populous, retains Number sufficient to possess her realms. Milton.

2. Popular; famous. [Obs.] J. Webster.

3. Common; vulgar. [Obs.] Arden of Feversham.

4. Numerous; in large number. [Obs.] "The dust . . . raised by your populous troops." Shak. -- Pop"u*lous*ly, adv. -- Pop"u*lous*ness, n.

PORAILLE Po*raille", n. Etym: [OF. pouraille. See Poor.]

Defn: Poor people; the poor. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PORBEAGLE Por"bea`gle, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A species of shark (Lamna cornubica), about eight feet long, having a pointed nose and a crescent-shaped tail; -- called also mackerel shark. [Written also probeagle.]

PORCATE Por"cate, a. Etym: [L. porca a ridge between two furrows.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having grooves or furrows broader than the intervening ridges; furrowed.

PORCELAIN Por"ce*lain, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Purslain. [Obs.]

PORCELAIN Por"ce*lain (277), n. Etym: [F. porcelaine, It. porcellana, orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (Cypræa porcellana), from a dim. fr. L. porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in shape to a pig's back. Porcelain was called after this shell, either on account of its smoothness and whiteness, or because it was believed to be made from it. See Pork.]

Defn: A fine translucent or semitransculent kind of earthenware, made first in China and Japan, but now also in Europe and America; -- called also China, or China ware. Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. Dryden. Ivory porcelain, porcelain with a surface like ivory, produced by depolishing. See Depolishing. -- Porcelain clay. See under Clay. -- Porcelain crab (Zoöl.), any crab of the genus Porcellana and allied genera (family Porcellanidæ). They have a smooth, polished carapace. -- Porcelain jasper. (Min.) See Porcelanite. -- Porcelain printing, the transferring of an impression of an engraving to porcelain. -- Porcelain shell (Zoöl.), a cowry.

PORCELAINIZED Por"ce*lain*ized, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Baked like potter's lay; -- applied to clay shales that have been converted by heat into a substance resembling porcelain.

PORCELANEOUS; PORCELLANEOUS Por`ce*la"ne*ous, Por`cel*la"ne*ous, a.

1. Of or pertaining to porcelain; resembling porcelain; as, porcelaneous shells.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a smooth, compact shell without pores; -- said of certain Foraminifera.

PORCELANITE Por"ce*la*nite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. porcelanite.] (Min.)

Defn: A semivitrified clay or shale, somewhat resembling jasper; -- called also porcelain jasper.

PORCELANOUS; PORCELLANOUS Por"ce*la`nous, Por"cel*la`nous, a.

Defn: Porcelaneous. Ure.

PORCH Porch, n. Etym: [F. porche, L. porticus, fr. porta a gate, entrance, or passage. See Port a gate, and cf. Portico.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: A covered and inclosed entrance to a building, whether taken from the interior, and forming a sort of vestibule within the main wall, or projecting without and with a separate roof. Sometimes the porch is large enough to serve as a covered walk. See also Carriage porch, under Carriage, and Loggia. The graceless Helen in the porch I spied Of Vesta's temple. Dryden.

2. A portico; a covered walk. [Obs.] Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find find us. Shak. The Porch, a public portico, or great hall, in Athens, where Zeno, the philosopher, taught his disciples; hence, sometimes used as equivalent to the school of the Stoics. It was called "h poiki`lh stoa`. [See Poicile.]

PORCINE Por"cine, a. Etym: [L. porcinus, from porcus a swine. See Pork.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to swine; characteristic of the hog. "Porcine cheeks." G. Eliot.

PORCUPINE Por"cu*pine, n. Etym: [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F. porc-épic (cf. It. porco spino, porco spinoso, Sp. puerco espino, puerco espin, fr. L. porcus swine + spina thorn, spine). The last part of the French word is perhaps a corruption from the It. or Sp.; cf. F. épi ear, a spike of grain, L. spica. See Pork, Spike a large nail, Spine.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any Old Word rodent of the genus Hystrix, having the back covered with long, sharp, erectile spines or quills, sometimes a foot long. The common species of Europe and Asia (Hystrix cristata) is the best known.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of Erethizon and related genera, native of America. They are related to the true porcupines, but have shorter spines, and are arboreal in their habits. The Canada porcupine (Erethizon dorsatus) is a well known species. Porcupine ant-eater (Zoöl.), the echidna. -- Porcupine crab (Zoöl.), a large spiny Japanese crab (Acantholithodes hystrix). -- Porcupine disease (Med.). See Ichthyosis. -- Porcupine fish (Zoöl.), any plectognath fish having the body covered with spines which become erect when the body is inflated. See Diodon, and Globefish. -- Porcupine grass (Bot.), a grass (Stipa spartea) with grains bearing a stout twisted awn, which, by coiling and uncoiling through changes in moisture, propels the sharp-pointed and barbellate grain into the wool and flesh of sheep. It is found from Illinois westward. See Illustration in Appendix. -- Porcupine wood (Bot.), the hard outer wood of the cocoa palm; -- so called because, when cut horizontally, the markings of the wood resemble the quills of a porcupine.

PORE Pore, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. porus, Gr. Fare, v.]

1. One of the minute orifices in an animal or vegetable membrane, for transpiration, absorption, etc.

2. A minute opening or passageway; an interstice between the constituent particles or molecules of a body; as, the pores of stones.

PORE Pore, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pored; p. pr. & vb. n. Poring.] Etym: [OE. poren, of uncertain origin; cf. D. porren to poke, thrust, Gael. purr.]

Defn: To look or gaze steadily in reading or studying; to fix the attention; to be absorbed; -- often with on or upon, and now usually with over."Painfully to pore upon a book." Shak. The eye grows weary with poring perpetually on the same thing. Dryden.

POREBLIND Pore"blind`, a. Etym: [Probably influenced by pore, v. See Purblind.]

