P P (pe), (continued 19)

PREVOYANT Pre*voy"ant, a. Etym: [F. prévoyant.]

Defn: Foreseeing; prescient. [R.] Mrs. Oliphant.

PREWARN Pre*warn", v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Prewarned; p. pr. & vb. n. Prewarning.]

Defn: To warn beforehand; to forewarn. [R.]

PREY Prey, n. Etym: [OF. preie, F. proie, L. praeda, probably for praeheda. See Prehensile, and cf. Depredate, Predatory.]

Defn: Anything, as goods, etc., taken or got by violence; anything taken by force from an enemy in war; spoil; booty; plunder. And they brought the captives, and the prey, and the spoil, unto Moses, and Eleazar the priest. Num. xxxi. 12.

2. That which is or may be seized by animals or birds to be devoured; hence, a person given up as a victim. The old lion perisheth for lack of prey. Job iv. ii. Already sees herself the monster's prey. Dryden.

3. The act of devouring other creatures; ravage. Hog in sloth, fox in stealth, . . . lion in prey. Shak. Beast of prey, a carnivorous animal; one that feeds on the flesh of other animals.

PREY Prey, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Preyed; p. pr. & vb. n. Preying.] Etym: [OF. preier, preer, L. praedari, fr. praeda. See Prey, n.]

Defn: To take booty; to gather spoil; to ravage; to take food by violence. More pity that the eagle should be mewed, While kites and buzzards prey at liberty. Shak. To prey on or upon. (a) To take prey from; to despoil; to pillage; to rob. Shak. (b) To seize as prey; to take for food by violence; to seize and devour. Shak. (c) To wear away gradually; to cause to waste or pine away; as, the trouble preyed upon his mind. Addison.

PREYER Prey"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, preys; a plunderer; a waster; a devourer. Hooker.

PREYFUL Prey"ful, a.

1. Disposed to take prey. [Obs.] The preyful brood of savage beasts. Chapman.

2. Rich in prey. [Obs.] Shak.

PREZYGAPOPHYSIS Pre*zyg`a*poph"y*sis, n.; pl. Prezygapophyses. Etym: [NL. See Pre-, and Zygapophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: An anterior zygapophysis.

PRIAL Pri"al, n.

Defn: A corruption of pair royal. See under Pair, n.

PRIAN Pri"an, n. Etym: [Cornish, clayey ground, from pri clay.] (Mining)

Defn: A fine, white, somewhat friable clay; also, the ore contained in a mixture of clay and pebbles. [Written also pryan.]

PRIAPEAN Pri`a*pe"an, n. Etym: [Cf. L. Priapeius pertaining to Priapus.] (Lat. Pros.)

Defn: A species of hexameter verse so constructed as to be divisible into two portions of three feet each, having generally a trochee in the first and the fourth foot, and an amphimacer in the third; — applied also to a regular hexameter verse when so constructed as to be divisible into two portions of three feet each. Andrews.

PRIAPISM Pri"a*pism, n. Etym: [L. priapismus, Gr. Priapus the god of procreation, the penis, Gr. priapisme.] (Med.)

Defn: More or less permanent erection and rigidity of the penis, with or without sexual desire.

PRIAPULACEA Pri*ap`u*la"ce*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Priapism.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A suborder of Gephyræa, having a cylindrical body with a terminal anal opening, and usually with one or two caudal gills.

PRICASOUR Pric"a*sour, n.

Defn: A hard rider. [Obs.]

PRICE Price, n. Etym: [OE. pris, OF. pris, F. prix, L. pretium; cf. Gr. pa to buy, OI. renim I sell. Cf. Appreciate, Depreciate, Interpret, Praise, n. & v., Precious, Prize.]

1. The sum or amount of money at which a thing is valued, or the value which a seller sets on his goods in market; that for which something is bought or sold, or offered for sale; equivalent in money or other means of exchange; current value or rate paid or demanded in market or in barter; cost. "Buy wine and milk without money and without price." Isa. lv. 1. We can afford no more at such a price. Shak.

2. Value; estimation; excellence; worth. Her price is far above rubies. Prov. xxxi. 10. New treasures still, of countless price. Keble.

3. Reward; recompense; as, the price of industry. 'T is the price of toil, The knave deserves it when he tills the soil. Pope. Price current, or Price list, a statement or list of the prevailing prices of merchandise, stocks, specie, bills of exchange, etc., published statedly or occasionally.

PRICE Price, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Priced; p. pr. & vb. n. Pricing.]

1. To pay the price of. [Obs.] With thine own blood to price his blood. Spenser.

2. To set a price on; to value. See Prize.

3. To ask the price of; as, to price eggs. [Colloq.]

PRICED Priced, a.

Defn: Rated in price; valued; as, high-priced goods; low-priced labor.

PRICEITE Price"ite, n. Etym: [From Thomas Price of San Francisco.] (Min.)

Defn: A hydrous borate of lime, from Oregon.

PRICELESS Price"less, a.

1. Too valuable to admit of being appraised; of inestimable worth; invaluable.

2. Of no value; worthless. [R.] J. Barlow.

PRICK Prick, n. Etym: [AS. prica, pricca, pricu; akin to LG. prick, pricke, D. prik, Dan. prik, prikke, Sw. prick. Cf. Prick, v.]

1. That which pricks, penetrates, or punctures; a sharp and slender thing; a pointed instrument; a goad; a spur, etc.; a point; a skewer. Pins, wooden pricks, nails, sprigs of rosemary. Shak. It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Acts ix. 5.

2. The act of pricking, or the sensation of being pricked; a sharp, stinging pain; figuratively, remorse. "The pricks of conscience." A. Tucker.

3. A mark made by a pointed instrument; a puncture; a point. Hence: (a) A point or mark on the dial, noting the hour. [Obs.] "The prick of noon." Shak. (b) The point on a target at which an archer aims; the mark; the pin. "They that shooten nearest the prick." Spenser. (c) A mark denoting degree; degree; pitch. [Obs.] "To prick of highest praise forth to advance." Spenser. (d) A mathematical point; — regularly used in old English translations of Euclid. (e) The footprint of a hare. [Obs.]

4. (Naut.)

Defn: A small roll; as, a prick of spun yarn; a prick of tobacco.

PRICK Prick, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pricked; p. pr. & vb. n. Pricking.] Etym: [AS. prician; akin to LG. pricken, D. prikken, Dan. prikke, Sw. pricka. See Prick, n., and cf. Prink, Prig.]

1. To pierce slightly with a sharp-pointed instrument or substance; to make a puncture in, or to make by puncturing; to drive a fine point into; as, to prick one with a pin, needle, etc.; to prick a card; to prick holes in paper.

2. To fix by the point; to attach or hang by puncturing; as, to prick a knife into a board. Sir I. Newton. The cooks prick it [a slice] on a prong of iron. Sandys.

3. To mark or denote by a puncture; to designate by pricking; to choose; to mark; — sometimes with off. Some who are pricked for sheriffs. Bacon. Let the soldiers for duty be carefully pricked off. Sir W. Scott. Those many, then, shall die: their names are pricked. Shak.

4. To mark the outline of by puncturing; to trace or form by pricking; to mark by punctured dots; as, to prick a pattern for embroidery; to prick the notes of a musical composition. Cowper.

5. To ride or guide with spurs; to spur; to goad; to incite; to urge on; — sometimes with on, or off. Who pricketh his blind horse over the fallows. Chaucer. The season pricketh every gentle heart. Chaucer. My duty pricks me on to utter that. Shak.

6. To affect with sharp pain; to sting, as with remorse. "I was pricked with some reproof." Tennyson. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart. Acts ii. 37.

7. To make sharp; to erect into a point; to raise, as something pointed; — said especially of the ears of an animal, as a horse or dog; and usually followed by up; — hence, to prick up the ears, to listen sharply; to have the attention and interest strongly engaged. "The courser . . . pricks up his ears." Dryden.

8. To render acid or pungent. [Obs.] Hudibras.

9. To dress; to prink; — usually with up. [Obs.]

10. (Naut) (a) To run a middle seam through, as the cloth of a sail. (b) To trace on a chart, as a ship's course.

11. (Far.) (a) To drive a nail into (a horse's foot), so as to cause lameness. (b) To nick.

PRICK Prick, v. i.

1. To be punctured; to suffer or feel a sharp pain, as by puncture; as, a sore finger pricks.

2. To spur onward; to ride on horseback. Milton. A gentle knight was pricking on the plain. Spenser.

3. To become sharp or acid; to turn sour, as wine.

4. To aim at a point or mark. Hawkins.

PRICK-EARED Prick"-eared`, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having erect, pointed ears; — said of certain dogs. Thou prick-eared cur of Iceland. Shak.

PRICKER Prick"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, pricks; a pointed instrument; a sharp point; a prickle.

2. One who spurs forward; a light horseman. The prickers, who rode foremost, . . . halted. Sir W. Scott.

3. A priming wire; a priming needle, — used in blasting and gunnery. Knight.

4. (Naut.)

Defn: A small marline spike having generally a wooden handle, — used in sailmaking. R. H. Dana, Ir.

PRICKET Prick"et, n. Etym: [Perhaps so called from the state of his horns. See Prick, and cf. Brocket.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A buck in his second year. See Note under 3d Buck. Shak.

PRICKING Prick"ing, n.

1. The act of piercing or puncturing with a sharp point. "There is that speaketh like the prickings of a sword." Prov. xii. 18 [1583].

2. (Far.) (a) The driving of a nail into a horse's foot so as to produce lameness. (b) Same as Nicking.

3. A sensation of being pricked. Shak.

4. The mark or trace left by a hare's foot; a prick; also, the act of tracing a hare by its footmarks. [Obs.]

5. Dressing one's self for show; prinking. [Obs.]

PRICKING-UP Prick"ing-up, n. (Arch.)

Defn: The first coating of plaster in work of three coats upon laths. Its surface is scratched once to form a better key for the next coat. In the United States called scratch coat. Brande & C.

PRICKLE Pric"kle, n. Etym: [AS. pricele, pricle; akin to LG. prickel, D. prikkel. See Prick, n.]

1. A little prick; a small, sharp point; a fine, sharp process or projection, as from the skin of an animal, the bark of a plant, etc.; a spine. Bacon.

2. A kind of willow basket; — a term still used in some branches of trade. B. Jonson.

3. A sieve of filberts, — about fifty pounds. [Eng.]

PRICKLE Pric"kle, v. t.

Defn: To prick slightly, as with prickles, or fine, sharp points. Felt a horror over me creep, Prickle skin, and catch my breath. Tennyson.

PRICKLEBACK; PRICKLEFISH Pric"kle*back`, Pric"kle*fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The stickleback.

PRICKLINESS Prick"li*ness, n. Etym: [From Prickly.]

Defn: The quality of being prickly, or of having many prickles.

PRICKLING Prick"ling, a.

Defn: Prickly. [Obs.] Spenser.

PRICKLOUSE Prick"louse`, n.

Defn: A tailor; — so called in contempt. [Old slang] L'Estrange.

PRICKLY Prick"ly, a.

