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.
Pic'a-rōon', n. p. 984One who pickeers; especially, a plunderer of wrecks; a pirate; a corsair. In all wars, Corsica and Majorca have been nests of picaroons. Sir W. Temple.Pie'a-yune', n. p. 984A small coin of the value of 6¼ cents.Pie'e-a-dil or Pie'e-a-dil'ly, n. p. 984[O. Fr. piccadilles, the several divisions or pieces fastened together about the brim of the collar of a doublet. (Cotgrave.) 1. A high collar, or a kind of ruff. Wilson. 2. A certain street in…Pie'cage, n. p. 984(O. Eng. Law.) Money paid at fairs for breaking ground for booths. Ainsworth.Pic'ca-lil'li, n. p. 984An East Indian pickle of various vegetables with pungent spices. Simmonds.Pi'c-co-lo, n. p. 984(Mus.) A small flute, the pitch of which is an octave higher than that of the ordinary flute; an octave flute.Pīçe, n. p. 984A small copper coin in the East Indies, worth less than a cent. Malcolm.Pic'e-ous, a. p. 984Of, or belonging to, pitch; black as pitch.Pich'ū-run Bean p. 984One of the isolated lobes of the drupe of a species of laurus growing in South America;—called also sassafras nut.Piç'i-dæ, n. pl. p. 984(Ornith.) [Lat. picus, woodpecker.] A family of scansorial birds, including the woodpecker.Pick, v. t. p. 984To peck at, like birds with their bills; to strike at with any thing pointed; to act upon with a pointed instrument, so as to pierce, as an apple with a pin; to open, as a lock; to separate, as wool…Pick, v. i. p. 984To eat slowly or by morsels; to nibble. 2. To do any thing nicely, or by attending to small things. 3. To steal; to pilfer.Pick, n. p. 984A sharp-pointed tool; — often used in composition; as, a tooth-pick; a pick-lock; a pickax; a pickwick. 2. (Mining & Mech.) An iron tool tapering to a point from a heavy mass or head, in which is…Pick'a-nin'ny, n. p. 984A small child; especially, a negro or mulatto infant. [Southern U. S.] Bartlett.Pick'a-păck', adv. p. 984In manner of a pack. [Vulgar.] L'Estrange.Pick'ar-dil, n. p. 984The same as PICCADILLY. [Obs.]Pĭck'ăx or Pĭck'ăxe, n. p. 984A pick with a point at one end, a transverse edge or blade at the other, and a handle inserted at the middle; a hammer with a pointed end for piercing as it strikes; a pick.Pĭck'băck, a. p. 984On the back. Hudibras.Pĭck'ed, a. p. 984Pointed; sharp. “Picked and polished.” Chapman. Let the stake be made picked at the top. Mortimer. 2. Sprucely or foppishly dressed. [Obs.] Picked out (pĭkt), ornamented or relieved with stripes of a…Pĭck'ed-ness, n. p. 984The state of being picked.Pick-eer’, v. t. p. 984To pillage; to pirate. Hudibras. 2. To skirmish, as soldiers on the outpost of an army, or in pillaging parties. He had often pickeered out on Sheldon and some other bishops. Burnet.Pick-eer'er, n. p. 984One who pickeers or plunders; a pillager. [Obs.]Pick’er, n. p. 984One who picks or culls. 2. (Mech.) A machine for picking fibrous materials to pieces; as, a wool-picker; a rag-picker. 3. A pickax, or instrument for picking or separating. 4. One who excites a…Pick’er-el, n. p. 984(Ichth.) A fish of the genus Esox;—applied to several species of fresh-water fishes belonging to the pike family.Pickerel weed p. 984a water plant, of the genus Pontederia, having arrow-headed leaves;—so called because it was formerly supposed to breed pickerels. Walton.Pick'er-y, n. p. 984Petty theft. A trifle stolen in the street is termed mere pickery. W. Scott.Pick'et, n. p. 984A stake sharpened or pointed, used in fortification and encampments. 2. A narrow board pointed, used in making fences; a pale or paling. 