Defn: Nearsighted; shortsighted; purblind. [Obs.] Bacon.

PORER Por"er, n.

Defn: One who pores.

PORGY Por"gy, n.; pl. Porgies. Etym: [See Paugie.] (Zoöl.) (a) The scup. (b) The sailor's choice, or pinfish. (c) The margate fish. (d) The spadefish. (e) Any one of several species of embiotocoids, or surf fishes, of the Pacific coast. The name is also given locally to several other fishes, as the bur fish. [Written also porgee, porgie, and paugy.]

PORIFERA Po*rif"e*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. porus pore + ferre to bear.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A grand division of the Invertebrata, including the sponges; -- called also Spongiæ, Spongida, and Spongiozoa. The principal divisions are Calcispongiæ, Keratosa or Fibrospongiæ, and Silicea.

PORIFERAN Po*rif"er*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Polifera.

PORIFERATA Po*rif`e*ra"ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL.]

Defn: The Polifera.

PORIFORM Po"ri*form, a. Etym: [L. porus pore + -form: cf. F. poriforme.]

Defn: Resembling a pore, or small puncture.

PORIME Po"rime, n. Etym: [Gr. (Math.)

Defn: A theorem or proposition so easy of demonstration as to be almost self-evident. [R.] Crabb.

PORINESS Por"i*ness, n.

Defn: Porosity. Wiseman.

PORISM Po"rism, n. Etym: [Gr. porisme.]

1. (Geom.)

Defn: A proposition affirming the possibility of finding such conditions as will render a certain determinate problem indeterminate or capable of innumerable solutions. Playfair.

2. (Gr. Geom.)

Defn: A corollary. Brande & C.

Note: Three books of porisms of Euclid have been lost, but several attempts to determine the nature of these propositions and to restore them have been made by modern geometers.

PORISMATIC; PORISMATICAL Po`ris*mat"ic, Po`ris*mat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a porism; poristic.

PORISTIC; PORISTICAL Po*ris"tic, Po*ris"tic*al, a.Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a porism; of the nature of a porism.

PORITE Po"rite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. porite. See Pore, n.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any coral of the genus Porites, or family Poritidæ.

PORITES Po*ri"tes, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An important genus of reef-building corals having small twelve- rayed calicles, and a very porous coral. Some species are branched, others grow in large massive or globular forms.

PORK Pork, n. Etym: [F. porc, L. porcus hog, pig. See Farrow a litter of pigs, and cf. Porcelain, Porpoise.]

Defn: The flesh of swine, fresh or salted, used for food.

PORKER Pork"er, n.

Defn: A hog. Pope.

PORKET Pork"et, n. Etym: [Dim. of F. porc. See Pork.]

Defn: A young hog; a pig. [R.] Dryden. W. Howitt.

PORKLING Pork"ling, n.

Defn: A pig; a porket. Tusser.

PORKWOOD Pork"wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The coarse-grained brownish yellow wood of a small tree (Pisonia obtusata) of Florida and the West Indies. Also called pigeon wood, beefwood, and corkwood.

PORNERASTIC Por`ne*ras"tic, a. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Lascivious; licentious. [R.] F. Harrison.

PORNOGRAPHIC Por`no*graph"ic, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to pornography; lascivious; licentious; as, pornographic writing.

PORNOGRAPHY Por*nog"ra*phy, n. Etym: [Gr. -graphy.]

1. Licentious painting or literature; especially, the painting anciently employed to decorate the walls of rooms devoted to bacchanalian orgies.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A treatise on prostitutes, or prostitution.

POROSITY Po*ros"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. porosité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being porous; -- opposed to density.

POROTIC Po*rot"ic, n. Etym: [Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A medicine supposed to promote the formation of callus.

POROTYPE Po"ro*type, n. [See Pore, n., and -type.]

Defn: A copy of a print, writing, etc., made by placing it upon a chemically prepared paper which is acted upon by a gas which permeates the paper of the print, writing, etc.

POROUS Por"ous, a. Etym: [Cf. F. poreux. See Pore, n.]

Defn: Full of pores; having interstices in the skin or in the substance of the body; having spiracles or passages for fluids; permeable by liquids; as, a porous skin; porous wood. "The veins of porous earth." Milton.

POROUSLY Por"ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a porous manner.

POROUSNESS Por"ous*ness, n.

1. The quality of being porous.

2. The open parts; the interstices of anything. [R.] They will forcibly get into the porousness of it. Sir K. Digby.

PORPENTINE Por"pen*tine, n.

Defn: Porcupine. [Obs.] Shak.

PORPESSE Por"pesse, n.

Defn: A porpoise. [Obs.]

PORPHYRACEOUS Por`phy*ra"ceous, a.

Defn: Porphyritic.

PORPHYRE Por"phyre, n.

Defn: Porphyry. [Obs.] Locke.

PORPHYRITE Por"phy*rite, n. (Min.)

Defn: A rock with a porphyritic structure; as, augite porphyrite.

PORPHYRITIC Por`phy*rit"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. porphyritique.] (Min.)

Defn: Relating to, or resembling, porphyry, that is, characterized by the presence of distinct crystals, as of feldspar, quartz, or augite, in a relatively fine-grained base, often aphanitic or cryptocrystalline.

PORPHYRIZATION Por`phy*ri*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of porphyrizing, or the state of being porphyrized.

PORPHYRIZE Por`phy*rize, v. t. Etym: [Cf. F. porphyriser, Gr.

Defn: To cause to resemble porphyry; to make spotted in composition, like porphyry.

PORPHYROGENITISM Por`phy*ro*gen"i*tism, n. Etym: [LL. porphyro genitus, fr. Gr.

Defn: The principle of succession in royal families, especially among the Eastern Roman emperors, by which a younger son, if born after the accession of his father to the throne, was preferred to an elder son who was not so born. Sir T. Palgrave.

