Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Per-vĕrt'er, n. p. 976One who perverts, distorts, misinterprets, or misapplies.Per-vĕrt'i-ble, a. p. 976Capable of being perverted.Per-vĕs'ti-gāte, v. t. p. 976To find out by research. [Obs.] Cockeram.Per-vĕs'ti-gā'tion, n. p. 976The act of pervestigating; diligent or thorough research. [Obs.] Chillingworth.Pĕr'vi-al, a. p. 976Pervious. [Obs.]Pĕr'vi-al-ly, adv. p. 976In a pervial or pervious manner; so as to be pervious. [Obs.] Chapman.Pĕr'vi-cā'cioŭs, a. p. 976Very obstinate; willfully contrary or refractory; stubborn. [Obs.] Denham.Pěr'vi-eā'ciōs-ly, adv. p. 976In a pervicacious manner; stubbornly. [Obs.]Pēr'vi-eā'ciōñs-ness or Pēr'vi-eāc'i-ty, n. p. 976The state of being pervicacious. [Obs.]Pēr'vi·ea·cy, n. p. 976Pervicacity. [Obs.]Per-vĭg'ĭ-lā'tion, n. p. 976A careful watching. [Obs.]Për'vi-ous, a. p. 976Admitting passage; capable of being penetrated by another body or substance; permeable; penetrable. A country pervious to the arms and authority of a conqueror. Gibbon. Not less in number were the…Pēr'vi-ōus-ness, n. p. 976The quality of being pervious.Pe-sāde', n. p. 976(Man.) The motion of a horse when he raises his fore quarters, keeping his hind feet on the ground without advancing; rearing.Pĕs'age, n. p. 976A sum paid for the weighing of merchandise. Craig.Pĕs'ane, n. p. 976See PUSANE.Pĕs'ant-ed, a. p. 976Debased; enslaved. [Obs.] “Thus pesanted to each lewd thought's control.” Marston.Pēsh'i-to, a. p. 976Simple; literal; verbal;— a term applied to the earliest Syriac version of the Scriptures, in distinction, probably, from those versions which abounded in allegorical interpretation. Davidson.Pĕsk'i-ly, adv. p. 976Exceedingly; very; mischievously; annoyingly; vexingly. [Colloq. and low. U. S.]Pĕs'ky, a. p. 976Great; exceeding; mischievous; troublesome; vexing. [Colloq. and low. U. S.]Pē'so, n. p. 976The Spanish dollar of exchange; also, the pound weight. Simmonds.Pĕs'sa-ry, n. p. 976An instrument made of wood, caoutchouc, waxed linen, or the like, and introduced into the vagina to support the mouth and neck of the uterus.Pĕs'si-mīst, n. p. 976One who complains of every thing as being for the worst; — opposed to optimist.Pĕs'so-măn'cy, n. p. 976Divination by means of pebbles.Pĕst, n. p. 976A fatal epidemic disease; plague; pestilence. Let fierce Achilles The god propitiate, and the pest assuage. Pope. 2. Hence, any thing which resembles a pest; that which is very noxious, mischievous…Pĕs'ter, v. t. p. 976To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with little vexations. We are pestered with mice and rats. More. A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world with their insufferable stuff. Dryden. 2.…Pĕs'ter-er, n. p. 976One who pesters or harasses with vexation.Pĕs'ter-ment, n. p. 976The act of pestering, or the state of being pestered or troubled; vexation; annoyance; worry. Thus, sir, I have all the trouble and pesterment of children, without the pleasure of calling them my…Pĕs’ter-oŭs, a. p. 976Inclined to pester; encumbering; burdensome. [Obs.] Bacon.Pĕst'-house, n. p. 976A house or hospital for persons who have the pest, or who are infected with any malignant disease.Pĕst’i-dūct, n. p. 976That which conveys contagion or infection.Pes-tĭf'er-ous, a. p. 976Pest-bearing; pestilential; noxious to health; malignant; infectious; contagious. “The most unwholesome and pestiferous occupations.” Burke. “I was environed with multitudes of poor, pestiferous…Pes·tif'er-oüs-ly, adv. p. 976In a pestiferous manner.Pĕs'ti-lence, n. p. 976That which is pestilent. I'll pour this pestilence into his ear. Shak. 2. Especially, the disease known as the plague; and hence, any contagious or infectious disease that is epidemic. 