Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pēn'i-tent-ly, adv. p. 965In a penitent manner; with penitence; with repentance, sorrow, or contrition for sin.Pēnk, n. p. 965A minnow. Walton.Pēn'knīfe, n. p. 965A small knife used for making and mending pens.Pĕn'man, n. p. 965One who uses the pen; a writer; as, (a.) One skilled in the use of the pen; a calligrapher. (b.) An author; a composer. “The penmen of them, not prophets, but evangelists.” South.Pēn'man-shĭp, n. p. 965The use of the pen in writing; the art of writing. 2. Manner of writing; chirography; as, good or bad penmanship.Pēn'nach, n. p. 965A bunch of feathers; a plume. [Obs.] Holland.Pēn'naçhed, a. p. 965Diversified with natural stripes of various colors, as a flower; radiated. [Obs.] Evelyn.Pēn'nage, n. p. 965Feathery covering; plumage. [Obs.] Holland.Pēn'-nāme, n. p. 965A fictitious name assumed by an author who desires to conceal his real name; a nom de plume. [R.] Bp. Taylor.Pĕn'nant, n. p. 965(Naut.) (a.) A small flag; a banner; a long, narrow piece of bunting, worn at the mast-heads of vessels of war. Totten. (b.) A rope or strap to which a purchase is hooked. Dana. Broad pennant, a…Pĕn'nāte or Pĕn'nā-ted, a. p. 965Winged; plume-shaped. 2. (Bot.) The same as PINNATE. See PINNATE.Pēnned, a. p. 965Winged; having plumes.Pĕn'ner, n. p. 965A writer. “The penners of which seem to have imagined, that the books of themselves were evidence at common law.” Blackstone. 2. A pen-case. [Obs.] Ainsworth.Pēn'ni-fōrm, a. p. 965Having the form of a feather or plume.Pen-nĭg'er-ōus, a. p. 965Bearing feathers or quills.Pēn'ni-less, a. p. 965Moneyless; destitute of money; poor.Pēn'ni-less-ness, n. p. 965The state of being penniless or without money; impecuniosity.Pĕn'ni-nĕrved, a. p. 965(Bot.) Having parallel veins or nerves diverging laterally from the midrib like the parts of a feather; pinnately veined or nerved.Pen-nĭp'o-tent, a. p. 965Strong of wing. [Poet.]Pĕn'non, n. p. 965A wing; pinion. “Fluttering his pennons vain, plumb down he drops.” Milton. 2. A pennant; a flag or streamer.Pĕn'non-cĕl' or Pĕn'non-cĕlle, n. p. 965See PENCEL.Pēn'ny, n. p. 965Pennies denotes the number of coins; pence the amount of pennies in value. [A-S. penig, peneg, pening, pending, D. & Sw. penning, O. Sax. penninc, O. H. Ger. pending, pendig, phending, phenning…Pēn'ny-a-līn'er, n. p. 966One who furnishes matter to a public journal at so much a line; a venal or interested contributor; a writer for pay.Pĕn'ny-fā'ther, n. p. 966A parsimonious or penurious person; a niggard. [Obs.] More.Pĕn'ny-grāss, n. p. 966Penny-royal. [Rare.]Pēn'ny-pōst, n. p. 966A post that carries letters from the post-office, and delivers them to the proper persons for a penny, or other small compensation.Pēn'ny-roy'al, n. p. 966(Bot.) An aromatic herb growing in Europe, the Mentha pulegium; also, a North American plant resembling it, the Hedeoma pulegioides.Pēn'ny-wed'ding, n. p. 966A wedding where the guests contribute to the household outfit.Pēn'ny-weight, n. p. 966A troy weight containing twenty-four grains, or the twentieth part of an ounce. It was anciently the weight of a silver penny, whence the name.Pĕn'ny-wīse', a. p. 966Saving small sums at the hazard of larger; niggardly on important occasions;—used chiefly in the phrase penny wise and pound foolish.Pēn'ny-worth, n. p. 966As much as is bought for a penny. “It being a dear pennyworth.” Evelyn. 