Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pĕt'rel, n. p. 977(Ornith.) A long-winged, web-footed sea-fowl, of the Linnæan genus Procellaria. The arctic petrel is P. glacialis. The stormy petrel is P. pelagica of Linnæus;—called also Mother Carey’s chicken.Pĕt'rel, n. p. 977The same as POITREL. [Obs.]Pe-trĕs'cence, n. p. 977The process of changing into stone; the state of being petrescent.Pe-trĕs'cent, a. p. 977Converting into stone; changing into stony hardness. Boyle.Pĕt'ri-făc'tion, n. p. 977The process of changing into stone; the conversion of any organic matter (animal or vegetable) into stone. When the water in which wood is lodged is slightly impregnated with petrescent particles…Pĕt'ri-făc'tive, a. p. 977Having power to convert vegetable or animal substances into stone. 2. Pertaining to petrifaction.Pe-trif'ic, a. p. 977Having power to convert into stone. Death with his mace petrific, Cold and dry. Milton. The cold, dry, petrific mace of a false and unfeeling philosophy. Burke. Death, and through his own orders, had…Pēt'ri-fi-cāte, v. t. p. 977To petrify. [Rare.] Bp. Hall.Pĕt'ri-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 977The same as PETRIFACTION. 2. Obduracy. Halliwell.Pĕt'ri-fy, v. t. p. 977To convert to stone or stony substance, as an animal or vegetable substance. North of Quito there is a river that petrifies any sort of wood or leaves. Kirwan. 2. To fix; to make callous or obdurate…Pĕt'ri-fī, v. i. p. 977To become stone, or of a stony hardness, as animal or vegetable substances by means of calcareous or other depositions in their cavities.Pē'trine, a. p. 977Of, or relating to, Peter; as, the Petrine Epistles.Pĕt'ro-grāph'ie or Pĕt'ro-grāph'ie-al, a. p. 977Of, or pertaining to, petrography.Pe-trōg'ra-phy, n. p. 977The description of rocks. Dana. 2. Writing on stone.Pe-trōl', n. p. 977Petroleum. [Rare.]Pe-trō'le-ūm, n. p. 977Rock oil, a liquid, inflammable, bituminous substance exuding from the earth and collected on the surface of the water in wells and fountains, in various parts of the world, or oozing from cavities…Pĕt'ro-līne, n. p. 977(Chem.) A substance obtained by distilling the petroleum of Rangoon. Brande.Pe-trōl'o-gy, n. p. 977A treatise on the subject of rocks.Pē'tro-nel, n. p. 977A kind of carabine or large horseman's pistol.Pĕt'ro-sal, a. p. 977Having the hardness of stone; relating to the petrous portion of the temporal bone. Dunglison.Pĕt'ro-sal, n. p. 977The ear-capsule bone in a fish. Dana.Pēt'ro-se-lī'num, n. p. 977(Bot.) A genus of umbelliferous plants, of which one species (P. sativum, the common parsley) grows wild on rocks and old walls, and is extensively cultivated, being highly valued as a culinary herb.…Pĕt'ro-sī'lex or Pē'tro-sī'lex, n. p. 977(Min.) Rock stone; rock flint, or compact feldspar.Pĕt'ro-sī-lĭ'ciōŭs, a. p. 977Consisting of, or containing, petrosilex; as, petrosilicious breccias. Kirwan.Pē'troŭs, a. p. 977Like stone; hard; stony. Hooper. 2. (Anal.) Of, or pertaining to, the portion of the temporal bone in which the internal organs of hearing are situated.Pĕt'ted-ly, adv. p. 977Pettishly.Pĕt'ti-cōat, n. p. 977A loose under garment worn by females, and covering the lower limbs. 