PORPHYRY Por"phy*ry, n.; pl. Porphyries. Etym: [F. porphyre, L. porphyrites, fr. Gr. Purple.] (Geol.)

Defn: A term used somewhat loosely to designate a rock consisting of a fine-grained base (usually feldspathic) through which crystals, as of feldspar or quartz, are disseminated. There are red, purple, and green varieties, which are highly esteemed as marbles. Porphyry shell (Zoöl.), a handsome marine gastropod shell (Oliva porphyria), having a dark red or brown polished surface, marked with light spots, like porphyry.

PORPITA Por"pi*ta, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of bright-colored Siphonophora found floating in the warmer parts of the ocean. The individuals are round and disk-shaped, with a large zooid in the center of the under side, surrounded by smaller nutritive and reproductive zooids, and by slender dactylozooids near the margin. The disk contains a central float, or pneumatocyst.

PORPOISE Por"poise, n. Etym: [OE. porpeys, OF. porpeis, literally, hog fish, from L. porcus swine + piscis fish. See Pork, and Fish.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any small cetacean of the genus Phocæna, especially P. communis, or P. phocæna, of Europe, and the closely allied American species (P. Americana). The color is dusky or blackish above, paler beneath. They are closely allied to the dolphins, but have a shorter snout. Called also harbor porpoise, herring hag, puffing pig, and snuffer.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A true dolphin (Delphinus); -- often so called by sailors. Skunk porpoise, or Bay porpoise (Zoöl.), a North American porpoise (Lagenorhynchus acutus), larger than the common species, and with broad stripes of white and yellow on the sides. See Illustration in Appendix.

PORPORINO Por`po*ri"no, n. Etym: [It.]

Defn: A composition of quicksilver, tin, and sulphur, forming a yellow powder, sometimes used by mediæval artists, for the sake of economy, instead of gold. Fairholt.

PORPUS Por"pus, n.

Defn: A porpoise. [Obs.] Swift.

PORRACEOUS Por*ra"ceous, a. Etym: [L. porraceus, from porrum, porrus, a leek.]

Defn: Resembling the leek in color; greenish. [R.] "Porraceous vomiting." Wiseman.

PORRECT Por*rect", a. Etym: [L. porrectus, p. p. of porrigere to stretch out before one's self, to but forth.]

Defn: Extended horizontally; stretched out.

PORRECTION Por*rec"tion, n. Etym: [L. porrectio: cf. F. porrection.]

Defn: The act of stretching forth.

PORRET Por"ret, n. Etym: [F. porrette, fr. L. porrum, porrus, leek. See Porraceous.]

Defn: A scallion; a leek or small onion. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

PORRIDGE Por"ridge, n. Etym: [Probably corrupted fr. pottage; perh. influenced by OE. porree a kind of pottage, OF. porrée, fr. L. porrum, porrus, leek. See Pottage, and cf. Porringer.]

Defn: A food made by boiling some leguminous or farinaceous substance, or the meal of it, in water or in milk, making of broth or thin pudding; as, barley porridge, milk porridge, bean porridge, etc.

PORRINGER Por"rin*ger, n. Etym: [OE. pottanger, for pottager; cf. F. potager a soup basin. See Porridge.]

Defn: A porridge dish; esp., a bowl or cup from which children eat or are fed; as, a silver porringer. Wordsworth.

PORT Port, n. Etym: [From Oporto, in Portugal, i. e., the port, L. portus. See Port harbor.]

Defn: A dark red or purple astringent wine made in Portugal. It contains a large percentage of alcohol.

PORT Port, n. Etym: [AS. port, L. portus: cf. F. port. See Farm, v., Ford, and 1st, 3d, & 4h Port.]

1. A place where ships may ride secure from storms; a sheltered inlet, bay, or cove; a harbor; a haven. Used also figuratively.

Peering in maps for ports and piers and roads. Shak. We are in port if we have Thee. Keble.

2. In law and commercial usage, a harbor where vessels are admitted to discharge and receive cargoes, from whence they depart and where they finish their voyages. Free port. See under Free. -- Port bar. (Naut,) (a) A boom. See Boom, 4, also Bar, 3. (b) A bar, as of sand, at the mouth of, or in, a port. -- Port charges (Com.), charges, as wharfage, etc., to which a ship or its cargo is subjected in a harbor. -- Port of entry, a harbor where a customhouse is established for the legal entry of merchandise. -- Port toll (Law), a payment made for the privilege of bringing goods into port. -- Port warden, the officer in charge of a port; a harbor master.

PORT Port, n. Etym: [F. porte, L. porta, akin to portus; cf. AS. porte, fr. L. porta. See Port a harbor, and cf. Porte.]

1. A passageway; an opening or entrance to an inclosed place; a gate; a door; a portal. [Archaic] Him I accuse The city ports by this hath entered. Shak. Form their ivory port the cherubim Forth issuing. Milton.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: An opening in the side of a vessel; an embrasure through which cannon may be discharged; a porthole; also, the shutters which close such an opening. Her ports being within sixteen inches of the water. Sir W. Raleigh.

3. (Mach.)

Defn: A passageway in a machine, through which a fluid, as steam, water, etc., may pass, as from a valve to the interior of the cylinder of a steam engine; an opening in a valve seat, or valve face. Air port, Bridle port, etc. See under Air, Bridle, etc. -- Port bar (Naut.), a bar to secure the ports of a ship in a gale. -- Port lid (Naut.), a lid or hanging for closing the portholes of a vessel. -- Steam port, and Exhaust port (Steam Engine), the ports of the cylinder communicating with the valve or valves, for the entrance or exit of the steam, respectively.

PORT Port, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Ported; p. pr. & vb. n. Porting.] Etym: [F. porter, L. portare to carry. See Port demeanor.]