Defn: Full of sharp points or prickles; armed or covered with prickles; as, a prickly shrub. Prickly ash (Bot.), a prickly shrub (Xanthoxylum Americanum) with yellowish flowers appearing with the leaves. All parts of the plant are pungent and aromatic. The southern species is X. Carolinianum. Gray. — Prickly heat (Med.), a noncontagious cutaneous eruption of red pimples, attended with intense itching and tingling of the parts affected. It is due to inflammation of the sweat glands, and is often brought on by overheating the skin in hot weather. — Prickly pear (Bot.), a name given to several plants of the cactaceous genus Opuntia, American plants consisting of fleshy, leafless, usually flattened, and often prickly joints inserted upon each other. The sessile flowers have many petals and numerous stamens. The edible fruit is a large pear-shaped berry containing many flattish seeds. The common species of the Northern Atlantic States is Opuntia vulgaris. In the South and West are many others, and in tropical America more than a hundred more. O. vulgaris, O. Ficus-Indica, and O. Tuna are abundantly introduced in the Mediterranean region, and O. Dillenii has become common in India. — Prickly pole (Bot.), a West Indian palm (Bactris Plumierana), the slender trunk of which bears many rings of long black prickles. — Prickly withe (Bot.), a West Indian cactaceous plant (Cereus triangularis) having prickly, slender, climbing, triangular stems. — Prickly rat (Zoöl.), any one of several species of South American burrowing rodents belonging to Ctenomys and allied genera. The hair is usually intermingled with sharp spines.

PRICKMADAM Prick"mad`am, n. Etym: [F. trique-madame. Cf. Tripmadam.] (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several species of stonecrop, used as ingredients of vermifuge medicines. See Stonecrop.

PRICKPUNCH Prick"punch`, n.

Defn: A pointed steel punch, to prick a mark on metal.

PRICKSHAFT Prick"shaft`, n.

Defn: An arrow. [Obs.]

PRICKSONG Prick"song`, n. Etym: [See Prick, v. t., 4.]

Defn: Music written, or noted, with dots or points; — so called from the points or dots with which it is noted down. [Obs.] He fights as you sing pricksong. Shak.

PRICKWOOD Prick"wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A shrub (Euonymus Europæus); — so named from the use of its wood for goads, skewers, and shoe pegs. Called also spindle tree.

PRICKY Prick"y, a.

Defn: Stiff and sharp; prickly. Holland.

PRIDE Pride, n. Etym: [Cf. AS. lamprede, LL. lampreda, E. lamprey.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European lamprey (Petromyzon branchialis); — called also prid, and sandpiper.

PRIDE Pride, n. Etym: [AS. pryte; akin to Icel. pryedhi honor, ornament, pr to adorn, Dan. pryde, Sw. pryda; cf. W. prydus comely. See Proud.]

1. The quality or state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank, etc., which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others. Those that walk in pride he is able to abase. Dan. iv. 37. Pride that dines on vanity sups on contempt. Franklin.

2. A sense of one's own worth, and abhorrence of what is beneath or unworthy of one; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character; dignified bearing; proud delight; — in a good sense. Thus to relieve the wretched was his pride. Goldsmith. A people which takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote descendants. Macaulay.

3. Proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation; disdain. Let not the foot of pride come against me. Ps. xxxvi. 11. That hardly we escaped the pride of France. Shak.

4. That of which one is proud; that which excites boasting or self- gratulation; the occasion or ground of self-esteem, or of arrogant and presumptuous confidence, as beauty, ornament, noble character, children, etc. Lofty trees yclad with summer's pride. Spenser. I will cut off the pride of the Philistines. Zech. ix. 6. A bold peasantry, their country's pride. Goldsmith.

5. Show; ostentation; glory. Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war. Shak.

6. Highest pitch; elevation reached; loftiness; prime; glory; as, to be in the pride of one's life. A falcon, towering in her pride of place. Shak.

7. Consciousness of power; fullness of animal spirits; mettle; wantonness; hence, lust; sexual desire; esp., an excitement of sexual appetite in a female beast. [Obs.] Pride of India, or Pride of China. (Bot.) See Margosa. — Pride of the desert (Zoöl.), the camel.

Syn. — Self-exaltation; conceit; hauteur; haughtiness; lordliness; loftiness. — Pride, Vanity. Pride is a high or an excessive esteem of one's self for some real or imagined superiority, as rank, wealth, talents, character, etc. Vanity is the love of being admired, praised, exalted, etc., by others. Vanity is an ostentation of pride; but one may have great pride without displaying it. Vanity, which is etymologically "emptiness," is applied especially to the exhibition of pride in superficialities, as beauty, dress, wealth, etc.

PRIDE Pride, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prided; p. pr. & vb. n. Priding.]

Defn: To indulge in pride, or self-esteem; to rate highly; to plume; — used reflexively. Bp. Hall. Pluming and priding himself in all his services. South.

PRIDE Pride, v. i.

Defn: To be proud; to glory. [R.]

PRIDEFUL Pride"ful, a.

Defn: Full of pride; haughty. Tennyson. — Pride"ful*ly, adv. — Pride"ful-ness, n.

PRIDELESS Pride"less, a.

Defn: Without pride. Chaucer.

PRIDIAN Prid"i*an, a. Etym: [L. pridianus.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the day before, or yesterday. [R.] Thackeray.

PRIDINGLY Prid"ing*ly, adv.

Defn: Proudly. [Obs.]

PRIE Prie, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The plant privet. [Obs.] Tusser.

PRIE Prie, v. i.

Defn: To pry. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PRIED Pried,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Pry.

PRIEDIEU Prie`dieu", n. Etym: [F., literally, pray God.]

Defn: A kneeling desk for prayers.

PRIEF Prief, n.

Defn: Proof. [Obs.] Spenser. Lydgate.

PRIER Pri"er, n. Etym: [From Pry.]

Defn: One who pries; one who inquires narrowly and searches, or is inquisitive. So pragmatical a prier he is into divine secrets. Fuller.

PRIEST Priest, n. Etym: [OE. prest, preost, AS. preóst, fr. L. presbyter, Gr. pristinus. Cf. Pristine, Presbyter.]

1. (Christian Church)

Defn: A presbyter elder; a minister; specifically: (a) (R. C. Ch. & Gr. Ch.) One who is authorized to consecrate the host and to say Mass; but especially, one of the lowest order possessing this power. Murdock. (b) (Ch. of Eng. & Prot. Epis. Ch.)

Defn: A presbyter; one who belongs to the intermediate order between bishop and deacon. He is authorized to perform all ministerial services except those of ordination and confirmation.

2. One who officiates at the altar, or performs the rites of sacrifice; one who acts as a mediator between men and the divinity or the gods in any form of religion; as, Buddhist priests. "The priests of Dagon." 1 Sam. v. 5. Then the priest of Jupiter . . . brought oxen and garlands . . . and would have done sacrifice with the people. Acts xiv. 13. Every priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. Heb. v. 1.

Note: In the New Testament presbyters are not called priests; but Christ is designated as a priest, and as a high priest, and all Christians are designated priests.

PRIEST Priest, v. t.

Defn: To ordain as priest.

PRIESTCAP Priest"cap`, n. (Fort.)

Defn: A form of redan, so named from its shape; — called also swallowtail.

PRIESTCRAFT Priest"craft`, n.

Defn: Priestly policy; the policy of a priesthood; esp., in an ill sense, fraud or imposition in religious concerns; management by priests to gain wealth and power by working upon the religious motives or credulity of others. It is better that men should be governed by priestcraft than by violence. Macaulay.

PRIESTERY Priest"er*y, n.

Defn: Priests, collectively; the priesthood; — so called in contempt. [R.] Milton.

PRIESTESS Priest"ess, n.

Defn: A woman who officiated in sacred rites among pagans. Abp. Potter.

PRIESTHOOD Priest"hood, n.

1. The office or character of a priest; the priestly function. Bk. of Com. Prayer.

2. Priests, taken collectively; the order of men set apart for sacred offices; the order of priests.

PRIESTING Priest"ing, n.

Defn: The office of a priest. [Obs.] Milton.

PRIESTISM Priest"ism, n.

Defn: The influence, doctrines, principles, etc., of priests or the priesthood. [R.]

PRIESTLESS Priest"less, a.

Defn: Without a priest. Pope.

PRIESTLIKE Priest"like`, a.

Defn: Priestly. B. Jonson.

PRIESTLINESS Priest"li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being priestly. R. Browning.

PRIESTLY Priest"ly, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a priest or the priesthood; sacerdotal; befitting or becoming a priest; as, the priestly office; a priestly farewell. Shak.

PRIEST-RIDDEN Priest"-rid`den, a.

Defn: Controlled or oppressed by priests; as, a priest-ridden people. Swift.

PRIEVE Prieve, v. t.

Defn: To prove. [Obs. or Scot.]

PRIG Prig, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prigged; p. pr. & vb. n. Prigging.] Etym: [A modification of prick.]

Defn: To haggle about the price of a commodity; to bargain hard. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

PRIG Prig, v. t.

1. To cheapen. [Scot.]

2. Etym: [Perhaps orig., to ride off with. See Prick, v. t.]

Defn: To filch or steal; as, to prig a handkerchief. [Cant]

PRIG Prig, n.

1. A pert, conceited, pragmatical fellow. The queer prig of a doctor. Macaulay.

2. A thief; a filcher. [Cant] Shak.

PRIGGERY Prig"ger*y, n.

Defn: Priggism.

PRIGGISH Prig"gish, a.

Defn: Like a prig; conceited; pragmatical. — Prig"gish*ly, adv. — Prig"gish-ness, n.

PRIGGISM Prig"gism, n.

1. The quality or state of being priggish; the manners of a prig. Ed. Rev.

2. Roguery; thievery. [Obs.] Fielding.

PRIGHTE Prigh"te, obs.

Defn: imp. of Prick. Chaucer.

PRILL Prill, n. Etym: [Cf. Brill.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The brill.

PRILL Prill, v. i.

Defn: To flow. [Obs.] Stow.

PRILL Prill, n.

Defn: A stream. [Obs.] Davies (Microcosmos).

PRILL Prill, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain.]

1. (Mining) (a) A nugget of virgin metal. (b) Ore selected for excellence.

2. The button of metal from an assay.

PRILLION Pril"lion, n.

Defn: Tin extracted from the slag.

PRIM Prim, n. Etym: [See Privet.] (Bot)

Defn: The privet.

PRIM Prim, a. Etym: [OF. prim, prin, prime, first, principal. sharp, thin, piercing, fr. L. primus first. See Prime, a.]

Defn: Formal; precise; affectedly neat or nice; as, prim regularity; a prim person. Swift.

PRIM Prim, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Primmed; p. pr. & vb. n. Primming.]

Defn: To deck with great nicety; to arrange with affected preciseness; to prink.

PRIM Prim, v. i.

Defn: To dress or act smartly. [R.]

PRIMACY Pri"ma*cy, n. Etym: [LL. primatia, fr. L. primas, -atis, one of the first or principal, chief, fr. primus first: cf. F. primatie. See Prime, a.]

1. The state or condition of being prime or first, as in time, place, rank, etc., hence, excellency; supremacy. [R.] De Quincey.

2. The office, rank, or character of a primate; the chief ecclesiastical station or dignity in a national church; the office or dignity of an archbishop; as, the primacy of England.

PRIMA DONNA Pri"ma don"na; pl. E. Prima donnas, It. Prime Donne. Etym: [It., fr. primo, prima, the first + donna lady, mistress. See Prime, a., and Donna.]

Defn: The first or chief female singer in an opera.

PRIMA FACIE Pri"ma fa"ci*e. Etym: [L., from abl. of primus first + abl. of facies appearance.]

Defn: At first view; on the first appearance. Prima facie evidence (of a fact) (Law), evidence which is sufficient to establish the fact unless rebutted. Bouvier.

PRIMAGE Pri"mage (; 48), n. Etym: [F.] (Com.)

Defn: A charge in addition to the freight; originally, a gratuity to the captain for his particular care of the goods (sometimes called hat money), but now belonging to the owners or freighters of the vessel, unless by special agreement the whole or part is assigned to the captain. Homans.

PRIMAL Pri"mal, a. Etym: [LL. primalis, fr. L. primus the first. See Prime, a.]

Defn: First; primary; original; chief. It hath the primal eldest curse upon it. Shak. The primal duties shine aloft like stars. Wordsworth.

PRIMALITY Pri*mal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being primal. [Obs.]