2. Hence, familiarly, the full value of one's penny expended; due return for money laid out; good or advantageous bargain…Pēn'oek, n. p. 966Oil-cake; — so called in the East.Pēn/o-lŏg'ic-al, a. p. 966Pertaining to public punishment.Pe-nŏl'o-gy, n. p. 966The science which treats of public punishments, as they respect the public and the sufferer.Pĕn'-răck, n. p. 966A contrivance for supporting pens when not in use.Pēn’sile, a. p. 966Hanging; suspended; pendent; pendulous. “The long, pensile branches of the birches.” Howitt.Pēn'sile-ness, n. p. 966The state of being pensile; pendulousness.Pēn'sion, n. p. 966A payment made; rent; interest paid. 2. Specifically, a stated allowance to a person in consideration of past services; payment made to one retired from service, for age, disability, or other cause…Pĕn’sion, v. t. p. 966To grant a pension to; to support by an annual allowance from the public treasury.Pēn'sion-a-ry, a. p. 966Maintained by a pension; receiving a pension; as, pensionary spies. Donne. 2. Consisting of a pension; as, a pensionary provision for maintenance.Pēn'sion-a-ry, n. p. 966A person who receives a pension from government for past services, or a yearly allowance from some prince, company, or individual. 2. Hence, one of the chief municipal magistrates of the towns in…Pēn'sion-er, n. p. 966One to whom an annual sum of money is paid by government in consideration of past services; one who receives an annual allowance for services; a dependent. “The fickle pensioners of Morpheus’ train.”…Pēn'sīve, a. p. 966Thoughtful, sober, or sad; employed in serious reflection; given to earnest or melancholy musing. “The pensive secrecy of desert cell.” Milton. Anxious cares the pensive nymph oppressed. Pope. 2.…Pĕn'sīved, a. p. 966Made pensive or sober; saddened. [Rare.] Shak.Pēn'sive-ly, adv. p. 966In a pensive manner; with thoughtfulness; with gloomy seriousness or some degree of melancholy.Pĕn'sive-ness, n. p. 966The state of being pensive; gloomy thoughtfulness; melancholy; seriousness from depressed spirits.Pĕn'-slide, n. p. 966An instrument for writing used in map-drawing, &c. Simmonds.Pēn'-stōck, n. p. 966[Probably from Eng. pen, that is, quill, and stock, the water often being discharged through a quill or other small pipe, or, possibly, from Fr. pente, inclination, slope, and Eng. stock. Cf.…Pēnt, p. p. or a. p. 966Shut up; closely confined;—often with up.Pēn'ta-cāp'su-lar, a. p. 966(Bot.) Having five capsules.Pēn’ta-chōrd, n. p. 966An instrument of music with five strings. 2. An order or system of five sounds. Busby.Pĕn’ta-cle, n. p. 966A figure composed of two equilateral triangles intersecting so as to form a six-pointed star, used in early ornamental art, and also, with superstitious import, by the astrologers and mystics of the…Pēn’ta-cŏc’cous, a. p. 966(Bot.) Having or containing five grains or seeds, or having five united cells with one seed in each.Pen-tăc'ri-nite, n. p. 966(Palæon.) A fossil crinoid;—so called from the pentagonal form of its jointed pedicel. Dana.Pĕn’ta-crŏs’tic, a. p. 966Containing five acrostics of the same name in five divisions of each verse.Pēnʹta-crōsʹtic, n. p. 966A set of verses so disposed as to have five acrostics of the same name in five divisions of each verse.Pēn’ta-dăc’tyl, a. p. 966Having five fingers to the hand or five toes to the foot. 2. Characterized by marks, structure, &c., resembling five fingers.Pēn’ta-gon, n. p. 966(Geom.) A plane figure having five angles, and, consequently, five sides. Regular pentagon, a pentagon in which the angles are all equal, and likewise the sides all equal.Pen-tăg'o-nal, a. p. 966Having five corners or angles.Pen-tăg'o-nal-ly, adv. p. 966So as to have the form of a pentagon; with five angles.