1. To carry; to bear; to transport. [Obs.] They are easily ported by boat into other shires. Fuller.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: To throw, as a musket, diagonally across the body, with the lock in front, the right hand grasping the small of the stock, and the barrel sloping upward and crossing the point of the left shoulder; as, to port arms. Began to hem him round with ported spears. Milton. Port arms, a position in the manual of arms, executed as above.

PORT Port, n. Etym: [F. port, fr. porter to carry, L. portare, prob. akin to E. fare, v. See Port harbor, and cf. Comport, Export, Sport.]

Defn: The manner in which a person bears himself; deportment; carriage; bearing; demeanor; hence, manner or style of living; as, a proud port. Spenser. And of his port as meek as is a maid. Chaucer. The necessities of pomp, grandeur, and a suitable port in the world. South.

PORT Port, n. Etym: [Etymology uncertain.] (Naut.)

Defn: The larboard or left side of a ship (looking from the stern toward the bow); as, a vessel heels to port. See Note under Larboard. Also used adjectively.

PORT Port, v. t. (Naut.)

Defn: To turn or put to the left or larboard side of a ship; -- said of the helm, and used chiefly in the imperative, as a command; as, port your helm.

PORTA Por"ta, n.; pl. Portæ. Etym: [L., a gate. See Port a hole.] (Anat.) (a) The part of the liver or other organ where its vessels and nerves enter; the hilus. (b) The foramen of Monro. B. G. Wilder.

PORTABILITY Port`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being portable; fitness to be carried.

PORTABLE Port"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. portabilis, fr. portare to carry: cf. F. portable. See Port demeanor.]

1. Capable of being borne or carried; easily transported; conveyed without difficulty; as, a portable bed, desk, engine. South.

2. Possible to be endured; supportable. [Obs.] How light and portable my pain seems now! Shak. Portable forge. See under Forge. -- Portable steam engine. See under Steam engine.

PORTABLENESS Port"a*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being portable; portability.

PORTACE Por"tace (; 48), n.

Defn: See Portass. [Obs.]

PORTAGE Port"age (; 48), n. Etym: [From 2d Port.] (Naut.) (a) A sailor's wages when in port. (b) The amount of a sailor's wages for a voyage.

PORTAGE Port"age, n. Etym: [3d Port.]

Defn: A porthole. [Obs.] Shak.

PORTAGE Por"tage, n. Etym: [F., from porter to carry. See Port to carry.]

1. The act of carrying or transporting.

2. The price of carriage; porterage. Bp. Fell.

3. Capacity for carrying; tonnage. [Obs.] Hakluyt.

4. A carry between navigable waters. See 3d Carry.

PORTAGE Por"tage, v. t. & i.

Defn: To carry (goods, boats, etc.) overland between navigable waters.

PORTAGE GROUP Por"tage group`. Etym: [So called from the township of Portage in New York.] (Geol.)

Defn: A subdivision of the Chemung period in American geology. See Chart of Geology.

PORTAGUE Por"ta*gue, n. Etym: [See Portuguese.]

Defn: A Portuguese gold coin formerly current, and variously estimated to be worth from three and one half to four and one half pounds sterling. [Obs.] [Written also portegue and portigue.] Ten thousand portagues, besides great pearls. Marlowe.

PORTAL Por"tal, n. Etym: [OF. portal, F. portail, LL. portale, fr. L. porta a gate. See Port a gate.]

1. A door or gate; hence, a way of entrance or exit, especially one that is grand and imposing. Thick with sparkling orient gems The portal shone. Milton. From out the fiery portal of the east. Shak.

2. (Arch.) (a) The lesser gate, where there are two of different dimensions. (b) Formerly, a small square corner in a room separated from the rest of the apartment by wainscoting, forming a short passage to another apartment. (c) By analogy with the French portail, used by recent writers for the whole architectural composition which surrounds and includes the doorways and porches of a church.

3. (Bridge Building)

Defn: The space, at one end, between opposite trusses when these are terminated by inclined braces.

4. A prayer book or breviary; a portass. [Obs.] Portal bracing (Bridge Building), a combination of struts and ties which lie in the plane of the inclined braces at a portal, serving to transfer wind pressure from the upper parts of the trusses to an abutment or pier of the bridge.

PORTAL Por"tal, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a porta, especially the porta of the liver; as, the portal vein, which enters the liver at the porta, and divides into capillaries after the manner of an artery.

Note: Portal is applied to other veins which break up into capillaries; as, the renal portal veins in the frog.

PORTAMENTO Por`ta*men"to, n. Etym: [It., fr. portare to carry.] (Mus.)

Defn: In singing, or in the use of the bow, a gradual carrying or lifting of the voice or sound very smoothly from one note to another; a gliding from tone to tone.

PORTANCE Por"tance, n.

Defn: See Port, carriage, demeanor. [Obs.] Spenser. Shak.

PORTASS Por"tass, n. Etym: [OF. porte-hors a kind of prayer book, so called from being portable; cf. LL. portiforium.]

Defn: A breviary; a prayer book. [Written variously portace, portasse, portesse, portise, porthose, portos, portus, portuse, etc.] [Obs.] Spenser. Camden. By God and by this porthors I you swear. Chaucer.

PORTATE Por"tate, a. Etym: [L. portatus, p. p. of portare to carry.] (Her.)

Defn: Borne not erect, but diagonally athwart an escutcheon; as, a cross portate.

PORTATIVE Por"ta*tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. portatif.]

1. Portable. [Obs.]

2. (Physics)

Defn: Capable of holding up or carrying; as, the portative force of a magnet, of atmospheric pressure, or of capillarity.

PORTCLUSE Port"cluse, n.

Defn: A portcullis. [Obs.]

PORTCRAYON Port`cray"on, n. Etym: [F. porte-crayon; porter to carry + crayon a crayon.]

Defn: A metallic handle with a clasp for holding a crayon.

