P P (pe), (continued 11)

PINNIFORM Pin"ni*form, a. Etym: [L. pinna feather, fin + -form.]

Defn: Shaped like a fin or feather. Sir J. Hill.

PINNIGRADA Pin`ni*gra"da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. pinna a feather + gradi to walk, move.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pinnipedia.

PINNIGRADE Pin"ni*grade, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal of the seal tribe, moving by short feet that serve as paddles.

PINNIPED Pin"ni*ped, n. Etym: [L. pinna feather, fin + pes, pedis, a foot: cf. F. pinnipède.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the Pinnipedia; a seal. (b) One of the Pinnipedes.

PINNIPEDES Pin*nip"e*des, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Steganopodes.

PINNIPEDIA Pin`ni*pe"di*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. So called because their webbed feet are used as paddles or fins.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A suborder of aquatic carnivorous mammals including the seals and walruses; — opposed to Fissipedia.

PINNOCK Pin"nock, n. Etym: [Of uncertain origin.] (Zoöl.) (a) The hedge sparrow. [Prov. Eng.] (b) The tomtit.

PINNOTHERE Pin"no*there, n. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A crab of the genus pinnotheres. See Oyster crab, under Oyster.

PINNULA Pin"nu*la, n.; pl. Pinnulæ. Etym: [L.]

Defn: Same as Pinnule.

PINNULATE Pin"nu*late, a. Etym: [See Pinnule.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having each pinna subdivided; — said of a leaf, or of its pinnæ.

PINNULATED Pin"nu*la`ted, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having pinnules.

PINNULE Pin"nule, n. Etym: [L. pinnula, dim. of pinna feather: cf. F. pinnule.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: One of the small divisions of a decompound frond or leaf. See Illust. of Bipinnate leaf, under Bipinnate.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of a series of small, slender organs, or parts, when arranged in rows so as to have a plumelike appearance; as, a pinnule of a gorgonia; the pinnules of a crinoid.

PINNYWINKLES Pin"ny*win`kles, n. pl.

Defn: An instrument of torture, consisting of a board with holes into which the fingers were pressed, and fastened with pegs. [Written also pilliewinkles.] [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

PINOCLE Pin"o*cle, n.

Defn: See Penuchle.

PINOLE Pi*nole", n.

1. An aromatic powder used in Italy in the manufacture of chocolate.

2. Parched maize, ground, and mixed with sugar, etc. Mixed with water, it makes a nutritious beverage.

PINON; PINYON Piñ"on, n. Etym: [Sp. piñon.] (Bot.) (a) The edible seed of several species of pine; also, the tree producing such seeds, as Pinus Pinea of Southern Europe, and P. Parryana, cembroides, edulis, and monophylla, the nut pines of Western North America. (b) See Monkey's puzzle. [Written also pignon.]

PINPATCH Pin"patch`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The common English periwinkle. [Prov. Eng.]

PINT Pint, n. Etym: [OE. pinte, F. pinte, fr. Sp. pinta spot, mark, pint, fr. pintar to paint; a mark for a pint prob. having been made on or in a larger measure. See Paint.]

Defn: A measure of capacity, equal to half a quart, or four gills, — used in liquid and dry measures. See Quart.

PINT Pint, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The laughing gull. [Prov. Eng.]

PINTADO Pin*ta"do, n.; pl. Pintados. Etym: [Sp., painted, fr. pintar to paint.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any bird of the genus Numida. Several species are found in Africa. The common pintado, or Guinea fowl, the helmeted, and the crested pintados, are the best known. See Guinea fowl, under Guinea.

PINTAIL Pin"tail`, n.

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A northern duck (Dafila acuta), native of both continents. The adult male has a long, tapering tail. Called also gray duck, piketail, piket-tail, spike-tail, split-tail, springtail, sea pheasant, and gray widgeon.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The sharp-tailed grouse of the great plains and Rocky Mountains (Pediocætes phasianellus); — called also pintailed grouse, pintailed chicken, springtail, and sharptail.

PIN-TAILED Pin"-tailed`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a tapered tail, with the middle feathers longest; — said of birds.

PINTLE Pin"tle, n. Etym: [A diminutive of Pin.]

1. A little pin.

2. (Mech.)

Defn: An upright pivot pin; as: (a) The pivot pin of a hinge. (b) A hook or pin on which a rudder hangs and turns. (c) A pivot about which the chassis swings, in some kinds of gun carriages. (d) A kingbolt of a wagon.

PINTO Pin"to, a. [Sp., painted.]

Defn: Lit., painted; hence, piebald; mottled; pied.

PINTO Pin"to, n.

Defn: Any pied animal; esp., a pied or "painted" horse.

PINTOS Pin"tos, n. pl.; sing. Pinto (. Etym: [Sp., painted, mottled.] (Eyhnol.)

Defn: 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.

PINTSCH GAS Pintsch gas. [After Richard Pintsch, German inventor.]

Defn: A kind of oil gas extensively used for lighting railroad cars, which carry it in compressed form.

PINULE Pin"ule, n. Etym: [Cf. Pinnule.] (Astron.)

Defn: One of the sights of an astrolabe. [Obs.]

PINUS Pi"nus, n. Etym: [L., a pine tree.] (Bot.)

Defn: A large genus of evergreen coniferous trees, mostly found in the northern hemisphere. The genus formerly included the firs, spruces, larches, and hemlocks, but is now limited to those trees which have the primary leaves of the branchlets reduced to mere scales, and the secondary ones (pine needles) acicular, and usually in fascicles of two to seven. See Pine.

PINWEED Pin"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of the genus Lechea, low North American herbs with branching stems, and very small and abundant leaves and flowers.

PINWORM Pin"worm`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small nematoid worm (Oxyurus vermicularis), which is parasitic chiefly in the rectum of man. It is most common in children and aged persons.

PINXIT Pinx"it. Etym: [L., perfect indicative 3d sing. of pingere to paint.]

Defn: 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).

PINXTER Pinx"ter, n.

Defn: See Pinkster.

PINY Pin"y, a.

Defn: Abounding with pines. [Written also piney.] "The piny wood." Longfellow.

PION Piñ"on, n. [Sp. piñon.] (Bot.) (a) The edible seed of several species of pine; also, the tree producing such seeds, as Pinus Pinea of Southern Europe, and P. Parryana, cembroides, edulis, and monophylla, the nut pines of Western North America. (b) See Monkey's puzzle. [Written also pignon.]

PIONED Pi"o*ned, a.

Defn: A Shakespearean word of disputed meaning; perh., "abounding in marsh marigolds." Thy banks with pioned and twilled brims. Shak.

PIONEER Pi`o*neer", n. Etym: [F. pionier, orig., a foot soldier, OF. peonier, fr. OF. peon a foot soldier, F. pion. See Pawn in chess.]

1. (Mil.)

Defn: A soldier detailed or employed to form roads, dig trenches, and make bridges, as an army advances.

2. One who goes before, as into the wilderness, preparing the way for others to follow; as, pioneers of civilization; pioneers of reform.

PIONEER Pi`o*neer", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Pioneered; p. pr. & vb. n. Pioneering.]

Defn: To go before, and prepare or open a way for; to act as pioneer.

PIONEERS' DAY Pi`o*neers'" Day.

Defn: In Utah, a legal holiday, July 24, commemorated the arrival, in 1847, of Brigham Young and his followers at the present site of Salt Lake City.

PIONER Pi`o*ner", n.

Defn: A pioneer. [Obs.] Shak.

PIONY Pi"o*ny, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Peony.

PIOT Pi"ot, n. Etym: [See Piet.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The magpie. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Holland.

PIOUS Pi"ous, a. Etym: [L. pius: cf. F. pieux.]

1. Of or pertaining to piety; exhibiting piety; reverential; dutiful; religious; devout; godly. "Pious hearts." Milton. "Pious poetry." Johnson. Where was the martial brother's pious care Pope.

2. Practiced under the pretext of religion; prompted by mistaken piety; as, pious errors; pious frauds.

Syn. — Godly; devout; religious; righteous.

PIOUSLY Pi"ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pious manner.

PIP Pip, n. Etym: [OE. pippe, D. pip, or F. pépie; from LL. pipita, fr. L. pituita slime, phlegm, rheum, in fowls, the pip. Cf. Pituite.]

Defn: A contagious disease of fowls, characterized by hoarseness, discharge from the nostrils and eyes, and an accumulation of mucus in the mouth, forming a "scale" on the tongue. By some the term pip is restricted to this last symptom, the disease being called roup by them.

PIP Pip, n. Etym: [Formerly pippin, pepin. Cf. Pippin.] (Bot.)

Defn: A seed, as of an apple or orange.

PIP Pip, n. Etym: [Perh. for pick, F. pique a spade at cards, a pike. Cf. Pique.]

Defn: One of the conventional figures or "spots" on playing cards, dominoes, etc. Addison.

PIP Pip, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pipped; p. pr. & vb. n. Pipping.] Etym: [See Peep.]

Defn: To cry or chirp, as a chicken; to peep. To hear the chick pip and cry in the egg. Boyle.

PIPA Pi*pa, n.; pl. Pipas (. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Surinam toad (Pipa Americana), noted for its peculiar breeding habits.

Note: The male places the eggs on the back of the female, where they soon become inclosed in capsules formed by the thickening of the skin. The incubation of the eggs takes place in the capsules, and the young, when hatched, come forth with well developed legs.

PIPAGE Pip"age, n.

Defn: Transportation, as of petroleum oil, by means of a pipe conduit; also, the charge for such transportation.

PIPAL TREE Pi"pal tree`.

Defn: Same as Peepul tree.

PIPE Pipe, n. Etym: [AS. pipe, probably fr. L. pipare, pipire, to chirp; of imitative origin. Cf. Peep, Pibroch, Fife.]

1. A wind instrument of music, consisting of a tube or tubes of straw, reed, wood, or metal; any tube which produces musical sounds; as, a shepherd's pipe; the pipe of an organ. "Tunable as sylvan pipe." Milton. Now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe. Shak.

2. Any long tube or hollow body of wood, metal, earthenware, or the like: especially, one used as a conductor of water, steam, gas, etc.

