6 letter word starting with p

by
Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
pacane noun A species of hickory. See Pecan.
pacate adjective Appeased; pacified; tranquil.
pacing present participle & vb. noun of Pace
pachak noun The fragrant roots of the Saussurea Costus, exported from India to China, and used for burning as incense. It is supposed to be the costus of the ancients.
pachy- A combining form meaning thick; as, pachyderm, pachydactyl.
pacify verb t. To make to be at peace; to appease; to calm; to still; to quiet; to allay the agitation, excitement, or resentment of; to tranquillize; as, to pacify a man when angry; to pacify pride, appetite, or importunity.
packed imp. & past participle of Pack
packer noun A person whose business is to pack things; especially, one who packs food for preservation; as, a pork packer.
packet noun A small pack or package; a little bundle or parcel; as, a packet of letters., Originally, a vessel employed by government to convey dispatches or mails; hence, a vessel employed in conveying dispatches, mails, passengers, and goods, and having fixed days of sailing; a mail boat., To make up into a packet or bundle., To send in a packet or dispatch vessel., To ply with a packet or dispatch boat.
padded imp. & past participle of Pad
padder noun One who, or that which, pads., A highwayman; a footpad., One who, or that which, paddles.
paddle verb i. To use the hands or fingers in toying; to make caressing strokes., To dabble in water with hands or feet; to use a paddle, or something which serves as a paddle, in swimming, in paddling a boat, etc., To pat or stroke amorously, or gently., To propel with, or as with, a paddle or paddles., To pad; to tread upon; to trample., An implement with a broad blade, which is used without a fixed fulcrum in propelling and steering canoes and boats., The broad part of a paddle, with which the stroke is made; hence, any short, broad blade, resembling that of a paddle., One of the broad boards, or floats, at the circumference of a water wheel, or paddle wheel., A small gate in sluices or lock gates to admit or let off water; — also called clough., A paddle-shaped foot, as of the sea turtle., A paddle-shaped implement for string or mixing., See Paddle staff (b), below.
padnag noun An ambling nag.
paeony noun See Peony.
paging present participle & vb. noun of Page, The marking or numbering of the pages of a book.
pagina noun The surface of a leaf or of a flattened thallus.
pagoda noun A term by which Europeans designate religious temples and tower-like buildings of the Hindoos and Buddhists of India, Farther India, China, and Japan, — usually but not always, devoted to idol worship., An idol., A gold or silver coin, of various kinds and values, formerly current in India. The Madras gold pagoda was worth about three and a half rupees.
paguma noun Any one of several species of East Indian viverrine mammals of the genus Paguma. They resemble a weasel in form.
paigle noun A species of Primula, either the cowslip or the primrose.
pained imp. & past participle of Pain
painim noun A pagan; an infidel; — used also adjectively.
painty adjective Unskillfully painted, so that the painter’s method of work is too obvious; also, having too much pigment applied to the surface.
paired imp. & past participle of Pair
pairer noun One who impairs.
pajock noun A peacock.
palace noun The residence of a sovereign, including the lodgings of high officers of state, and rooms for business, as well as halls for ceremony and reception., The official residence of a bishop or other distinguished personage., Loosely, any unusually magnificent or stately house.
palama noun A membrane extending between the toes of a bird, and uniting them more or less closely together.
palate noun The roof of the mouth., Relish; taste; liking; — a sense originating in the mistaken notion that the palate is the organ of taste., Fig.: Mental relish; intellectual taste., A projection in the throat of such flowers as the snapdragon., To perceive by the taste.
paling present participle & vb. noun of Pale, Pales, in general; a fence formed with pales or pickets; a limit; an inclosure., The act of placing pales or stripes on cloth; also, the stripes themselves.
paleae plural of Palea
palely adjective In a pale manner; dimly; wanly; not freshly or ruddily.
paleo- A combining form meaning old, ancient; as, palearctic, paleontology, paleothere, paleography.
palesy noun Palsy.
palish adjective Somewhat pale or wan.
palkee noun A palanquin.
palled imp. & past participle of Pall
pallah noun A large South African antelope (Aepyceros melampus). The male has long lyrate and annulated horns. The general color is bay, with a black crescent on the croup. Called also roodebok.
pallas noun Pallas Athene, the Grecian goddess of wisdom, called also Athene, and identified, at a later period, with the Roman Minerva.
pallet noun A small and mean bed; a bed of straw., Same as Palette., A wooden implement used by potters, crucible makers, etc., for forming, beating, and rounding their works. It is oval, round, and of other forms., A potter’s wheel., An instrument used to take up gold leaf from the pillow, and to apply it., A tool for gilding the backs of books over the bands., A board on which a newly molded brick is conveyed to the hack., A click or pawl for driving a ratchet wheel., One of the series of disks or pistons in the chain pump., One of the pieces or levers connected with the pendulum of a clock, or the balance of a watch, which receive the immediate impulse of the scape-wheel, or balance wheel., In the organ, a valve between the wind chest and the mouth of a pipe or row of pipes., One of a pair of shelly plates that protect the siphon tubes of certain bivalves, as the Teredo. See Illust. of Teredo., A cup containing three ounces, — /ormerly used by surgeons.
pallid adjective Deficient in color; pale; wan; as, a pallid countenance; pallid blue.
pallia plural of Pallium
pallor adjective Paleness; want of color; pallidity; as, pallor of the complexion.
palmed imp. & past participle of Palm, Having or bearing a palm or palms.
palmar adjective Pertaining to, or corresponding with, the palm of the hand., Of or pertaining to the under side of the wings of birds.
palmer verb t. One who palms or cheats, as at cards or dice., A wandering religious votary; especially, one who bore a branch of palm as a token that he had visited the Holy Land and its sacred places., A palmerworm., Short for Palmer fly, an artificial fly made to imitate a hairy caterpillar; a hackle.
palmic adjective Of, pertaining to, or derived from, the castor-oil plant (Ricinus communis, or Palma Christi); — formerly used to designate an acid now called ricinoleic acid.
palmin noun A white waxy or fatty substance obtained from castor oil., Ricinolein.
palola noun An annelid (Palola viridis) which, at certain seasons of the year, swarms at the surface of the sea about some of the Pacific Islands, where it is collected for food.
palped adjective Having a palpus.
palpus noun A feeler; especially, one of the jointed sense organs attached to the mouth organs of insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and annelids; as, the mandibular palpi, maxillary palpi, and labial palpi. The palpi of male spiders serve as sexual organs. Called also palp. See Illust. of Arthrogastra and Orthoptera.
palter verb i. To haggle., To act in insincere or deceitful manner; to play false; to equivocate; to shift; to dodge; to trifle., To babble; to chatter., To trifle with; to waste; to squander in paltry ways or on worthless things.
paltry superl. Mean; vile; worthless; despicable; contemptible; pitiful; trifling; as, a paltry excuse; paltry gold.
palule noun See Palulus or Palus.
paluli plural of Palulus
pament noun A pavement.
pampas noun pl. Vast plains in the central and southern part of the Argentine Republic in South America. The term is sometimes used in a wider sense for the plains extending from Bolivia to Southern Patagonia.
pamper verb t. To feed to the full; to feed luxuriously; to glut; as, to pamper the body or the appetite., To gratify inordinately; to indulge to excess; as, to pamper pride; to pamper the imagination.
pampre noun An ornament, composed of vine leaves and bunches of grapes, used for decorating spiral columns.
panta- Alt. of Panto-, See Pan-.
panto- Combining forms signifying all, every; as, panorama, pantheism, pantagraph, pantograph. Pan- becomes pam- before b or p, as pamprodactylous., See Pan-.
panned imp. & past participle of Pan
panada noun Alt. of Panade
panade noun Bread boiled in water to the consistence of pulp, and sweetened or flavored., A dagger.
panary adjective Of or pertaining to bread or to breadmaking., A storehouse for bread.
pandar noun Same as Pander.
pander noun A male bawd; a pimp; a procurer., Hence, one who ministers to the evil designs and passions of another., To play the pander for., To act the part of a pander.
pandit noun See Pundit.
panful noun Enough to fill a pan.
panier noun See Pannier, 3.
pannel noun A kind of rustic saddle., The stomach of a hawk., A carriage for conveying a mortar and its bed, on a march.
pannus noun A very vascular superficial opacity of the cornea, usually caused by granulation of the eyelids.
panted imp. & past participle of Pant
panter noun One who pants., A keeper of the pantry; a pantler., A net; a noose.
panton noun A horseshoe to correct a narrow, hoofbound heel.
pantry noun An apartment or closet in which bread and other provisions are kept.
papacy noun The office and dignity of the pope, or pontiff, of Rome; papal jurisdiction., The popes, collectively; the succession of popes., The Roman Catholic religion; — commonly used by the opponents of the Roman Catholics in disparagement or in an opprobrious sense.
papain noun A proteolytic ferment, like trypsin, present in the juice of the green fruit of the papaw (Carica Papaya) of tropical America.
papery adjective Like paper; having the thinness or consistence of paper.
papess noun A female pope; i. e., the fictitious pope Joan.
papion noun A West African baboon (Cynocephalus sphinx), allied to the chacma. Its color is generally chestnut, varying in tint.
papism noun Popery; — an offensive term.
papist noun A Roman catholic; one who adheres to the Church of Rome and the authority of the pope; — an offensive designation applied to Roman Catholics by their opponents.
pappus noun The hairy or feathery appendage of the achenes of thistles, dandelions, and most other plants of the order Compositae; also, the scales, awns, or bristles which represent the calyx in other plants of the same order.
papuan adjective Of or pertaining to Papua.
papula noun A pimple; a small, usually conical, elevation of the cuticle, produced by congestion, accumulated secretion, or hypertrophy of tissue; a papule., One of the numerous small hollow processes of the integument between the plates of starfishes.
papule noun Same as Papula.
papyri plural of Papyrus
parade verb t. The ground where a military display is held, or where troops are drilled., An assembly and orderly arrangement or display of troops, in full equipments, for inspection or evolutions before some superior officer; a review of troops. Parades are general, regimental, or private (troop, battery, or company), according to the force assembled., Pompous show; formal display or exhibition., That which is displayed; a show; a spectacle; an imposing procession; the movement of any body marshaled in military order; as, a parade of firemen., Posture of defense; guard., A public walk; a promenade., To exhibit in a showy or ostentatious manner; to show off., To assemble and form; to marshal; to cause to maneuver or march ceremoniously; as, to parade troops., To make an exhibition or spectacle of one’s self, as by walking in a public place., To assemble in military order for evolutions and inspection; to form or march, as in review.
parage noun Equality of condition, blood, or dignity; also, equality in the partition of an inheritance., Equality of condition between persons holding unequal portions of a fee., Kindred; family; birth.
parail noun See Apparel.
paramo noun A high, bleak plateau or district, with stunted trees, and cold, damp atmosphere, as in the Andes, in South America.
paraph noun A flourish made with the pen at the end of a signature. In the Middle Ages, this formed a sort of rude safeguard against forgery., To add a paraph to; to sign, esp. with the initials.
parcae noun pl. The Fates. See Fate, 4.
parcel noun A portion of anything taken separately; a fragment of a whole; a part., A part; a portion; a piece; as, a certain piece of land is part and parcel of another piece., An indiscriminate or indefinite number, measure, or quantity; a collection; a group., A number or quantity of things put up together; a bundle; a package; a packet., To divide and distribute by parts or portions; — often with out or into., To add a parcel or item to; to itemize., To make up into a parcel; as, to parcel a customer’s purchases; the machine parcels yarn, wool, etc., Part or half; in part; partially. Shak. [Sometimes hyphened with the word following.]
pardie adverb / interj. Certainly; surely; truly; verily; — originally an oath.
pardon verb t. The act of pardoning; forgiveness, as of an offender, or of an offense; release from penalty; remission of punishment; absolution., An official warrant of remission of penalty., The state of being forgiven., A release, by a sovereign, or officer having jurisdiction, from the penalties of an offense, being distinguished from amenesty, which is a general obliteration and canceling of a particular line of past offenses., To absolve from the consequences of a fault or the punishment of crime; to free from penalty; — applied to the offender., To remit the penalty of; to suffer to pass without punishment; to forgive; — applied to offenses., To refrain from exacting as a penalty., To give leave (of departure) to.
paring present participle & vb. noun of Pare, The act of cutting off the surface or extremites of anything., That which is pared off.
parent noun One who begets, or brings forth, offspring; a father or a mother., That which produces; cause; source; author; begetter; as, idleness is the parent of vice.