PORTCULLIS Port*cul"lis, n. Etym: [OF. porte coulisse, coleïce, a sliding door, fr. L. colare, colatum, to filter, to strain: cf. F. couler to glide. See Port a gate, and cf. Cullis, Colander.]

1. (Fort.)

Defn: A grating of iron or of timbers pointed with iron, hung over the gateway of a fortress, to be let down to prevent the entrance of an enemy. "Let the portcullis fall." Sir W. Scott. She . . . the huge portcullis high updrew. Milton.

2. An English coin of the reign of Elizabeth, struck for the use of the East India Company; -- so called from its bearing the figure of a portcullis on the reverse.

PORTCULLIS Port*cul"lis, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portcullised; p. pr. & vb. n. Portcullising.]

Defn: To obstruct with, or as with, a portcullis; to shut; to bar. [R.] Shak.

PORTE Porte, n. Etym: [F. porte a gate, L. porta. See Port a gate.]

Defn: The Ottoman court; the government of the Turkish empire, officially called the Sublime Porte, from the gate (port) of the sultan's palace at which justice was administered.

PORTE-COCHERE Porte"-co`chère", n. Etym: [F. See Port a gate, and Coach.] (Arch.)

Defn: A large doorway allowing vehicles to drive into or through a building. It is common to have the entrance door open upon the passage of the porte-cochère. Also, a porch over a driveway before an entrance door.

PORTED Port"ed, a.

Defn: Having gates. [Obs.] We took the sevenfold-ported Thebes. Chapman.

PORTEGUE Por"te*gue, n.

Defn: See Portague. [Obs.]

PORTEMONNAIE Porte"mon*naie`, n. Etym: [F., fr. porter to carry + monnaie money.]

Defn: A small pocketbook or wallet for carrying money.

PORTEND Por*tend", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portended; p. pr. & vb. n. Portending.] Etym: [L. portendre, portentum, to foretell, to predict, to impend, from an old preposition used in comp. + tendere to stretch. See Position, Tend.]

1. To indicate (events, misfortunes, etc.) as in future; to foreshow; to foretoken; to bode; -- now used esp. of unpropitious signs. Bacon. Many signs portended a dark and stormy day. Macaulay.

2. To stretch out before. [R.] "Doomed to feel the great Idomeneus' portended steel." Pope.

Syn. -- To foreshow; foretoken; betoken; forebode; augur; presage; foreshadow; threaten.

PORTENSION Por*ten"sion, n.

Defn: The act of foreshowing; foreboding. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

PORTENT Por*tent", n. Etym: [L. portentum. See Portend.]

Defn: That which portends, or foretoken; esp., that which portends evil; a sign of coming calamity; an omen; a sign. Shak. My loss by dire portents the god foretold. Dryden.

PORTENTIVE Por*tent"ive, a.

Defn: Presaging; foreshadowing.

PORTENTOUS Por*tent"ous, a. Etym: [L. portentosus.]

1. Of the nature of a portent; containing portents; foreschadowing, esp. foreschadowing ill; ominous. For, I believe, they are portentous things. Shak. Victories of strange and almost portentous splendor. Macaulay.

2. Hence: Monstrous; prodigious; wonderful; dreadful; as, a beast of portentous size. Roscommon. -- Por*tent"ous*ly, adv. -- Por*tent"ous*ness, n.

PORTER Por"ter, n. Etym: [F. portier, L. portarius, from porta a gate, door. See Port a gate.]

Defn: A man who has charge of a door or gate; a doorkeeper; one who waits at the door to receive messages. Shak. To him the porter openeth. John x. 3.

PORTER Por"ter, n. Etym: [F. porteur, fr. porter to carry, L. portare. See Port to carry.]

1. A carrier; one who carries or conveys burdens, luggage, etc.; for hire.

2. (Forging)

Defn: A bar of iron or steel at the end of which a forging is made; esp., a long, large bar, to the end of which a heavy forging is attached, and by means of which the forging is lifted and handled is hammering and heating; -- called also porter bar.

3. A malt liquor, of a dark color and moderately bitter taste, possessing tonic and intoxicating qualities.

Note: Porter is said to be so called as having been first used chiefly by the London porters, and this application of the word is supposed to be not older than 1750.

PORTERAGE Por"ter*age, n.

1. The work of a porter; the occupation of a carrier or of a doorkeeper.

2. Money charged or paid for the carriage of burdens or parcels by a porter.

PORTERESS Por"ter*ess, n.

Defn: See Portress.

PORTERHOUSE Por"ter*house, n.

Defn: A house where porter is sold. Porterhouse steak, a steak cut from a sirloin of beet, including the upper and under part.

PORTESSE Por"tesse, n.

Defn: See Porteass. [Obs.] Tyndale.

PORTFIRE Port"fire`, n.

Defn: A case of strong paper filled with a composition of niter, sulphur, and mealed powder, -- used principally to ignite the priming in proving guns, and as an incendiary material in shells.

PORTFOLIO Port*fol"io, n. Etym: [F. portefeuille; porter to carry + feuille a leaf. See Port to carry, and Folio.]

1. A portable case for holding loose papers, prints, drawings, etc.

2. Hence: The office and functions of a minister of state or member of the cabinet; as, to receive the portfolio of war; to resign the portfolio.

PORTGLAVE Port"glave, n. Etym: [F. porte-glaive; porter to carry + glaive a sword.]

Defn: A sword bearer. [Obs.]

PORTGREVE; PORTGRAVE Port"greve`, Port"grave`,Etym: [AS. portgerefa; port a harbor + gerefa a reeve or sheriff. See Reeve a steward, and cf. Portreeve.]

Defn: In old English law, the chief magistrate of a port or maritime town.; a portreeve. [Obs.] Fabyan.

PORTHOLE Port"hole`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: An embrasure in a ship's side. See 3d Port.

PORTHOOK Port"hook`, n. (Naut.)