3. A small bowl with a hollow steam, — used in smoking tobacco, and, sometimes, other substances.

4. A passageway for the air in speaking and breathing; the windpipe, or one of its divisions.

5. The key or sound of the voice. [R.] Shak.

6. The peeping whistle, call, or note of a bird. The earliest pipe of half-awakened birds. Tennyson.

7. pl.

Defn: The bagpipe; as, the pipes of Lucknow.

8. (Mining)

Defn: An elongated body or vein of ore.

9. A roll formerly used in the English exchequer, otherwise called the Great Roll, on which were taken down the accounts of debts to the king; — so called because put together like a pipe. Mozley & W.

10. (Naut.)

Defn: A boatswain's whistle, used to call the crew to their duties; also, the sound of it.

11. Etym: [Cf. F. pipe, fr. pipe a wind instrument, a tube, fr. L. pipare to chirp. See Etymol. above.]

Defn: A cask usually containing two hogsheads, or 126 wine gallons; also, the quantity which it contains. Pipe fitter, one who fits pipes together, or applies pipes, as to an engine or a building. — Pipe fitting, a piece, as a coupling, an elbow, a valve, etc., used for connecting lengths of pipe or as accessory to a pipe. — Pipe office, an ancient office in the Court of Exchequer, in which the clerk of the pipe made out leases of crown lands, accounts of cheriffs, etc. [Eng.] — Pipe tree (Bot.), the lilac and the mock orange; — so called because their were formerly used to make pipe stems; — called also pipe privet. — Pipe wrench, or Pipetongs, a jawed tool for gripping a pipe, in turning or holding it. — To smoke the pipe of peace, to smoke from the same pipe in token of amity or preparatory to making a treaty of peace, — a custom of the American Indians.

PIPE Pipe, v. i.

1. To play on a pipe, fife, flute, or other tubular wind instrument of music. We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced. Matt. xi. 17.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To call, convey orders, etc., by means of signals on a pipe or whistle carried by a boatswain.

3. To emit or have a shrill sound like that of a pipe; to whistle. "Oft in the piping shrouds." Wordsworth.

4. (Metal.)

Defn: To become hollow in the process of solodifying; — said of an ingot, as of steel.

PIPE Pipe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Piped; p. pr. & vb. n. Piping.]

1. To perform, as a tune, by playing on a pipe, flute, fife, etc.; to utter in the shrill tone of a pipe. A robin . . . was piping a few querulous notes. W. Irving.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: To call or direct, as a crew, by the boatswain's whistle. As fine a ship's company as was ever piped aloft. Marryat.

3. To furnish or equip with pipes; as, to pipe an engine, or a building.

PIPE CLAY Pipe" clay` (

Defn: A plastic, unctuous clay of a grayish white color, — used in making tobacco pipes and various kinds of earthenware, in scouring cloth, and in cleansing soldiers' equipments.

PIPECLAY Pipe"clay`, v. t.

1. To whiten or clean with pipe clay, as a soldier's accouterments.

2. To clear off; as, to pipeclay accounts. [Slang, Eng.]

PIPED Piped, a.

Defn: Formed with a pipe; having pipe or pipes; tubular.

PIPEFISH Pipe"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any lophobranch fish of the genus Siphostoma, or Syngnathus, and allied genera, having a long and very slender angular body, covered with bony plates. The mouth is small, at the end of a long, tubular snout. The male has a pouch on his belly, in which the incubation of the eggs takes place.

PIPELAYER; PIPE LAYER Pipe"lay`er, n., or Pipe" lay`er.

1. One who lays conducting pipes in the ground, as for water, gas, etc.

2. (Polit. Cant)

Defn: A politician who works in secret; — in this sense, usually written as one word. [U.S.]

PIPELAYING; PIPE LAYING Pipe"lay`ing, n., or Pipe" lay`ing.

1. The laying of conducting pipes underground, as for water, gas, etc.

2. (Polit. Cant)

Defn: The act or method of making combinations for personal advantage secretly or slyly; — in this sense, usually written as one word. [U.S.]

PIPE LINE Pipe line.

Defn: A line of pipe with pumping machinery and apparatus for conveying liquids, esp. petroleum, between distant points.

PIPE-LINE Pipe"-line`, v. t.

Defn: To convey by a pipe line; to furnish with a pipe line or pipe lines.

PIPEMOUTH Pipe"mouth`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any fish of the genus Fistularia; — called also tobacco pipefish. See Fistularia.

PIPER Pi"per, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: See Pepper.

PIPER Pip"er, n.

1. (Mus.)

Defn: One who plays on a pipe, or the like, esp. on a bagpipe. "The hereditary piper and his sons." Macaulay.

2. (Zoöl.) (a) A common European gurnard (Trigla lyra), having a large head, with prominent nasal projection, and with large, sharp, opercular spines. (b) A sea urchin (Goniocidaris hystrix) having very long spines, native of both the American and European coasts. To pay the piper, to bear the cost, expense, or trouble.

PIPERACEOUS Pip`er*a"ceous, a. Etym: [L. piper pepper.] (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the order of plants (Piperaceæ) of which the pepper (Piper nigrum) is the type. There are about a dozen genera and a thousand species, mostly tropical plants with pungent and aromatic qualities.

PIPERAZINE; PIPERAZIN Pi*per"a*zine, n. Also -zin . [Piperidine + azote + -ine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A crystalline substance, (C2H4NH)2, formed by action of ammonia on ethylene bromide, by reduction of pyrazine, etc. It is a strong base, and is used as a remedy for gout.

PIPERIC Pi*per"ic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or derived from, or designating, a complex organic acid found in the products of different members of the Pepper family, and extracted as a yellowish crystalline substance.

PIPERIDGE Pip"er*idge, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Pepperidge.

PIPERIDINE Pi*per"i*dine, n. (Chem.)

Defn: An oily liquid alkaloid, C5H11N, having a hot, peppery, ammoniacal odor. It is related to pyridine, and is obtained by the decomposition of piperine.

PIPERINE Pip"er*ine, n. Etym: [L. piper pepper: cf. F. piperin, piperine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline compound of piperidine and piperic acid. It is obtained from the black pepper (Piper nigrum) and other species.

PIPERONAL Pip`er*o"nal, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A white crystalline substance obtained by oxidation of piperic acid, and regarded as a complex aldehyde.

PIPERYLENE Pi*per"y*lene, n. Etym: [Piperidine + acetylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon obtained by decomposition of certain piperidine derivatives.

PIPESTEM Pipe"stem`, n.

Defn: The hollow stem or tube of a pipe used for smoking tobacco, etc. Took a long reed for a pipestem. Longfellow.

PIPESTONE Pipe"stone`, n.

Defn: A kind of clay slate, carved by the Indians into tobacco pipes. Cf. Catlinite.

PIPETTE Pi*pette", n. Etym: [F., dim. of pipe.]

Defn: A small glass tube, often with an enlargement or bulb in the middle, and usually graduated, — used for transferring or delivering measured quantities.

PIPEVINE Pipe"vine`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The Dutchman's pipe. See under Dutchman.

PIPEWOOD Pipe"wood`, n.

Defn: An ericaceous shrub (Leucothoë acuminata) of the southern United States, from the wood of which pipe bowls are made.

PIPEWORT Pipe"wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant of a genus (Eriocaulon) of aquatic or marsh herbs with soft grass-like leaves.

PIPING Pip"ing, a. Etym: [From Pipe, v.]

1. Playing on a musical pipe. "Lowing herds and piping swains." Swift.

2. Peaceful; favorable to, or characterized by, the music of the pipe rather than of the drum and fife. Shak.

3. Emitting a high, shrill sound.

4. Simmering; boiling; sizzling; hissing; — from the sound of boiling fluids. Piping crow, Piping crow shrike, Piping roller (Zoöl.), any Australian bird of the genus Gymnorhina, esp. G. tibicen, which is black and white, and the size of a small crow. Called also caruck. — Piping frog (Zoöl.), a small American tree frog (Hyla Pickeringii) which utters a high, shrill note in early spring. — Piping hot, boiling hot; hissing hot; very hot. [Colloq.] Milton.

PIPING Pip"ing, n.

1. A small cord covered with cloth, — used as trimming for women's dresses.

2. Pipes, collectively; as, the piping of a house.

3. The act of playing on a pipe; the shrill noted of birds, etc.

4. A piece cut off to be set or planted; a cutting; also, propagation by cuttings.

PIPISTREL; PIPISTRELLE Pi*pis"trel, Pip`i*strelle", n. Etym: [F. pipistrelle, It. pipistrello.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European bat (Vesperugo pipistrellus); — called also flittermouse.

PIPIT Pip"it, n. Etym: [So named from its call note.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of small singing birds belonging to Anthus and allied genera, of the family Motacillidæ. They strongly resemble the true larks in habits, colors, and the great length of the hind claw. They are, therefore, often called titlarks, and pipit larks.

Note: The meadow pipit (Anthus pratensis); the tree pipit, or tree lark (A. trivialis); and the rock pipit, or sea lark (A. obscurus) are well-known European species. The common American pipit, or brown lark, is Anthus Pensilvanicus. The Western species (A. Spraguei) is called the American skylark, on account of its musical powers.

PIPKIN Pip"kin, n.Etym: [Dim. of Pipe.]

Defn: A small earthen boiler.

PIPPIN Pip"pin, n. Etym: [Probably fr. OE. pippin a seed, as being raised from the seed. See Pip a seed.] (Bot.) (a) An apple from a tree raised from the seed and not grafted; a seedling apple. (b) A name given to apples of several different kinds, as Newtown pippin, summer pippin, fall pippin, golden pippin. We will eat a last year's pippin. Shak. Normandy pippins, sun-dried apples for winter use.

PIPPUL TREE Pip"pul tree`.

Defn: Same as Peepul tree.

PIPRA Pi"pra, n.; pl. Pipras. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of small clamatorial birds belonging to Pipra and allied genera, of the family Pipridæ. The male is usually glossy black, varied with scarlet, yellow, or sky blue. They chiefly inhabit South America.

PIPRINE Pi"prine, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pipras, or the family Pipridæ.

PIPSISSEWA Pip*sis"se*wa, n. Etym: [From American Indian.] (Bot.)

Defn: A low evergreen plant (Chimaphila umbellata), with narrow, wedge-lanceolate leaves, and an umbel of pretty nodding fragrant blossoms. It has been used in nephritic diseases. Called also prince's pine.