PRIMARILY Pri"ma*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a primary manner; in the first place; in the first place; in the first intention; originally.

PRIMARINESS Pri"ma*ri*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being primary, or first in time, in act, or in intention. Norris.

PRIMARY Pri"ma*ry, a. Etym: [L. primarius, fr. primus first: cf. F. primaire. See Prime, a., and cf. Premier, Primero.]

1. First in order of time or development or in intention; primitive; fundamental; original. The church of Christ, in its primary institution. Bp. Pearson. These I call original, or primary, qualities of body. Locke.

2. First in order, as being preparatory to something higher; as, primary assemblies; primary schools.

3. First in dignity or importance; chief; principal; as, primary planets; a matter of primary importance.

4. (Geol.)

Defn: Earliest formed; fundamental.

5. (Chem.)

Defn: Illustrating, possessing, or characterized by, some quality or property in the first degree; having undergone the first stage of substitution or replacement. Primary alcohol (Organic Chem.), any alcohol which possess the group CH2.OH, and can be oxidized so as to form a corresponding aldehyde and acid having the same number of carbon atoms; — distinguished from secondary and tertiary alcohols. — Primary amine (Chem.), an amine containing the amido group, or a derivative of ammonia in which only one atom of hydrogen has been replaced by a basic radical; — distinguished from secondary and tertiary amines. — Primary amputation (Surg.), an amputation for injury performed as soon as the shock due to the injury has passed away, and before symptoms of inflammation supervene. — Primary axis (Bot.), the main stalk which bears a whole cluster of flowers. — Primary colors. See under Color. — Primary meeting, a meeting of citizens at which the first steps are taken towards the nomination of candidates, etc. See Caucus. — Primary pinna (Bot.), one of those portions of a compound leaf or frond which branch off directly from the main rhachis or stem, whether simple or compounded. — Primary planets. (Astron.) See the Note under Planet. — Primary qualities of bodies, such are essential to and inseparable from them. — Primary quills (Zoöl.), the largest feathers of the wing of a bird; primaries. — Primary rocks (Geol.), a term early used for rocks supposed to have been first formed, being crystalline and containing no organic remains, as granite, gneiss, etc.; — called also primitive rocks. The terms Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary rocks have also been used in like manner, but of these the last two only are now in use. — Primary salt (Chem.), a salt derived from a polybasic acid in which only one acid hydrogen atom has been replaced by a base or basic radical. — Primary syphilis (Med.), the initial stage of syphilis, including the period from the development of the original lesion or chancre to the first manifestation of symptoms indicative of general constitutional infection. — Primary union (Surg.), union without suppuration; union by the first intention.

PRIMARY Pri"ma*ry, n.; pl. Primaries (.

1. That which stands first in order, rank, or importance; a chief matter.

2. A primary meeting; a caucus.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the large feathers on the distal joint of a bird's wing. See Plumage, and Illust. of Bird.

4. (Astron.)

Defn: A primary planet; the brighter component of a double star. See under Planet.

PRIMATE Pri"mate, n. Etym: [OE. primat, F. primat, L. primas, -atis one of the first, chief, fr. primus the first. See Prime, a.]

1. The chief ecclesiastic in a national church; one who presides over other bishops in a province; an archbishop.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Primates.

PRIMATES Pri*ma"tes, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The highest order of mammals. It includes man, together with the apes and monkeys. Cf. Pitheci.

PRIMATESHIP Pri"mate*ship, n.

Defn: The office, dignity, or position of a primate; primacy.

PRIMATIAL Pri*ma"tial, a. Etym: [Cf. F. primatial.]

Defn: Primatical. [R.] D'Anville (Trans. ).

PRIMATICAL Pri*mat"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a primate. Barrow.

PRIME Prime, a. Etym: [F., fr. L. primus first, a superl. corresponding to the compar. prior former. See Prior, a., Foremost, Former, and cf. Prim, a., Primary, Prince.]

1. First in order of time; original; primeval; primitive; primary. "Prime forests." Tennyson. She was not the prime cause, but I myself. Milton.

Note: In this sense the word is nearly superseded by primitive, except in the phrase prime cost.

2. First in rank, degree, dignity, authority, or importance; as, prime minister. "Prime virtues." Dryden.

3. First in excellence; of highest quality; as, prime wheat; a prime quality of cloth.

4. Early; blooming; being in the first stage. [Poetic] His starry helm, unbuckled, showed him prime In manhood where youth ended. Milton.

5. Lecherous; lustful; lewd. [Obs.] Shak.

6. Marked or distinguished by a mark (') called a prime mark. Prime and ultimate ratio. (Math.). See Ultimate. — Prime conductor. (Elec.) See under Conductor. — Prime factor (Arith.), a factor which is a prime number. — Prime figure (Geom.), a figure which can not be divided into any other figure more simple than itself, as a triangle, a pyramid, etc. — Prime meridian (Astron.), the meridian from which longitude is reckoned, as the meridian of Greenwich or Washington. — Prime minister, the responsible head of a ministry or executive government; applied particularly to that of England. — Prime mover. (Mech.) (a) A natural agency applied by man to the production of power. Especially: Muscular force; the weight and motion of fluids, as water and air; heat obtained by chemical combination, and applied to produce changes in the volume and pressure of steam, air, or other fluids; and electricity, obtained by chemical action, and applied to produce alternation of magnetic force. (b) An engine, or machine, the object of which is to receive and modify force and motion as supplied by some natural source, and apply them to drive other machines; as a water wheel, a water- pressure engine, a steam engine, a hot-air engine, etc. (c) Fig.: The original or the most effective force in any undertaking or work; as, Clarkson was the prime mover in English antislavery agitation. — Prime number (Arith.), a number which is exactly divisible by no number except itself or unity, as 5, 7, 11. — Prime vertical (Astron.), the vertical circle which passes through the east and west points of the horizon. — Prime-vertical dial, a dial in which the shadow is projected on the plane of the prime vertical. — Prime-vertical transit instrument, a transit instrument the telescope of which revolves in the plane of the prime vertical, — used for observing the transit of stars over this circle.

PRIME Prime, n.

1. The first part; the earliest stage; the beginning or opening, as of the day, the year, etc.; hence, the dawn; the spring. Chaucer. In the very prime of the world. Hooker. Hope waits upon the flowery prime. Waller.

2. The spring of life; youth; hence, full health, strength, or beauty; perfection. "Cut off in their prime." Eustace. "The prime of youth." Dryden.

3. That which is first in quantity; the most excellent portion; the best part. Give him always of the prime. Swift.

4. Etym: [F. prime, LL. prima (sc. hora). See Prime, a.]

Defn: The morning; specifically (R. C. Ch.), the first canonical hour, succeeding to lauds. Early and late it rung, at evening and at prime. Spenser.

Note: Originally, prime denoted the first quarter of the artificial day, reckoned from 6 a. m. to 6 p. m. Afterwards, it denoted the end of the first quarter, that is, 9 a. a. Specifically, it denoted the first canonical hour, as now. Chaucer uses it in all these senses, and also in the sense of def. 1, above. They sleep till that it was pryme large. Chaucer.

5. (Fencing)

Defn: The first of the chief guards.

6. (Chem.)

Defn: Any number expressing the combining weight or equivalent of any particular element; — so called because these numbers were respectively reduced to their lowest relative terms on the fixed standard of hydrogen as 1. [Obs. or Archaic]

7. (Arith.)

Defn: A prime number. See under Prime, a.

8. An inch, as composed of twelve seconds in the duodecimal system; - - denoted by [']. See 2d Inch, n., 1. Prime of the moon, the new moon at its first appearance.

PRIME Prime, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Primed; p. pr. & vb. n. Priming.] Etym: [From Prime, a.]

1. To apply priming to, as a musket or a cannon; to apply a primer to, as a metallic cartridge.

2. To lay the first color, coating, or preparation upon (a surface), as in painting; as, to prime a canvas, a wall.

3. To prepare; to make ready; to instruct beforehand; to post; to coach; as, to prime a witness; the boys are primed for mischief. [Colloq.] Thackeray.

4. To trim or prune, as trees. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.]

5. (Math.)

Defn: To mark with a prime mark. To prime a pump, to charge a pump with water, in order to put it in working condition.

PRIME Prime, v. i.

1. To be renewed, or as at first. [Obs.] Night's bashful empress, though she often wane, As oft repeats her darkness, primes again. Quarles .

2. To serve as priming for the charge of a gun.

3. To work so that foaming occurs from too violent ebullition, which causes water to become mixed with, and be carried along with, the steam that is formed; — said of a steam boiler.

PRIMELY Prime"ly, adv.

1. At first; primarily. [Obs.] South.

2. In a prime manner; excellently.

PRIMENESS Prime"ness, n.

1. The quality or state of being first.

2. The quality or state of being prime, or excellent.

PRIMER Prim"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, primes; specifically, an instrument or device for priming; esp., a cap, tube, or water containing percussion powder or other capable for igniting a charge of gunpowder.

PRIMER Prim"er, a. Etym: [OF. primer, primier, premier, F. premier. See Premier.]

Defn: First; original; primary. [Obs.] "The primer English kings." Drayton. Primer fine (O. Eng. Law), a fine due to the king on the writ or commencement of a suit by fine. Blackstone. — Primer seizin (Feudal Law), the right of the king, when a tenant in capite died seized of a knight's fee, to receive of the heir, if of full age, one year's profits of the land if in possession, and half a year's profits if the land was in reversion expectant on an estate for life; — now abolished. Blackstone.

PRIMER Prim"er, n. Etym: [Originally, the book read at prime, the first canonical hour. LL. primae liber. See Prime, n., 4.]

1. Originally, a small prayer book for church service, containing the little office of the Virgin Mary; also, a work of elementary religious instruction. The primer, or office of the Blessed Virgin. Bp. Stillingfleet.

2. A small elementary book for teaching children to read; a reading or spelling book for a beginner. As he sat in the school at his prymer. Chaucer.

3. (Print.)

Defn: A kind of type, of which there are two species; one, called long primer, intermediate in size between bourgeois and small pica [see Long primer]; the other, called great primer, larger than pica.

Note: Great primer type.

PRIMERO Pri*me"ro, n. Etym: [Sp. primera, fr. primero first, from L. primarius. See Premier.]

Defn: A game at cards, now unknown. Shak.

PRIMEROLE Prim"er*ole, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Primrose. [Obs.] "She was a primerole." Chaucer.

PRIMEVAL Pri*me"val, a. Etym: [L. primaevus; primus first + aevum age. See Prime, a., and Age.]

Defn: Belonging to the first ages; pristine; original; primitive; primary; as, the primeval innocence of man. "This is the forest primeval." Longfellow. From chaos, and primeval darkness, came Light. Keats.

PRIMEVALLY Pri*me"val*ly, adv.

Defn: In a primeval manner; in or from the earliest times; originally. Darwin.

PRIMEVOUS Pri*me"vous, a.

Defn: Primeval. [Obs.]

PRIMIGENIAL Pri`mi*ge"ni*al, a.

Defn: First born, or first of all; original; primary. See Primogenial.

PRIMIGENIOUS; PRIMIGENOUS Pri`mi*ge"ni*ous, Pri*mig"e*nous, a. Etym: [L. primigenus, primigenius. See Primogeniture.]

Defn: First formed or generated; original; primigenial. Bp. Hall.

PRIMINE Pri"mine, n. Etym: [L. primus first: cf. F. primine.] (Bot.)

Defn: The outermost of the two integuments of an ovule.

Note: This word has been used by some writers to denote the inner integument, which is formed earlier than the outer. Cf. Secundine.

PRIMING Prim"ing, n.

1. The powder or other combustible used to communicate fire to a charge of gunpowder, as in a firearm.

2. (Paint.)