parfay interj. By my faith; verily.
parfit adjective Perfect.
parget verb t. To coat with parget; to plaster, as walls, or the interior of flues; as, to parget the outside of their houses., To paint; to cover over., To lay on plaster., To paint, as the face., Gypsum or plaster stone., Plaster, as for lining the interior of flues, or for stuccowork., Paint, especially for the face.
pariah noun One of an aboriginal people of Southern India, regarded by the four castes of the Hindoos as of very low grade. They are usually the serfs of the Sudra agriculturalists. See Caste., An outcast; one despised by society.
parial noun See Pair royal, under Pair, n.
parian adjective Of or pertaining to Paros, an island in the Aegean Sea noted for its excellent statuary marble; as, Parian marble., A native or inhabitant of Paros., A ceramic ware, resembling unglazed porcelain biscuit, of which are made statuettes, ornaments, etc.
paries noun The triangular middle part of each segment of the shell of a barnacle.
parish noun That circuit of ground committed to the charge of one parson or vicar, or other minister having cure of souls therein., The same district, constituting a civil jurisdiction, with its own officers and regulations, as respects the poor, taxes, etc., An ecclesiastical society, usually not bounded by territorial limits, but composed of those persons who choose to unite under the charge of a particular priest, clergyman, or minister; also, loosely, the territory in which the members of a congregation live., In Louisiana, a civil division corresponding to a county in other States., Of or pertaining to a parish; parochial; as, a parish church; parish records; a parish priest; maintained by the parish; as, parish poor.
parity noun The quality or condition of being equal or equivalent; A like state or degree; equality; close correspondence; analogy; as, parity of reasoning.
parked imp. & past participle of Park
parker noun The keeper of a park.
parley noun Mutual discourse or conversation; discussion; hence, an oral conference with an enemy, as with regard to a truce., To speak with another; to confer on some point of mutual concern; to discuss orally; hence, specifically, to confer orally with an enemy; to treat with him by words, as on an exchange of prisoners, an armistice, or terms of peace.
parlor noun A room for business or social conversation, for the reception of guests, etc., The apartment in a monastery or nunnery where the inmates are permitted to meet and converse with each other, or with visitors and friends from without., In large private houses, a sitting room for the family and for familiar guests, — a room for less formal uses than the drawing-room. Esp., in modern times, the dining room of a house having few apartments, as a London house, where the dining parlor is usually on the ground floor., Commonly, in the United States, a drawing-room, or the room where visitors are received and entertained.
parody noun A writing in which the language or sentiment of an author is mimicked; especially, a kind of literary pleasantry, in which what is written on one subject is altered, and applied to another by way of burlesque; travesty., A popular maxim, adage, or proverb., To write a parody upon; to burlesque.
parole noun A word; an oral utterance., Word of promise; word of honor; plighted faith; especially (Mil.), promise, upon one’s faith and honor, to fulfill stated conditions, as not to bear arms against one’s captors, to return to custody, or the like., A watchword given only to officers of guards; — distinguished from countersign, which is given to all guards., Oral declaration. See lst Parol, 2., See 2d Parol., To set at liberty on parole; as, to parole prisoners.
parral noun Alt. of Parrel
parrel noun The rope or collar by which a yard or spar is held to the mast in such a way that it may be hoisted or lowered at pleasure., A chimney-piece.
parrot noun In a general sense, any bird of the order Psittaci., Any species of Psittacus, Chrysotis, Pionus, and other genera of the family Psittacidae, as distinguished from the parrakeets, macaws, and lories. They have a short rounded or even tail, and often a naked space on the cheeks. The gray parrot, or jako (P. erithacus) of Africa (see Jako), and the species of Amazon, or green, parrots (Chrysotis) of America, are examples. Many species, as cage birds, readily learn to imitate sounds, and to repeat words and phrases., To repeat by rote, as a parrot., To chatter like a parrot.
parsed imp. & past participle of Parse
parsee noun One of the adherents of the Zoroastrian or ancient Persian religion, descended from Persian refugees settled in India; a fire worshiper; a Gheber., The Iranian dialect of much of the religious literature of the Parsees.
parser noun One who parses.
parson noun A person who represents a parish in its ecclesiastical and corporate capacities; hence, the rector or incumbent of a parochial church, who has full possession of all the rights thereof, with the cure of souls., Any clergyman having ecclesiastical preferment; one who is in orders, or is licensed to preach; a preacher.
parted imp. & past participle of Part, Separated; devided., Endowed with parts or abilities., Cleft so that the divisions reach nearly, but not quite, to the midrib, or the base of the blade; — said of a leaf, and used chiefly in composition; as, three-parted, five-parted, etc.
partan noun An edible British crab.
parter noun One who, or which, parts or separates.
partly adverb In part; in some measure of degree; not wholly.
parvis noun Alt. of Parvise
pascha noun The passover; the feast of Easter.
paseng noun The wild or bezoar goat. See Goat.
pashaw noun See Pasha.
pasque noun See Pasch.
passed imp. & past participle of Pass
passee adjective Past; gone by; hence, past one’s prime; worn; faded; as, a passee belle.
passer noun One who passes; a passenger.
passim adverb Here and there; everywhere; as, this word occurs passim in the poem.
passus plural of Passus, A division or part; a canto; as, the passus of Piers Plowman. See 2d Fit.
pasted imp. & past participle of Paste
pastel noun A crayon made of a paste composed of a color ground with gum water., A plant affording a blue dye; the woad (Isatis tinctoria); also, the dye itself.
paster noun One who pastes; as, a paster in a government department., A slip of paper, usually bearing a name, intended to be pasted by the voter, as a substitute, over another name on a printed ballot.
pastil noun Alt. of Pastille
pastor noun A shepherd; one who has the care of flocks and herds., A guardian; a keeper; specifically (Eccl.), a minister having the charge of a church and parish., A species of starling (Pastor roseus), native of the plains of Western Asia and Eastern Europe. Its head is crested and glossy greenish black, and its back is rosy. It feeds largely upon locusts.
pastry noun The place where pastry is made., Articles of food made of paste, or having a crust made of paste, as pies, tarts, etc.
patted imp. & past participle of Pat
pataca noun The Spanish dollar; — called also patacoon.
patchy adjective Full of, or covered with, patches; abounding in patches.
patela noun A large flat-bottomed trading boat peculiar to the river Ganges; — called also puteli.
patena noun A paten., A grassy expanse in the hill region of Ceylon.
patent adjective Open; expanded; evident; apparent; unconcealed; manifest; public; conspicuous., Open to public perusal; — said of a document conferring some right or privilege; as, letters patent. See Letters patent, under 3d Letter., Appropriated or protected by letters patent; secured by official authority to the exclusive possession, control, and disposal of some person or party; patented; as, a patent right; patent medicines., Spreading; forming a nearly right angle with the steam or branch; as, a patent leaf., A letter patent, or letters patent; an official document, issued by a sovereign power, conferring a right or privilege on some person or party., A writing securing to an invention., A document making a grant and conveyance of public lands., The right or privilege conferred by such a document; hence, figuratively, a right, privilege, or license of the nature of a patent., To grant by patent; to make the subject of a patent; to secure or protect by patent; as, to patent an invention; to patent public lands.
patera noun A saucerlike vessel of earthenware or metal, used by the Greeks and Romans in libations and sacrificies., A circular ornament, resembling a dish, often worked in relief on friezes, and the like.
pathed imp. & past participle of Path
pathic noun A male who submits to the crime against nature; a catamite., Passive; suffering.
pathos noun That quality or property of anything which touches the feelings or excites emotions and passions, esp., that which awakens tender emotions, such as pity, sorrow, and the like; contagious warmth of feeling, action, or expression; pathetic quality; as, the pathos of a picture, of a poem, or of a cry.
patine noun A plate. See Paten.
patina noun A dish or plate of metal or earthenware; a patella., The color or incrustation which age gives to works of art; especially, the green rust which covers ancient bronzes, coins, and medals.
patois noun A dialect peculiar to the illiterate classes; a provincial form of speech.
patrol verb i. To go the rounds along a chain of sentinels; to traverse a police district or beat., t To go the rounds of, as a sentry, guard, or policeman; as, to patrol a frontier; to patrol a beat., A going of the rounds along the chain of sentinels and between the posts, by a guard, usually consisting of three or four men, to insure greater security from attacks on the outposts., A movement, by a small body of troops beyond the line of outposts, to explore the country and gain intelligence of the enemy’s whereabouts., The guard or men who go the rounds for observation; a detachment whose duty it is to patrol., Any perambulation of a particular line or district to guard it; also, the men thus guarding; as, a customs patrol; a fire patrol.
patron noun One who protects, supports, or countenances; a defender., A master who had freed his slave, but still retained some paternal rights over him., A man of distinction under whose protection another person placed himself., An advocate or pleader., One who encourages or helps a person, a cause, or a work; a furtherer; a promoter; as, a patron of art., One who has gift and disposition of a benefice., A guardian saint. — called also patron saint., See Padrone, 2., To be a patron of; to patronize; to favor., Doing the duty of a patron; giving aid or protection; tutelary.
pattee adjective Narrow at the inner, and very broad at the other, end, or having its arms of that shape; — said of a cross. See Illust. (8) of Cross.
patten noun A clog or sole of wood, usually supported by an iron ring, worn to raise the feet from the wet or the mud., A stilt.
patter verb i. To strike with a quick succession of slight, sharp sounds; as, pattering rain or hail; pattering feet., To mutter; to mumble; as, to patter with the lips., To talk glibly; to chatter; to harangue., To spatter; to sprinkle., To mutter; as prayers., A quick succession of slight sounds; as, the patter of rain; the patter of little feet., Glib and rapid speech; a voluble harangue., The cant of a class; patois; as, thieves’s patter; gypsies’ patter.
paugie noun Alt. of Paugy
paulin noun See Tarpaulin.
paunce noun The pansy.
paunch noun The belly and its contents; the abdomen; also, the first stomach, or rumen, of ruminants. See Rumen., A paunch mat; — called also panch., The thickened rim of a bell, struck by the clapper., To pierce or rip the belly of; to eviscerate; to disembowel., To stuff with food.
pauper noun A poor person; especially, one development on private or public charity. Also used adjectively; as, pouper immigrants, pouper labor.
paused imp. & past participle of Pause
pauser noun One who pauses.
pavage noun See Pavage.
paving present participle & vb. noun of Pave, The act or process of laying a pavement, or covering some place with a pavement., A pavement.
pavese noun Alt. of Pavesse
pavian noun See Pavan.
pavier noun A paver.
paviin noun A glucoside found in species of the genus Pavia of the Horse-chestnut family.
pavior noun One who paves; a paver., A rammer for driving paving stones., A brick or slab used for paving.
pavise noun A large shield covering the whole body, carried by a pavisor, who sometimes screened also an archer with it.
pavone noun A peacock.
pawing present participle & vb. noun of Paw
pawned imp. & past participle of Pawn
pawnee noun One or two whom a pledge is delivered as security; one who takes anything in pawn.
pawner noun Alt. of Pawnor
pawnor noun One who pawns or pledges anything as security for the payment of borrowed money or of a debt.
pawpaw noun See Papaw.
paxwax noun The strong ligament of the back of the neck in quadrupeds. It connects the back of the skull with dorsal spines of the cervical vertebrae, and helps to support the head. Called also paxywaxy and packwax.
paying present participle & vb. noun of Pay
paynim noun & adjective See Painim.
peachy adjective Resembling a peach or peaches.
peahen noun The hen or female peafowl.
peaked imp. & past participle of Peak, Pointed; ending in a point; as, a peaked roof., Sickly; not robust.
pealed imp. & past participle of Peal
peanut noun The fruit of a trailing leguminous plant (Arachis hypogaea); also, the plant itself, which is widely cultivated for its fruit.
pearch noun See Perch.
pearly adjective Containing pearls; abounding with, or yielding, pearls; as, pearly shells., Resembling pearl or pearls; clear; pure; transparent; iridescent; as, the pearly dew or flood.
peases plural of Pease
peasen plural of Pease
pebble noun A small roundish stone or bowlder; especially, a stone worn and rounded by the action of water; a pebblestone., Transparent and colorless rock crystal; as, Brazilian pebble; — so called by opticians., To grain (leather) so as to produce a surface covered with small rounded prominences.
pebbly adjective Full of pebbles; pebbled.
pecary noun See Peccary.
pecked imp. & past participle of Peck
pecker noun One who, or that which, pecks; specif., a bird that pecks holes in trees; a woodpecker., An instrument for pecking; a pick.