Defn: One of the iron hooks to which the port hinges are attached. J. Knowles.

PORTHORS Port"hors`, n.

Defn: See Portass. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PORTICO Por"ti*co, n.; pl. Porticoes or Porticos. Etym: [It., L. porticus. See Porch.] (Arch.)

Defn: A colonnade or covered ambulatory, especially in classical styles of architecture; usually, a colonnade at the entrance of a building.

PORTICOED Por"ti*coed, a.

Defn: Furnished with a portico.

PORTIERE Por`tière"", n. Etym: [F., fr. porte gate, door. See Port a gate.]

Defn: A curtain hanging across a doorway.

PORTIGUE Por"ti*gue, n.

Defn: See Portague. Beau. & Fl.

PORTINGAL Por"tin*gal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Portugal; Portuguese. [Obs.] -- n.

Defn: A Portuguese. [Obs.]

PORTION Por"tion, n. Etym: [F., from L. portio, akin to pars, partis, a part. See Part, n.]

1. That which is divided off or separated, as a part from a whole; a separated part of anything.

2. A part considered by itself, though not actually cut off or separated from the whole. These are parts of his ways; but how little a portion is heard of him! Job xxvi. 14. Portions and parcels of the dreadful past. Tennyson.

3. A part assigned; allotment; share; fate. The lord of that servant . . . will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. Luke xii. 46. Man's portion is to die and rise again. Keble.

4. The part of an estate given to a child or heir, or descending to him by law, and distributed to him in the settlement of the estate; an inheritance. Give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. Luke xv. 12.

5. A wife's fortune; a dowry. Shak.

Syn. -- Division; share; parcel; quantity; allotment; dividend. -- Portion, Part. Part is generic, having a simple reference to some whole. Portion has the additional idea of such a division as bears reference to an individual, or is allotted to some object; as, a portion of one's time; a portion of Scripture.

PORTION Por"tion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Portioning.]

1. To separate or divide into portions or shares; to parcel; to distribute. And portion to his tribes the wide domain. Pope.

2. To endow with a portion or inheritance. Him portioned maids, apprenticed orphans, blest. Pope.

PORTIONER Por"tion*er, n.

1. One who portions.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: See Portionist, 2.

PORTIONIST Por"tion*ist, n.

1. A scholar at Merton College, Oxford, who has a certain academical allowance or portion; -- corrupted into postmaster. Shipley.

2. (Eccl.)

Defn: One of the incumbents of a benefice which has two or more rectors or vicars.

PORTIONLESS Por"tion*less, a.

Defn: Having no portion.

PORTISE Por"tise, n.

Defn: See Portass. [Obs.]

PORTLAND CEMENT Port"land ce*ment".

Defn: A cement having the color of the Portland stone of England, made by calcining an artificial mixture of carbonate of lime and clay, or sometimes certain natural limestones or chalky clays. It contains a large proportion of clay, and hardens under water.

PORTLAND STONE Port"land stone".

Defn: A yellowish-white calcareous freestone from the Isle of Portland in England, much used in building.

PORTLAND VASE Port"land vase`.

Defn: A celebrated cinerary urn or vase found in the tomb of the Emperor Alexander Severus. It is owned by the Duke of Portland, and kept in the British Museum.

PORTLAST Port"last, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The portoise. See Portoise.

PORTLINESS Port"li*ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being portly; dignity of mien or of personal appearance; stateliness. Such pride is praise; such portliness is honor. Spenser.

2. Bulkiness; corpulence.

PORTLY Port"ly, a. Etym: [From Port demeanor.]

1. Having a dignified port or mien; of a noble appearance; imposing.

2. Bulky; corpulent. "A portly personage." Dickens.

PORTMAN Port"man, n.; pl. Portmen (.

Defn: An inhabitant or burgess of a port, esp. of one of the Cinque Ports.

PORTMANTEAU Port*man"teau, n.; pl. Portmanteaus. Etym: [F. porte-manteau; porter to carry + manteau a cloak, mantle. See Port to carry, and Mantle.]

Defn: A bag or case, usually of leather, for carrying wearing apparel, etc., on journeys. Thackeray.

PORTMANTLE Port*man"tle, n.

Defn: A portmanteau. [Obs.]

PORTMOTE Port"mote`, n.

Defn: In old English law, a court, or mote, held in a port town. [Obs.] Blackstone.

PORTOIR Por"toir, n. Etym: [OF., fr. porter to bear.]

Defn: One who, or that which, bears; hence, one who, or that which, produces. [Obs.] Branches . . . which were portoirs, and bare grapes. Holland.

PORTOISE Por"toise, n. Etym: [Perhaps fr. OF. porteis portative, portable.] (Naut.)

Defn: The gunwale of a ship. To lower the yards a-portoise, to lower them to the gunwale. -- To ride a portoise, to ride an anchor with the lower yards and topmasts struck or lowered, as in a gale of wind.

PORTOS Por"tos, n.

Defn: See Portass. [Obs.]

PORTPANE Port"pane, n. Etym: [From L. portare to carry + panis bread; prob. through French.]

Defn: A cloth for carrying bread, so as not to touch it with the hands. [Obs.]

PORTRAIT Por"trait, n. Etym: [F., originally p. p. of portraire to portray. See Portray.]

1. The likeness of a person, painted, drawn, or engraved; commonly, a representation of the human face painted from real life. In portraits, the grace, and, we may add, the likeness, consists more in the general air than in the exact similitude of every feature. Sir J. Reynolds.

Note: The meaning of the word is sometimes extended so as to include a photographic likeness.

2. Hence, any graphic or vivid delineation or description of a person; as, a portrait in words. Portrait bust, or Portrait statue, a bust or statue representing the actual features or person of an individual; -- in distinction from an ideal bust or statue.

PORTRAIT Por"trait, v. t.