Defn: The first coating of color, size, or the like, laid on canvas, or on a building, or other surface.

3. (Steam Eng.)

Defn: The carrying over of water, with the steam, from the boiler, as into the cylinder. Priming of the tide. See Lag of the tide, under 2d Lag. — Priming tube, a small pipe, filled with a combustible composition for firing cannon. — Priming valve (Steam Eng.), a spring safety valve applied to the cylinder of a steam engine for discharging water carried into the cylinder by priming. — Priming wire, a pointed wire used to penetrate the vent of a piece, for piercing the cartridge before priming.

PRIMIPARA Pri*mip"a*ra, n. Etym: [L., fr. primus first + parere to bring forth.] (Med.)

Defn: A woman who bears a child for the first time.

PRIMIPAROUS Pri*mip"a*rous, a. Etym: [See Primipara.]

Defn: Belonging to a first birth; bearing young for the first time.

PRIMIPILAR Pri*mip"i*lar, a. Etym: [L. primipilaris, fr. primipilus the centurion of the first cohort of a Roman legion, fr. primus pilus the division made up of the triarii in the Roman army.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the captain of the vanguard of a Roman army. Barrow.

PRIMITIA Pri*mi"ti*a, n.; pl. Primitiæ (Primitias, obs.). Etym: [L. primitiae, pl., fr. primus first. Cf. Premices.] (Eng. Law)

Defn: The first fruit; the first year's whole profit of an ecclesiastical preferment. The primitias of your parsonage. Spenser.

PRIMITIAL Pri*mi"tial, a.

Defn: Being of the first production; primitive; original. [Obs.] Ainsworth.

PRIMITIVE Prim"i*tive, a. Etym: [L. primitivus, fr. primus the first: cf. F. primitif. See Prime, a.]

1. Of or pertaining to the beginning or origin, or to early times; original; primordial; primeval; first; as, primitive innocence; the primitive church. "Our primitive great sire." Milton.

2. Of or pertaining to a former time; old-fashioned; characterized by simplicity; as, a primitive style of dress.

3. Original; primary; radical; not derived; as, primitive verb in grammar. Primitive axes of coördinate (Geom.), that system of axes to which the points of a magnitude are first referred, with reference to a second set or system, to which they are afterward referred. — Primitive chord (Mus.), that chord, the lowest note of which is of the same literal denomination as the fundamental base of the harmony; — opposed to derivative. Moore (Encyc. of Music). — Primitive circle (Spherical Projection), the circle cut from the sphere to be projected, by the primitive plane. — Primitive colors (Paint.), primary colors. See under Color. — Primitive Fathers (Eccl.), the acknowledged Christian writers who flourished before the Council of Nice, A. D. 325. Shipley. — Primitive groove (Anat.), a depression or groove in the epiblast of the primitive streak. It is not connected with the medullary groove, which appears later and in front of it. — Primitive plane (Spherical Projection), the plane upon which the projections are made, generally coinciding with some principal circle of the sphere, as the equator or a meridian. — Primitive rocks (Geol.), primary rocks. See under Primary. — Primitive sheath. (Anat.) See Neurilemma. — Primitive streak or trace (Anat.), an opaque and thickened band where the mesoblast first appears in the vertebrate blastoderm.

Syn. — First; original; radical; pristine; ancient; primeval; antiquated; old-fashioned.

PRIMITIVE Prim"i*tive, n.

Defn: An original or primary word; a word not derived from another; - - opposed to derivative.

PRIMITIVELY Prim"i*tive*ly, adv.

1. Originally; at first.

2. Primarily; not derivatively.

3. According to the original rule or ancient practice; in the ancient style. South.

PRIMITIVENESS Prim"i*tive*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being primitive; conformity to primitive style or practice.

PRIMITY Prim"i*ty, n.

Defn: Quality of being first; primitiveness. [Obs.] Bp. Pearson.

PRIMLY Prim"ly, adv.

Defn: In a prim or precise manner.

PRIMNESS Prim"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being prim; affected formality or niceness; preciseness; stiffness.

PRIMO Pri"mo, a. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: First; chief.

PRIMOGENIAL Pri`mo*ge"ni*al, a. Etym: [See Primigenial.]

Defn: First born, made, or generated; original; primary; elemental; as, primogenial light. Glanvill.

PRIMOGENITIVE Pri`mo*gen"i*tive, a. Etym: [See Primogeniture.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to primogeniture. [R.]

PRIMOGENITIVE Pri`mo*gen"i*tive, n.

Defn: Primogeniture. [Obs.] The primogenitive and due of birth. Shak.

PRIMOGENITOR Pri`mo*gen"i*tor, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. primus first + genitor a begetter.]

Defn: The first ancestor; a forefather.

PRIMOGENITURE Pri`mo*gen"i*ture, n. Etym: [LL., fr. L. primus first + genitura a begetting, birth, generation, fr. genere, gignere, to beget: cf. F. primogéniture, L. primogenitus firstborn. See Prime, a., and Genus, Kin.]

1. The state of being the firstborn of the same parents; seniority by birth among children of the same family.

2. (Eng. Law)

Defn: The exclusive right of inheritance which belongs to the eldest son. Thus in England the right of inheriting the estate of the father belongs to the eldest son, and in the royal family the eldest son of the sovereign is entitled to the throne by primogeniture. In exceptional cases, among the female children, the crown descends by right of primogeniture to the eldest daughter only and her issue. Blackstone.

PRIMOGENITURESHIP Pri`mo*gen"i*ture*ship, n.

Defn: The state or privileges of the firstborn. Burke.

PRIMORDIAL Pri*mor"di*al, a. Etym: [L. primordialis, from primordium the first beginning; primus first + ordiri to begin a web, to begin: cf. F. primordial.]

1. First in order; primary; original; of earliest origin; as, primordial condition. "The primordial facts of our intelligent nature." Sir W. Hamilton.

2. (Geol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the lowest beds of the Silurian age, corresponding to the Acadian and Potsdam periods in American geology. It is called also Cambrian, and by many geologists is separated from the Silurian.

3. (Biol.)

Defn: Originally or earliest formed in the growth of an individual or organ; as, a primordial leaf; a primordial cell. Primordial utricle (Bot.), the interior lining of a young vegetable cell.

PRIMORDIAL Pri*mor"di*al, n.

Defn: A first principle or element.

PRIMORDIALISM Pri*mor"di*al*ism, n.

Defn: Devotion to, or persistence in, conditions of the primordial state. H. Spencer.

PRIMORDIALLY Pri*mor"di*al*ly, adv.

Defn: At the beginning; under the first order of things; originally.

PRIMORDIAN Pri*mor"di*an, n. Etym: [L. primordius first of all, fr. primordium.] (Bot.)

Defn: A name given to several kinds of plums; as, red primordian, amber primordian, etc.

PRIMORDIATE Pri*mor"di*ate, a.

Defn: Primordial. [R.] Boyle.

PRIMP Primp, v. i. & t. Etym: [Cf. Prim, a.]

Defn: To be formal or affected in dress or manners; — often with up. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.] Halliwell.

PRIMROSE Prim"rose`, n. Etym: [OE. primerole, F. primerole, a derivative fr. LL. primula, from L. primus first. See Prime, a.] (Bot.) (a) An early flowering plant of the genus Primula (P. vulgaris) closely allied to the cowslip. There are several varieties, as the white-, the red-, the yellow-flowered, etc. Formerly called also primerole, primerolles. (b) Any plant of the genus Primula. Evening primrose, an erect biennial herb (Enothera biennis), with yellow vespertine flowers, common in the United States. The name is sometimes extended to other species of the same genus. — Primrose peerless, the two-flowered Narcissus (N. biflorus). [Obs.]

PRIMROSE Prim"rose`, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the primrose; of the color of a primrose; - - hence, flowery; gay. "The primrose path of dalliance." Shak.

PRIMROSE LEAGUE Prim"rose` League. (Eng. Politics)

Defn: A league of both sexes among the Conservatives, founded in 1883. So called because primrose was (erroneously, it is said) taken to be the favorite flower of the Conservative statesman Benjamin Disraeli, Earl of Beaconsfield.

PRIMULA Prim"u*la, n. Etym: [LL. See Primrose.] (Bot.)

Defn: The genus of plants including the primrose (Primula vera).

PRIMULACEOUS Prim`u*la"ceous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to an order of herbaceous plants (Primulaceæ), of which the primrose is the type, and the pimpernel, the cyclamen, and the water violet are other examples.

PRIMUM MOBILE Pri"mum mob"i*le. Etym: [L., first cause of motion.] (Astron.)

Defn: In the Ptolemaic system, the outermost of the revolving concentric spheres constituting the universe, the motion of which was supposed to carry with it all the inclosed spheres with their planets in a daily revolution from east to west. See Crystalline heavens, under Crystalline. The motions of the greatest persons in a government ought to be, as the motions of the planets, under primum mobile. Bacon.

PRIMUS Pri"mus, n. Etym: [L., the first.]

Defn: One of the bishops of the Episcopal Church of Scotland, who presides at the meetings of the bishops, and has certain privileges but no metropolitan authority. Internat. Cyc.

PRIMY Prim"y, a. Etym: [From Prime, a.]

Defn: Being in its prime. [Obs.] "The youth of primy nature." Shak.

PRINCE Prince, n. Etym: [F., from L. princeps, -cipis, the first, chief; primus first + capere to take. See Prime, a., and Capacious.]

1. The one of highest rank; one holding the highest place and authority; a sovereign; a monarch; — originally applied to either sex, but now rarely applied to a female. Wyclif (Rev. i. 5). Go, Michael, of celestial armies prince. Milton. Queen Elizabeth, a prince admirable above her sex. Camden.

2. The son of a king or emperor, or the issue of a royal family; as, princes of the blood. Shak.

3. A title belonging to persons of high rank, differing in different countries. In England it belongs to dukes, marquises, and earls, but is given to members of the royal family only. In Italy a prince is inferior to a duke as a member of a particular order of nobility; in Spain he is always one of the royal family.

4. The chief of any body of men; one at the head of a class or profession; one who is preëminent; as, a merchant prince; a prince of players. "The prince of learning." Peacham. Prince-Albert coat, a long double-breasted frock coat for men. — Prince of the blood, Prince consort, Prince of darkness. See under Blood, Consort, and Darkness. — Prince of Wales, the oldest son of the English sovereign. — Prince's feather (Bot.), a name given to two annual herbs (Amarantus caudatus and Polygonum orientale), with apetalous reddish flowers arranged in long recurved panicled spikes. — Prince's metal, Prince Rupert's metal. See under Metal. Prince's pine. (Bot.) See Pipsissewa.

PRINCE Prince, v. i.

Defn: To play the prince. [R.] Shak.

PRINCEDOM Prince"dom, n.

Defn: The jurisdiction, sovereignty, rank, or estate of a prince. Thrones, princedoms, powers, dominions, I reduce. Milton.

PRINCEHOOD Prince"hood, n.

Defn: Princeliness. [Obs.] E. Hall.

PRINCEKIN Prince"kin, n.

Defn: A petty prince; a princeling. The princekins of private life. Thackeray.

PRINCELESS Prince"less, a.

Defn: Without a prince. Fuller.

PRINCELET Prince"let, n.

Defn: A petty prince. [R.]

PRINCELIKE Prince"like`, a.

Defn: Princely. Shak.

PRINCELINESS Prince"li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being princely; the state, manner, or dignity of a prince.

PRINCELING Prince"ling, n.

Defn: A petty prince; a young prince.

PRINCELY Prince"ly, a.

1. Of or relating to a prince; regal; royal; of highest rank or authority; as, princely birth, character, fortune, etc.

2. Suitable for, or becoming to, a prince; grand; august; munificent; magnificent; as, princely virtues; a princely fortune. "Most princely gifts." Shak.