pecora noun pl. An extensive division of ruminants, including the antelopes, deer, and cattle.
pecten noun A vascular pigmented membrane projecting into the vitreous humor within the globe of the eye in birds, and in many reptiles and fishes; — also called marsupium., The pubic bone., Any species of bivalve mollusks of the genus Pecten, and numerous allied genera (family Pectinidae); a scallop. See Scallop., The comb of a scorpion. See Comb, 4 (b).
pectic adjective Of or pertaining to pectin; specifically, designating an acid obtained from ordinary vegetable jelly (pectin) as an amorphous substance, tough and horny when dry, but gelatinous when moist.
pectin noun One of a series of carbohydrates, commonly called vegetable jelly, found very widely distributed in the vegetable kingdom, especially in ripe fleshy fruits, as apples, cranberries, etc. It is extracted as variously colored, translucent substances, which are soluble in hot water but become viscous on cooling.
pectus noun The breast of a bird.
pedage noun A toll or tax paid by passengers, entitling them to safe-conduct and protection.
pedant noun A schoolmaster; a pedagogue., One who puts on an air of learning; one who makes a vain display of learning; a pretender to superior knowledge.
pedary noun A sandal.
pedata noun pl. An order of holothurians, including those that have ambulacral suckers, or feet, and an internal gill.
pedate adjective Palmate, with the lateral lobes cleft into two or more segments; — said of a leaf.
peddle verb i. To travel about with wares for sale; to go from place to place, or from house to house, for the purpose of retailing goods; as, to peddle without a license., To do a small business; to be busy about trifles; to piddle., To sell from place to place; to retail by carrying around from customer to customer; to hawk; hence, to retail in very small quantities; as, to peddle vegetables or tinware.
pedial adjective Pertaining to the foot, or to any organ called a foot; pedal.
pedlar noun Alt. of Pedler
pedler noun See Peddler.
peechi noun The dauw.
peeled imp. & past participle of Peel
peeler noun One who peels or strips., A pillager., A nickname for a policeman; — so called from Sir Robert Peel.
peenge verb i. To complain.
peeped imp. & past participle of Peep
peeper noun A chicken just breaking the shell; a young bird., One who peeps; a prying person; a spy., The eye; as, to close the peepers.
peered imp. & past participle of Peer
peerie adjective Alt. of Peery
peevit noun Alt. of Peewit
peewit noun See Pewit.
pegged imp. & past participle of Peg
pegger noun One who fastens with pegs.
pelage noun The covering, or coat, of a mammal, whether of wool, fur, or hair.
pelfry noun Pelf; also, figuratively, rubbish; trash.
pelick noun The American coot (Fulica).
peliom noun A variety of iolite, of a smoky blue color; pelioma.
pellet noun A little ball; as, a pellet of wax / paper., A bullet; a ball for firearms., To form into small balls.
pelted imp. & past participle of Pelt
peltae plural of Pelta
pelter noun One who pelts., A pinchpenny; a mean, sordid person; a miser; a skinflint.
peltry noun Pelts or skins, collectively; skins with the fur on them; furs.
peludo noun The South American hairy armadillo (Dasypus villosus).
pelvic adjective Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the pelvis; as, pelvic cellulitis.
pelvis noun The pelvic arch, or the pelvic arch together with the sacrum. See Pelvic arch, under Pelvic, and Sacrum., The calyx of a crinoid.
penned imp. & past participle of Pen, of Pen, Winged; having plumes., Written with a pen; composed.
penary adjective Penal.
pencel noun A small, narrow flag or streamer borne at the top of a lance; — called also pennoncel.
pencil noun A small, fine brush of hair or bristles used by painters for laying on colors., A slender cylinder or strip of black lead, colored chalk, slate etc., or such a cylinder or strip inserted in a small wooden rod intended to be pointed, or in a case, which forms a handle, — used for drawing or writing. See Graphite., Hence, figuratively, an artist’s ability or peculiar manner; also, in general, the act or occupation of the artist, descriptive writer, etc., An aggregate or collection of rays of light, especially when diverging from, or converging to, a point., A number of lines that intersect in one point, the point of intersection being called the pencil point., A small medicated bougie., To write or mark with a pencil; to paint or to draw.
pended imp. & past participle of Pend
penmen plural of Penman
penman noun One who uses the pen; a writer; esp., one skilled in the use of the pen; a calligrapher; a writing master., An author; a composer.
pennae plural of Penna
penner noun One who pens; a writer., A case for holding pens.
pennon noun A wing; a pinion., A pennant; a flag or streamer.
penock noun See Pend.
pensel noun A pencel.
penta- A combining form denoting five; as, pentacapsular; pentagon., Denoting the degree of five, either as regards quality, property, or composition; as, pentasulphide; pentoxide, etc. Also used adjectively.
pentad noun Any element, atom, or radical, having a valence of five, or which can be combined with, substituted for, or compared with, five atoms of hydrogen or other monad; as, nitrogen is a pentad in the ammonium compounds., Having the valence of a pentad.
pentyl noun The hypothetical radical, C5H11, of pentane and certain of its derivatives. Same as Amyl.
penult noun The last syllable but one of a word; the syllable preceding the final one.
penury noun Absence of resources; want; privation; indigence; extreme poverty; destitution., Penuriousness; miserliness.
people noun The body of persons who compose a community, tribe, nation, or race; an aggregate of individuals forming a whole; a community; a nation., Persons, generally; an indefinite number of men and women; folks; population, or part of population; as, country people; — sometimes used as an indefinite subject or verb, like on in French, and man in German; as, people in adversity., The mass of comunity as distinguished from a special class; the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; as, nobles and people., One’s ancestors or family; kindred; relations; as, my people were English., One’s subjects; fellow citizens; companions; followers., To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate.
peplis noun A genus of plants including water purslane.
peplus noun An upper garment worn by Grecian and Roman women., A kind of kerchief formerly worn by Englishwomen.
pepper noun A well-known, pungently aromatic condiment, the dried berry, either whole or powdered, of the Piper nigrum., The plant which yields pepper, an East Indian woody climber (Piper nigrum), with ovate leaves and apetalous flowers in spikes opposite the leaves. The berries are red when ripe. Also, by extension, any one of the several hundred species of the genus Piper, widely dispersed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the earth., Any plant of the genus Capsicum, and its fruit; red pepper; as, the bell pepper., To sprinkle or season with pepper., Figuratively: To shower shot or other missiles, or blows, upon; to pelt; to fill with shot, or cover with bruises or wounds., To fire numerous shots (at).
pepsin noun An unorganized proteolytic ferment or enzyme contained in the secretory glands of the stomach. In the gastric juice it is united with dilute hydrochloric acid (0.2 per cent, approximately) and the two together constitute the active portion of the digestive fluid. It is the active agent in the gastric juice of all animals.
peptic adjective Relating to digestion; promoting digestion; digestive; as, peptic sauces., Able to digest., Pertaining to pepsin; resembling pepsin in its power of digesting or dissolving albuminous matter; containing or yielding pepsin, or a body of like properties; as, the peptic glands., An agent that promotes digestion., The digestive organs.
peract verb t. To go through with; to perform.
perdie adverb See Parde.
perdix noun A genus of birds including the common European partridge. Formerly the word was used in a much wider sense to include many allied genera.
perdue adjective Lost to view; in concealment or ambush; close., Accustomed to, or employed in, desperate enterprises; hence, reckless; hopeless.
perfit adjective Perfect.
perfix verb t. To fix surely; to appoint.
period noun A portion of time as limited and determined by some recurring phenomenon, as by the completion of a revolution of one of the heavenly bodies; a division of time, as a series of years, months, or days, in which something is completed, and ready to recommence and go on in the same order; as, the period of the sun, or the earth, or a comet., A stated and recurring interval of time; more generally, an interval of time specified or left indefinite; a certain series of years, months, days, or the like; a time; a cycle; an age; an epoch; as, the period of the Roman republic., One of the great divisions of geological time; as, the Tertiary period; the Glacial period. See the Chart of Geology., The termination or completion of a revolution, cycle, series of events, single event, or act; hence, a limit; a bound; an end; a conclusion., A complete sentence, from one full stop to another; esp., a well-proportioned, harmonious sentence., The punctuation point [.] that marks the end of a complete sentence, or of an abbreviated word., One of several similar sets of figures or terms usually marked by points or commas placed at regular intervals, as in numeration, in the extraction of roots, and in circulating decimals., The time of the exacerbation and remission of a disease, or of the paroxysm and intermission., A complete musical sentence., To put an end to., To come to a period; to conclude. [Obs.] “You may period upon this, that,” etc.
perish verb i. To be destroyed; to pass away; to become nothing; to be lost; to die; hence, to wither; to waste away., To cause perish.
perite adjective Skilled.
perked imp. & past participle of Perk
perkin noun A kind of weak perry.
perlid noun Any insect of the genus Perla, or family Perlidae. See Stone fly, under Stone.
permit verb t. To consent to; to allow or suffer to be done; to tolerate; to put up with., To grant (one) express license or liberty to do an act; to authorize; to give leave; — followed by an infinitive., To give over; to resign; to leave; to commit., To grant permission; to allow., Warrant; license; leave; permission; specifically, a written license or permission given to a person or persons having authority; as, a permit to land goods subject to duty.
permix verb t. To mix; to mingle.
pernel noun See Pimpernel.
pernio noun A chilblain.
pernor verb One who receives the profits, as of an estate.
perrie noun Precious stones; jewels.
persic adjective Of or relating to Persia., The Persian language.
persis noun A kind of coloring matter obtained from lichens.
person noun A character or part, as in a play; a specific kind or manifestation of individual character, whether in real life, or in literary or dramatic representation; an assumed character., The bodily form of a human being; body; outward appearance; as, of comely person., A living, self-conscious being, as distinct from an animal or a thing; a moral agent; a human being; a man, woman, or child., A human being spoken of indefinitely; one; a man; as, any person present., A parson; the parish priest., Among Trinitarians, one of the three subdivisions of the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost); an hypostasis., One of three relations or conditions (that of speaking, that of being spoken to, and that of being spoken of) pertaining to a noun or a pronoun, and thence also to the verb of which it may be the subject., A shoot or bud of a plant; a polyp or zooid of the compound Hydrozoa Anthozoa, etc.; also, an individual, in the narrowest sense, among the higher animals., To represent as a person; to personify; to impersonate.
pertly adverb In a pert manner.
peruke noun A wig; a periwig., To dress with a peruke.
perula noun One of the scales of a leaf bud., A pouchlike portion of the perianth in certain orchides.
perule noun Same as Perula.
peruse verb t. To observe; to examine with care., To read through; to read carefully.
pervis noun See Parvis.
pesade noun The motion of a horse when, raising his fore quarters, he keeps his hind feet on the ground without advancing; rearing.
pesage noun A fee, or toll, paid for the weighing of merchandise.
pesane noun See Pusane.
peseta noun A Spanish silver coin, and money of account, equal to about nineteen cents, and divided into 100 centesimos.
pester verb t. To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty vexations., To crowd together in an annoying way; to overcrowd; to infest.
pestle noun An implement for pounding and breaking or braying substances in a mortar., A constable’s or bailiff’s staff; — so called from its shape., The leg and leg bone of an animal, especially of a pig; as, a pestle of pork., To pound, pulverize, bray, or mix with a pestle, or as with a pestle; to use a pestle.
petted imp. & past participle of Pet
petala plural of Petalum
petard noun A case containing powder to be exploded, esp. a conical or cylindrical case of metal filled with powder and attached to a plank, to be exploded against and break down gates, barricades, drawbridges, etc. It has been superseded.
petong noun See Packfong.
petrel noun Any one of numerous species of longwinged sea birds belonging to the family Procellaridae. The small petrels, or Mother Carey’s chickens, belong to Oceanites, Oceanodroma, Procellaria, and several allied genera.
petro- A combining form from Gr. / a rock, / a stone; as, petrology, petroglyphic.
petrol noun Petroleum.
peucil noun A liquid resembling camphene, obtained by treating turpentine hydrochloride with lime.
pewter noun A hard, tough, but easily fusible, alloy, originally consisting of tin with a little lead, but afterwards modified by the addition of copper, antimony, or bismuth., Utensils or vessels made of pewter, as dishes, porringers, drinking vessels, tankards, pots.
pexity noun Nap of cloth.
peziza noun A genus of fungi embracing a great number of species, some of which are remarkable for their regular cuplike form and deep colors.