3. (Mil.) A guard posted in front of an army, and with others…Pick'et, v. t. p. 984To fortify with pickets or pointed stakes. 2. To inclose or fence with narrow, pointed boards. 3. To fasten to a picket. 4. To torture by compelling to stand with one foot on a pointed stake.Pick'et-fence, n. p. 984A fence made with pickets. See PICKET, 2.Pick'et-guārd, n. p. 984(Mil.) A guard of horse and foot always in readiness in case of alarm.Pick'et-ing, n. p. 984A kind of torture by forcing a person to stand with one foot on a pointed stake.Pick'et-tee', n. p. 984The same as PICOTEE, q. v.Pick'ing, n. p. 984The act of plucking, selecting, or gathering. 2. That which is left to be picked or gleaned. 3. The pulverized shells of oysters used in making walks. Simmonds. 4. A hard-burned brick. Simmonds. 5.…Pick'le, n. p. 985A solution of salt and water, in which fish and meat may be preserved or corned. 2. Vinegar, sometimes seasoned with spices, in which vegetables, fish, oysters, &c., may be preserved. 3. Any article…Pick'le, n. p. 985A parcel of land inclosed with a hedge. [Prov. Eng.]Pick'le, v. t. p. 985To preserve in brine or pickle; as, to pickle herring. 2. To season in pickle. 3. To imbue highly with any thing bad; as, a pickled rogue. 4. To prepare, as an imitation, and sell as genuine;—said of…Pick'le-hĕr/ring, n. p. 985A merry-andrew; a zany; a buffoon; a jackpudding. Addison.Pick'lŏck, n. p. 985An instrument for opening locks without the key. 2. A person who picks locks. 3. A superior description of selected wool.Pick'nick, n. p. 985See PICNIC.Pick'pén-ny, n. p. 985One who cheats; a sharper.Pick'pŏck-et, n. p. 985One who steals from the pocket of another.Pick'pûrse, n. p. 985One who steals the purse, or from the purse, of another.Pick'sy, n. p. 985The same as Pixy. See Pixy.Pick'thănk, n. p. 985An officious fellow who does what he is not desired to do, for the sake of gaining favor; a whispering parasite; a flatterer; a tale-bearer;—used also adjectively. [Obs.] Spies and pickthanks seldom…Pick'tōoth, n. p. 985An instrument for picking or cleaning the teeth; a toothpick. [Obs.]Pick'wick, n. p. 985A pointed instrument for picking up the wick of a lamp.Pī'cle, n. p. 985A small piece of land inclosed with a hedge; a close. [Obs.]Pic'nie, n. p. 985Formerly, an entertainment at which each person contributed some dish or article for the general table; in present use, an entertainment carried by a party on an excursion of pleasure into the…Pic'nie, v. i. p. 985To go on a picnic. C. Kingsley.Pē'co, n. p. 985A peak; the pointed head of a mountain.Pi'co-tee', n. p. 985A variety of carnation having petals notched at the edges, and spotted instead of striped, mostly upon a yellow ground. Smart.Pĭcĕt'ĕt, n. p. 985See PIQUET.Pī'e-rā, n. p. 985(Med.) The officinal powder of aloes with canella, which is composed of one part of canella to four parts of aloes. In Europe, it is prepared as an electuary instead of as a powder. It is employed as…Pi'eric, a. p. 985The same as CARBAZOTIC, q. v.Pic'ro-lite, n. p. 985(Min.) A fibrous variety of serpentine. Dana.Pic'ro-měl, n. p. 985(Chem.) The characteristic principle of bile. Ure.Pĭe'ro-phār'ma-co-lite, n. p. 985(Min.) A hydrous arseniate of lime, containing a small proportion of magnesia.Pi'cro-phyll, n. p. 985(Min.) A greenish-gray, foliated, fibrous mineral, consisting chiefly of the hydrous silicate of magnesia and iron. Dana.Pi-ē'rōph'yl-lite or Piē/ro-phyl'lite, n. p. 985(Min.) A species of serpentine, occurring in dark-green, foliated masses. Brande.Pi-erōs'mīne, n. p. 985(Min.) A mineral, consisting chiefly of silicate of magnesia, and having a bitter, argillaceous odor when moistened. Dana.