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.
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.Pe-taur'ist, n. p. 977(Zoöl.) One of a genus of marsupial animals, which take short flights in the air by extending the folds between the fore and hind extremities, and by an expanded tail, as the flying squirrel.Pĕt'-cock, n. p. 977(Mech.) A cock in the delivery-pipe of a pump, to show if it is working.Pe-tē'chi-æ, n. pl. p. 977(Med.) Purple spots, which appear on the skin in malignant fevers.Pe-tĕ'chi-al, a. p. 977(Med.) Having livid spots; spotted.Petechial fever p. 977a malignant fever, accompanied with purple spots on the skin.Pē'ter, n. p. 977See SALTPETER.Pē'ter-bōat, n. p. 977A fishing boat, built sharp at both ends. [Obs.] J. Webster.Pĕt’er-el, n. p. 977See PETREL.Pĕt'e-rē'ro, n. p. 977(Anc. Gun.) A short piece of chambered ordnance. Grose.Pē'ter-man, n. p. 977A fisherman;—a familiar term used on the Thames, and so applied in reference to the occupation of St. Peter. Chapman.Pē'ter-pēnçe, n. p. 977An annual tax or tribute, formerly paid by the English people to the pope, being a penny for every house, payable at Lammas-day;—called also Rome-scot.Pē'ter's-fish, n. p. 977A haddock;—so called because the spots on either side are supposed to be the marks of St. Peter's fingers, impressed indelibly when he caught that fish to pay the tribute. Wright.Pē'ters-hām, n. p. 977A rough, knotted, woolen cloth; also, a coat of that material. Jenkins.Pē'ter-wort, n. p. 977(Bot.) A plant. See SAINT-PETER'S-WORT.Pĕt'i-o-lar or Pĕt'i-o-la-ry, a. p. 977(Bot.) Pertaining to a petiole, or proceeding from it; as, a petiolar tendril; growing or supported upon a petiole; as, a petiolar gland; a petiolar bud.Pēt'i·o·late, a. p. 977(Bot.) Having a petiole; as, a petiolate leaf.Pĕt'i·ōle, n. p. 977(Bot.) A leaf-stalk; the foot-stalk of a leaf, connecting the blade with the stem.Pēt'i·ōled, a. p. 977(Bot.) Having a petiole.Pĕt'i-ōl'ū-late, a. p. 977(Bot.) Raised upon, or supported by, its own stalk or petiolule. Gray.Pĕt'i-o-lūle, n. p. 977(Bot.) A small petiole.Pēt'it, a. p. 977Small; little; mean;—same as PETTY. [Obs., except in legal language.] And stammering age, to petit lads, In corners all will read thee. Drant. By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of…Pe-tĭ'tion, n. p. 977A prayer; a begging; a request; an entreaty, especially of a formal kind; as, (a.) A prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, influence, or authority, or a single clause…Pe-tĭ'tion, v. t. p. 977To make a request to; to ask from; to solicit; especially, to make supplication to for some favor or right; as, to petition the legislature; to petition a court of chancery. The mother petitioned her…Pe-tĭ'tion-a-ri-ly, adv. p. 977By way of begging the question. [Rare.] Browne.Pe-tĭ'tion-a-ry, a. p. 977Supplicatory; coming with a petition. Pardon thy petitionary countrymen. Shak. 2. Containing a petition or request; as, a petitionary prayer; a petitionary epistle.Pe-ti'tion-ee', n. p. 977A person cited to defend against a petition.Pe-ti'tion-er, n. p. 977One who presents a petition.Pe-ti'tion-ing, n. p. 977The act of asking or soliciting; solicitation; supplication; as, tumultuous petitioning is made penal by statute.Petit-maître, n. p. 977A spruce fellow that dangles about females; a fop; a coxcomb. Addison.Pĕt'i-tor, n. p. 977One who seeks; a searcher; an asker. [Obs.] I can not say competitor, the bishop himself being never a petitor for the place. Fuller.