phalli plural of Phallus
pharos noun A lighthouse or beacon for the guidance of seamen.
phases plural of Phase, of Phasis
phasel noun The French bean, or kidney bean.
phasis noun See Phase.
phasma noun An apparition; a phantom; an appearance.
pheese verb t. To comb; also, to beat; to worry., Fretful excitement.
phenic adjective Of, pertaining to, derived from, or resembling, phenyl or phenol.
phenix noun A bird fabled to exist single, to be consumed by fire by its own act, and to rise again from its ashes. Hence, an emblem of immortality., A southern constellation., A marvelous person or thing.
phenol noun A white or pinkish crystalline substance, C6H5OH, produced by the destructive distillation of many organic bodies, as wood, coal, etc., and obtained from the heavy oil from coal tar., Any one of the series of hydroxyl derivatives of which phenol proper is the type.
phenyl noun A hydrocarbon radical (C6H5) regarded as the essential residue of benzene, and the basis of an immense number of aromatic derivatives.
philip noun The European hedge sparrow., The house sparrow. Called also phip.
philo- A combining form from Gr. fi`los loving, fond of, attached to; as, philosophy, philotechnic.
phizes plural of Phiz
phlegm adjective One of the four humors of which the ancients supposed the blood to be composed. See Humor., Viscid mucus secreted in abnormal quantity in the respiratory and digestive passages., A watery distilled liquor, in distinction from a spirituous liquor., Sluggishness of temperament; dullness; want of interest; indifference; coldness.
phleme noun See Fleam.
phleum noun A genus of grasses, including the timothy (Phleum pratense), which is highly valued for hay; cat’s-tail grass.
phloem noun That portion of fibrovascular bundles which corresponds to the inner bark; the liber tissue; — distinguished from xylem.
phocal adjective Pertaining to seals.
phoebe noun The pewee, or pewit.
pholad noun Any species of Pholas.
pholas noun Any one of numerous species of marine bivalve mollusks of the genus Pholas, or family Pholadidae. They bore holes for themselves in clay, peat, and soft rocks.
phonal adjective Of or relating to the voice; as, phonal structure.
phonic adjective Of or pertaining to sound; of the nature of sound; acoustic.
phono- A combining form from Gr. / sound, tone; as, phonograph, phonology.
photic adjective Relating to the production of light by the lower animals.
photos plural of Photo
photo- A combining form from Gr. fw^s, fwto`s, light; as, photography, phototype, photometer.
phrase noun A brief expression, sometimes a single word, but usually two or more words forming an expression by themselves, or being a portion of a sentence; as, an adverbial phrase., A short, pithy expression; especially, one which is often employed; a peculiar or idiomatic turn of speech; as, to err is human., A mode or form of speech; the manner or style in which any one expreses himself; diction; expression., A short clause or portion of a period., To express in words, or in peculiar words; to call; to style., To use proper or fine phrases., To group notes into phrases; as, he phrases well. See Phrase, n., 4.
phthor noun Fluorine.
phylae plural of Phyle
phylon noun A tribe.
phylum noun One of the larger divisions of the animal kingdom; a branch; a grand division.
physic noun The art of healing diseases; the science of medicine; the theory or practice of medicine., A specific internal application for the cure or relief of sickness; a remedy for disease; a medicine., Specifically, a medicine that purges; a cathartic., A physician., To treat with physic or medicine; to administer medicine to, esp. a cathartic; to operate on as a cathartic; to purge., To work on as a remedy; to heal; to cure.
phyto- A combining form from Gr. fyto`n a plant; as, phytochemistry, phytography.
phyton noun One of the parts which by their repetition make up a flowering plant, each being a single joint of a stem with its leaf or leaves; a phytomer.
pieing present participle & vb. noun of Pi
piacle noun A heinous offense which requires expiation.
pianet noun The magpie., The lesser woodpecker.
piapec noun A West African pie (Ptilostomus Senegalensis).
piatti noun pl. Cymbals.
piazza noun An open square in a European town, especially an Italian town; hence (Arch.), an arcaded and roofed gallery; a portico. In the United States the word is popularly applied to a veranda.
picard noun One of a sect of Adamites in the fifteenth century; — so called from one Picard of Flanders. See Adamite.
picene noun A hydrocarbon (C/H/) extracted from the pitchy residue of coal tar and petroleum as a bluish fluorescent crystalline substance.
pichey noun A Brazilian armadillo (Dasypus minutus); the little armadillo.
picine adjective Of or pertaining to the woodpeckers (Pici), or to the Piciformes.
picked imp. & past participle of Pick, Pointed; sharp., Having a pike or spine on the back; — said of certain fishes., Carefully selected; chosen; as, picked men., Fine; spruce; smart; precise; dianty.
pickax noun Alt. of Pickaxe
picker noun One who, or that which, picks, in any sense, — as, one who uses a pick; one who gathers; a thief; a pick; a pickax; as, a cotton picker., A machine for picking fibrous materials to pieces so as to loosen and separate the fiber., The piece in a loom which strikes the end of the shuttle, and impels it through the warp., A priming wire for cleaning the vent.
picket noun A stake sharpened or pointed, especially one used in fortification and encampments, to mark bounds and angles; or one used for tethering horses., A pointed pale, used in marking fences., A detached body of troops serving to guard an army from surprise, and to oppose reconnoitering parties of the enemy; — called also outlying picket., By extension, men appointed by a trades union, or other labor organization, to intercept outsiders, and prevent them from working for employers with whom the organization is at variance., A military punishment, formerly resorted to, in which the offender was forced to stand with one foot on a pointed stake., A game at cards. See Piquet., To fortify with pointed stakes., To inclose or fence with pickets or pales., To tether to, or as to, a picket; as, to picket a horse., To guard, as a camp or road, by an outlying picket., To torture by compelling to stand with one foot on a pointed stake.
pickle noun See Picle., A solution of salt and water, in which fish, meat, etc., may be preserved or corned; brine., Vinegar, plain or spiced, used for preserving vegetables, fish, eggs, oysters, etc., Any article of food which has been preserved in brine or in vinegar., A bath of dilute sulphuric or nitric acid, etc., to remove burnt sand, scale rust, etc., from the surface of castings, or other articles of metal, or to brighten them or improve their color., A troublesome child; as, a little pickle., To preserve or season in pickle; to treat with some kind of pickle; as, to pickle herrings or cucumbers., To give an antique appearance to; — said of copies or imitations of paintings by the old masters.
picksy noun See Pixy.
picnic verb Formerly, an entertainment at which each person contributed some dish to a common table; now, an excursion or pleasure party in which the members partake of a collation or repast (usually in the open air, and from food carried by themselves)., To go on a picnic, or pleasure excursion; to eat in public fashion.
picoid adjective Like or pertaining to the Pici.
picric adjective Pertaining to, or designating, a strong organic acid (called picric acid), intensely bitter.
picryl noun The hypothetical radical of picric acid, analogous to phenyl.
piddle verb i. To deal in trifles; to concern one’s self with trivial matters rather than with those that are important., To be squeamishly nice about one’s food., To urinate; — child’s word.
pieced imp. & past participle of Piece
piecer noun One who pieces; a patcher., A child employed in spinning mill to tie together broken threads.
piemen plural of Pieman
pieman noun A man who makes or sells pies.
pierce verb t. To thrust into, penetrate, or transfix, with a pointed instrument., To penetrate; to enter; to force a way into or through; to pass into or through; as, to pierce the enemy’s line; a shot pierced the ship., Fig.: To penetrate; to affect deeply; as, to pierce a mystery., To enter; to penetrate; to make a way into or through something, as a pointed instrument does; — used literally and figuratively.
pierid noun Any butterfly of the genus Pieris and related genera. See Cabbage butterfly, under Cabbage.
pigged imp. & past participle of Pig
pigeon noun Any bird of the order Columbae, of which numerous species occur in nearly all parts of the world., An unsuspected victim of sharpers; a gull., To pluck; to fleece; to swindle by tricks in gambling.
piggin noun A small wooden pail or tub with an upright stave for a handle, — often used as a dipper.
pignus noun A pledge or pawn.
pignut noun See Groundnut (d)., The bitter-flavored nut of a species of hickory (Carya glabra, / porcina); also, the tree itself.
pigpen noun A pen, or sty, for pigs.
pigsty noun A pigpen.
pilage noun See Pelage.
piling present participle & vb. noun of Pile, The act of heaping up., The process of building up, heating, and working, fagots, or piles, to form bars, etc., A series of piles; piles considered collectively; as, the piling of a bridge.
pileus noun A kind of skull cap of felt., The expanded upper portion of many of the fungi. See Mushroom., The top of the head of a bird, from the bill to the nape.
pilfer verb i. To steal in small quantities, or articles of small value; to practice petty theft., To take by petty theft; to filch; to steal little by little.
pildia plural of Pilidium
pilled imp. & past participle of Pill, Stripped of hair; scant of hair; bald.
pillar noun The general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or post; also, a column or shaft not supporting a superstructure, as one erected for a monument or an ornament., Figuratively, that which resembles such a pillar in appearance, character, or office; a supporter or mainstay; as, the Pillars of Hercules; a pillar of the state., A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church., The center of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns., Having a support in the form of a pillar, instead of legs; as, a pillar drill.
pillau noun An Oriental dish consisting of rice boiled with mutton, fat, or butter.
piller noun One who pills or plunders.
pillow noun Anything used to support the head of a person when reposing; especially, a sack or case filled with feathers, down, hair, or other soft material., A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block., A block under the inner end of a bowsprit., A kind of plain, coarse fustian., To rest or lay upon, or as upon, a pillow; to support; as, to pillow the head.
pilose adjective Hairy; full of, or made of, hair., Clothed thickly with pile or soft down., Covered with long, slender hairs; resembling long hairs; hairy; as, pilose pubescence.
pilour noun A piller; a plunderer.
pilous adjective See Pilose.
pilser noun An insect that flies into a flame.
piment noun Wine flavored with spice or honey. See Pigment, 3.
pimped imp. & past participle of Pimp
pimple noun Any small acuminated elevation of the cuticle, whether going on to suppuration or not., Fig.: A swelling or protuberance like a pimple.
pimply adjective Pimpled.
pinned imp. & past participle of Pin
pindal noun Alt. of Pindar
pindar noun The peanut (Arachis hypogaea); — so called in the West Indies.
pinder noun One who impounds; a poundkeeper.
pining present participle & vb. noun of Pine, Languishing; drooping; wasting away, as with longing., Wasting; consuming.
pineal adjective Of or pertaining to a pine cone; resembling a pine cone.
pinery noun A pine forest; a grove of pines., A hothouse in which pineapples are grown.
pinged imp. & past participle of Ping
pingle noun A small piece of inclosed ground.
pinion noun A moth of the genus Lithophane, as L. antennata, whose larva bores large holes in young peaches and apples., A feather; a quill., A wing, literal or figurative., The joint of bird’s wing most remote from the body., A fetter for the arm., A cogwheel with a small number of teeth, or leaves, adapted to engage with a larger wheel, or rack (see Rack); esp., such a wheel having its leaves formed of the substance of the arbor or spindle which is its axis., To bind or confine the wings of; to confine by binding the wings., To disable by cutting off the pinion joint., To disable or restrain, as a person, by binding the arms, esp. by binding the arms to the body., Hence, generally, to confine; to bind; to tie up.
pinite noun A compact granular cryptocrystalline mineral of a dull grayish or greenish white color. It is a hydrous alkaline silicate, and is derived from the alteration of other minerals, as iolite., Any fossil wood which exhibits traces of having belonged to the Pine family., A sweet white crystalline substance extracted from the gum of a species of pine (Pinus Lambertina). It is isomeric with, and resembles, quercite.
pinked imp. & past participle of Pink, Pierced with small holes; worked in eyelets; scalloped on the edge.
pinnae plural of Pinna
pinnas plural of Pinna
pinner noun One who, or that which, pins or fastens, as with pins., A headdress like a cap, with long lappets., An apron with a bib; a pinafore., A cloth band for a gown., A pin maker., One who pins or impounds cattle. See Pin, v. t.
pinnet noun A pinnacle.
pinole noun An aromatic powder used in Italy in the manufacture of chocolate., Parched maize, ground, and mixed with sugar, etc. Mixed with water, it makes a nutritious beverage.
pintle noun A little pin., An upright pivot pin, The pivot pin of a hinge., A hook or pin on which a rudder hangs and turns., A pivot about which the chassis swings, in some kinds of gun carriages., A kingbolt of a wagon.