PIPY Pip"y, a.

Defn: Like a pipe; hollow-stemmed. Keats.

PIQUANCY Pi"quan*cy, n. Etym: [See Piquant.]

Defn: The quality or state of being piquant.

PIQUANT Pi"quant, a. Etym: [F., p.pr. of piquer to prick or sting. See Pike.]

Defn: Stimulating to the taste; giving zest; tart; sharp; pungent; as, a piquant anecdote. "As piquant to the tongue as salt." Addison. "Piquant railleries." Gov. of Tongue.

PIQUANTLY Pi"quant*ly, adv.

Defn: In a piquant manner.

PIQUE Pi`qué", n. Etym: [F., p.p. of piquer to prick.]

Defn: A cotton fabric, figured in the loom, — used as a dress goods for women and children, and for vestings, etc.

PIQUE Pique, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The jigger. See Jigger.

PIQUE Pique, n. Etym: [F., fr. piquer. See Pike.]

1. A feeling of hurt, vexation, or resentment, awakened by a social slight or injury; irritation of the feelings, as through wounded pride; stinging vexation. Men take up piques and displeasures. Dr. H. More. Wars had arisen . . . upon a personal pique. De Quincey.

2. Keenly felt desire; a longing. Though it have the pique, and long, 'Tis still for something in the wrong. Hudibras.

3. (Card Playing)

Defn: In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.

Syn. — Displeasure; irritation; grudge; spite. Pique, Spite, Grudge. Pique denotes a quick and often transient sense of resentment for some supposed neglect or injury, but it is not marked by malevolence. Spite is a stronger term, denoting settled ill will or malice, with a desire to injure, as the result of extreme irritation. Grudge goes still further, denoting cherished and secret enmity, with an unforgiving spirit. A pique is usually of recent date; a grudge is that which has long subsisted; spite implies a disposition to cross or vex others.

PIQUE Pique, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Piqued; p. pr. & vb. n. Piquing.] Etym: [F. piquer. See Pike.]

1. To wound the pride of; to sting; to nettle; to irritate; to fret; to offend; to excite to anger. Pique her, and soothe in turn. Byron.

2. To excite to action by causing resentment or jealousy; to stimulate; to prick; as, to pique ambition, or curiosity. Prior.

3. To pride or value; — used reflexively. Men . . . pique themselves upon their skill. Locke.

Syn. — To offend; displease; irritate; provoke; fret; nettle; sting; goad; stimulate.

PIQUE Pique, v. i.

Defn: To cause annoyance or irritation. "Every piques." Tatler.

PIQUEER Pi*queer", v. i.

Defn: See Pickeer. [R.]

PIQUEERER Pi*queer"er, n.

Defn: See Pickeerer. [R.]

PIQUET Piqu"et, n.

Defn: See Picket. [R.]

PIQUET Pi*quet", n. Etym: [F., prob. fr. pique. See Pique, Pike, and Picket.]

Defn: A game at cards played between two persons, with thirty-two cards, all the deuces, threes, fours, fives, and sixes, being set aside. [Written also picket and picquet.]

PIRACY Pi"ra*cy, n.; pl. Piracies. Etym: [Cf. LL. piratia, Gr. Pirate.]

1. The act or crime of a pirate.

2. (Common Law)

Defn: 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.

Note: By statute law several other offenses committed on the seas (as trading with known pirates, or engaging in the slave trade) have been made piracy.

3. "Sometimes used, in a quasi-figurative sense, of violation of copyright; but for this, infringement is the correct and preferable term." Abbott.

PIRAGUA Pi*ra"gua, n.

Defn: See Pirogue.

PIRAI Pi*rai", n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Piraya.

PIRAMETER Pi*ram"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.]

Defn: A dynamometer for ascertaining the power required to draw carriages over roads.

PIRARUCU Pi`ra*ru"cu, n. Etym: [From the native South American name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Arapaima.

PIRATE Pi"rate, n. Etym: [L. pirata, Gr. peril: cf. F. pirate. See Peril.]

1. 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.

2. An armed ship or vessel which sails without a legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other vessels on the high seas.

3. One who infringes the law of copyright, or publishes the work of an author without permission. Pirate perch (Zoöl.), a fresh-water percoid fish of the United States (Aphredoderus Sayanus). It is of a dark olive color, speckled with blackish spots.

PIRATE Pi"rate, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pirated; p. pr. & vb. n. Pirating.] Etym: [Cf. F. pirater.]

Defn: To play the pirate; to practice robbery on the high seas.

PIRATE Pi"rate, v. t.

Defn: To publish, as books or writings, without the permission of the author. They advertised they would pirate his edition. Pope.

PIRATIC Pi*rat"ic, a.

Defn: Piratical.

PIRATICAL Pi*rat"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. piraticus, Gr. piratique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to a pirate; acquired by, or practicing, piracy; as, a piratical undertaking. "Piratical printers." Pope. — Pi*rat"ic*al*ly, adv.

PIRAYA Pi*ra"ya, n. Etym: [From the native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A large voracious fresh-water fish (Serrasalmo piraya) of South America, having lancet-shaped teeth.

PIRIE Pir"ie, n. (Naut.)

Defn: See Pirry.

PIRIE Pir"ie, n. Etym: [See Pear.] (Bot.)

Defn: A pear tree. [Written also pery, pyrie.] [Obs.] Chaucer.

PIRIRIGUA Pi`ri*ri"gua, n. Etym: [From the native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A South American bird (Guira guira) allied to the cuckoos.

PIRL Pirl, v. t. Etym: [Cf. Purl.]

1. To spin, as a top.

2. To twist or twine, as hair in making fishing lines.

PIRN Pirn, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

Defn: A quill or reed on which thread or yarn is wound; a bobbin; also, the wound yarn on a weaver's shuttle; also, the reel of a fishing rod. [Scot.]

PIROGUE Pi*rogue", n. Etym: [Originally an American Indian word: cf. F. pirogue, Sp. piroga, piragua.]

Defn: A dugout canoe; by extension, any small boat. [Written variously periauger, perogue, piragua, periagua, etc.]

PIROUETTE Pir`ou*ette", n. Etym: [F.; of uncertain origin.]

1. A whirling or turning on the toes in dancing.

2. (Man.)

Defn: The whirling about of a horse.

PIROUETTE Pir`ou*ette", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pirouetted; p. pr. & vb. n. Pirouetting.] Etym: [F. pirouetter.]

Defn: To perform a pirouette; to whirl, like a dancer.

PIRRY; PIRRIE Pir"ry, Pir"rie, n. Etym: [Cf. Scot. pirr a gentle breeze, Icel. byrr a prosperous wind, bylr a blast of wind.]

Defn: A rough gale of wind. [Obs.] Sir T. Elyot.

PISASPHALTUM Pis`as*phal"tum, n.

Defn: See Pissasphalt.

PISAY Pi"say, n. (Arch.)

Defn: See Pisé.

PISCARY Pis"ca*ry, n. Etym: [L. piscarius relating to fishes or to fishing, fr. piscis a fish.] (Law)

Defn: The right or privilege of fishing in another man's waters. Blackstone.

PISCATION Pis*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. piscatio, fr. piscari to fish.]

Defn: Fishing; fishery. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PISCATOR Pis*ca"tor, n. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A fisherman; an angler.

PISCATORIAL; PISCATORY Pis`ca*to"ri*al, Pis"ca*to*ry, a. Etym: [L. piscatorius, fr. piscator a fisherman, fr. piscari to fish, fr. piscis a fish. See Fish the animal.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to fishes or fishing. Addison.

PISCES Pis"ces, n. pl. Etym: [L. piscis a fish.]

1. (Astron.) (a) The twelfth sign of the zodiac, marked pisces in almanacs. (b) A zodiacal constellation, including the first point of Aries, which is the vernal equinoctial point; the Fish.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The class of Vertebrata that includes the fishes. The principal divisions are Elasmobranchii, Ganoidei, and Teleostei.

PISCICAPTURE Pis"ci*cap`ture, n.

Defn: Capture of fishes, as by angling. [R.] W. H. Russell.

PISCICULTURAL Pis`ci*cul"tur*al, a.

Defn: Relating to pisciculture.

PISCICULTURE Pis`ci*cul"ture, n. Etym: [L. piscis a fish + E. culture.]

Defn: Fish culture. See under Fish.

PISCICULTURIST Pis`ci*cul"tur*ist, n.

Defn: One who breeds fish.

PISCIFORM Pis"ci*form, a. Etym: [L. piscis fish + -form.]

Defn: Having the form of a fish; resembling a fish.

PISCINA Pis*ci"na, n. Etym: [L., a certain, fishpond, fr. piscis a fish.] (Arch.)

Defn: A niche near the altar in a church, containing a small basin for rinsing altar vessels.

PISCINAL Pis"ci*nal, a. Etym: [L. piscinalis: cf. F. piscinal.]

Defn: Belonging to a fishpond or a piscina.

PISCINE Pis"cine, a. Etym: [L. piscis a fish.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to a fish or fishes; as, piscine remains.

PISCIVOROUS Pis*civ"o*rous, a. Etym: [L. piscis a fish + vorare to devour: cf. F. piscivore.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Feeding or subsisting on fish.

PISE Pi`sé", n. Etym: [F. pisé, from piser to stamp, pound, L. pisare.] (Arch.)

Defn: A species of wall made of stiff earth or clay rammed in between molds which are carried up as the wall rises; — called also pisé work. Gwilt.

PISH Pish, interj.

Defn: An exclamation of contempt.

PISH Pish, v. i.

Defn: To express contempt. Pope.

PISHU Pi"shu, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The Canada lynx. [Written also peeshoo.]

PISIFORM Pi"si*form, a. Etym: [L. pisum a pea + -form: cf. F. pisiforme.]

Defn: Resembling a pea or peas in size and shape; as, a pisiform iron ore.

PISIFORM Pi"si*form, n. (Anat.)

Defn: A small bone on the ulnar side of the carpus in man and many mammals. See Illust. of Artiodactyla.

PISMIRE Pis"mire, n. Etym: [Piss + mire; so called because it discharges a moisture vulgarly considered urine. See Mire an ant.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An ant, or emmet.