PRINCELY Prince"ly, adv.

Defn: In a princely manner. My appetite was not princely got. Shak.

PRINCESS Prin"cess, n. Etym: [F. princesse. See Prince, and cf. Princesse.]

1. A female prince; a woman having sovereign power, or the rank of a prince. Dryden. So excellent a princess as the present queen. Swift.

2. The daughter of a sovereign; a female member of a royal family. Shak.

3. The consort of a prince; as, the princess of Wales. Princess royal, the eldest daughter of a sovereign.

PRINCESSE Prin*cesse", a. Etym: [F., a princess.]

Defn: A term applied to a lady's long, close-fitting dress made with waist and skirt in one.

PRINCESSLIKE Prin"cess*like`, a.

Defn: Like a princess.

PRINCEWOOD Prince"wood`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: The wood of two small tropical American trees (Hamelia ventricosa, and Cordia gerascanthoides). It is brownish, veined with lighter color.

PRINCIFIED Prin"ci*fied, a. Etym: [Prince + L. -ficare (in comp.).]

Defn: Imitative of a prince. [R. & Colloq.] Thackeray.

PRINCIPAL Prin"ci*pal, a. Etym: [F., from L. principalis. See Prince.]

1. Highest in rank, authority, character, importance, or degree; most considerable or important; chief; main; as, the principal officers of a Government; the principal men of a state; the principal productions of a country; the principal arguments in a case. Wisdom is the principal thing. Prov. iv. 7.

2. Of or pertaining to a prince; princely. [A Latinism] [Obs.] Spenser. Principal axis. See Axis of a curve, under Axis. — Principal axes of a quadric (Geom.), three lines in which the principal planes of the solid intersect two and two, as in an ellipsoid. — Principal challenge. (Law) See under Challenge. — Principal plane. See Plane of projection (a), under Plane. — Principal of a quadric (Geom.), three planes each of which is at right angles to the other two, and bisects all chords of the quadric perpendicular to the plane, as in an ellipsoid. — Principal point (Persp.), the projection of the point of sight upon the plane of projection. — Principal ray (Persp.), the line drawn through the point of sight perpendicular to the perspective plane. — Principal section (Crystallog.), a plane passing through the optical axis of a crystal.

PRINCIPAL Prin"ci*pal, n.

1. A leader, chief, or head; one who takes the lead; one who acts independently, or who has controlling authority or influence; as, the principal of a faction, a school, a firm, etc.; — distinguished from a subordinate, abettor, auxiliary, or assistant.

2. Hence: (Law) (a) The chief actor in a crime, or an abettor who is present at it, - - as distinguished from an accessory. (b) A chief obligor, promisor, or debtor, — as distinguished from a surety. (c) One who employs another to act for him, — as distinguished from an agent. Wharton. Bouvier. Burrill.

3. A thing of chief or prime importance; something fundamental or especially conspicuous. Specifically: (a) (Com.) A capital sum of money, placed out at interest, due as a debt or used as a fund; — so called in distinction from interest or profit. (b) (Arch. & Engin.) The construction which gives shape and strength to a roof, — generally a truss of timber or iron, but there are roofs with stone principals. Also, loosely, the most important member of a piece of framing. (c) (Mus.) In English organs the chief open metallic stop, an octave above the open diapason. On the manual it is four feet long, on the pedal eight feet. In Germany this term corresponds to the English open diapason. (d) (O. Eng. Law) A heirloom; a mortuary. Cowell. (e) pl.

Defn: The first two long feathers of a hawk's wing. Spenser. J. H. Walsh. (f) One of turrets or pinnacles of waxwork and tapers with which the posts and center of a funeral hearse were formerly crowned. Oxf. Gloss. (g) A principal or essential point or rule; a principle. [Obs.]

PRINCIPALITY Prin`ci*pal"i*ty, n.; pl. Principalities. Etym: [L. principalitas preëminence, excellence: cf. F. principalité, principauté. See Principal.]

1. Sovereignty; supreme power; hence, superiority; predominance; high, or the highest, station. Sir P. Sidney. Your principalities shall come down, even the crown of your glory. Jer. xiii. 18. The prerogative and principality above everything else. Jer. Taylor.

2. A prince; one invested with sovereignty. "Next upstood Nisroch, of principalities the prime." Milton.

3. The territory or jurisdiction of a prince; or the country which gives title to a prince; as, the principality of Wales.

PRINCIPALLY Prin"ci*pal*ly, adv.

Defn: In a principal manner; primarily; above all; chiefly; mainly.

PRINCIPALNESS Prin"ci*pal*ness, n.

Defn: The quality of being principal.

PRINCIPATE Prin"ci*pate, n. Etym: [L. principatus: cf. F. principat.]

Defn: Principality; supreme rule. [Obs.] Barrow.

PRINCIPIA Prin*cip"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [L. principium. See Principle.]

Defn: First principles; fundamental beginnings; elements; as. Newton's Principia.

PRINCIPIAL Prin*cip"i*al, a.

Defn: Elementary. [Obs.] Bacon.

PRINCIPIANT Prin*cip"i*ant, a. Etym: [L. principians, p. pr. of principiare to begin, fr. principium. See Principle.]

Defn: Relating to principles or beginnings. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

PRINCIPIATE Prin*cip"i*ate, v. t. Etym: [See Principiant.]

Defn: To begin; to initiate. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

PRINCIPIATION Prin*cip`i*a"tion, n.

Defn: Analysis into primary or elemental parts. [Archaic] Bacon.

PRINCIPLE Prin"ci*ple, n. Etym: [F. principe, L. principium beginning, foundation, fr. princeps, -cipis. See Prince.]

1. Beginning; commencement. [Obs.] Doubting sad end of principle unsound. Spenser.

2. A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.

The soul of man is an active principle. Tillotson.

3. An original faculty or endowment. Nature in your principles hath set [benignity]. Chaucer. Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering. Stewart.

4. A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection. Heb. vi. 1. A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad. Milton.

5. A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle. All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind. Law.

6. (Chem.)

Defn: Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; — applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc. Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna. Gregory. Bitter principle, Principle of contradiction, etc. See under Bitter, Contradiction, etc.

PRINCIPLE Prin"ci*ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Principled; p. pr. & vb. n. Principling.]

Defn: To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or ill. Governors should be well principled. L'Estrange. Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired. Locke.

PRINCOCK; PRINCOX Prin"cock, Prin"cox, n. Etym: [Prim + cock.]

Defn: A coxcomb; a pert boy. [Obs.]

PRINK Prink, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Prinked; p. pr. & vb. n. Prinking.] Etym: [Probably a nasalized form of prick. See Prick, v. t., and cf. Prig, Prank.]

Defn: To dress or adjust one's self for show; to prank.

PRINK Prink, v. t.

Defn: To prank or dress up; to deck fantastically. "And prink their hair with daisies." Cowper.

PRINKER Prink"er, n.

Defn: One who prinks.

PRINPRIDDLE Prin"prid`dle, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The longtailed titmouse. [Prov. Eng.]

PRINT Print, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Printed; p. pr. & vb. n. Printing.] Etym: [Abbrev. fr. imprint. See Imprint, and Press to squeeze.]

1. To fix or impress, as a stamp, mark, character, idea, etc., into or upon something. A look will print a thought that never may remove. Surrey. Upon his breastplate he beholds a dint, Which in that field young Edward's sword did print. Sir John Beaumont. Perhaps some footsteps printed in the clay. Roscommon.

2. To stamp something in or upon; to make an impression or mark upon by pressure, or as by pressure. Forth on his fiery steed betimes he rode, That scarcely prints the turf on which he trod. Dryden.

3. Specifically:

Defn: To strike off an impression or impressions of, from type, or from stereotype, electrotype, or engraved plates, or the like; in a wider sense, to do the typesetting, presswork, etc., of (a book or other publication); as, to print books, newspapers, pictures; to print an edition of a book.

4. To stamp or impress with colored figures or patterns; as, to print calico.

5. (Photog.)

Defn: To take (a copy, a positive picture, etc.), from a negative, a transparent drawing, or the like, by the action of light upon a sensitized surface. Printed goods, textile fabrics printed in patterns, especially cotton cloths, or calicoes.

PRINT Print, v. i.

1. To use or practice the art of typography; to take impressions of letters, figures, or electrotypes, engraved plates, or the like.

2. To publish a book or an article. From the moment he prints, he must except to hear no more truth. Pope.

PRINT Print, n. Etym: [See Print, v., Imprint, n.]

1. A mark made by impression; a line, character, figure, or indentation, made by the pressure of one thing on another; as, the print of teeth or nails in flesh; the print of the foot in sand or snow. Where print of human feet was never seen. Dryden.

2. A stamp or die for molding or impressing an ornamental design upon an object; as, a butter print.

3. That which receives an impression, as from a stamp or mold; as, a print of butter.

4. Printed letters; the impression taken from type, as to excellence, form, size, etc.; as, small print; large print; this line is in print.

5. That which is produced by printing. Specifically: (a) An impression taken from anything, as from an engraved plate. "The prints which we see of antiquities." Dryden. (b) A printed publication, more especially a newspaper or other periodical. Addison. (c) A printed cloth; a fabric figured by stamping, especially calico or cotton cloth. (d) A photographic copy, or positive picture, on prepared paper, as from a negative, or from a drawing on transparent paper.

6. (Founding)

Defn: A core print. See under Core. Blue print, a copy in white lines on a blue ground, of a drawing, plan, tracing, etc., or a positive picture in blue and white, from a negative, produced by photographic printing on peculiarly prepared paper.blueprint for action — In print. (a) In a printed form; issued from the press; published. Shak. (b) To the letter; with accurateness. "All this I speak in print." Shak. — Out of print. See under Out. — Print works, a factory where cloth, as calico, is printed.

PRINTA-BLE Print"a-ble, a.

Defn: Worthy to be published. [R.]

PRINTER Print"er, n.

Defn: One who prints; especially, one who prints books, newspapers, engravings, etc., a compositor; a typesetter; a pressman. Printer's devil, Printer's gauge. See under Devil, and Gauge. — Printer's ink. See Printing ink, below.

PRINTERY Print"er*y, n.

Defn: A place where cloth is printed; print works; also, a printing office. [R.]

PRINTING Print"ing, n.

Defn: The act, art, or practice of impressing letters, characters, or figures on paper, cloth, or other material; the business of a printer, including typesetting and presswork, with their adjuncts; typography; also, the act of producing photographic prints. Block printing. See under Block. — Printing frame (Photog.), a shallow box, usually having a glass front, in which prints are made by exposure to light. — Printing house, a printing office. — Printing ink, ink used in printing books, newspapers, etc. It is composed of lampblack or ivory black mingled with linseed or nut oil, made thick by boiling and burning. Other ingredients are employed for the finer qualities. Ure. — Printing office, a place where books, pamphlets, or newspapers, etc., are printed. — Printing paper, paper used in the printing of books, pamphlets, newspapers, and the like, as distinguished from writing paper, wrapping paper, etc. — Printing press, a press for printing, books, newspaper, handbills, etc. — Printing wheel, a wheel with letters or figures on its periphery, used in machines for paging or numbering, or in ticket-printing machines, typewriters, etc.; a type wheel.

PRINTING IN Print"ing in. (Photog.)

Defn: A process by which cloud effects or other features not in the original negative are introduced into a photograph. Portions, such as the sky, are covered while printing and the blank space thus reserved is filled in by printing from another negative.

PRINTING OUT Printing out. (Photog.)

Defn: A method of printing, in which the image is fully brought out by the direct actinic action of light without subsequent development by means of chemicals.

PRINTLESS Print"less, a.

Defn: Making no imprint. Milton.

PRINTLESS Print"less, a.

Defn: Making no imprint. Milton.

PRINTSHOP Print"shop`, n.