2. The outer space or surface of a target. [Eng.] Petticoat pipe (Mach.), one of a series of short, conical pipes, in a smoke-box…Pĕt'ti-cōat'ed, a. p. 977Wearing a petticoat.Pĕt'ti-fŏg, v. i. p. 977To do small business, as a lawyer. [Colloq.]Pĕt'ti-fŏg'ger, n. p. 977A lawyer who deals in petty cases; an inferior attorney employed in mean professional business. A pettifogger was lord chancellor. Macaulay.Pĕt'ti-fŏg'ger-y, n. p. 977The practice, or the acts, of a pettifogger; disreputable tricks; quibbles.Pĕt'ti-fŏg'ū-līze, v. i. p. 977To employ petty and contemptible means. To pettifogulize, that is, to find evasions for any purpose in a trickster's minute tortuosities of construction. De Quincey.Pĕt'ti-ly, adv. p. 977In a petty manner; frivolously.Pĕt'ti-ness, n. p. 977The state of being pettish; smallness; littleness.Pĕt'tish, a. p. 977Evincing, or pertaining to, a pet; fretful; peevish; subject to freaks of ill temper. My father, . . . came down into the country with my mother in but a pettish kind of humor. Sterne.Pĕt'tish-ly, adv. p. 977In a pet; with a freak of ill temper.Pĕt'tish-ness, n. p. 977The state of being pettish; fretfulness; petulance; peevishness.Pĕt'ti-tōes, n. pl. p. 977The toes or feet of a pig, often used as food;—sometimes used for the human feet, humorously or in contempt. Shak.Pēt'to, n. p. 977The breast. In petto, in secrecy; in reserve.Pĕt'ty, a. p. 978Small; little; trifling; inconsiderable; as, a petty trespass; a petty crime. 2. Inferior; as, a petty prince. Like a petty god I walked about admired. Milton. For petty constable, petty jury, petty…Pēt'ty-chaps, n. p. 978(Ornith.) A small singing bird (Curruca hortensis), called also golden warbler. It is found in various parts of Europe.Pĕt'ty-coy, n. p. 978An herb. Ainsworth.Pēt'ty-whin, n. p. 978(Bot.) An evergreen shrub of the genus Genista (G. angelica). Loudon.Pĕt'ū-lance or Pĕt'ū-lan-cy, n. p. 978The state of being petulant; freakish passion; peevishness; pettishness; sauciness. That which looked like pride in some, and petulance in others. Clarendon. The pride and petulance of youth. Watts.…Pĕt'ū-lant, a. p. 978Pert; saucy; forward. [Obs.] Thou mighty gulf, insatiate cormorant, Deride me not, though I seem petulant To fall into thy chops. Marston. 2. Peevish; fretful; inclined to complain. His enemies . . .…Pĕt'ū-lant-ly, adv. p. 978In a petulant manner; with saucy pertness.Pe-tūl'coüs, a. p. 978Wanton or frisky; lustful. [Obs.]Pe-tūnse' or Pe-tūntse' or Pe-tūntze', n. p. 978A fresh or undecomposed feldspar, ground very fine, and used with kaolin to form porcelain; — so called by the Chinese.Pēt'worth Mär'ble p. 978A variously colored marble occurring in the wealden clay, and composed of the remains of fresh-water shells; — called also Sussex marble. Brande.Pēt'zite, n. p. 978(Min.) An ore of silver containing thirty or forty per cent. of tellurium. Brande.Peū-cēd'a-nīne, n. p. 978(Chem.) A crystallizable substance obtained from the root of the plant Peucedanum officinale, or sulphurwort. Brande.Peū'çīle, n. p. 978(Chem.) A liquid obtained by the action of lime upon the hydrochlorate of oil of turpentine. Brande.Pew, n. p. 978An inclosed seat in a church, originally made square, now, in the United States, usually made long and narrow, and sometimes called slip. “Hath laid knives under his pillow, and halters in his pew.”…Pew, v. t. p. 978To furnish with pews. [Rare.] Ash.Pē'wet, n. p. 978The same as PEWIT.Pew'-fĕl'lōw, n. p. 978One who occupies the same pew. 2. A companion. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.Pē'wit, n. p. 978(Ornith.) The lapwing or green plover. [Written also peevit.] Pewit gull, or Pewit, a species of gull; the black-headed or laughing gull; Xema ridibundus.Pew'-ō'pen-er, n. p. 978An attendant in a church. [Eng.] Dickens.Pew'ter, n. p. 978An alloy consisting chiefly of tin and lead, with small quantities of antimony, copper, and bismuth, according to the hardness or quality intended. ☞ It was formerly much used for domestic utensils…Pew'ter-er, n. p. 978One whose occupation is to make vessels and utensils of pewter.