PISOLITE Pi"so*lite, n. Etym: [Gr. -lite: cf. F. pisolithe.] (Min.)

Defn: A variety of calcite, or calcium carbonate, consisting of aggregated globular concretions about the size of a pea; — called also peastone, peagrit.

Note: Oölite is similar in structure, but the concretions are as small as the roe of a fish.

PISOLITIC Pi`so*lit"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pisolithique.] (Min.)

Defn: Composed of, containing, or resembling, pisolite.

PISOPHALT Pis"o*phalt, n. Etym: [For pissasphalt.] (Min.)

Defn: Pissasphalt. [Obs.]

PISS Piss, v. t. & i. Etym: [OE. pissen, F. pisser; akin to It. pisciare, D. & G. pissen, Dan. pisse, Icel. pissa.]

Defn: To discharge urine, to urinate. Shak.

PISS Piss, n.

Defn: Urine.

PISSABED Piss"a*bed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A name locally applied to various wild plants, as dandelion, bluet, oxeye daisy, etc.

PISSASPHALT Pis"sas*phalt, n. Etym: [L. pissasphaltus, Gr. pissasphalte.] (Min.)

Defn: Earth pitch; a soft, black bitumen of the consistence of tar, and of a strong smell. It is inflammable, and intermediate between petroleum and asphalt. [Written also pisasphaltum, pisasphalt, etc.]

PIST Pist, n.

Defn: (man.) See Piste.

PISTACHE Pis*tache", n. [OE. pistace, fr. F. pistache. See Pistachio.] (Bot.)

Defn: The anacardiaceous tree Pistacia vera, which yields the pistachio nut; also, the nut itself and the flavoring extract prepared from it.

PISTACHIO Pis*ta"chio, n. Etym: [It. pistacchio (cf. Sp. pistacho, F. pistache), fr. L. pistacium, Gr. pistah. Cf. Fistinut.] (Bot.)

Defn: The nut of the Pistacia vera, a tree of the order Anacardiaceæ, containing a kernel of a pale greenish color, which has a pleasant taste, resembling that of the almond, and yields an oil of agreeable taste and odor; — called also pistachio nut. It is wholesome and nutritive. The tree grows in Arabia, Persia, Syria, and Sicily. [Written also pistachia.]

PISTACHIO GREEN Pistachio green.

Defn: A light yellowish green color resembling that of the pistachio nut.

PISTACIA Pis*ta"ci*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Pistachio.] (Bot.)

Defn: The name of a genus of trees, including the tree which bears the pistachio, the Mediterranean mastic tree (Pistacia Lentiscus), and the species (P. Terebinthus) which yields Chian or Cyprus turpentine.

PISTACITE Pis"ta*cite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pistacite. So called from its green color. See Pistachio.] (Min.)

Defn: Epidote.

PISTAREEN Pis`ta*reen", n.

Defn: An old Spanish silver coin of the value of about twenty cents.

PISTAZITE Pis"ta*zite, n. (Min.)

Defn: Same as Pistacite.

PISTE Piste, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. pisere, pinsere, pistum, to pound.] (Min.)

Defn: The track or tread a horseman makes upon the ground he goes over. Johnson.

PISTEL; PISTIL Pis"tel, Pis"til, n.

Defn: An epistle. [Obs.]

PISTIC Pis"tic, a. Etym: [L. pisticus, Gr.

Defn: Pure; genuine. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

PISTIL Pis"til, n. Etym: [L. pistillum, pistillus, a pestle: cf. F. pistil. See Pestle.] (Bot.)

Defn: 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.

PISTILLACEOUS Pis`til*la"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Growing on, or having nature of, the pistil; of or pertaining to a pistil. Barton.

PISTILLATE Pis"til*late, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Having a pistil or pistils; — usually said of flowers having pistils but no stamens.

PISTILLATION Pis`til*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. pistillum a pestle.]

Defn: The act of pounding or breaking in a mortar; pestillation. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PISTILLIDIUM Pis`til*lid"i*um, n.; pl. Pistillida. Etym: [NL., fr. E. pistil.] (Bot.)

Defn: Same as Archegonium.

PISTILLIFEROUS Pis`til*lif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Pistil + -ferous: cf. F. pistillifère.] (Bot.)

Defn: Pistillate.

PISTILLODY Pis"til*lo*dy, n. Etym: [Pistil + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The metamorphosis of other organs into pistils.

PISTOL Pis"tol, n. Etym: [F. pistole, pistolet, It. pistola; prob. from a form Pistola, for Pistoja, a town in Italy where pistols were first made. Cf. Pistole.]

Defn: 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. Pistol carbine, a firearm with a removable but- piece, and thus capable of being used either as a pistol or a carbine. — Pistol pipe (Metal.), a pipe in which the blast for a furnace is heated, resembling a pistol in form. — Pistol shot. (a) The discharge of a pistol. (b) The distance to which a pistol can propel a ball.

PISTOL Pis"tol, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pistoled; p. pr. & vb. n. Pistoling.] Etym: [Cf. F. pistoler.]

Defn: To shoot with a pistol. "To pistol a poacher." Sydney Smith.

PISTOLADE Pis"to*lade`, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A pistol shot.

PISTOLE Pis*tole", n. Etym: [F., probably a name given in jest in France to a Spanish coin. Cf. Pistol.]

Defn: The name of certain gold coins of various values formerly coined in some countries of Europe. In Spain it was equivalent to a quarter doubloon, or about $3.90, and in Germany and Italy nearly the same. There was an old Italian pistole worth about $5.40.

PISTOLEER Pis`to*leer", n. Etym: [Cf. F. pistolier.]

Defn: One who uses a pistol. [R.] Carlyle.

PISTOLET Pis"to*let`, n. Etym: [F., a dim. of pistole.]

Defn: A small pistol. Donne. Beau. & Fl.

PISTON Pis"ton, n. Etym: [F. piston; cf. It. pistone piston, also pestone a large pestle; all fr. L. pinsere, pistum, to pound, to stamp. See Pestle, Pistil.] (Mach.)

Defn: 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. Piston head (Steam Eng.), that part of a piston which is made fast to the piston rod. — Piston rod, a rod by which a piston is moved, or by which it communicates motion. — Piston valve (Steam Eng.), a slide valve, consisting of a piston, or connected pistons, working in a cylindrical case which is provided with ports that are traversed by the valve.

PISTON RING Pis"ton ring. (Mach.)

Defn: A spring packing ring, or any of several such rings, for a piston.

PIT Pit, n. Etym: [OE. pit, put, AS. pytt a pit, hole, L. puteus a well, pit.]

1. A large cavity or hole in the ground, either natural or artificial; a cavity in the surface of a body; an indentation; specifically: (a) The shaft of a coal mine; a coal pit. (b) A large hole in the ground from which material is dug or quarried; as, a stone pit; a gravel pit; or in which material is made by burning; as, a lime pit; a charcoal pit. (c) A vat sunk in the ground; as, a tan pit. Tumble me into some loathsome pit. Shak.

2. Any abyss; especially, the grave, or hades. Back to the infernal pit I drag thee chained. Milton. He keepth back his soul from the pit. Job xxxiii. 18.

3. A covered deep hole for entrapping wild beasts; a pitfall; hence, a trap; a snare. Also used figuratively. The anointed of the Lord was taken in their pits. Lam. iv. 20.

4. A depression or hollow in the surface of the human body; as: (a) The hollow place under the shoulder or arm; the axilla, or armpit. (b) See Pit of the stomach (below). (c) The indentation or mark left by a pustule, as in smallpox.

5. Formerly, that part of a theater, on the floor of the house, below the level of the stage and behind the orchestra; now, in England, commonly the part behind the stalls; in the United States, the parquet; also, the occupants of such a part of a theater.

6. An inclosed area into which gamecocks, dogs, and other animals are brought to fight, or where dogs are trained to kill rats. "As fiercely as two gamecocks in the pit." Locke.

7. Etym: [Cf. D. pit, akin to E. pith.] (Bot.) (a) The endocarp of a drupe, and its contained seed or seeds; a stone; as, a peach pit; a cherry pit, etc. (b) A depression or thin spot in the wall of a duct. Cold pit (Hort.), an excavation in the earth, lined with masonry or boards, and covered with glass, but not artificially heated, — used in winter for the storing and protection of half-hardly plants, and sometimes in the spring as a forcing bed. — Pit coal, coal dug from the earth; mineral coal. — Pit frame, the framework over the shaft of a coal mine. — Pit head, the surface of the ground at the mouth of a pit or mine. — Pit kiln, an oven for coking coal. — Pit martin (Zoöl.), the bank swallow. [Prov. Eng.] — Pit of the stomach (Anat.), the depression on the middle line of the epigastric region of the abdomen at the lower end of the sternum; the infrasternal depression. — Pit saw (Mech.), a saw worked by two men, one of whom stands on the log and the other beneath it. The place of the latter is often in a pit, whence the name. — Pit viper (Zoöl.), any viperine snake having a deep pit on each side of the snout. The rattlesnake and copperhead are examples. — Working pit (Min.), a shaft in which the ore is hoisted and the workmen carried; — in distinction from a shaft used for the pumps.

PIT Pit, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pitted; p. pr. & vb. n. Pitting.]

1. To place or put into a pit or hole. They lived like beasts, and were pitted like beasts, tumbled into the grave. T. Grander.

2. To mark with little hollows, as by various pustules; as, a face pitted by smallpox.

3. To introduce as an antagonist; to set forward for or in a contest; as, to pit one dog against another.

PITA Pi"ta, n. Etym: [Sp.] (Bot.) (a) A fiber obtained from the Agave Americana and other related species, — used for making cordage and paper. Called also pita fiber, and pita thread. (b) The plant which yields the fiber.

PITAHAYA Pit`a*ha"ya, n. Etym: [Sp., prob. from the native name.] (Bot.)

Defn: A cactaceous shrub (Cereus Pitajaya) of tropical America, which yields a delicious fruit.

PITAPAT Pit"a*pat`, adv. Etym: [An onomatopoetic reduplication of pat a light, quick blow.]

Defn: In a flutter; with palpitation or quick succession of beats. Lowell. "The fox's heart went pitapat." L'Estrange.

PITAPAT Pit"a*pat`, n.