Defn: A shop where prints are sold.

PRIOR Pri"or, a. Etym: [L. prior former, previous, better, superior; compar. corresponding to primus first, and pro for. See Former, and cf. Prime, a., and Pre-, Pro-.]

Defn: Preceding in the order of time; former; antecedent; anterior; previous; as, a prior discovery; prior obligation; — used elliptically in cases like the following: he lived alone [in the time] prior to his marriage.

PRIOR Pri"or, n. Etym: [OE. priour, OF. priour, prior, priur, F. prieur, from L. prior former, superior. See Prior, a.] (Eccl.)

Defn: The superior of a priory, and next below an abbot in dignity. Conventical, or Conventual, prior, a prior who is at the head of his own house. See the Note under Priory. — Claustral prior, an official next in rank to the abbot in a monastery; prior of the cloisters.

PRIORATE Pri"or*ate, n. Etym: [LL. prioratus: cf. F. priorat.]

Defn: The dignity, office, or government, of a prior. T. Warton.

PRIORESS Pri"or*ess, n. Etym: [OF. prioresse.]

Defn: A lady superior of a priory of nuns, and next in dignity to an abbess.

PRIORITY Pri*or"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. priorité. See Prior, a.]

1. The quality or state of being prior or antecedent in time, or of preceding something else; as, priority of application.

2. Precedence; superior rank. Shak. Priority of debts, a superior claim to payment, or a claim to payment before others.

Syn. — Antecedence; precedence; preëminence.

PRIORLY Pri"or*ly, adv.

Defn: Previously. [R.] Geddes.

PRIORSHIP Pri"or*ship, n.

Defn: The state or office of prior; priorate.

PRIORY Pri"o*ry, n.; pl. Priories. Etym: [Cf. LL. prioria. See Prior, n.]

Defn: A religious house presided over by a prior or prioress; — sometimes an offshoot of, an subordinate to, an abbey, and called also cell, and obedience. See Cell, 2.

Note: Of such houses there were two sorts: one where the prior was chosen by the inmates, and governed as independently as an abbot in an abbey; the other where the priory was subordinate to an abbey, and the prior was placed or displaced at the will of the abbot. Alien priory, a small religious house dependent on a large monastery in some other country.

Syn. — See Cloister.

PRIS Pris, n.

Defn: See Price, and 1st Prize. [Obs.]

PRISAGE Pris"age (; 48), n. Etym: [OF. prisage a praising, valuing, taxing; cf. LL. prisagium prisage; or from F. prise a taking, capture, prize. See Prize.] (O. Eng. Law) (a) A right belonging to the crown of England, of taking two tuns of wine from every ship importing twenty tuns or more, — one before and one behind the mast. By charter of Edward I. butlerage was substituted for this. Blackstone. (b) The share of merchandise taken as lawful prize at sea which belongs to the king or admiral.

PRISCILLIANIST Pris*cil"lian*ist, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A follower of Priscillian, bishop of Avila in Spain, in the fourth century, who mixed various elements of Gnosticism and Manicheism with Christianity.

PRISE Prise, n.

Defn: An enterprise. [Obs.] Spenser.

PRISE Prise, n. & v.

Defn: See Prize, n., 5. Also Prize, v. t.

PRISER Pris"er, n.

Defn: See 1st Prizer. [Obs.]

PRISM Prism, n. Etym: [L. prisma, Gr. prisme.]

1. (Geom.)

Defn: A solid whose bases or ends are any similar, equal, and parallel plane figures, and whose sides are parallelograms.

Note: Prisms of different forms are often named from the figure of their bases; as, a triangular prism, a quadrangular prism, a rhombic prism, etc.

2. (Opt.)

Defn: A transparent body, with usually three rectangular plane faces or sides, and two equal and parallel triangular ends or bases; — used in experiments on refraction, dispersion, etc.

3. (Crystallog.)

Defn: A form the planes of which are parallel to the vertical axis. See Form, n., 13. Achromatic prism (Opt.), a prism composed usually of two prisms of different transparent substances which have unequal dispersive powers, as two different kinds of glass, especially flint glass and crown glass, the difference of dispersive power being compensated by giving them different refracting angles, so that, when placed together so as to have opposite relative positions, a ray of light passed through them is refracted or bent into a new position, but is free from color. — Nicol's prism, Nicol prism. Etym: [So called from Wm. Nicol, of Edinburgh, who first proposed it.] (Opt.) An instrument for experiments in polarization, consisting of a rhomb of Iceland spar, which has been bisected obliquely at a certain angle, and the two parts again joined with transparent cement, so that the ordinary image produced by double refraction is thrown out of the field by total reflection from the internal cemented surface, and the extraordinary, or polarized, image alone is transmitted.

PRISMATIC; PRISMATICAL Pris*mat"ic, Pris*mat"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. prismatique.]

1. Resembling, or pertaining to, a prism; as, a prismatic form or cleavage.

2. Separated or distributed by a prism; formed by a prism; as, prismatic colors.

3. (Crystallog.)

Defn: Same as Orthorhombic. Prismatic borax (Chem.), borax crystallized in the form of oblique prisms, with ten molecules of water; — distinguished from octahedral borax. — Prismatic colors (Opt.), the seven colors into which light is resolved when passed through a prism; primary colors. See Primary colors, under Color. — Prismatic compass (Surv.), a compass having a prism for viewing a distant object and the compass card at the same time. — Prismatic spectrum (Opt.), the spectrum produced by the passage of light through a prism.

PRISMATICALLY Pris*mat"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In the form on manner of a prism; by means of a prism.

PRISMATOIDAL Pris`ma*toid"al, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid: F. prismatoïde.]

Defn: Having a prismlike form. Ure.

PRISM GLASS Prism glass.

Defn: Glass with one side smooth and the other side formed into sharp-edged ridges so as to reflect the light that passes through, used at windows to throw the light into the interior.

PRISMOID Pris"moid, n. Etym: [Cf. F. prismtoïde.]

Defn: A body that approaches to the form of a prism.

PRISMOIDAL Pris*moid"al, a.

Defn: Having the form of a prismoid; as, prismoidal solids.

PRISMY Pris"my, a.

Defn: Pertaining to a prism. [R.]

PRISON Pris"on, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. prehensio, prensio, a seizing, arresting, fr. prehendre, prendere, to lay hold of, to seize. See Prehensile, and cf. Prize, n., Misprision.]

1. A place where persons are confined, or restrained of personal liberty; hence, a place or state o Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name. Ps. cxlii. 7. The tyrant Æolus, . . . With power imperial, curbs the struggling winds, And sounding tempests in dark prisons binds. Dryden.

2. Specifically, a building for the safe custody or confinement of criminals and others committed by lawful authority. Prison bars, or Prison base. See Base, n., 24. — Prison breach. (Law) See Note under 3d Escape, n., 4. — Prison house, a prison. Shak. — Prison ship (Naut.), a ship fitted up for the confinement of prisoners. — Prison van, a carriage in which prisoners are conveyed to and from prison.

PRISON Pris"on, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prisoned; p. pr. & vb. n. Prisoning.]

1. To imprison; to shut up in, or as in, a prison; to confine; to restrain from liberty. The prisoned eagle dies for rage. Sir W. Scott. His true respect will prison false desire. Shak.

2. To bind (together); to enchain. [Obs.] Sir William Crispyn with the duke was led Together prisoned. Robert of Brunne.

PRISONER Pris"on*er, n. Etym: [F. prisonnier.]

1. One who is confined in a prison. Piers Plowman.

2. A person under arrest, or in custody, whether in prison or not; a person held in involuntary restraint; a captive; as, a prisoner at the bar of a court. Bouvier. Prisoner of Hope thou art, — look up and sing. Keble. Prisoner's base. See Base, n., 24.

PRISONMENT Pris"on*ment, n.

Defn: Imprisonment. [Obs.] Shak.

PRISTINATE Pris"tin*ate, a.

Defn: Pristine; primitive. [Obs.] "Pristinate idolatry." Holinshed.

PRISTINE Pris"tine, a. Etym: [L. pristinus, akin to prior: cf. F. pristin. See Prior, a.]

Defn: Belonging to the earliest period or state; original; primitive; primeval; as, the pristine state of innocence; the pristine manners of a people; pristine vigor.

PRITCH Pritch, n. Etym: [See Prick.]

1. A sharp-pointed instrument; also, an eelspear. [Prov. Eng.]

2. Pique; offense. [Obs.] D. Rogers.

PRITCHEL Pritch"el, n.

Defn: A tool employed by blacksmiths for punching or enlarging the nail holes in a horseshoe.

PRITHEE Prith"ee, interj.

Defn: A corruption of pray thee; as, I prithee; generally used without I. Shak. What was that scream for, I prithee L'Estrange. Prithee, tell me, Dimple-chin. E. C. Stedman.

PRITTLE-PRATTLE Prit"tle-prat`tle, n. Etym: [See Prattle.]

Defn: Empty talk; trifling loquacity; prattle; — used in contempt or ridicule. [Colloq.] Abp. Bramhall.

PRIVACY Pri"va*cy, n.; pl. Privacies. Etym: [See Private.]

1. The state of being in retirement from the company or observation of others; seclusion.

2. A place of seclusion from company or observation; retreat; solitude; retirement. Her sacred privacies all open lie. Rowe.

3. Concealment of what is said or done. Shak.

4. A private matter; a secret. Fuller.

5. See Privity, 2. [Obs.] Arbuthnot.

PRIVADO Pri*va"do, n. Etym: [Sp., fr. L. privatus. See Private.]

Defn: A private friend; a confidential friend; a confidant. [Obs.] Fuller.

PRIVATDOCENT Pri*vat"do*cent`, n.; G. pl. -docenten (#). [Also Privatdozent.] [G.; privat private + docent teacher. See Docent.]

Defn: In the universities of Germany and some other European countries, a licensed teacher or lecturer having no share in the university government and dependent upon fees for remuneration.

PRIVATE Pri"vate (; 48), a. Etym: [L. privatus apart from the state, peculiar to an individual, private, properly p. p. of privare to bereave, deprive, originally, to separate, fr. privus single, private, perhaps originally, put forward (hence, alone, single) and akin to prae before. See Prior, a., and cf. Deprive, Privy, a.]

1. Belonging to, or concerning, an individual person, company, or interest; peculiar to one's self; unconnected with others; personal; one's own; not public; not general; separate; as, a man's private opinion; private property; a private purse; private expenses or interests; a private secretary.

2. Sequestered from company or observation; appropriated to an individual; secret; secluded; lonely; solitary; as, a private room or apartment; private prayer. Reason . . . then retires Into her private cell when nature rests. Milton.

3. Not invested with, or engaged in, public office or employment; as, a private citizen; private life. Shak. A private person may arrest a felon. Blackstone.

4. Not publicly known; not open; secret; as, a private negotiation; a private understanding.

5. Having secret or private knowledge; privy. [Obs.] Private act or statute, a statute exclusively for the settlement of private and personal interests, of which courts do not take judicial notice; — opposed to a general law, which operates on the whole community. — Private nuisance or wrong. See Nuisance. — Private soldier. See Private, n., 5. — Private way, a right of private passage over another man's ground. Kent.

PRIVATE Pri"vate, n.

1. A secret message; a personal unofficial communication. [Obs.] Shak.

2. Personal interest; particular business.[Obs.] Nor must I be unmindful of my private. B. Jonson.

3. Privacy; retirement. [Archaic] "Go off; I discard you; let me enjoy my private." Shak.

4. One not invested with a public office. [Archaic] What have kings, that privates have not too Shak.

5. (Mil.)

Defn: A common soldier; a soldier below the grade of a noncommissioned officer. Macaulay.

6. pl.

Defn: The private parts; the genitals. In private, secretly; not openly or publicly.