Defn: To portray; to draw. [Obs.] Spenser.

PORTRAITIST Por"trait*ist, n.

Defn: A portrait painter. [R.] Hamerton.

PORTRAITURE Por"trai*ture, n. Etym: [F. portraiture.]

1. A portrait; a likeness; a painted resemblance; hence, that which is copied from some example or model. For, by the image of my cause, I see The portraiture of his. Shak. Divinity maketh the love of ourselves the pattern; the love of our neighbors but the portraiture. Bacon.

2. Pictures, collectively; painting. [Obs.] Chaucer.

3. The art or practice of making portraits. Walpole.

PORTRAITURE Por"trai*ture, v. t.

Defn: To represent by a portrait, or as by a portrait; to portray. [R.] Shaftesbury.

PORTRAY Por*tray", v. t. [Written also pourtray.] [imp. & p. p. portrayed (; p. pr. & vb. n. Portraying.] Etym: [OE. pourtraien, OF. portraire, pourtraire, F. portraire, fr. L. protrahere, protractum, to draw or drag forth; pro forward, forth + trahere to draw. See Trace, v. t., and cf. Protract.]

1. To paint or draw the likeness of; as, to portray a king on horseback. Take a tile, and lay it before thee, and portray upon it the city, even Jerusalem. Ezek. iv. 1.

2. Hence, figuratively, to describe in words.

3. To adorn with pictures. [R.] Spear and helmets thronged, and shields Various with boastful arguments potrayed. Milton.

PORTRAYAL Por*tray"al, n.

Defn: The act or process of portraying; description; delineation.

PORTRAYER Por*tray"er, n.

Defn: One who portrays. Chaucer.

PORTREEVE Port"reeve`, n.

Defn: A port warden.

PORTRESS Por"tress, n.

Defn: A female porter. Milton.

PORT-ROYALIST Port-roy"al*ist, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: One of the dwellers in the Cistercian convent of Port Royal des Champs, near Paris, when it was the home of the Jansenists in the 17th century, among them being Arnauld, Pascal, and other famous scholars. Cf. Jansenist.

PORTSALE Port"sale`, n. Etym: [Port gate + sale.]

Defn: Public or open sale; auction. [Obs.] Holland.

PORTUARY Por"tu*a*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. Portass.] (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A breviary. [Eng.]

PORTUGUESE Por"tu*guese, a. Etym: [Cf. F. portugais, Sp. portugues, Pg. portuguez.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to Portugal, or its inhabitants. -- n. sing. & pl.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Portugal; people of Portugal. Portuguese man-of-war. (Zoöl.) See Physalia.

PORTULACA Por`tu*la"ca, n. Etym: [L., purslane.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of polypetalous plants; also, any plant of the genus.

Note: Portulaca oleracea is the common purslane. P. grandiflora is a South American herb, widely cultivated for its showy crimson, scarlet, yellow, or white, ephemeral blossoms.

PORTULACACEOUS Por`tu*la*ca"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants (Portulacaceæ), of which Portulaca is the type, and which includes also the spring beauty (Claytonia) and other genera.

PORWIGLE Por"wi`gle, n.

Defn: See Polliwig.

PORY Por"y, a.

Defn: Porous; as, pory stone. [R.] Dryden.

POSE Po`sé", a. Etym: [F., placed, posed.] (Her.)

Defn: Standing still, with all the feet on the ground; -- said of the attitude of a lion, horse, or other beast.

POSE Pose, n. Etym: [AS. gepose; of uncertain origin; cf. W. pas a cough, Skr. kas to cough, and E. wheeze.]

Defn: A cold in the head; catarrh. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POSE Pose, n. Etym: [F. pose, fr. poser. See Pose, v. t.]

Defn: The attitude or position of a person; the position of the body or of any member of the body; especially, a position formally assumed for the sake of effect; an artificial position; as, the pose of an actor; the pose of an artist's model or of a statue.

POSE Pose, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Posed; p. pr. & vb. n. Posing.] Etym: [F. poser to place, to put, L. pausare to pause, in LL. also, to place, put, fr. L. pausa a pause, Gr. few. In compounds, this word appears corresponding to L. ponere to put, place, the substitution in French having been probably due to confusion of this word with L. positio position, fr. ponere. See Few, and cf. Appose, Dispose, Oppose, Pause, Repose, Position.]

Defn: To place in an attitude or fixed position, for the sake of effect; to arrange the posture and drapery of (a person) in a studied manner; as, to pose a model for a picture; to pose a sitter for a portrait.

POSE Pose, v. i.

Defn: To assume and maintain a studied attitude, with studied arrangement of drapery; to strike an attitude; to attitudinize; figuratively, to assume or affect a certain character; as, she poses as a prude. He . . . posed before her as a hero. Thackeray.

POSE Pose, v. t. Etym: [Shortened from appose, for oppose. See 2d Appose, Oppose.]

1. To interrogate; to question. [Obs.] "She . . . posed him and sifted him." Bacon.

2. To question with a view to puzzling; to embarrass by questioning or scrutiny; to bring to a stand. A question wherewith a learned Pharisee thought to pose and puzzle him. Barrow.

POSED Posed, a.

Defn: Firm; determined; fixed. "A most posed . . . and grave behavior." [Obs.] Urquhart.

POSER Pos"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, puzzles; a difficult or inexplicable question or fact. Bacon.

POSEUR; POSEUSE Po`seur", n. masc.; pl. Poseurs, Po`seuse", n. fem.; pl. Poseuses, [F.]

Defn: A person who poses or attitudizes, esp. mentally.

POSIED Po"sied, a.

Defn: Inscribed with a posy. In poised lockets bribe the fair. Gay.

POSINGLY Pos"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: So as to pose or puzzle.

POSIT Pos"it, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Posited; p. pr. & vb. n. Positing.] Etym: [L. ponere, positum, to place. See Position.]