pintos noun pl. A mountain tribe of Mexican Indians living near Acapulco. They are remarkable for having the dark skin of the face irregularly spotted with white. Called also speckled Indians.
pinule noun One of the sights of an astrolabe.
pinxit A word appended to the artist’s name or initials on a painting, or engraved copy of a painting; as, Rubens pinxit, Rubens painted (this).
pioned adjective A Shakespearean word of disputed meaning; perh., “abounding in marsh marigolds.”
pioner noun A pioneer.
pipped imp. & past participle of Pip
pipage noun Transportation, as of petroleum oil, by means of a pipe conduit; also, the charge for such transportation.
piping present participle & vb. noun of Pipe, Playing on a musical pipe., Peaceful; favorable to, or characterized by, the music of the pipe rather than of the drum and fife., Emitting a high, shrill sound., Simmering; boiling; sizzling; hissing; — from the sound of boiling fluids., A small cord covered with cloth, — used as trimming for women’s dresses., Pipes, collectively; as, the piping of a house., The act of playing on a pipe; the shrill noted of birds, etc., A piece cut off to be set or planted; a cutting; also, propagation by cuttings.
pipkin noun A small earthen boiler.
pippin noun An apple from a tree raised from the seed and not grafted; a seedling apple., A name given to apples of several different kinds, as Newtown pippin, summer pippin, fall pippin, golden pippin.
pipras plural of Pipra
piqued imp. & past participle of Pique
piquet noun See Picket., A game at cards played between two persons, with thirty-two cards, all the deuces, threes, fours, fives, and sixes, being set aside.
piracy noun The act or crime of a pirate., Robbery on the high seas; the taking of property from others on the open sea by open violence; without lawful authority, and with intent to steal; — a crime answering to robbery on land.,
pirate noun A robber on the high seas; one who by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas; especially, one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas; also, one who steals in a harbor., An armed ship or vessel which sails without a legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other vessels on the high seas., One who infringes the law of copyright, or publishes the work of an author without permission., To play the pirate; to practice robbery on the high seas., To publish, as books or writings, without the permission of the author.
piraya noun A large voracious fresh-water fish (Serrasalmo piraya) of South America, having lancet-shaped teeth.
pirrie noun A rough gale of wind.
pisces noun pl. The twelfth sign of the zodiac, marked / in almanacs., A zodiacal constellation, including the first point of Aries, which is the vernal equinoctial point; the Fish., The class of Vertebrata that includes the fishes. The principal divisions are Elasmobranchii, Ganoidei, and Teleostei.
pistel noun Alt. of Pistil
pistil noun An epistle., The seed-bearing organ of a flower. It consists of an ovary, containing the ovules or rudimentary seeds, and a stigma, which is commonly raised on an elongated portion called a style. When composed of one carpel a pistil is simple; when composed of several, it is compound. See Illust. of Flower, and Ovary.
pistic adjective Pure; genuine.
pistol noun The smallest firearm used, intended to be fired from one hand, — now of many patterns, and bearing a great variety of names. See Illust. of Revolver., To shoot with a pistol.
piston noun A sliding piece which either is moved by, or moves against, fluid pressure. It usually consists of a short cylinder fitting within a cylindrical vessel along which it moves, back and forth. It is used in steam engines to receive motion from the steam, and in pumps to transmit motion to a fluid; also for other purposes.
pitted imp. & past participle of Pit, Marked with little pits, as in smallpox. See Pit, v. t., 2., Having minute thin spots; as, pitted ducts in the vascular parts of vegetable tissue.
pitchy adjective Partaking of the qualities of pitch; resembling pitch., Smeared with pitch., Black; pitch-dark; dismal.
pitier noun One who pities.
pitmen plural of Pitman
pitman noun One who works in a pit, as in mining, in sawing timber, etc., The connecting rod in a sawmill; also, sometimes, a connecting rod in other machinery.
pitpan noun A long, flat-bottomed canoe, used for the navigation of rivers and lagoons in Central America.
pitpat noun & adverb See Pitapat.
pitter noun A contrivance for removing the pits from peaches, plums, and other stone fruit., To make a pattering sound; to murmur; as, pittering streams.
pities plural of Pity
pitied imp. & past participle of Pity
pixies plural of Pixie
pizzle noun The penis; — so called in some animals, as the bull.
placed imp. & past participle of Place
placer noun One who places or sets., A deposit of earth, sand, or gravel, containing valuable mineral in particles, especially by the side of a river, or in the bed of a mountain torrent.
placet noun A vote of assent, as of the governing body of a university, of an ecclesiastical council, etc., The assent of the civil power to the promulgation of an ecclesiastical ordinance.
placid adjective Pleased; contented; unruffied; undisturbed; serene; peaceful; tranquil; quiet; gentle.
placit noun A decree or determination; a dictum.
plagae plural of Plaga
plagal adjective Having a scale running from the dominant to its octave; — said of certain old church modes or tunes, as opposed to those called authentic, which ran from the tonic to its octave.
plague noun That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation., An acute malignant contagious fever, that often prevails in Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, and has at times visited the large cities of Europe with frightful mortality; hence, any pestilence; as, the great London plague., To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind., Fig.: To vex; to tease; to harass.
plaguy adjective Vexatious; troublesome; tormenting; as, a plaguy horse. [Colloq.] Also used adverbially; as, “He is so plaguy proud.”
plaice noun A European food fish (Pleuronectes platessa), allied to the flounder, and growing to the weight of eight or ten pounds or more., A large American flounder (Paralichthys dentatus; called also brail, puckermouth, and summer flounder. The name is sometimes applied to other allied species.
plaint noun Audible expression of sorrow; lamentation; complaint; hence, a mournful song; a lament., An accusation or protest on account of an injury., A private memorial tendered to a court, in which a person sets forth his cause of action; the exhibiting of an action in writing.
plaise noun See Plaice.
planch noun A plank., To make or cover with planks or boards; to plank.
planed imp. & past participle of Plane
planer noun One who, or that which, planes; a planing machine; esp., a machine for planing wood or metals., A wooden block used for forcing down the type in a form, and making the surface even.
planet noun 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., A star, as influencing the fate of a men.
plani- adjective Alt. of Plano-
plano- adjective Combining forms signifying flat, level, plane; as planifolious, planimetry, plano-concave., See Plani-.
plaque noun 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.
plashy adjective Watery; abounding with puddles; splashy., Specked, as if plashed with color.
plasma noun 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., The viscous material of an animal or vegetable cell, out of which the various tissues are formed by a process of differentiation; protoplasm., Unorganized material; elementary matter., A mixture of starch and glycerin, used as a substitute for ointments.
platan noun The plane tree.
plated imp. & past participle of Plate
platel noun A small dish.
platen noun The part of a printing press which presses the paper against the type and by which the impression is made., Hence, an analogous part of a typewriter, on which the paper rests to receive an impression., 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 noun One who plates or coats articles with gold or silver; as, a silver plater., A machine for calendering paper.
platin noun See Platen.
platly adjective Flatly. See Plat, a.
platy- A combining form from Gr. platy`s broad, wide, flat; as, platypus, platycephalous.
played imp. & past participle of Play
player noun One who plays, or amuses himself; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler., One who plays any game., A dramatic actor., One who plays on an instrument of music., A gamester; a gambler.
playte noun See Pleyt.
pleach verb t. To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash; to interlock.
please verb t. To give pleasure to; to excite agreeable sensations or emotions in; to make glad; to gratify; to content; to satisfy., To have or take pleasure in; hence, to choose; to wish; to desire; to will., To be the will or pleasure of; to seem good to; — used impersonally., To afford or impart pleasure; to excite agreeable emotions., To have pleasure; to be willing, as a matter of affording pleasure or showing favor; to vouchsafe; to consent.
pledge noun 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., A person who undertook, or became responsible, for another; a bail; a surety; a hostage., A hypothecation without transfer of possession., 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., 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., A sentiment to which assent is given by drinking one’s health; a toast; a health., To deposit, as a chattel, in pledge or pawn; to leave in possession of another as security; as, to pledge one’s watch., To give or pass as a security; to guarantee; to engage; to plight; as, to pledge one’s word and honor., To secure performance of, as by a pledge., To bind or engage by promise or declaration; to engage solemnly; as, to pledge one’s self., 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.
pleiad noun One of the Pleiades.
plenal adjective Full; complete; as, a plenal view or act.
plenty adjective Full or adequate supply; enough and to spare; sufficiency; specifically, abundant productiveness of the earth; ample supply for human wants; abundance; copiousness., Plentiful; abundant.
plenum noun That state in which every part of space is supposed to be full of matter; — opposed to vacuum.
pleura noun pl. of Pleuron., The smooth serous membrane which closely covers the lungs and the adjacent surfaces of the thorax; the pleural membrane., The closed sac formed by the pleural membrane about each lung, or the fold of membrane connecting each lung with the body wall., Same as Pleuron., of Pleuron
plevin noun A warrant or assurance.
plexus plural of Plexus, A network of vessels, nerves, or fibers., The system of equations required for the complete expression of the relations which exist between a set of quantities.
pliant verb 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., Favorable to pliancy.
pliers noun pl. 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.
plight imp. & p. p. of Plight, to pledge., imp. & p. p. of Pluck., To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait., A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment., That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge., Condition; state; — risk, or exposure to danger, often being implied; as, a luckless plight., 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 promise; to engage; to betroth.
plinth noun 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.
plonge verb t. To cleanse, as open drains which are entered by the tide, by stirring up the sediment when the tide ebbs.
plough noun & verb See Plow., 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., Fig.: Agriculture; husbandry., A carucate of land; a plowland., A joiner’s plane for making grooves; a grooving plane., An implement for trimming or shaving off the edges of books., Same as Charles’s Wain., 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., To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in; to run through, as in sailing., To trim, or shave off the edges of, as a book or paper, with a plow. See Plow, n., 5., 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 labor with, or as with, a plow; to till or turn up the soil with a plow; to prepare the soil or bed for anything.
plover noun Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds belonging to the family Charadridae, and especially those belonging to the subfamily Charadrinsae. They are prized as game birds., 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.
plowed imp. & past participle of Plough
plower noun Alt. of Plougher
plucky superl. Having pluck or courage; characterized by pluck; displaying pluck; courageous; spirited; as, a plucky race.
plumae plural of Pluma
plumed imp. & past participle of Plume
plummy adjective Of the nature of a plum; desirable; profitable; advantageous.
plumpy adjective Plump; fat; sleek.
plunge verb t. 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 baptize by immersion., To entangle; to embarrass; to overcome., 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., To pitch or throw one’s self headlong or violently forward, as a horse does., To bet heavily and with seeming recklessness on a race, or other contest; in an extended sense, to risk large sums in hazardous speculations., 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., Hence, a desperate hazard or act; a state of being submerged or overwhelmed with difficulties., The act of pitching or throwing one’s self headlong or violently forward, like an unruly horse., Heavy and reckless betting in horse racing; hazardous speculation.
plural adjective Relating to, or containing, more than one; designating two or more; as, a plural word., The plural number; that form of a word which expresses or denotes more than one; a word in the plural form.
pluri- A combining form from L. plus, pluris, more, many; as pluriliteral.
plushy adjective Like plush; soft and shaggy.
plutei plural of Pluteus
plutus noun 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.
plying present participle & vb. noun of Ply
plyght verb & noun See Plight.
poachy adjective Wet and soft; easily penetrated by the feet of cattle; — said of land
pocket noun A bag or pouch; especially; a small bag inserted in a garment for carrying small articles, particularly money; hence, figuratively, money; wealth., One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into which the balls are driven., A large bag or sack used in packing various articles, as ginger, hops, cowries, etc., A hole or space covered by a movable piece of board, as in a floor, boxing, partitions, or the like., A cavity in a rock containing a nugget of gold, or other mineral; a small body of ore contained in such a cavity., A hole containing water., A strip of canvas, sewn upon a sail so that a batten or a light spar can placed in the interspace., Same as Pouch., To put, or conceal, in the pocket; as, to pocket the change., To take clandestinely or fraudulently.
pocock noun Peacock.
podded imp. & past participle of Pod, Having pods.
podder noun One who collects pods or pulse.
podium noun A low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall., The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheater, from the top of which the seats began., The masonry under the stylobate of a temple, sometimes a mere foundation, sometimes containing chambers., The foot.
podley noun A young coalfish.
podura noun Any small leaping thysanurous insect of the genus Podura and related genera; a springtail.