3. That which…Pĕs'ti-lent, a. p. 976Pestilential; noxious; mischievous. “What a pestilent knave is this!” Shak. “Hot, corrupt, and pestilent.” Milton.Pĕs'ti-lĕn′tial, a. p. 976Producing or tending to produce the pest, the plague, or other infectious disease. 2. Hence, noxious; seriously troublesome; positively mischievous.Pēs'ti-lēn'tial-ly, adv. p. 976Pestilently.Pĕs'ti-lĕn'tiōus, a. p. 976Pestilent; pestilential. [Obs.]Pēs'ti-lent-ly, adv. p. 976In a pestilent manner.Pĕs'til-lā'tion, n. p. 976The act of pounding and bruising in a mortar. [Obs.] Broome.Pēs'tle, n. p. 976An instrument for pounding and breaking substances in a mortar. 2. A short bludgeon formerly carried by officers of the peace; — so called from its shape. Toone. Pestle of pork, a leg of pork; — so…Pĕs'tle, v. t. p. 976To pound or break with a pestle; to pulverize with a pestle, or as with a pestle.Pĕst'ling, p. a. p. 976Pounding; overwhelming. It will be such a pestling device, Sir Amorous, it will pound all your enemy's practices to powder. B. Jonson.Pĕt, n. p. 976A slight fit of peevishness or fretful discontent. “Should in a pet of temperance feed on pulse.” Milton. Life, given for noble purposes, must not be thrown away in a pet, nor whined away in love.…Pēt, n. p. 976A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand. 2. A fondling; any little animal fondled and indulged. 3. One who is treated with constant gentle attention; a darling. Dickens.Pĕt, v. t. p. 976To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge.Pĕt'al or Pē'tal, n. p. 976(Bot.) One of the leaves of the corolla, or the colored leaves of a flower. Petals.Pĕt'aled, a. p. 976(Bot.) Having petals; as, a petaled flower; — opposed to apetalous, and much used in compounds; as, one-petaled; three-petaled.Pĕt'al-if'er-ōŭs, a. p. 976Bearing petals. Dana.Pe-tăl'i-fōrm, a. p. 976(Bot.) Having the form of a petal; petal-shaped.Pĕt'al-īne, a. p. 976(Bot.) Pertaining to a petal; resembling a petal; attached to a petal; as, a petaline nectary.Pĕt'al-ism, n. p. 976(Antiq.) A form of sentence among the ancient Syracusans, by which they banished for five years a citizen whose wealth or popularity alarmed their jealousy, or who was suspected of aspiring to…Pĕt'al-ite, n. p. 976(Min.) A rare mineral, occurring in masses, having a foliated structure, its color being milk-white, or shaded with gray, red, or green.Pĕt'al-oid, a. p. 976Having the form of a petal. Barton. Rafinesque.Pĕt'al-ōüs, a. p. 976Having petals; petaled; — opposed to apetalous.Pe-tăr', n. p. 976The same as PETARD. [Obs.]Pe-tärd′, n. p. 976(Mil.) An engine of war made of metal, to be loaded with powder and fixed on a madrier or plank, and formerly used to break gates, barricades, draw-bridges, and the like, by explosion; also, a box of…Pēt'ar-deer' or Pēt'ar-diêr', n. p. 977(Mil.) One who managed petards.Pĕt'a-sūs, n. p. 977(Antiq.) The winged cap of Mercury; a broad-brimmed hat. 2. (Arch.) A cupola having the form of a broad-brimmed hat. Crabb.Pe-tā'te, n. p. 977Dried palm leaves or grass, used for platting into hats and mats;—so called in Central America. Simmonds.