1. To dispose or set firmly or fixedly; to place or dispose in relation to other objects. Sir M. Hale.

2. (Logic)

Defn: To assume as real or conceded; as, to posit a principle. Sir W. Hamilton.

POSITION Po*si"tion, n. Etym: [F. position, L. positio, fr. ponere, positum, to put, place; prob. for posino, fr. an old preposition used only in comp. (akin to Gr. sinere to leave, let, permit, place. See Site, and cf. Composite, Compound, v., Depone, Deposit, Expound, Impostor, Opposite, Propound, Pose, v., Posit, Post, n.]

1. The state of being posited, or placed; the manner in which anything is placed; attitude; condition; as, a firm, an inclined, or an upright position. We have different prospects of the same thing, according to our different positions to it. Locke.

2. The spot where a person or thing is placed or takes a place; site; place; station; situation; as, the position of man in creation; the fleet changed its position.

3. Hence: The ground which any one takes in an argument or controversy; the point of view from which any one proceeds to a discussion; also, a principle laid down as the basis of reasoning; a proposition; a thesis; as, to define one's position; to appear in a false position. Let not the proof of any position depend on the positions that follow, but always on those which go before. I. Watts.

4. Relative place or standing; social or official rank; as, a person of position; hence, office; post; as, to lose one's position.

5. (Arith.)

Defn: A method of solving a problem by one or two suppositions; -- called also the rule of trial and error. Angle of position (Astron.), the angle which any line (as that joining two stars) makes with another fixed line, specifically with a circle of declination. -- Double position (Arith.), the method of solving problems by proceeding with each of two assumed numbers, according to the conditions of the problem, and by comparing the difference of the results with those of the numbers, deducing the correction to be applied to one of them to obtain the true result. -- Guns of position (Mil.), heavy fieldpieces, not designed for quick movements. -- Position finder (Mil.), a range finder. See under Range. -- Position micrometer, a micrometer applied to the tube of an astronomical telescope for measuring angles of position in the field of view. -- Single position (Arith.), the method of solving problems, in which the result obtained by operating with an assumed number is to the true result as the number assumed is to the number required. -- Strategic position (Mil.), a position taken up by an army or a large detachment of troops for the purpose of checking or observing an opposing force.

Syn. -- Situation; station; place; condition; attitude; posture; proposition; assertion; thesis.

POSITION Po*si"tion, v. t.

Defn: To indicate the position of; to place. [R.] Encyc. Brit.

POSITIONAL Po*si"tion*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to position. Ascribing unto plants positional operations. Sir T. Browne.

POSITIVE Pos"i*tive, a. Etym: [OE. positif, F. positif, L. positivus. See Position.]

1. Having a real position, existence, or energy; existing in fact; real; actual; -- opposed to negative. "Positive good." Bacon.

2. Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations; absolute; -- opposed to relative; as, the idea of beauty is not positive, but depends on the different tastes individuals.

3. Definitely laid down; explicitly stated; clearly expressed; -- opposed to implied; as, a positive declaration or promise. Positive words, that he would not bear arms against King Edward's son. Bacon.

4. Hence: Not admitting of any doubt, condition, qualification, or discretion; not dependent on circumstances or probabilities; not speculative; compelling assent or obedience; peremptory; indisputable; decisive; as, positive instructions; positive truth; positive proof. "'T is positive 'gainst all exceptions." Shak.

5. Prescribed by express enactment or institution; settled by arbitrary appointment; said of laws. In laws, that which is natural bindeth universally; that which is positive, not so. Hooker.

6. Fully assured; confident; certain; sometimes, overconfident; dogmatic; overbearing; -- said of persons. Some positive, persisting fops we know, That, if once wrong, will needs be always. Pope.

7. Having the power of direct action or influence; as, a positive voice in legislation. Swift.

8. (Photog.)

Defn: Corresponding with the original in respect to the position of lights and shades, instead of having the lights and shades reversed; as, a positive picture.

9. (Chem.) (a) Electro-positive. (b) Hence, basic; metallic; not acid; -- opposed to negative, and said of metals, bases, and basic radicals. Positive crystals (Opt.), a doubly refracting crystal in which the index of refraction for the extraordinary ray is greater than for the ordinary ray, and the former is refracted nearer to the axis than the latter, as quartz and ice; -- opposed to negative crystal, or one in which this characteristic is reversed, as Iceland spar, tourmaline, etc. -- Positive degree (Gram.), that state of an adjective or adverb which denotes simple quality, without comparison or relation to increase or diminution; as, wise, noble. -- Positive electricity (Elec), the kind of electricity which is developed when glass is rubbed with silk, or which appears at that pole of a voltaic battery attached to the plate that is not attacked by the exciting liquid; -- formerly called vitreous electricity; -- opposed to Ant: negative electricity. -- Positive eyepiece. See under Eyepiece. -- Positive law. See Municipal law, under Law. -- Positive motion (Mach.), motion which is derived from a driver through unyielding intermediate pieces, or by direct contact, and not through elastic connections, nor by means of friction, gravity, etc.; definite motion. -- Positive philosophy. See Positivism. -- Positive pole. (a) (Elec.) The pole of a battery or pile which yields positive or vitreous electricity; -- opposed to Ant: negative pole. (b) (Magnetism) The north pole. [R.] -- Positive quantity (Alg.), an affirmative quantity, or one affected by the sign plus [+]. -- Positive rotation (Mech.), left-handed rotation. -- Positive sign (Math.), the sign [+] denoting plus, or more, or addition.

POSITIVE Pos"i*tive, n.

1. That which is capable of being affirmed; reality. South.

2. That which settles by absolute appointment.

3. (Gram.)

Defn: The positive degree or form.

4. (Photog.)

Defn: A picture in which the lights and shades correspond in position with those of the original, instead of being reversed, as in a negative. R. Hunt.