poetic adjective Alt. of Poetical
poetry noun The art of apprehending and interpreting ideas by the faculty of imagination; the art of idealizing in thought and in expression., 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.
poised imp. & past participle of Poise
poiser noun The balancer of dipterous insects.
poison noun 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., That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as, the poison of evil example; the poison of sin., To put poison upon or into; to infect with poison; as, to poison an arrow; to poison food or drink., To injure or kill by poison; to administer poison to., To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; as, vice poisons happiness; slander poisoned his mind., To act as, or convey, a poison.
poking present participle & vb. noun of Poke, Drudging; servile.
polack noun A Polander.
polary adjective Tending to a pole; having a direction toward a pole.
polder noun A tract of low land reclaimed from the sea by of high embankments.
poling present participle & vb. noun of Pole, The act of supporting or of propelling by means of a pole or poles; as, the poling of beans; the poling of a boat., The operation of dispersing worm casts over the walks with poles., One of the poles or planks used in upholding the side earth in excavating a tunnel, ditch, etc.
poleax noun Alt. of Poleaxe
polemy noun Warfare; war; hence, contention; opposition.
police noun 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., That which concerns the order of the community; the internal regulation of a state., 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., Military police, the body of soldiers detailed to preserve civil order and attend to sanitary arrangements in a camp or garrison., The cleaning of a camp or garrison, or the state / a camp as to cleanliness., To keep in order by police., To make clean; as, to police a camp.
policy noun Civil polity., 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., The method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course., 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., Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit., Motive; object; inducement., To regulate by laws; to reduce to order., A ticket or warrant for money in the public funds., 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., A method of gambling by betting as to what numbers will be drawn in a lottery; as, to play policy.
polish adjective Of or pertaining to Poland or its inhabitants., The language of the Poles., To make smooth and glossy, usually by friction; to burnish; to overspread with luster; as, to polish glass, marble, metals, etc., Hence, to refine; to wear off the rudeness, coarseness, or rusticity of; to make elegant and polite; as, to polish life or manners., To become smooth, as from friction; to receive a gloss; to take a smooth and glossy surface; as, steel polishes well., A smooth, glossy surface, usually produced by friction; a gloss or luster., Anything used to produce a gloss., Fig.: Refinement; elegance of manners.
polite verb Smooth; polished., Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil., Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as, polite literature., To polish; to refine; to render polite.
polity noun 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., Hence: The form or constitution by which any institution is organized; the recognized principles which lie at the foundation of any human institution., Policy; art; management.
polive noun A pulley.
polled imp. & past participle of Poll, 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.
pollan noun A lake whitefish (Coregonus pollan), native of Ireland. In appearance it resembles a herring.
pollax noun A poleax.
pollen noun Fine bran or flour., The fecundating dustlike cells of the anthers of flowers. See Flower, and Illust. of Filament.
poller noun 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.] Baex. (d) One who registplws votplws, or one who enters his name as a voter.
pollex noun 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.
pollux noun A fixed star of the second magnitude, in the constellation Gemini. Cf. 3d Castor., Same as Pollucite.
polony noun A kind of sausage made of meat partly cooked.
polron noun See Pauldron.
polwig noun A polliwig. Holland.
polype noun See Polyp.
polypi noun pl. The Anthozoa., of Polypus
polyve noun A pulley.
pomace noun The substance of apples, or of similar fruit, crushed by grinding.
pomade noun Cider., Perfumed ointment; esp., a fragrant unguent for the hair; pomatum; — originally made from apples.
pomelo noun A variety of shaddock, called also grape fruit.
pomely adjective Dappled.
pomeys plural of Pomey
pommel noun A knob or ball; an object resembling a ball in form, The knob on the hilt of a sword., The knob or protuberant part of a saddlebow., The top (of the head)., A knob forming the finial of a turret or pavilion., To beat soundly, as with the pommel of a sword, or with something knoblike; hence, to beat with the fists.
pomona noun The goddess of fruits and fruit trees.
pompet noun The ball formerly used to ink the type.
pompon noun Any trifling ornament for a woman’s dress or bonnet., A tuft or ball of wool, or the like, sometimes worn by soldiers on the front of the hat, instead of a feather.
poncho noun 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., A trade name for camlets, or stout worsteds.
ponder verb t. To weigh., To weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully; to consider attentively., To think; to deliberate; to muse; — usually followed by on or over.
ponent adjective Western; occidental.
pongee noun A fabric of undyed silk from India and China.
pontes plural of Pons
pontee noun An iron rod used by glass makers for manipulating the hot glass; — called also, puntil, puntel, punty, and ponty. See Fascet.
pontic adjective Of or pertaining to the Pontus, Euxine, or Black Sea.
pontil noun Same as Pontee.
ponton noun See Pontoon.
ponies plural of Pony
poodle noun A breed of dogs having curly hair, and often showing remarkable intelligence in the performance of tricks.
pookoo noun A red African antelope (Kobus Vardoni) allied to the water buck.
pooled imp. & past participle of Pool
pooler noun A stick for stirring a tan vat.
poonac noun A kind of oil cake prepared from the cocoanut. See Oil cake, under Cake.
pooped imp. & past participle of Poop, Having a poop; furnished with a poop., Struck on the poop.
poorly adverb In a poor manner or condition; without plenty, or sufficiency, or suitable provision for comfort; as, to live poorly., With little or no success; indifferently; with little profit or advantage; as, to do poorly in business., Meanly; without spirit., Without skill or merit; as, he performs poorly., Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health.
popped imp. & past participle of Pop
popery noun The religion of the Roman Catholic Church, comprehending doctrines and practices; — generally used in an opprobrious sense.
popgun noun A child’s gun; a tube and rammer for shooting pellets, with a popping noise, by compression of air.
popish adjective Of or pertaining to the pope; taught or ordained by the pope; hence, of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church; — often used opprobriously.
poplar noun Any tree of the genus Populus; also, the timber, which is soft, and capable of many uses., The timber of the tulip tree; — called also white poplar.
poplin noun A fabric of many varieties, usually made of silk and worsted, — used especially for women’s dresses.
popper noun A utensil for popping corn, usually a wire basket with a long handle., A dagger.
poppet noun See Puppet., One of certain upright timbers on the bilge ways, used to support a vessel in launching., An upright support or guide fastened at the bottom only.
popple verb i. To move quickly up and down; to bob up and down, as a cork on rough water; also, to bubble., The poplar., Tares.
poring present participle & vb. noun of Pore
porime noun A theorem or proposition so easy of demonstration as to be almost self-evident.
porism noun A proposition affirming the possibility of finding such conditions as will render a certain determinate problem indeterminate or capable of innumerable solutions., A corollary.
porite noun Any coral of the genus Porites, or family Poritidae.
porker noun A hog.
porket noun A young hog; a pig.
porous noun 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.
porpus noun A porpoise.
porret noun A scallion; a leek or small onion.
ported imp. & past participle of Port, Having gates.
portae plural of Porta
portal noun A door or gate; hence, a way of entrance or exit, especially one that is grand and imposing., The lesser gate, where there are two of different dimensions., Formerly, a small square corner in a room separated from the rest of the apartment by wainscoting, forming a short passage to another apartment., 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., The space, at one end, between opposite trusses when these are terminated by inclined braces., A prayer book or breviary; a portass., 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.
porter noun A man who has charge of a door or gate; a doorkeeper; one who waits at the door to receive messages., A carrier; one who carries or conveys burdens, luggage, etc.; for hire., 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 in hammering and heating; — called also porter bar., A malt liquor, of a dark color and moderately bitter taste, possessing tonic and intoxicating qualities.
portly adjective Having a dignified port or mien; of a noble appearance; imposing., Bulky; corpulent.
portos noun See Portass.
posing present participle & vb. noun of Pose
posied adjective Inscribed with a posy.
posnet noun A little basin; a porringer; a skillet.
posset noun A beverage composed of hot milk curdled by some strong infusion, as by wine, etc., — much in favor formerly., To curdle; to turn, as milk; to coagulate; as, to posset the blood., To treat with possets; to pamper.
possum noun An opossum.
posted imp. & past participle of Post
postal adjective Belonging to the post office or mail service; as, postal arrangements; postal authorities.
postea noun The return of the judge before whom a cause was tried, after a verdict, of what was done in the cause, which is indorsed on the nisi prius record.
postel noun Apostle.
poster noun A large bill or placard intended to be posted in public places., One who posts bills; a billposter., One who posts, or travels expeditiously; a courier., A post horse.
postic adjective Backward.
postil noun Originally, an explanatory note in the margin of the Bible, so called because written after the text; hence, a marginal note; a comment., A short homily or commentary on a passage of Scripture; as, the first postils were composed by order of Charlemagne., To write marginal or explanatory notes on; to gloss., To write postils, or marginal notes; to comment; to postillate.
posies plural of Posy
potted imp. & past participle of Pot
potage noun See Pottage.
potale noun The refuse from a grain distillery, used to fatten swine.
potash noun The hydroxide of potassium hydrate, a hard white brittle substance, KOH, having strong caustic and alkaline properties; — hence called also caustic potash., The impure potassium carbonate obtained by leaching wood ashes, either as a strong solution (lye), or as a white crystalline (pearlash).
potato noun A plant (Solanum tuberosum) of the Nightshade family, and its esculent farinaceous tuber, of which there are numerous varieties used for food. It is native of South America, but a form of the species is found native as far north as New Mexico., The sweet potato (see below).
potboy noun A boy who carries pots of ale, beer, etc.; a menial in a public house.
poteen noun Whisky; especially, whisky illicitly distilled by the Irish peasantry.
potent adjective Producing great physical effects; forcible; powerful’ efficacious; as, a potent medicine., Having great authority, control, or dominion; puissant; mighty; influential; as, a potent prince., Powerful, in an intellectual or moral sense; having great influence; as, potent interest; a potent argument., A prince; a potentate., A staff or crutch., One of the furs; a surface composed of patches which are supposed to represent crutch heads; they are always alternately argent and azure, unless otherwise specially mentioned.
potgun noun A pot-shaped cannon; a mortar., A popgun.
pother noun Bustle; confusion; tumult; flutter; bother., To make a bustle or stir; to be fussy., To harass and perplex; to worry.
potion noun A draught; a dose; usually, a draught or dose of a liquid medicine., To drug.
potlid noun The lid or cover of a pot.
potmen plural of Potman
potman noun A pot companion., A servant in a public house; a potboy.
potpie noun A meat pie which is boiled instead of being baked.
potter noun One whose occupation is to make earthen vessels., One who hawks crockery or earthenware., One who pots meats or other eatables., The red-bellied terrapin. See Terrapin., To busy one’s self with trifles; to labor with little purpose, energy, of effect; to trifle; to pother., To walk lazily or idly; to saunter., To poke; to push; also, to disturb; to confuse; to bother.
pottle noun A liquid measure of four pints., A pot or tankard., A vessel or small basket for holding fruit.
poudre noun Dust; powder.
poulpe noun Same as Octopus.
pounce noun A fine powder, as of sandarac, or cuttlefish bone, — formerly used to prevent ink from spreading on manuscript., Charcoal dust, or some other colored powder for making patterns through perforated designs, — used by embroiderers, lace makers, etc., To sprinkle or rub with pounce; as, to pounce paper, or a pattern., The claw or talon of a bird of prey., A punch or stamp., Cloth worked in eyelet holes., To strike or seize with the talons; to pierce, as with the talons., To punch; to perforate; to stamp holes in, or dots on, by way of ornament., To fall suddenly and seize with the claws; — with on or upon; as, a hawk pounces upon a chicken. Also used figuratively.
pounds plural of Pound, of Pound
poured imp. & past participle of Pour
pourer noun One who pours.
pousse noun Pulse; pease.
pouted imp. & past participle of Pout
pouter noun One who, or that which, pouts., A variety of the domestic pigeon remarkable for the extent to which it is able to dilate its throat and breast.
povert noun Poverty.
powder noun The fine particles to which any dry substance is reduced by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or into which it falls by decay; dust., An explosive mixture used in gunnery, blasting, etc.; gunpowder. See Gunpowder., To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into a powder; to comminute; to pulverize; to triturate., To sprinkle with powder, or as with powder; to be sprinkle; as, to powder the hair., To sprinkle with salt; to corn, as meat., To be reduced to powder; to become like powder; as, some salts powder easily., To use powder on the hair or skin; as, she paints and powders.
powdry adjective See Powdery.
powter noun See Pouter.