PRIVATEER Pri`va*teer" n. Etym: [From Private.]

1. An armed private vessel which bears the commission of the sovereign power to cruise against the enemy. See Letters of marque, under Marque.

2. The commander of a privateer. Kidd soon threw off the character of a privateer and became a pirate. Macaulay.

PRIVATEER Pri`va*teer", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Privateered; p. pr. & vb. n. Privateering.]

Defn: To cruise in a privateer.

PRIVATEERING Pri`va*teer"ing, n.

Defn: Cruising in a privateer.

PRIVATEERSMAN Pri`va*teers"man, n.; pl. Privateersmen (.

Defn: An officer or seaman of a privateer.

PRIVATELY Pri"vate*ly, adv.

1. In a private manner; not openly; without the presence of others.

2. In a manner affecting an individual; personally not officially; as, he is not privately benefited.

PRIVATENESS Pri"vate*ness, n.

1. Seclusion from company or society; retirement; privacy; secrecy. Bacon.

2. The state of one not invested with public office.

PRIVATION Pri*va"tion n. Etym: [L. privatio: cf. F. privation. See Private.]

1. The act of depriving, or taking away; hence, the depriving of rank or office; degradation in rank; deprivation. Bacon.

2. The state of being deprived or destitute of something, especially of something required or desired; destitution; need; as, to undergo severe privations.

3. The condition of being absent; absence; negation. Evil will be known by consequence, as being only a privation, or absence, of good. South. Privation mere of light and absent day. Milton.

PRIVATIVE Priv"a*tive a. Etym: [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See Private.]

1. Causing privation; depriving.

2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative. Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. Jer. Taylor.

3. (Gram.)

Defn: Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word; as, alpha privative; privative particles; — applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. un-, non-, -less.

PRIVATIVE Priv"a*tive, n.

1. That of which the essence is the absence of something. Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives. Bacon.

2. (Logic)

Defn: A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; — called also privative term.

3. (Gram.)

Defn: A privative prefix or suffix. See Privative, a., 3.

PRIVATIVELY Priv"a*tive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a privative manner; by the absence of something; negatively. [R.] Hammond.

PRIVATIVENESS Priv"a*tive*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being privative.

PRIVET Priv"et, n. Etym: [Cf. Scot. privie, Prov. E. prim-print, primwort. Prob. for primet, and perh. named from being cut and trimmed. See, Prim, a., and cf. Prime to prune, Prim, n., Prie, n.] (Bot.)

Defn: An ornamental European shrub (Ligustrum vulgare), much used in hedges; — called also prim. Egyptian privet. See Lawsonia. — Evergreen privet, a plant of the genus Rhamnus. See Alatern. — Mock privet, any one of several evergreen shrubs of the genus Phillyrea. They are from the Mediterranean region, and have been much cultivated for hedges and for fancifully clipped shrubberies.

PRIVILEGE Priv"i*lege, n. Etym: [F. privilège, L. privilegium an ordinance or law against or in favor of an individual; privus private + lex, legis, law. See Private, and Legal.]

1. A peculiar benefit, advantage, or favor; a right or immunity not enjoyed by others or by all; special enjoyment of a good, or exemption from an evil or burden; a prerogative; advantage; franchise. He pleads the legal privilege of a Roman. Kettlewell. The privilege birthright was a double portion. Locke. A people inheriting privileges, franchises, and liberties. Burke.

2. (Stockbroker's Cant)

Defn: See Call, Put, Spread, etc. Breach of privilege. See under Breach. — Question of privilege (Parliamentary practice), a question which concerns the security of a member of a legislative body in his special privileges as such. — Water privilege, the advantage of having machinery driven by a stream, or a place affording such advantage. [ U. S.] — Writ of privilege (Law), a writ to deliver a privileged person from custody when arrested in a civil suit. Blackstone.

Syn. — Prerogative; immunity; franchise; right; claim; liberty. — Privilege, Prerogative. Privilege, among the Romans, was something conferred upon an individual by a private law; and hence, it denotes some peculiar benefit or advantage, some right or immunity, not enjoyed by the world at large. Prerogative, among the Romans, was the right of voting first; and, hence, it denotes a right of precedence, or of doing certain acts, or enjoying certain privileges, to the exclusion of others. It is the privilege of a member of Congress not to be called in question elsewhere for words uttered in debate. It is the prerogative of the president to nominate judges and executive officers. It is the privilege of a Christian child to be instructed in the true religion. It is the prerogative of a parent to govern and direct his children.

PRIVILEGE Priv"i*lege, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Privileged; p. pr. & vb. n. Privileging.] Etym: [Cf. F. privilégier.]

1. To grant some particular right or exemption to; to invest with a peculiar right or immunity; to authorize; as, to privilege representatives from arrest. To privilege dishonor in thy name. Shak.

2. To bring or put into a condition of privilege or exemption from evil or danger; to exempt; to deliver. He took this place for sanctuary, And it shall privilege him from your hands. Shak.

PRIVILEGED Priv"i*leged, a.

Defn: Invested with a privilege; enjoying a peculiar right, advantage, or immunity. Privileged communication. (Law) (a) A communication which can not be disclosed without the consent of the party making it, — such as those made by a client to his legal adviser, or by persons to their religious or medical advisers. (b) A communication which does not expose the party making it to indictment for libel, — such as those made by persons communicating confidentially with a government, persons consulted confidentially as to the character of servants, etc. — Privileged debts (Law), those to which a preference in payment is given out of the estate of a deceased person, or out of the estate of an insolvent. Wharton. Burrill. — Privileged witnesses (Law) witnesses who are not obliged to testify as to certain things, as lawyers in relation to their dealings with their clients, and officers of state as to state secrets; also, by statute, clergymen and physicans are placed in the same category, so far as concerns information received by them professionally.

PRIVILY Priv"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a privy manner; privately; secretly. Chaucer. 2 Pet. ii. 1.

PRIVITY Priv"i*ty, n.; pl. Privities (-tîz). Etym: [From Privy, a.: cf. F. privauté extreme familiarity.]

1. Privacy; secrecy; confidence. Chaucer. I will unto you, in privity, discover . . . my purpose. Spenser.

2. Private knowledge; joint knowledge with another of a private concern; cognizance implying consent or concurrence. All the doors were laid open for his departure, not without the privity of the Prince of Orange. Swift.

3. A private matter or business; a secret. Chaucer.

4. pl.

Defn: The genitals; the privates.

5. (Law)

Defn: A connection, or bond of union, between parties, as to some particular transaction; mutual or successive relationship to the same rights of property.

PRIVY Priv"y, a. Etym: [F. privé, fr. L. privatus. See Private.]

1. Of or pertaining to some person exclusively; assigned to private uses; not public; private; as, the privy purse. " Privee knights and squires." Chaucer.

2. Secret; clandestine. " A privee thief." Chaucer.

3. Appropriated to retirement; private; not open to the public. " Privy chambers." Ezek. xxi. 14.

4. Admitted to knowledge of a secret transaction; secretly cognizant; privately knowing. His wife also being privy to it. Acts v. 2. Myself am one made privy to the plot. Shak. Privy chamber, a private apartment in a royal residence. [Eng.] — Privy council (Eng. Law), the principal council of the sovereign, composed of the cabinet ministers and other persons chosen by the king or queen. Burrill. — Privy councilor, a member of the privy council. — Privy purse, moneys set apart for the personal use of the monarch; also, the title of the person having charge of these moneys. [Eng.] Macaulay. — Privy seal or signed, the seal which the king uses in grants, etc., which are to pass the great seal, or which the uses in matters of subordinate consequence which do not require the great seal; also, elliptically, the principal secretary of state, or person intrusted with the privy seal. [Eng.] — Privy verdict, a verdict given privily to the judge out of court; — now disused. Burrill.

PRIVY Priv"y, n.; pl. Privies (.

1. (Law)

Defn: A partaker; a person having an interest in any action or thing; one who has an interest in an estate created by another; a person having an interest derived from a contract or conveyance to which he is not himself a party. The term, in its proper sense, is distinguished from party. Burrill. Wharton.

2. A necessary house or place; a backhouse.

PRIZABLE Priz"a*ble, a.

Defn: Valuable. H. Taylor.

PRIZE Prize, n. Etym: [F. prise a seizing, hold, grasp, fr. pris, p. p. of prendre to take, L. prendere, prehendere; in some senses, as 2 (b), either from, or influenced by, F. prix price. See Prison, Prehensile, and cf. Pry, and also Price.]

1. That which is taken from another; something captured; a thing seized by force, stratagem, or superior power. I will depart my pris, or may prey, by deliberation. Chaucer. His own prize, Whom formerly he had in battle won. Spenser.

2. Hence, specifically; (a) (Law) Anything captured by a belligerent using the rights of war; esp., property captured at sea in virtue of the rights of war, as a vessel. Kent. Brande & C. (b) An honor or reward striven for in a competitive contest; anything offered to be competed for, or as an inducement to, or reward of, effort. I'll never wrestle for prize more. Shak. I fought and conquered, yet have lost the prize. Dryden.

(c) That which may be won by chance, as in a lottery.

3. Anything worth striving for; a valuable possession held or in prospect. I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Phil. iii. 14.

4. A contest for a reward; competition. [Obs.] Shak.

5. A lever; a pry; also, the hold of a lever. [Written also prise.] Prize court, a court having jurisdiction of all captures made in war on the high seas. Bouvier. — Prize fight, an exhibition contest, esp. one of pugilists, for a stake or wager. — Prize fighter, one who fights publicly for a reward; — applied esp. to a professional boxer or pugilist. Pope. — Prize fighting, fighting, especially boxing, in public for a reward or wager. — Prize master, an officer put in charge or command of a captured vessel. — Prize medal, a medal given as a prize. — Prize money, a dividend from the proceeds of a captured vessel, etc., paid to the captors. — Prize ring, the ring or inclosure for a prize fight; the system and practice of prize fighting. — To make prize of, to capture. Hawthorne.

PRIZE Prize, v. t.

Defn: To move with a lever; to force up or open; to pry. [Written also prise.]

PRIZE Prize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Prized; p. pr. & vb. n. Prizing.] Etym: [F. priser, OF. prisier, preisier, fr. L. pretiare, fr. pretium worth, value, price. See Price, and cf. Praise.] [Formerly written also prise. ]

1. To set or estimate the value of; to appraise; to price; to rate. A goodly price that I was prized at. Zech. xi. 13. I prize it [life] not a straw, but for mine honor. Shak.

2. To value highly; to estimate to be of great worth; to esteem. "[I] do love, prize, honor you. " Shak. I prized your person, but your crown disdain. Dryden.

PRIZE Prize, n. Etym: [F. prix price. See 3d Prize. ]

Defn: Estimation; valuation. [Obs.] Shak.

PRIZEMAN Prize"man, n.; pl. Prizemen (.

Defn: The winner of a prize.

PRIZER Priz"er, n. Etym: [See 3d Prize.]

Defn: One who estimates or sets the value of a thing; an appraiser. Shak.

PRIZER Priz"er, n. Etym: [See 1st Prize.]

Defn: One who contends for a prize; a prize fighter; a challenger. [Obs.] Shak. Appeareth no man yet to answer the prizer. B. Jonson.

PRIZING Priz"ing, n. Etym: [See 2d Prize.]

Defn: The application of a lever to move any weighty body, as a cask, anchor, cannon, car, etc. See Prize, n., 5.

PRO- Pro-. Etym: [L. pro, or Gr. Pro.]

Defn: A prefix signifying before, in front, forth, for, in behalf of, in place of, according to; as, propose, to place before; proceed, to go before or forward; project, to throw forward; prologue, part spoken before (the main piece); propel, prognathous; provide, to look out for; pronoun, a word instead of a noun; proconsul, a person acting in place of a consul; proportion, arrangement according to parts.