Defn: A light, repeated sound; a pattering, as of the rain. "The pitapat of a pretty foot." Dryden.

PITCH Pitch, n. Etym: [OE. pich, AS. pic, L. pix; akin to Gr.

1. A thick, black, lustrous, and sticky substance obtained by boiling down tar. It is used in calking the seams of ships; also in coating rope, canvas, wood, ironwork, etc., to preserve them. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith. Ecclus. xiii. 1.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: See Pitchstone. Amboyna pitch, the resin of Dammara australis. See Kauri. — Burgundy pitch. See under Burgundy. — Canada pitch, the resinous exudation of the hemlock tree (Abies Canadensis); hemlock gum. — Jew's pitch, bitumen. — Mineral pitch. See Bitumen and Asphalt. — Pitch coal (Min.), bituminous coal. — Pitch peat (Min.), a black homogeneous peat, with a waxy luster. — Pitch pine (Bot.), any one of several species of pine, yielding pitch, esp. the Pinus rigida of North America.

PITCH Pitch, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pitched; p. pr. & vb. n. Pitching.] Etym: [See Pitch, n.]

1. To cover over or smear with pitch. Gen. vi. 14.

2. Fig.: To darken; to blacken; to obscure. The welkin pitched with sullen could. Addison.

PITCH Pitch, v. t. Etym: [OE. picchen; akin to E. pick, pike.]

1. To throw, generally with a definite aim or purpose; to cast; to hurl; to toss; as, to pitch quoits; to pitch hay; to pitch a ball.

2. To thrust or plant in the ground, as stakes or poles; hence, to fix firmly, as by means of poles; to establish; to arrange; as, to pitch a tent; to pitch a camp.

3. To set, face, or pave with rubble or undressed stones, as an embankment or a roadway. Knight.

4. To fix or set the tone of; as, to pitch a tune.

5. To set or fix, as a price or value. [Obs.] Shak. Pitched battle, a general battle; a battle in which the hostile forces have fixed positions; — in distinction from a skirmish. — To pitch into, to attack; to assault; to abuse. [Slang]

PITCH Pitch, v. i.

1. To fix or place a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp. "Laban with his brethren pitched in the Mount of Gilead." Gen. xxxi. 25.

2. To light; to settle; to come to rest from flight. The tree whereon they [the bees] pitch. Mortimer.

3. To fix one's choise; — with on or upon. Pitch upon the best course of life, and custom will render it the more easy. Tillotson.

4. To plunge or fall; esp., to fall forward; to decline or slope; as, to pitch from a precipice; the vessel pitches in a heavy sea; the field pitches toward the east. Pitch and pay, an old aphorism which inculcates ready-money payment, or payment on delivery of goods. Shak.

PITCH Pitch, n.

1. A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand; as, a good pitch in quoits. Pitch and toss, a game played by tossing up a coin, and calling "Heads or tails;" hence: To play pitch and toss with (anything), to be careless or trust to luck about it. "To play pitch and toss with the property of the country." G. Eliot. — Pitch farthing. See Chuck farthing, under 5th Chuck.

2. (Cricket)

Defn: That point of the ground on which the ball pitches or lights when bowled.

3. A point or peak; the extreme point or degree of elevation or depression; hence, a limit or bound. Driven headlong from the pitch of heaven, down Into this deep. Milton. Enterprises of great pitch and moment. Shak. To lowest pitch of abject fortune. Milton. He lived when learning was at its highest pitch. Addison. The exact pitch, or limits, where temperance ends. Sharp.

4. Height; stature. [Obs.] Hudibras.

5. A descent; a fall; a thrusting down.

6. The point where a declivity begins; hence, the declivity itself; a descending slope; the degree or rate of descent or slope; slant; as, a steep pitch in the road; the pitch of a roof.

7. (Mus.)

Defn: The relative acuteness or gravity of a tone, determined by the number of vibrations which produce it; the place of any tone upon a scale of high and low.

Note: Musical tones with reference to absolute pitch, are named after the first seven letters of the alphabet; with reference to relative pitch, in a series of tones called the scale, they are called one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Eight is also one of a new scale an octave higher, as one is eight of a scale an octave lower.

8. (Mining)

Defn: The limit of ground set to a miner who receives a share of the ore taken out.

9. (Mech.) (a) The distance from center to center of any two adjacent teeth of gearing, measured on the pitch line; — called also circular pitch. (b) The length, measured along the axis, of a complete turn of the thread of a screw, or of the helical lines of the blades of a screw propeller. (c) The distance between the centers of holes, as of rivet holes in boiler plates. Concert pitch (Mus.), the standard of pitch used by orchestras, as in concerts, etc. — Diametral pitch (Gearing), the distance which bears the same relation to the pitch proper, or circular pitch, that the diameter of a circle bears to its circumference; it is sometimes described by the number expressing the quotient obtained by dividing the number of teeth in a wheel by the diameter of its pitch circle in inches; as, 4 pitch, 8 pitch, etc. — Pitch chain, a chain, as one made of metallic plates, adapted for working with a sprocket wheel. — Pitch line, or Pitch circle (Gearing), an ideal line, in a toothed gear or rack, bearing such a relation to a corresponding line in another gear, with which the former works, that the two lines will have a common velocity as in rolling contact; it usually cuts the teeth at about the middle of their height, and, in a circular gear, is a circle concentric with the axis of the gear; the line, or circle, on which the pitch of teeth is measured. — Pitch of a roof (Arch.), the inclination or slope of the sides expressed by the height in parts of the span; as, one half pitch; whole pitch; or by the height in parts of the half span, especially among engineers; or by degrees, as a pitch of 30°, of 45°, etc.; or by the rise and run, that is, the ratio of the height to the half span; as, a pitch of six rise to ten run. Equilateral pitch is where the two sloping sides with the span form an equilateral triangle. — Pitch of a plane (Carp.), the slant of the cutting iron. — Pitch pipe, a wind instrument used by choristers in regulating the pitch of a tune. — Pitch point (Gearing), the point of contact of the pitch lines of two gears, or of a rack and pinion, which work together.

PITCH-BLACK Pitch"-black`, a.

Defn: Black as pitch or tar.

PITCHBLENDE Pitch"blende`, n. Etym: [1st pitch + blende.] (Min.)

Defn: A pitch-black mineral consisting chiefly of the oxide of uranium; uraninite. See Uraninite.

PITCH-DARK Pitch"-dark`, a.

Defn: Dark as a pitch; pitch-black.

PITCHER Pitch"er, n.

1. One who pitches anything, as hay, quoits, a ball, etc.; specifically (Baseball), the player who delivers the ball to the batsman.

2. A sort of crowbar for digging. [Obs.] Mortimer.

PITCHER Pitch"er, n. Etym: [OE. picher, OF. pichier, OHG. pehhar, pehhari; prob. of the same origin as E. beaker. Cf. Beaker.]

1. A wide-mouthed, deep vessel for holding liquids, with a spout or protruding lip and a handle; a water jug or jar with a large ear or handle.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A tubular or cuplike appendage or expansion of the leaves of certain plants. American pitcher plants, the species of Sarracenia. See Sarracenia. — Australian pitcher plant, the Cephalotus follicularis, a low saxifragaceous herb having two kinds of radical leaves, some oblanceolate and entire, others transformed into little ovoid pitchers, longitudinally triple-winged and ciliated, the mouth covered with a lid shaped like a cockleshell. — California pitcher plant, the Darlingtonia California. See Darlingtonia. — Pitcher plant, any plant with the whole or a part of the leaves transformed into pitchers or cuplike organs, especially the species of Nepenthes. See Nepenthes.

PITCHERFUL Pitch"er*ful, n.; pl. Pitcherfuls (.

Defn: The quantity a pitcher will hold.

PITCH-FACED Pitch"-faced`, a. (Stone Cutting)

Defn: Having the arris defined by a line beyond which the rock is cut away, so as to give nearly true edges; — said of squared stones that are otherwise quarry-faced.

PITCHFORK Pitch"fork`, n.

Defn: A fork, or farming utensil, used in pitching hay, sheaves of grain, or the like.

PITCHFORK Pitch"fork`, v. t.

Defn: To pitch or throw with, or as with, a pitchfork. He has been pitchforked into the footguards. G. A. Sala.

PITCHINESS Pitch"i*ness, n. Etym: [From Pitchy.]

Defn: Blackness, as of pitch; darkness.

PITCHING Pitch"ing, n.

1. The act of throwing or casting; a cast; a pitch; as, wild pitching in baseball.

2. The rough paving of a street to a grade with blocks of stone. Mayhew.

3. (Hydraul. Eng.)

Defn: A facing of stone laid upon a bank to prevent wear by tides or currents. Pitching piece (Carp.), the horizontal timber supporting the floor of a platform of a stairway, and against which the stringpieces of the sloping parts are supported.

PITCH-ORE Pitch"-ore`, n. (Min.)

Defn: Pitchblende.

PITCHSTONE Pitch"stone`, n. (Geol.)

Defn: An igneous rock of semiglassy nature, having a luster like pitch.

PITCHWORK Pitch"work`, n.

Defn: The work of a coal miner who is paid by a share of his product.

PITCHY Pitch"y, a. Etym: [From 1st Pitch.]

1. Partaking of the qualities of pitch; resembling pitch.

2. Smeared with pitch.

3. Black; pitch-dark; dismal. "Pitchy night." Shak.

PITEOUS Pit"e*ous, a. Etym: [OE. pitous, OF. pitos, F. piteux. See Pity.]

1. Pious; devout. [Obs.] The Lord can deliver piteous men from temptation. Wyclif.

2. Evincing pity, compassion, or sympathy; compassionate; tender. "[She] piteous of his case." Pope. She was so charitable and so pitous. Chaucer.

3. Fitted to excite pity or sympathy; wretched; miserable; lamentable; sad; as, a piteous case. Spenser. The most piteous tale of Lear. Shak.

4. Paltry; mean; pitiful. "Piteous amends." Milton.

Syn. — Sorrowful; mournful; affecting; doleful; woeful; rueful; sad; wretched; miserable; pitiable; pitiful; compassionate. — Pit"e*ous*ly, adv. — Pit"e*ous*ness, n.

PITFALL Pit"fall`, n.