powpow noun A priest, or conjurer, among the North American Indians., Conjuration attended with great noise and confusion, and often with feasting, dancing, etc., performed by Indians for the cure of diseases, to procure success in hunting or in war, and for other purposes., Hence: Any assembly characterized by noise and confusion; a noisy frolic or gathering.
powwow verb i. To use conjuration, with noise and confusion, for the cure of disease, etc., as among the North American Indians., Hence: To hold a noisy, disorderly meeting.
poxing present participle & vb. noun of Pox
praise verb To commend; to applaud; to express approbation of; to laud; — applied to a person or his acts., To extol in words or song; to magnify; to glorify on account of perfections or excellent works; to do honor to; to display the excellence of; — applied especially to the Divine Being., To value; to appraise., Commendation for worth; approval expressed; honor rendered because of excellence or worth; laudation; approbation., Especially, the joyful tribute of gratitude or homage rendered to the Divine Being; the act of glorifying or extolling the Creator; worship, particularly worship by song, distinction from prayer and other acts of worship; as, a service of praise., The object, ground, or reason of praise.
prance verb i. To spring or bound, as a horse in high mettle., To ride on a prancing horse; to ride in an ostentatious manner., To walk or strut about in a pompous, showy manner, or with warlike parade.
prated imp. & past participle of Prate
prater noun One who prates.
pratic noun See Pratique.
praxis noun Use; practice; especially, exercise or discipline for a specific purpose or object., An example or form of exercise, or a collection of such examples, for practice.
prayed imp. & past participle of Pray
prayer noun One who prays; a supplicant., The act of praying, or of asking a favor; earnest request or entreaty; hence, a petition or memorial addressed to a court or a legislative body., The act of addressing supplication to a divinity, especially to the true God; the offering of adoration, confession, supplication, and thanksgiving to the Supreme Being; as, public prayer; secret prayer., The form of words used in praying; a formula of supplication; an expressed petition; especially, a supplication addressed to God; as, a written or extemporaneous prayer; to repeat one’s prayers.
preace verb & noun Press.
preach verb i. To proclaim or publish tidings; specifically, to proclaim the gospel; to discourse publicly on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture; to deliver a sermon., To give serious advice on morals or religion; to discourse in the manner of a preacher., To proclaim by public discourse; to utter in a sermon or a formal religious harangue., To inculcate in public discourse; to urge with earnestness by public teaching., To deliver or pronounce; as, to preach a sermon., To teach or instruct by preaching; to inform by preaching., To advise or recommend earnestly., A religious discourse.
preact verb t. To act beforehand; to perform previously.
prearm verb t. To forearm.
prease verb t. & i. To press; to crowd., A press; a crowd.
precel verb t. & i. To surpass; to excel; to exceed.
precis noun A concise or abridged statement or view; an abstract; a summary.
predal adjective Of or pertaining to prey; plundering; predatory.
preedy adverb With ease.
prefer verb t. To carry or bring (something) forward, or before one; hence, to bring for consideration, acceptance, judgment, etc.; to offer; to present; to proffer; to address; — said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc., To go before, or be before, in estimation; to outrank; to surpass., To cause to go before; hence, to advance before others, as to an office or dignity; to raise; to exalt; to promote; as, to prefer an officer to the rank of general., To set above or before something else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; — often followed by to, before, or above.
prefix verb t. To put or fix before, or at the beginning of, another thing; as, to prefix a syllable to a word, or a condition to an agreement., To set or appoint beforehand; to settle or establish antecedently., That which is prefixed; esp., one or more letters or syllables combined or united with the beginning of a word to modify its signification; as, pre- in prefix, con- in conjure.
prelal adjective Of or pertaining to printing; typographical.
premit verb t. To premise.
prepay verb t. To pay in advance, or beforehand; as, to prepay postage.
presto adjective Quickly; immediately; in haste; suddenly., Quickly; rapidly; — a direction for a quick, lively movement or performance; quicker than allegro, or any rate of time except prestissimo.
pretex verb t. To frame; to devise; to disguise or excuse; hence, to pretend; to declare falsely.
pretor noun A civil officer or magistrate among the ancient Romans., Hence, a mayor or magistrate.
pretty superl. Pleasing by delicacy or grace; attracting, but not striking or impressing; of a pleasing and attractive form a color; having slight or diminutive beauty; neat or elegant without elevation or grandeur; pleasingly, but not grandly, conceived or expressed; as, a pretty face; a pretty flower; a pretty poem., Moderately large; considerable; as, he had saved a pretty fortune., Affectedly nice; foppish; — used in an ill sense., Mean; despicable; contemptible; — used ironically; as, a pretty trick; a pretty fellow., Stout; strong and brave; intrepid; valiant., In some degree; moderately; considerably; rather; almost; — less emphatic than very; as, I am pretty sure of the fact; pretty cold weather.
preyed imp. & past participle of Prey
preyer noun One who, or that which, preys; a plunderer; a waster; a devourer.
priced imp. & past participle of Price, Rated in price; valued; as, high-priced goods; low-priced labor.
pricky adjective Stiff and sharp; prickly.
prided imp. & past participle of Pride
priest noun A presbyter elder; a minister, One who is authorized to consecrate the host and to say Mass; but especially, one of the lowest order possessing this power., A presbyter; one who belongs to the intermediate order between bishop and deacon. He is authorized to perform all ministerial services except those of ordination and confirmation., One who officiates at the altar, or performs the rites of sacrifice; one who acts as a mediator between men and the divinity or the gods in any form of religion; as, Buddhist priests., To ordain as priest.
prieve verb t. To prove.
primal adjective First; primary; original; chief.
primed imp. & past participle of Prime
primer noun One who, or that which, primes, an instrument or device for priming; esp., a cap, tube, or water containing percussion powder or other compound for igniting a charge of gunpowder., First; original; primary., Originally, a small prayer book for church service, containing the little office of the Virgin Mary; also, a work of elementary religious instruction., A small elementary book for teaching children to read; a reading or spelling book for a beginner., A kind of type, of which there are two species; one, called long primer, intermediate in size between bourgeois and small pica [see Long primer]; the other, called great primer, larger than pica.
primly adverb In a prim or precise manner.
primus noun One of the bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, who presides at the meetings of the bishops, and has certain privileges but no metropolitan authority.
prince adjective The one of highest rank; one holding the highest place and authority; a sovereign; a monarch; — originally applied to either sex, but now rarely applied to a female., The son of a king or emperor, or the issue of a royal family; as, princes of the blood., A title belonging to persons of high rank, differing in different countries. In England it belongs to dukes, marquises, and earls, but is given to members of the royal family only. In Italy a prince is inferior to a duke as a member of a particular order of nobility; in Spain he is always one of the royal family., The chief of any body of men; one at the head of a class or profession; one who is preeminent; as, a merchant prince; a prince of players., To play the prince.
priory noun A religious house presided over by a prior or prioress; — sometimes an offshoot of, an subordinate to, an abbey, and called also cell, and obedience. See Cell, 2.
priser noun See 1st Prizer.
prismy adjective Pertaining to a prism.
prison noun A place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence, a place or state o/ confinement, restraint, or safe custody., Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority., To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty., To bind (together); to enchain.
pritch noun A sharp-pointed instrument; also, an eelspear., Pique; offense.
privet noun An ornamental European shrub (Ligustrum vulgare), much used in hedges; — called also prim.
prized imp. & past participle of Prize
prizer noun One who estimates or sets the value of a thing; an appraiser., One who contends for a prize; a prize fighter; a challenger.
proach verb i. See Approach.
probal adjective Approved; probable.
probed imp. & past participle of Probe
profit noun Acquisition beyond expenditure; excess of value received for producing, keeping, or selling, over cost; hence, pecuniary gain in any transaction or occupation; emolument; as, a profit on the sale of goods., Accession of good; valuable results; useful consequences; benefit; avail; gain; as, an office of profit,, To be of service to; to be good to; to help on; to benefit; to advantage; to avail; to aid; as, truth profits all men., To gain advantage; to make improvement; to improve; to gain; to advance., To be of use or advantage; to do or bring good.
progne noun A swallow., A genus of swallows including the purple martin. See Martin., An American butterfly (Polygonia, / Vanessa, Progne). It is orange and black above, grayish beneath, with an L-shaped silver mark on the hind wings. Called also gray comma.
progue verb i. To prog., A sharp point; a goad., To prick; to goad.
projet noun A plan proposed; a draft of a proposed measure; a project.
proleg noun One of the fleshy legs found on the abdominal segments of the larvae of Lepidoptera, sawflies, and some other insects. Those of Lepidoptera have a circle of hooks. Called also proped, propleg, and falseleg.
prolix adjective Extending to a great length; unnecessarily long; minute in narration or argument; excessively particular in detail; — rarely used except with reference to discourse written or spoken; as, a prolix oration; a prolix poem; a prolix sermon., Indulging in protracted discourse; tedious; wearisome; — applied to a speaker or writer.
prolog noun & verb Prologue.
prompt noun A limit of time given for payment of an account for produce purchased, this limit varying with different goods. See Prompt-note., To assist or induce the action of; to move to action; to instigate; to incite., To suggest; to dictate., To remind, as an actor or an orator, of words or topics forgotten.
proped noun Same as Proleg.
propel verb t. To drive forward; to urge or press onward by force; to move, or cause to move; as, the wind or steam propels ships; balls are propelled by gunpowder.
proper adjective Belonging to one; one’s own; individual., Belonging to the natural or essential constitution; peculiar; not common; particular; as, every animal has his proper instincts and appetites., Befitting one’s nature, qualities, etc.; suitable in all respect; appropriate; right; fit; decent; as, water is the proper element for fish; a proper dress., Becoming in appearance; well formed; handsome., Pertaining to one of a species, but not common to the whole; not appellative; — opposed to common; as, a proper name; Dublin is the proper name of a city., Rightly so called; strictly considered; as, Greece proper; the garden proper., Represented in its natural color; — said of any object used as a charge., Properly; hence, to a great degree; very; as, proper good.
propyl noun The hypothetical radical C3H7, regarded as the essential residue of propane and related compounds.
prosal adjective Of or pertaining to prose; prosaic.
prosed imp. & past participle of Prose
proser noun A writer of prose., One who talks or writes tediously.
proto- A combining form prefix signifying first, primary, primordial; as, protomartyr, the first martyr; protomorphic, primitive in form; protoplast, a primordial organism; prototype, protozoan., Denoting the first or lowest of a series, or the one having the smallest amount of the element to the name of which it is prefixed; as protoxide, protochloride, etc., Sometimes used as equivalent to mono-, as indicating that the compound has but one atom of the element to the name of which it is prefixed. Also used adjectively.
proant noun Provender or food.
proved imp. & past participle of Prove
proven past participle / adjective Proved.
prover noun One who, or that which, proves.
pruned imp. & past participle of Prune
pruner noun One who prunes, or removes, what is superfluous., Any one of several species of beetles whose larvae gnaw the branches of trees so as to cause them to fall, especially the American oak pruner (Asemum moestum), whose larva eats the pith of oak branches, and when mature gnaws a circular furrow on the inside nearly to the bark. When the branches fall each contains a pupa.
prunus noun A genus of trees with perigynous rosaceous flowers, and a single two-ovuled carpel which usually becomes a drupe in ripening.
prying present participle & vb. noun of Pry, Inspecting closely or impertinently.
psoric adjective Of or pertaining to psora.
psyche noun A lovely maiden, daughter of a king and mistress of Eros, or Cupid. She is regarded as the personification of the soul., The soul; the vital principle; the mind., A cheval glass.
psylla noun Any leaping plant louse of the genus Psylla, or family Psyllidae.
pteron noun The region of the skull, in the temporal fossa back of the orbit, where the great wing of the sphenoid, the temporal, the parietal, and the frontal hones approach each other.
ptisan noun A decoction of barley with other ingredients; a farinaceous drink., An aqueous medicine, containing little, if any, medicinal agent; a tea or tisane.
ptosis noun Drooping of the upper eyelid, produced by paralysis of its levator muscle.
ptyxis noun The way in which a leaf is sometimes folded in the bud.
pubble adjective Puffed out, pursy; pudgy; fat.
public adjective Of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community; — opposed to private; as, the public treasury., Open to the knowledge or view of all; general; common; notorious; as, public report; public scandal., Open to common or general use; as, a public road; a public house., The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely; as, the American public; also, a particular body or aggregation of people; as, an author’s public., A public house; an inn.