PRO Pro, prep. Etym: [L.; akin to prae before, Gr. for. See For, prep., and cf. Prior, a.]

Defn: A Latin preposition signifying for, before, forth. Pro confesso Etym: [L.] (Law), taken as confessed. The action of a court of equity on that portion of the pleading in a particular case which the pleading on the other side does not deny. — Pro rata. Etym: [L. See Prorate.] In proportion; proportion. — Pro re nata Etym: [L.] (Law), for the existing occasion; as matters are.

PRO Pro, adv.

Defn: For, on, or in behalf of, the affirmative side; — in contrast with Ant: con. Pro and con, for and against, on the affirmative and on the negative side; as, they debated the question pro and con; — formerly used also as a verb. — Pros and cons, the arguments or reasons on either side.

PROA Pro"a, n. Etym: [Malay praah.] (Naut.)

Defn: A sailing canoe of the Ladrone Islands and Malay Archipelago, having its lee side flat and its weather side like that of an ordinary boat. The ends are alike. The canoe is long and narrow, and is kept from overturning by a cigar-shaped log attached to a frame extending several feet to windward. It has been called the flying proa, and is the swiftest sailing craft known.

PROACH Proach, v. i.

Defn: See Approach. [Obs.]

PROATLAS Pro*at"las, n. Etym: [Pref. pro- + atlas.] (Anat.)

Defn: A vertebral rudiment in front of the atlas in some reptiles.

PROBABILIORISM Prob`a*bil"i*o*rism, n.

Defn: The doctrine of the probabiliorists.

PROBABILIORIST Prob`a*bil"i*o*rist, n. Etym: [From L. probabilior, compar. of probabilis probable.] (Casuistry)

Defn: One who holds, in opposition to the probabilists, that a man is bound to do that which is most probably right.

PROBABILISM Prob"a*bil*ism n. Etym: [Cf. F. probabilisme.]

Defn: The doctrine of the probabilists.

PROBABILIST Prob"a*bil*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. probabilists.]

1. One who maintains that certainty is impossible, and that probability alone is to govern our faith and actions.

2. (Casuistry)

Defn: One who maintains that a man may do that which has a probability of being right, or which is inculcated by teachers of authority, although other opinions may seem to him still more probable.

PROBABILITY Prob`a*bil"i*ty, n.; pl. Probabilities. Etym: [L. probabilitas: cf. F. probabilité.]

1. The quality or state of being probable; appearance of reality or truth; reasonable ground of presumption; likelihood. Probability is the appearance of the agreement or disagreement of two ideas, by the intervention of proofs whose connection is not constant, but appears for the most part to be so. Locke.

2. That which is or appears probable; anything that has the appearance of reality or truth. The whole life of man is a perpetual comparison of evidence and balancing of probabilities. Buckminster. We do not call for evidence till antecedent probabilities fail. J. H. Newman.

3. (Math.)

Defn: Likelihood of the occurrence of any event in the doctrine of chances, or the ratio of the number of favorable chances to the whole number of chances, favorable and unfavorable. See 1st Chance, n., 5.

Syn. — Likeliness; credibleness; likelihood; chance.

PROBABLE Prob"a*ble, a. Etym: [L. probabilis, fr. probare to try, approve, prove: cf. F. probable. See Prove, and cf. Provable.]

1. Capable of being proved. [Obs.]

2. Having more evidence for than against; supported by evidence which inclines the mind to believe, but leaves some room for doubt; likely. That is accounted probable which has better arguments producible for it than can be brought against it. South. I do not say that the principles of religion are merely probable; I have before asserted them to be morally certain. Bp. Wilkins.

3. Rendering probable; supporting, or giving ground for, belief, but not demonstrating; as, probable evidence; probable presumption. Blackstone. Probable cause (Law), a reasonable ground of presumption that a charge is, or my be, well founded. — Probable error (of an observation, or of the mean of a number), that within which, taken positively and negatively, there is an even chance that the real error shall lie. Thus, if 3" is the probable error in a given case, the chances that the real error is greater than 3" are equal to the chances that it is less. The probable error is computed from the observations made, and is used to express their degree of accuracy. — The probable, that which is within the bounds of probability; that which is not unnatural or preternatural; — opposed to the marvelous.

PROBABLY Prob"a*bly, adv.

Defn: In a probable manner; in likelihood. Distinguish between what may possibly and what will probably be done. L'Estrange.

PROBACY Pro"ba*cy, n. Etym: [See Probate.]

Defn: Proof; trial. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PROBAL Pro"bal, a.

Defn: Approved; probable. [Obs.] Shak.

PROBALITY Pro*bal"i*ty, n.

Defn: Probability. [Obs.] "With as great probality." Holland.

PROBANG Pro"bang, n. Etym: [See Probe.]

Defn: A slender elastic rod, as of whalebone, with a sponge on the end, for removing obstructions from the esophagus, etc.

PROBATE Pro"bate, n. Etym: [From L. probatus, p. p. of probare to prove. See Prove.]

1. Proof. [Obs.] Skelton.

2. (Law) (a) Official proof; especially, the proof before a competent officer or tribunal that an instrument offered, purporting to be the last will and testament of a person deceased, is indeed his lawful act; the copy of a will proved, under the seal of the Court of Probate, delivered to the executors with a certificate of its having been proved. Bouvier. Burrill. (b) The right or jurisdiction of proving wills.

PROBATE Pro"bate, a.

Defn: Of or belonging to a probate, or court of probate; as, a probate record. Probate Court, or Court of Probate, a court for the probate of wills. — Probate duty, a government tax on property passing by will. [Eng.]

PROBATE Pro"bate v. t.

Defn: To obtain the official approval of, as of an instrument purporting to be the last will and testament; as, the executor has probated the will.

PROBATION Pro*ba"tion, n. Etym: [L. probatio, fr. probare to try, examine, prove: cf. F. probation. See Prove.]

1. The act of proving; also, that which proves anything; proof. [Obs.] When by miracle God dispensed great gifts to the laity, . . . he gave probation that he intended that all should prophesy and preach. Jer. Taylor.

2. Any proceeding designed to ascertain truth, to determine character, qualification, etc.; examination; trial; as, to engage a person on probation. Hence, specifically: (a) The novitiate which a person must pass in a convent, to probe his or her virtue and ability to bear the severities of the rule. (b) The trial of a ministerial candidate's qualifications prior to his ordination, or to his settlement as a pastor. (c) Moral trial; the state of man in the present life, in which he has the opportunity of proving his character, and becoming qualified for a happier state. No [view of human life] seems so reasonable as that which regards it as a state of probation. Paley.

PROBATIONAL Pro*ba"tion*al, a.

Defn: Probationary.

PROBATIONARY Pro*ba"tion*a*ry a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to probation; serving for trial. To consider this life . . . as a probationary state. Paley.

PROBATIONER Pro*ba"tion*er, n.

1. One who is undergoing probation; one who is on trial; a novice. While yet a young probationer, And candidate of heaven. Dryden.

2. A student in divinity, who, having received certificates of good morals and qualifications from his university, is admitted to several trials by a presbytery, and, on acquitting himself well, is licensed to preach. [Scot.]

PROBATIONERSHIP Pro*ba"tion*er*ship, n.

Defn: The state of being a probationer; novitiate. Locke.

PROBATIONSHIP Pro*ba"tion*ship, n.

Defn: A state of probation.

PROBATIVE Pro"ba*tive, a. Etym: [L. probativus: cf. F.probatif.]

Defn: Serving for trial or proof; probationary; as, probative judgments; probative evidence. South.

PROBATOR Pro*ba"tor n. Etym: [L.]

1. An examiner; an approver. Maydman.

2. (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: One who, when indicted for crime, confessed it, and accused others, his accomplices, in order to obtain pardon; a state's evidence.

PROBATORY Pro"ba*to*ry, a. Etym: [Cf. F. probatoire.]

1. Serving for trial; probationary. Abp. Bramhall.

2. Pertaining to, or serving for, proof. Jer. Taylor. Probatory term (Law), a time for taking testimony.

PROBE Probe, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Probed; p. pr. & vb. n. Probing.] Etym: [L. probare to try, examine. See Prove.]

1. To examine, as a wound, an ulcer, or some cavity of the body, with a probe.

2. Fig.: to search to the bottom; to scrutinize or examine thoroughly. Dryden. The growing disposition to probe the legality of all acts, of the crown. Hallam.

PROBE Probe, n. (Surg.)

Defn: An instrument for examining the depth or other circumstances of a wound, ulcer, or cavity, or the direction of a sinus, of for exploring for bullets, for stones in the bladder, etc. Parr. Probe, or Probe-pointed, scissors (Surg.), scissors used to open wounds, the blade of which, to be thrust into the orifice, has a button at the end. Wiseman.

PROBEAGLE Pro"bea`gle, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: See Porbeagle.

PROBE-POINTED Probe"-point`ed, a. (Surg.)

Defn: Having a blunt or button-shaped extremity; — said of cutting instruments.

PROBITY Prob"i*ty, n. Etym: [F. probité, fr. L. probitas, fr. probus good, proper, honest. Cf. Prove.]

Defn: Tried virtue or integrity; approved moral excellence; honesty; rectitude; uprightness. "Probity of mind." Pope.

Syn. — Probity, Integrity. Probity denotes unimpeachable honesty and virtue, shown especially by the performance of those obligations, called imperfect, which the laws of the state do not reach, and can not enforce. Integrity denotes a whole-hearted honesty, and especially that which excludes all injustice that might favor one's self. It has a peculiar reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfer of property, and the execution of trusts for others.

PROBLEM Prob"lem, n. Etym: [F. problème, L. problema, fr. Gr. Parable. ]

1. A question proposed for solution; a matter stated for examination or proof; hence, a matter difficult of solution or settlement; a doubtful case; a question involving doubt. Bacon.

2. (Math.)

Defn: Anything which is required to be done; as, in geometry, to bisect a line, to draw a perpendicular; or, in algebra, to find an unknown quantity.

Note: Problem differs from theorem in this, that a problem is something to be done, as to bisect a triangle, to describe a circle, etc.; a theorem is something to be proved, as that all the angles of a triangle are equal to two right angles. Plane problem (Geom.), a problem that can be solved by the use of the rule and compass. — Solid problem (Geom.), a problem requiring in its geometric solution the use of a conic section or higher curve.

PROBLEMATIC; PROBLEMATICAL Prob`lem*at"ic, Prob`lem*at"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. problematicus, Gr. problématique.]

Defn: Having the nature of a problem; not shown in fact; questionable; uncertain; unsettled; doubtful. — Prob`lem*at"ic*al*ly, adv. Diligent inquiries into remote and problematical guilt leave a gate wide open to . . . informers. Swift.

PROBLEMATIST Prob"lem*a*tist n.

Defn: One who proposes problems. [R.] Evelyn.

PROBLEMATIZE Prob"lem*a*tize v. t.

Defn: To propose problems. [R.] "Hear him problematize." B. Jonson.

PROBOSCIDATE Pro*bos"ci*date, a. Etym: [See Proboscis.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a proboscis; proboscidial.

PROBOSCIDEA Pro`bos*cid"e*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Proboscis.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of large mammal

PROBOSCIDEAN Pro`bos*cid"e*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Proboscidian.

PROBOSCIDIAL Pro`bos*cid"i*al, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Proboscidate.

PROBOSCIDIAN Pro`bos*cid"i*an, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Proboscidea. — n.

Defn: One of the Proboscidea.

PROBOSCIDIFERA Pro*bos`ci*dif"e*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Proboscis, and -ferous.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive division of pectinibranchiate gastropods, including those that have a long retractile proboscis, with the mouth at the end, as the cones, whelks, tritons, and cowries. See Illust. of Gastropoda, and of Winkle.