Defn: A pit deceitfully covered to entrap wild beasts or men; a trap of any kind. Sir T. North.

PITFALLING Pit"fall`ing, a.

Defn: Entrapping; insnaring. [R.] "Full of . . . contradiction and pitfalling dispenses." Milton.

PITH Pith, n. Etym: [AS. pi; akin to D. pit pith, kernel, LG. peddik. Cf. Pit a kernel.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The soft spongy substance in the center of the stems of many plants and trees, especially those of the dicotyledonous or exogenous classes. It consists of cellular tissue.

2. (a) (Zoöl.) The spongy interior substance of a feather. (b) (Anat.) The spinal cord; the marrow.

3. Hence: The which contains the strength of life; the vital or essential part; concentrated force; vigor; strength; importance; as, the speech lacked pith. Enterprises of great pith and moment. Shak. Pith paper. Same as Rice paper, under Rice.

PITH Pith, v. t. (Physiol.)

Defn: To destroy the central nervous system of (an animal, as a frog), as by passing a stout wire or needle up and down the vertebral canal.

PITHECANTHROPUS Pith`e*can*thro"pus, n. [NL.; Gr. ape + man.]

1. A hypothetical genus of primates intermediate between man and the anthropoid apes. Haeckel.

2. A genus consisting of an primate (P. erectus) apparently intermediate between man and the existing anthropoid apes, known from bones of a single individual found in Java (hence called Java man) in 1891-92. These bones include a thigh bone of the human type, two molar teeth intermediate between those of man and the anthropoids, and the calvaria of the skull, indicating a brain capacity of about 900 cubic centimeters, and resembling in form that of the Neanderthal man. Also [pl. -thropi],

Defn: an animal of this genus. —Pith`e*can"thrope (#), n. — Pith`e*can"thro*poid (#), a.

PITHECI Pi*the"ci, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of mammals including the apes and monkeys. Sometimes used in the sense of Primates.

PITHECOID Pith"e*coid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

1. Of or pertaining to the genus Pithecia, or subfamily Pithecinæ, which includes the saki, ouakari, and other allied South American monkeys.

2. Of or pertaining to the anthropoid apes in particular, or to the higher apes of the Old World, collectively.

PITHFUL Pith"ful, a.

Defn: Full of pith. [R.] W. Browne.

PITHILY Pith"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pithy manner.

PITHINESS Pith"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being pithy.

PITHLESS Pith"less, a.

Defn: Destitute of pith, or of strength; feeble. Dryden. "Pithless argumentation." Glandstone.

PIT-HOLE Pit"-hole`, n.

Defn: A pit; a pockmark.

PITHSOME Pith"some, a.

Defn: Pithy; robust. [R.] "Pithsome health and vigor." R. D. Blackmore.

PITHY Pith"y, a. [Compar. Pithier; superl. Pithiest.]

1. Consisting wholly, or in part, of pith; abounding in pith; as, a pithy stem; a pithy fruit.

2. Having nervous energy; forceful; cogent. This pithy speech prevailed, and all agreed. Dryden. In all these Goodman Fact was very short, but pithy. Addison. Pithy gall (Zoöl.), a large, rough, furrowed, oblong gall, formed on blackberry canes by a small gallfly (Diastrophus nebulosus).

PITIABLE Pit"i*a*ble, a. Etym: [Cf. OF. pitiable, F. pitoyable.]

Defn: Deserving pity; wworthy of, or exciting, compassion; miserable; lamentable; piteous; as, pitiable persons; a pitiable condition; pitiable wretchedness.

Syn. — Sorrowful; woeful; sad. See Piteous. — Pit"i*a*ble*ness, n. — Pit"i*a*bly, adv.

PITIER Pit"i*er, n.

Defn: One who pities. Gauden.

PITIFUL Pit"i*ful, a.

1. Full of pity; tender-hearted; compassionate; kind; merciful; sympathetic. The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11.

2. Piteous; lamentable; eliciting compassion. A thing, indeed, very pitiful and horrible. Spenser.

3. To be pitied for littleness or meanness; miserable; paltry; contemptible; despicable. That's villainous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in the fool that uses it. Shak.

Syn. — Despicable; mean; paltry. See Contemptible. — Pit"i*ful*ly, adv. — Pit"i*ful*ness, n.

PITILESS Pit"i*less, a.

1. Destitute of pity; hard-hearted; merciless; as, a pitilessmaster; pitiless elements.

2. Exciting no pity; as, a pitiless condition. — Pit"i*less*ly, adv. — Pit"i*less*ness, n.

PITMAN Pit"man, n.; pl. Pitmen (.

1. One who works in a pit, as in mining, in sawing timber, etc.

2. (Mach.)

Defn: The connecting rod in a sawmill; also, sometimes, a connecting rod in other machinery.

PITOT'S TUBE Pi*tot's" tube`. (Hydraul.)

Defn: A bent tube used to determine the velocity of running water, by placing the curved end under water, and observing the height to which the fluid rises in the tube; a kind of current meter.

PITPAN Pit"pan`, n.

Defn: A long, flat-bottomed canoe, used for the navigation of rivers and lagoons in Central America. Squier.

PITPAT Pit"pat`, n. & adv.

Defn: See Pitapat.

PITTA Pit"ta, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of a large group of bright-colored clamatorial birds belonging to Pitta, and allied genera of the family Pittidæ. Most of the species are varied with three or more colors, such as blue, green, crimson, yellow, purple, and black. They are called also ground thrushes, and Old World ant thrushes; but they are not related to the true thrushes.

Note: The pittas are most abundant in the East Indies, but some inhabit Southern Asia, Africa, and Australia. They live mostly upon the ground, and feed upon insects of various kinds.

PITTACAL Pit"ta*cal, n. Etym: [Gr. pittacale.] (Chem.)

Defn: A dark blue substance obtained from wood tar. It consists of hydrocarbons which when oxidized form the orange-yellow eupittonic compounds, the salts of which are dark blue.

PITTANCE Pit"tance, n. Etym: [OE. pitance, pitaunce, F. pitance; cf. It. pietanza, LL. pitancia, pittantia, pictantia; perh. fr. L. pietas pity, piety, or perhaps akin to E. petty. Cf. Petty, and Pity.]

1. An allowance of food bestowed in charity; a mess of victuals; hence, a small charity gift; a dole. "A good pitaunce." Chaucer. One half only of this pittance was ever given him in money. Macaulay.

2. A meager portion, quality, or allowance; an inconsiderable salary or compensation. "The small pittance of learning they received." Swift. The inconsiderable pittance of faithful professors. Fuller.

PITTED Pit"ted, a.

1. Marked with little pits, as in smallpox. See Pit, v. t., 2.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: Having minute thin spots; as, pitted ducts in the vascular parts of vegetable tissue.

PITTER Pit"ter, n.

Defn: A contrivance for removing the pits from peaches, plums, and other stone fruit.

PITTER Pit"ter, v. i.

Defn: To make a pattering sound; to murmur; as, pittering streams. [Obs.] R. Greene.

PITTER-PATTER Pit"ter-pat`ter, n.

Defn: A sound like that of alternating light beats. Also, a pattering of words.

PITTER-PATTER Pit"ter-pat`ter, adv.

Defn: With, or with the sound of, alternating light beats; as, his heart went pitter-patter.

PITTLE-PATTLE Pit"tle-pat`tle, v. i.

Defn: To talk unmeaningly; to chatter or prattle. [R.] Latimer.

PITUITARY Pi*tu"i*ta*ry, a. Etym: [L. pituita phlegm, pituite: cf. F. pituitarie.] (Anat.) (a) Secreting mucus or phlegm; as, the pituitary membrane, or the mucous membrane which lines the nasal cavities. (b) Of or pertaining to the pituitary body; as, the pituitary fossa. Pituitary body or gland (Anat.), a glandlike body of unknown function, situated in the pituitary fossa, and connected with the infundibulum of the brain; the hypophysis. — Pituitary fossa (Anat.), the ephippium.

PITUITE Pit"u*ite, n. Etym: [L. pituita: cf. F. pituite. Cf. Pip a disease of fowls.]

Defn: Mucus, phlegm.

PITUITOUS Pi*tu"i*tous, a. Etym: [L. pituitosus: cf. F. pituiteux.]

Defn: Consisting of, or resembling, pituite or mucus; full of mucus; discharging mucus. Pituitous fever (Med.), typhoid fever; enteric fever.

PITUITRIN Pi*tu"i*trin, n. (Biol. Chem.)

Defn: A substance or extract from the pituitary body.

PITY Pit"y, n.; pl. Pities. Etym: [OE. pite, OF. pité, pitié, F. pitié, L. pietas piety, kindness, pity. See Pious, and cf. Piety.]

1. Piety. [Obs.] Wyclif.

2. A feeling for the sufferings or distresses of another or others; sympathy with the grief or misery of another; compassion; fellow- feeling; commiseration. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord. Prov. xix. 17. He . . . has no more pity in him than a dog. Shak.

3. A reason or cause of pity, grief, or regret; a thing to be regretted. "The more the pity." Shak. What pity is it That we can die but once to serve our country! Addison.

Note: In this sense, sometimes used in the plural, especially in the colloquialism: "It is a thousand pities."

Syn. — Compassion; mercy; commiseration; condolence; sympathy, fellow- suffering; fellow-feeling. — Pity, Sympathy, Compassion. Sympathy is literally fellow-feeling, and therefore requiers a certain degree of equality in situation, circumstances, etc., to its fullest exercise. Compassion is deep tenderness for another under severe or inevitable misfortune. Pity regards its object not only as suffering, but weak, and hence as inferior.

PITY Pit"y, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pitied; p. pr. & vb. n. Pitying.]

1. To feel pity or compassion for; to have sympathy with; to compassionate; to commiserate; to have tender feelings toward (any one), awakened by a knowledge of suffering. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. Ps. ciii. 13.

2. To move to pity; — used impersonally. [Obs.] It pitieth them to see her in the dust. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

PITY Pit"y, v. i.

Defn: To be compassionate; to show pity. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy. Jer. xiii. 14.

PITYING Pit"y*ing, a.

Defn: Expressing pity; as, a pitying eye, glance, or word. — Pit"y*ing*ly, adv.