pucker verb t. & i. To gather into small folds or wrinkles; to contract into ridges and furrows; to corrugate; — often with up; as, to pucker up the mouth., A fold; a wrinkle; a collection of folds., A state of perplexity or anxiety; confusion; bother; agitation.
pucras noun See Koklass.
pudder verb i. To make a tumult or bustle; to splash; to make a pother or fuss; to potter; to meddle., To perplex; to embarrass; to confuse; to bother; as, to pudder a man., A pother; a tumult; a confused noise; turmoil; bustle.
puddle noun A small quantity of dirty standing water; a muddy plash; a small pool., Clay, or a mixture of clay and sand, kneaded or worked, when wet, to render it impervious to water., To make foul or muddy; to pollute with dirt; to mix dirt with (water)., To make dense or close, as clay or loam, by working when wet, so as to render impervious to water., To make impervious to liquids by means of puddle; to apply puddle to., To subject to the process of puddling, as iron, so as to convert it from the condition of cast iron to that of wrought iron., To make a dirty stir.
puddly adjective Consisting of, or resembling, puddles; muddy; foul.
pueblo noun A communistic building erected by certain Indian tribes of Arizona and New Mexico. It is often of large size and several stories high, and is usually built either of stone or adobe. The term is also applied to any Indian village in the same region.
puerco noun A hog.
puffed imp. & past participle of Puff
puffer noun One who puffs; one who praises with noisy or extravagant commendation., One who is employed by the owner or seller of goods sold at suction to bid up the price; a by-bidder., Any plectognath fish which inflates its body, as the species of Tetrodon and Diodon; — called also blower, puff-fish, swellfish, and globefish., The common, or harbor, porpoise., A kier.
puffin noun An arctic sea bird Fratercula arctica) allied to the auks, and having a short, thick, swollen beak, whence the name; — called also bottle nose, cockandy, coulterneb, marrot, mormon, pope, and sea parrot., The puffball., A sort of apple.
pugged imp. & past participle of Pug
pugger verb t. To pucker.
puisne adjective Later in age, time, etc.; subsequent., Puny; petty; unskilled., Younger or inferior in rank; junior; associate; as, a chief justice and three puisne justices of the Court of Common Pleas; the puisne barons of the Court of Exchequer., One who is younger, or of inferior rank; a junior; esp., a judge of inferior rank.
puisny adjective Puisne; younger; inferior; petty; unskilled.
puking present participle & vb. noun of Puke
puling present participle & vb. noun of Pule, A cry, as of a chicken,; a whining or whimpering., Whimpering; whining; childish.
pulkha noun A Laplander’s traveling sledge. See Sledge.
pulled imp. & past participle of Pull, Plucked; pilled; moulting.
pullen noun Poultry.
puller noun One who, or that which, pulls.
pullet noun A young hen, or female of the domestic fowl.
pulley verb t. A wheel with a broad rim, or grooved rim, for transmitting power from, or imparting power to, the different parts of machinery, or for changing the direction of motion, by means of a belt, cord, rope, or chain., To raise or lift by means of a pulley.
pullus noun A chick; a young bird in the downy stage.
pulped imp. & past participle of Pulp
pulpit noun An elevated place, or inclosed stage, in a church, in which the clergyman stands while preaching., The whole body of the clergy; preachers as a class; also, preaching., A desk, or platform, for an orator or public speaker., Of or pertaining to the pulpit, or preaching; as, a pulpit orator; pulpit eloquence.
pulque noun An intoxicating Mexican drink. See Agave.
pulvil noun A sweet-scented powder; pulvillio., To apply pulvil to.
pumice noun A very light porous volcanic scoria, usually of a gray color, the pores of which are capillary and parallel, giving it a fibrous structure. It is supposed to be produced by the disengagement of watery vapor without liquid or plastic lava. It is much used, esp. in the form of powder, for smoothing and polishing. Called also pumice stone.
pummel noun & verb t. Same as Pommel.
pumped imp. & past participle of Pump
pumper noun One who pumps; the instrument or machine used in pumping.
pumpet noun A pompet.
punned imp. & past participle of Pun
punchy adjective Short and thick, or fat.
puncto noun A nice point of form or ceremony., A term applied to the point in fencing.
pundit noun A learned man; a teacher; esp., a Brahman versed in the Sanskrit language, and in the science, laws, and religion of the Hindoos; in Cashmere, any clerk or native official.
pundle noun A short and fat woman; a squab.
punese noun A bedbug.
punice noun See Punese., To punish.
punish verb t. To impose a penalty upon; to afflict with pain, loss, or suffering for a crime or fault, either with or without a view to the offender’s amendment; to cause to suffer in retribution; to chasten; as, to punish traitors with death; a father punishes his child for willful disobedience., To inflict a penalty for (an offense) upon the offender; to repay, as a fault, crime, etc., with pain or loss; as, to punish murder or treason with death., To injure, as by beating; to pommel.
punkin noun A pumpkin.
punner noun A punster.
punnet noun A broad, shallow basket, for displaying fruit or flowers.
punter verb t. One who punts; specifically, one who plays against the banker or dealer, as in baccara and faro., One who punts a football; also, one who propels a punt.
puntil noun Alt. of Puntel
puntel noun See Pontee.
pupped imp. & past participle of Pup
pupate verb i. To become a pupa.
pupelo noun Cider brandy.
puppet noun A small image in the human form; a doll., A similar figure moved by the hand or by a wire in a mock drama; a marionette; a wooden actor in a play., One controlled in his action by the will of another; a tool; — so used in contempt., The upright support for the bearing of the spindle in a lathe.
purred imp. & past participle of Pur
purana noun One of a class of sacred Hindoo poetical works in the Sanskrit language which treat of the creation, destruction, and renovation of worlds, the genealogy and achievements of gods and heroes, the reigns of the Manus, and the transactions of their descendants. The principal Puranas are eighteen in number, and there are the same number of supplementary books called Upa Puranas.
purdah noun A curtain or screen; also, a cotton fabric in blue and white stripes, used for curtains.
purely adverb In a pure manner (in any sense of the adjective)., Nicely; prettily.
purfle verb t. To decorate with a wrought or flowered border; to embroider; to ornament with metallic threads; as, to purfle with blue and white., To ornament with a bordure of emines, furs, and the like; also, with gold studs or mountings., Alt. of Purflew
purged imp. & past participle of Purge
purger noun One who, or that which, purges or cleanses; especially, a cathartic medicine.
purify verb t. To make pure or clear from material defilement, admixture, or imperfection; to free from extraneous or noxious matter; as, to purify liquors or metals; to purify the blood; to purify the air., Hence, in figurative uses: (a) To free from guilt or moral defilement; as, to purify the heart., To free from ceremonial or legal defilement., To free from improprieties or barbarisms; as, to purify a language., To grow or become pure or clear.
purism noun Rigid purity; the quality of being affectedly pure or nice, especially in the choice of language; over-solicitude as to purity.
purist noun One who aims at excessive purity or nicety, esp. in the choice of language., One who maintains that the New Testament was written in pure Greek.
purity noun The condition of being pure., freedom from foreign admixture or deleterious matter; as, the purity of water, of wine, of drugs, of metals., Cleanness; freedom from foulness or dirt., Freedom from guilt or the defilement of sin; innocence; chastity; as, purity of heart or of life., Freedom from any sinister or improper motives or views., Freedom from foreign idioms, or from barbarous or improper words or phrases; as, purity of style.
purled imp. & past participle of Purl
purlin noun Alt. of Purline
purple noun A color formed by, or resembling that formed by, a combination of the primary colors red and blue., Cloth dyed a purple color, or a garment of such color; especially, a purple robe, worn as an emblem of rank or authority; specifically, the purple rode or mantle worn by Roman emperors as the emblem of imperial dignity; as, to put on the imperial purple., Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth., A cardinalate. See Cardinal., Any species of large butterflies, usually marked with purple or blue, of the genus Basilarchia (formerly Limenitis) as, the banded purple (B. arthemis). See Illust. under Ursula., Any shell of the genus Purpura., See Purpura., A disease of wheat. Same as Earcockle., Exhibiting or possessing the color called purple, much esteemed for its richness and beauty; of a deep red, or red and blue color; as, a purple robe., Imperial; regal; — so called from the color having been an emblem of imperial authority., Blood-red; bloody., To make purple; to dye of purple or deep red color; as, hands purpled with blood.
purpre noun & adjective Purple.
purree noun A yellow coloring matter. See Euxanthin.
pursed imp. & past participle of Purse
purser noun A commissioned officer in the navy who had charge of the provisions, clothing, and public moneys on shipboard; — now called paymaster., A clerk on steam passenger vessels whose duty it is to keep the accounts of the vessels, such as the receipt of freight, tickets, etc., Colloquially, any paymaster or cashier.
purset noun A purse or purse net.
pursue verb t. To follow with a view to overtake; to follow eagerly, or with haste; to chase; as, to pursue a hare., To seek; to use or adopt measures to obtain; as, to pursue a remedy at law., To proceed along, with a view to some and or object; to follow; to go in; as, Captain Cook pursued a new route; the administration pursued a wise course., To prosecute; to be engaged in; to continue., To follow as an example; to imitate., To follow with enmity; to persecute; to call to account., To go in pursuit; to follow., To go on; to proceed, especially in argument or discourse; to continue., To follow a matter judicially, as a complaining party; to act as a prosecutor.
purvey verb t. To furnish or provide, as with a convenience, provisions, or the like., To procure; to get., To purchase provisions; to provide; to make provision., To pander; — with to.
pusane noun A piece of armor for the breast; often, an addition to, or reenforcement of. the breastplate; — called also pesane.
pushed imp. & past participle of Push
pusher noun One who, or that which, pushes.
pusley noun Purslane.
putage noun Prostitution or fornication on the part of a woman.
puteal noun An inclosure surrounding a well to prevent persons from falling into it; a well curb.
puteli noun Same as Patela.
putery noun Putage.
putlog noun One of the short pieces of timber on which the planks forming the floor of a scaffold are laid, — one end resting on the ledger of the scaffold, and the other in a hole left in the wall temporarily for the purpose.
putour noun A keeper of a brothel; a procurer.
putrid adjective Tending to decomposition or decay; decomposed; rotten; — said of animal or vegetable matter; as, putrid flesh. See Putrefaction., Indicating or proceeding from a decayed state of animal or vegetable matter; as, a putrid smell.
putter noun One who puts or plates., Specifically, one who pushes the small wagons in a coal mine, and the like., To act inefficiently or idly; to trifle; to potter.
put-up adjective Arranged; plotted; — in a bad sense; as, a put-up job.
puzzel noun A harlot; a drab; a hussy.
puzzle verb Something which perplexes or embarrasses; especially, a toy or a problem contrived for testing ingenuity; also, something exhibiting marvelous skill in making., The state of being puzzled; perplexity; as, to be in a puzzle., To perplex; to confuse; to embarrass; to put to a stand; to nonplus., To make intricate; to entangle., To solve by ingenuity, as a puzzle; — followed by out; as, to puzzle out a mystery., To be bewildered, or perplexed., To work, as at a puzzle; as, to puzzle over a problem.
pyemia noun See PyAemia.
pygarg Alt. of Pygargus
pyjama noun In India and Persia, thin loose trowsers or drawers; in Europe and America, drawers worn at night, or a kind of nightdress with legs.
pylori plural of Pylorus
pynoun noun A pennant.
pyrena noun A nutlet resembling a seed, or the kernel of a drupe.
pyrene noun One of the less volatile hydrocarbons of coal tar, obtained as a white crystalline substance, C16H10., Same as Pyrena.
pyrgom noun A variety of pyroxene; — called also fassaite.
pyrite noun A common mineral of a pale brass-yellow color and brilliant metallic luster, crystallizing in the isometric system; iron pyrites; iron disulphide.
pyrope noun A variety of garnet, of a poppy or blood-red color, frequently with a tinge of orange. It is used as a gem. See the Note under Garnet.
pyrrol noun A nitrogenous base found in coal tar, bone oil, and other distillates of organic substances, and also produced synthetically as a colorless liquid, C4H5N, having on odor like that of chloroform. It is the nucleus and origin of a large number of derivatives. So called because it colors a splinter of wood moistened with hydrochloric acid a deep red.
pyrula noun A genus of large marine gastropods. having a pear-shaped shell. It includes the fig-shells. See Illust. in Appendix.
python noun Any species of very large snakes of the genus Python, and allied genera, of the family Pythonidae. They are nearly allied to the boas. Called also rock snake., A diviner by spirits.
pyuria noun A morbid condition in which pus is discharged in the urine.