PITYRIASIS Pit`y*ri"a*sis, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A superficial affection of the skin, characterized by irregular patches of thin scales which are shed in branlike particles. Pityriasis versicolor Etym: [NL.] (Med.), a parasitic disease of the skin, characterized by the development of reddish or brownish patches.

PITYROID Pit"y*roid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.]

Defn: Having the form of, or resembling, bran. Smart.

PIU Pi"ù, adv. Etym: [It., fr. L. plus. See Plus.] (Mus.)

Defn: A little more; as, più allegro, a little more briskly.

PIVOT Piv"ot, n. Etym: [F.; prob. akin to It. piva pipe, F. pipe. See Pipe.]

1. A fixed pin or short axis, on the end of which a wheel or other body turns.

2. The end of a shaft or arbor which rests and turns in a support; as, the pivot of an arbor in a watch.

3. Hence, figuratively: A turning point or condition; that on which important results depend; as, the pivot of an enterprise.

4. (Mil.)

Defn: The officer or soldier who simply turns in his place whike the company or line moves around him in wheeling; — called also pivot man. Pivot bridge, a form of drawbridge in which one span, called the pivot span, turns about a central vertical axis. — Pivot gun, a gun mounted on a pivot or revolving carriage, so as to turn in any direction. — Pivot tooth (Dentistry), an artificial crown attached to the root of a natural tooth by a pin or peg.

PIVOT Piv"ot, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pivoted; p. pr. & vb. n. Pivoting.]

Defn: To place on a pivot. Clarke.

PIVOTAL Piv"ot*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a pivot or turning point; belonging to, or constituting, a pivot; of the nature of a pivot; as, the pivotalopportunity of a career; the pivotal position in a battle.

PIX Pix, n. & v.

Defn: See Pyx.

PIXY; PIXIE Pix"y, Pix"ie, n.; pl. Pixies. Etym: [For Pucksy, from Puck.]

1. An old English name for a fairy; an elf. [Written also picksy.]

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A low creeping evergreen plant (Pyxidanthera barbulata), with mosslike leaves and little white blossoms, found in New Jersey and southward, where it flowers in earliest spring. Pixy ring, a fairy ring or circle. [Prov. Eng.] — Pixy stool (Bot.), a toadstool or mushroom. [Prov. Eng.]

PIXY-LED Pix"y-led`, a.

Defn: Led by pixies; bewildered.

PIZZICATO Piz`zi*ca"to. Etym: [It., pinched.] (Mus.)

Defn: A direction to violinists to pluck the string with the finger, instead of using the bow. (Abrev. pizz.)

PIZZLE Piz"zle, n. Etym: [Cf. Prov. G. pissel, pesel, peisel, peserich, D. pees a tendon or spring.]

Defn: The penis; — so called in some animals, as the bull. Shak.

PLACABILITY Pla`ca*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. placabilitas: cf. F. placabilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being placable or appeasable; placable disposition.

PLACABLE Pla"ca*ble, a. Etym: [L. placabilis, fr. placare to quiet, pacify: cf. F. placable. See Placate.]

Defn: Capable of being appeased or pacified; ready or willing to be pacified; willing to forgive or condone. Methought I saw him placable and mild. Milton.

PLACABLENESS Pla"ca*ble*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being placable.

PLACARD Pla*card", n. Etym: [F., fr. plaquer to lay or clap on, plaque plate, tablet; probably from Dutch, cf. D. plakken to paste, post up, plak a flat piece of wood.]

1. A public proclamation; a manifesto or edict issued by authority. [Obs.] All placards or edicts are published in his name. Howell.

2. Permission given by authority; a license; as, to give a placard to do something. [Obs.] ller.

3. A written or printed paper, as an advertisement or a declaration, posted, or to be posted, in a public place; a poster.

4. (Anc. Armor)

Defn: An extra plate on the lower part of the breastplate or backplate. Planché.

5. Etym: [Cf. Placket.]

Defn: A kind of stomacher, often adorned with jewels, worn in the fifteenth century and later.

PLACARD Pla*card", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Placarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Placarding.]

1. To post placards upon or within; as, to placard a wall, to placard the city.

2. To announce by placards; as, to placard a sale.

PLACATE Plac"ate, n.

Defn: Same as Placard, 4 & 5.

PLACATE Pla"cate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Placated; p. pr. & vb. n. Placating.] Etym: [L. placatus, p.p. of placare to placate, akin to placere to please. See Please.]

Defn: To appease; to pacify; to concilate. "Therefore is he always propitiated and placated." Cudworth.

PLACATION Pla*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. placatio.]

Defn: The act of placating. [R.] Puttenham (1589).

PLACE Place, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. platea a street, an area, a courtyard, from Gr. platei^a a street, properly fem. of platy`s, flat, broad; akin to Skr. prsthu, Lith. platus. Cf. Flawn, Piazza, Plate, Plaza.]

1. Any portion of space regarded as measured off or distinct from all other space, or appropriated to some definite object or use; position; ground; site; spot; rarely, unbounded space. Here is the place appointed. Shak. What place can be for us Within heaven's bound Milton. The word place has sometimes a more confused sense, and stands for that space which any body takes up; and so the universe is a place. Locke.

2. A broad way in a city; an open space; an area; a court or short part of a street open only at one end. "Hangman boys in the market place." Shak.

3. A position which is occupied and held; a dwelling; a mansion; a village, town, or city; a fortified town or post; a stronghold; a region or country. Are you native of this place Shak.

4. Rank; degree; grade; order of priority, advancement, dignity, or importance; especially, social rank or position; condition; also, official station; occupation; calling. "The enervating magic of place." Hawthorne. Men in great place are thrice servants. Bacon. I know my place as I would they should do theirs. Shak.

5. Vacated or relinquished space; room; stead (the departure or removal of another being or thing being implied). "In place of Lord Bassanio." Shak.

6. A definite position or passage of a document. The place of the scripture which he read was this. Acts viii. 32.

7. Ordinal relation; position in the order of proceeding; as, he said in the first place.

8. Reception; effect; — implying the making room for. My word hath no place in you. John viii. 37.

9. (Astron.)

Defn: Position in the heavens, as of a heavenly body; — usually defined by its right ascension and declination, or by its latitude and longitude. Place of arms (Mil.), a place calculated for the rendezvous of men in arms, etc., as a fort which affords a safe retreat for hospitals, magazines, etc. Wilhelm. — High place (Script.), a mount on which sacrifices were offered. "Him that offereth in the high place." Jer. xlviii. 35. — In place, in proper position; timely. — Out of place, inappropriate; ill-timed; as, his remarks were out of place. — Place kick (Football), the act of kicking the ball after it has been placed on the ground. — Place name, the name of a place or locality. London Academy. — To give place, to make room; to yield; to give way; to give advantage. "Neither give place to the devil." Eph. iv. 27. "Let all the rest give place." Shak. — To have place, to have a station, room, or seat; as, such desires can have no place in a good heart. — To take place. (a) To come to pass; to occur; as, the ceremony will not take place. (b) To take precedence or priority. Addison. (c) To take effect; to prevail. "If your doctrine takes place." Berkeley. "But none of these excuses would take place." Spenser. — To take the place of, to be substituted for.

Syn. — Situation; seat; abode; position; locality; location; site; spot; office; employment; charge; function; trust; ground; room; stead.

PLACE Place, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Placed; p. pr. & vb. n. Placing.] Etym: [Cf. F. placer. See Place, n.]

1. To assign a place to; to put in a particular spot or place, or in a certain relative position; to direct to a particular place; to fix; to settle; to locate; as, to place a book on a shelf; to place balls in tennis. Upon my head they placed a fruitless crown. Shak.

2. To put or set in a particular rank, office, or position; to surround with particular circumstances or relations in life; to appoint to certain station or condition of life; as, in whatever sphere one is placed. Place such over them to be rulers. Ex. xviii. 21.

3. To put out at interest; to invest; to loan; as, to place money in a bank.

4. To set; to fix; to repose; as, to place confidence in a friend. "My resolution 's placed." Shak.

5. To attribute; to ascribe; to set down. Place it for her chief virtue. Shak. To place (a person), to identify him. [Colloq. U.S.]

Syn. — See Put.

PLACEBO Pla*ce"bo, n. Etym: [L., I shall please, fut. of placere to please.]

1. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: The first antiphon of the vespers for the dead.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A prescription intended to humor or satisfy. To sing placebo, to agree with one in his opinion; to be complaisant to. Chaucer.

PLACEFUL Place"ful, a.

Defn: In the appointed place. [Obs.]

PLACE-KICK Place"-kick`, v. t. & i.

Defn: To make a place kick; to make (a goal) by a place kick. — Place"-kick`er, n.

PLACELESS Place"less, a.

Defn: Having no place or office.

PLACEMAN Place"man, n.; pl. Placemen (.

Defn: One who holds or occupies a place; one who has office under government. Sir W. Scott.

PLACEMENT Place"ment, n. Etym: [Cf. F. placement.]

1. The act of placing, or the state of being placed.

2. Position; place.

PLACENTA Pla*cen"ta, n.; pl. L. Placentæ, E. Placentas. Etym: [L., a cake, Gr.

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The vascular appendage which connects the fetus with the parent, and is cast off in parturition with the afterbirth.

Note: In most mammals the placenta is principally developed from the allantois and chorion, and tufts of vascular villi on its surface penetrate the blood vessels of the parental uterus, and thus establish a nutritive and excretory connection between the blood of the fetus and that of the parent, though the blood itself does not flow from one to the other.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The part of a pistil or fruit to which the ovules or seeds are attached.

PLACENTAL Pla*cen"tal, a.

1. Of or pertaining to the placenta; having, or characterized by having, a placenta; as, a placental mammal.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Placentalia.

PLACENTAL Pla*cen"tal, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Placentalia.

PLACENTALIA Plac`en*ta"li*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Mammalia including those that have a placenta, or all the orders above the marsupials.

PLACENTARY Pla*cen"ta*ry, a.

Defn: Having reference to the placenta; as, the placentary system of classification.

PLACENTATION Plac`en*ta"tion, n.

1. (Anat.)

Defn: The mode of formation of the placenta in different animals; as, the placentation of mammals.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The mode in which the placenta is arranged or composed; as, axile placentation; parietal placentation.

PLACENTIFEROUS Plac`en*tif"er*ous, a. Etym: [Placenta + -ferous.] (Bot. & Zoöl.)

Defn: Having or producing a placenta.

PLACENTIFORM Pla*cen"ti*form, a. Etym: [Placenta + -form.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having the shape of a placenta, or circular thickened disk somewhat thinner about the middle.

PLACENTIOUS Pla*cen"tious, a. Etym: [See Please.]

Defn: Pleasing; amiable. [Obs.] "A placentious person." Fuller.

PLACE-PROUD Place"-proud`, a.

Defn: Proud of rank or office. Beau. & Fl.

PLACER Pla"cer, n.

Defn: One who places or sets. Spenser.

PLACER Plac"er, n. Etym: [Sp.]

Defn: 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. [U.S.]

PLACET Pla"cet, n. Etym: [L. placet it pleases.]

1. A vote of assent, as of the governing body of a university, of an ecclesiastical council, etc.

2. The assent of the civil power to the promulgation of an ecclesiastical ordinance. Shipley. The king . . . annulled the royal placet. J. P. Peters.

PLACID Plac"id, a. Etym: [L. placidus, originally, pleasing, mild, from placere to please: cf. F. placide. See Please.]

Defn: Pleased; contented; unruffied; undisturbed; serene; peaceful; tranquil; quiet; gentle. "That placid aspect and meek regard." Milton. "Sleeping . . . the placid sleep of infancy." Macaulay.

PLACIDITY Pla*cid"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. placiditas: cf. F. placidité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being placid; calmness; serenity. Hawthorne.

PLACIDLY Plac"id*ly, adv.

Defn: In a placid manner.

PLACIDNESS Plac"id*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being placid.

PLACIT Plac"it, n. Etym: [L. placitum. See Plea.]

Defn: A decree or determination; a dictum. [Obs.] "The placits and opinions of other philosophers." Evelyn.

PLACITORY Plac"i*to*ry, a. Etym: [See Placit.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to pleas or pleading, in courts of law. [Obs.] Clayton.

PLACITUM Plac"i*tum, n.; pl. Placita. Etym: [LL. See Placit.]

1. A public court or assembly in the Middle Ages, over which the sovereign president when a consultation was held upon affairs of state. Brande & C.

2. (Old Eng. Law)

Defn: A court, or cause in court.

3. (Law)

Defn: A plea; a pleading; a judicial proceeding; a suit. Burrill.

PLACK Plack, n. Etym: [F. plaque a plate of metal. Cf. Plaque.]

Defn: A small copper coin formerly current in Scotland, worth less than a cent. With not a plack in the pocket of the poet. Prof. Wilson.

PLACKET Plack"et, n. Etym: [F. plaquer to lay or clap on. See Placard.]

1. A petticoat, esp. an under petticoat; hence, a cant term for a woman. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.

2. The opening or slit left in a petticoat or skirt for convenience in putting it on; — called also placket hole.

3. A woman's pocket.

PLACODERM Plac"o*derm, n. Etym: [Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of the Placodermi.

PLACODERMAL Plac`o*der"mal, a. (Paleon.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the placoderms; like the placoderms.

PLACODERMATA Plac`o*der"ma*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Paleon.)

Defn: Same as Placodermi.

PLACODERMI Plac`o*der"mi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct group of fishes, supposed to be ganoids. The body and head were covered with large bony plates. See Illust. under Pterichthys, and Coccosteus.

PLACOGANOID Plac`o*ga"noid, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Placoganoidei.

PLACOGANOIDEI Plac`o*ga*noi"de*i, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. ganoidei. See Ganoidei.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of ganoid fishes including those that have large external bony plates and a cartilaginous skeleton.

PLACOID Plac"oid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Platelike; having irregular, platelike, bony scales, often bearing spines; pertaining to the placoids.

PLACOID Plac"oid, n. (Zoöl.) (a) Any fish having placoid scales, as the sharks. (b) One of the Placoides.

PLACOIDES Pla*coi"des, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of fishes including the sharks and rays; the Elasmobranchii; — called also Placoidei.

PLACOIDIAN Pla*coid"i*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the placoids.

PLACOPHORA Pla*coph"o*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of gastropod Mollusca, including the chitons. The back is covered by eight shelly plates. Called also Polyplacophora. See Illust. under Chiton, and Isopleura.

PLAGA Pla"ga, n.; pl. Plagæ. Etym: [L. plaga a blow, a welt, a stripe.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A stripe of color.

PLAGAL Pla"gal, a. Etym: [F., from Gr. (Mus.)

Defn: 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. Plagal cadence, a cadence in which the final chord on the tonic is preceded by the chord on the subdominant.

PLAGATE Pla"gate, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having plagæ, or irregular enlongated color spots.

PLAGE Plage, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. plaga.]

Defn: A region; country. [Obs.] "The plages of the north." Chaucer.

PLAGIARISM Pla"gia*rism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plagiarisme.]

1. The act or practice of plagiarizing.

2. That which plagiarized.

PLAGIARIST Pla"gia*rist, n.

Defn: One who plagiarizes; or purloins the words, writings, or ideas of another, and passes them off as his own; a literary thief; a plagiary.

PLAGIARIZE Pla"gia*rize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plagiarized; p. pr. & vb. n. Plagiarizing.]

Defn: To steal or purloin from the writings of another; to appropriate without due acknowledgement (the ideas or expressions of another).

PLAGIARY Pla"gia*ry, v. i.

Defn: To commit plagiarism.

PLAGIARY Pla"gia*ry, n.; pl. Plagiaries. Etym: [L. plagiarius a kidnaper, a literary thief, fr. plagium kidnaping; cf. plaga a net, perh. akin to E. plait: cf. F. plagiaire.]

1. A manstealer; a kidnaper. [Obs.]

2. One who purloins another's expressions or ideas, and offers them as his own; a plagiarist. Dryden.

3. Plagiarism; literary thief. Milton.

PLAGIARY Pla"gia*ry, a.

1. Kidnaping. [Obs.] E. Browne.

2. Practicing plagiarism. Bp. Hall.

PLAGIHEDRAL Pla`gi*he"dral, a. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Having an oblique spiral arrangement of planes, as levogyrate and dextrogyrate crystals.

PLAGIOCEPHALIC Pla`gi*o*ce*phal"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having an oblique lateral deformity of the skull.

PLAGIOCEPHALY Pla`gi*o*ceph"a*ly, n. (Anat.)

Defn: Oblique lateral deformity of the skull.

PLAGIOCLASE Pla"gi*o*clase, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A general term used of any triclinic feldspar. See the Note under Feldspar.

PLAGIONITE Pla"gi*o*nite, n. Etym: [Gr. (Min.)

Defn: A sulphide of lead and antimony, of a blackish lead-gray color and metallic luster.

PLAGIOSTOMATOUS Pla`gi*o*stom"a*tous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Plagiostomous.

PLAGIOSTOME Pla"gi*o*stome, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Plagiostomi.

PLAGIOSTOMI Pla`gi*os"to*mi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of fishes including the sharks and rays; — called also Plagiostomata.

PLAGIOSTOMOUS Pla`gi*os"to*mous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plagiostomi.

PLAGIOTREMATA Pla`gi*o*trem"a*ta, n. pl.; Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Lepidosauria.

PLAGIOTROPIC Pla`gi*o*trop"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the longer axis inclined away from the vertical line.

PLAGIUM Pla"gi*um, n. Etym: [L.] (Civil Law)

Defn: Manstealing; kidnaping.

PLAGOSE Pla*gose", a. Etym: [L. plagosus. See Plague.]

Defn: Fond of flogging; as, a plagose master. [R.]

PLAGUE Plague, n. Etym: [L. plaga a blow, stroke, plague; akin to Gr. plangere to strike, beat. Cf. Plaint.]

1. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation. Shak. And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail. Wyclif. The different plague of each calamity. Shak.

2. (Med.)

Defn: 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. "A plague upon the people fell." Tennyson. Cattle plague. See Rinderpest. — Plague mark, Plague spot, a spot or mark of the plague; hence, a token of something incurable.

PLAGUE Plague, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plagued; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaguing.]

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

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

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

PLAGUEFUL Plague"ful, a.

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

PLAGUELESS Plague"less, a.

Defn: Free from plagues or the plague.

PLAGUER Pla"guer, n.

Defn: One who plagues or annoys.

PLAGUILY Pla"gui*ly, adv.

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

PLAGUY Pla"guy, a.

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

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

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

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

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

PLAID Plaid, a.

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

PLAIDED Plaid"ed, a.

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

2. Wearing a plaid. Campbell.

PLAIDING Plaid"ing, n.

Defn: Plaid cloth.

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

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

PLAIN Plain, v. t.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAIN Plain, adv.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAINING Plain"ing, n.

Defn: Complaint. [Poetic] Shak.

PLAINING Plain"ing, a.

Defn: Complaining. [Poetic] Bryant.

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

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

PLAINLY Plain"ly, adv.

Defn: In a plain manner; clearly.

PLAINNESS Plain"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plain.

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

Defn: One who lives in the plains.

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

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

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

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

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

3. (Law)

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

PLAINTFUL Plaint"ful, a.

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

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

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

PLAINTIFF Plain"tiff, a.

Defn: See Plaintive. [Obs.] Prior.

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

1. Repining; complaining; lamenting. Dryden.

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

PLAINTLESS Plaint"less, a.

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

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

Defn: See Pleasance.

PLAISE Plaise, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Plaice. [Obs.]

PLAISTER Plais"ter, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Plaster.

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLAITED Plait"ed, a.

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

PLAITER Plait"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plaits.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLANARIAN Pla*na"ri*an, n. (Zoöl.)

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

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

Defn: A division of Turbellaria; the Dendrocoela.

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

Defn: Like the planarians.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. (Arch.)

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

PLANCHER Planch"er, v. t.

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

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

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

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

1. A circumferentor. See Circumferentor.

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

PLANCHING Planch"ing, n.

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

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

Defn: Any tree of the genus Platanus.

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

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

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

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

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

1. (Geom.)

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

2. (Astron.)

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

3. (Mech.)

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

4. (Joinery)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PLANER Plan"er, n.

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

2. (Print.)

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

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

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

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

1. (Astron.)

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

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