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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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Plāgu'y, a. p. 994Vexatious; troublesome; tormenting. [Colloq. and low.] “He is so plaguy proud.” Shak.Plāice, n. p. 994(Ichth.) A fish of the genus Platessa (Pleuronectes of Linnaeus), allied to the flounder, and growing to the size of eight or ten pounds or more. It swims on its side, and has both its eyes on one…Plaïce'-mouth, n. p. 994A mouth like that of a plaice; a small or wry mouth. [Rare.] B. Jonson.Plāid, n. p. 994A striped or variegated cloth, worn as an over-garment by the Highlanders in Scotland. It is a narrow woolen stuff, worn round the waist or on the shoulders, reaching to the knees, and, in cold…Plāid, a. p. 994Having a pattern or colors which resemble a Scotch plaid; checkered or marked with bars or stripes at right angles to one another; as, plaid white muslin.Plāid'ed, a. p. 994Wearing plaids. Campbell.Plāid'ing, n. p. 994Plaid cloth. Simmonds.Plāin, a. p. 994Without elevations or depressions; smooth; level; even; flat;—the same as PLANE. The sovereign weed between two marbles plain She pounded small. Spenser. 2. Open; clear; unencumbered; uninterrupted.…Plāin, adv. p. 994In a plain manner.Plāin, n. p. 994Level land;—usually, an open field with an even surface, or a surface little varied by inequalities; as, all the plain of Jordan. Him the Ammonite Worshiped in Rabba and her watery plain. Milton. 2.…Plāin, v. t. p. 994To level; to make plain or even on the surface. We would take Europe rather, plain the East. Wither. 2. To lament; to complain of. [Obs. or poet.] Chapman. Spenser.Plāin, v. i. p. 994To lament; to complain. [Obs. or poet.]Plāin'ant, n. p. 994One who makes complaint; plaintiff. [Obs.]Plāin'-chānt, n. p. 994The same as PLAIN-SONG.Plāin'-dēal'er, n. p. 994One who speaks out his views with great plainness.Plāin'-dēal'ing, a. p. 994Dealing or communicating with frankness and sincerity; honest; open; speaking and acting without art; as, a plain-dealing man.Plāin'-dēal'ing, n. p. 994A speaking or communicating with openness and sincerity; management without art, stratagem, or disguise; sincerity.Plāin'-heārt'ed, a. p. 994Having a sincere heart; communicating without art, reserve, or hypocrisy; of a frank disposition. Milton.Plāin'-heärt'ed-ness, n. p. 994The state of being plain-hearted. Hallywell.Plāin'ing, n. p. 994Complaint. [Obs.] Shak.Plāin'ly, adv. p. 994In a plain manner.Plāin'ness, n. p. 994Quality or state of being plain.Plāin'-sŏng, n. p. 994An ecclesiastical chant in duple measure with tones of equal length, and rarely extending beyond the compass of an octave. 2. A simple melody. Halliwell.Plāin'-speāk'ing, n. p. 994Plainness of speech; frankness; candor.Plāin'-spōk'en, a. p. 994Speaking with plain, unreserved sincerity. Dryden.Plāint, n. p. 994Audible expression of sorrow; lamentation; complaint; an accusation or protest on account of an injury received. There are three just grounds of war with Spain: one of plaints, two upon defense.…Plāint'ful, a. p. 994Containing a plaint; complaining; expressing sorrow with an audible voice. [Obs.] “My plaintful tongue.” Sidney.Plāint'iff, n. p. 994(Law.) The person who commences a personal action or suit to obtain a remedy for an injury to his rights; — opposed to defendant.Plaint'iff, a. p. 994The same as PLAINTIVE. [Obs.]Plāint’ive, a. p. 994Containing a plaint, or expression of sorrow; complaining. To soothe the sorrows of her plaintive son. Dryden. 2. Hence, indicating painful emotion or grief; serious; sad. Yet the most plaintive…Plāint'ive-ly, adv. p. 994In a plaintive manner.Plaint'ive-ness, n. p. 994The quality or state of being plaintive.Plāint'less, a. p. 994Without complaint; unrepining.Plāin'-work, n. p. 994Plain needlework, as distinguished from embroidery. Pope.Plāise, n. p. 994(Ichth.) A fish of the genus Platessa; the plaice. See PLAICE.Plaise'-mouth, n. p. 994A mouth like a plaice; a small mouth; hence, a prim or puckered mouth. B. Jon.Plāis'ter, n. p. 994The same as PLASTER. Shak.Plāit, n. p. 994A fold; a doubling, as of cloth. It is very difficult to trace out the figure of a vest through all the plaits and folding of the drapery. Addison. 2. A braid, as of hair or straw. Vulgarly…Plāit, v. t. p. 994To fold; to double in narrow folds; as, to plait a gown or a sleeve. 2. To interweave the strands or locks of; to braid; as, to plait the hair. 3. To entangle; to involve. Shak.Plāit'er, n. p. 994One who plaits or braids.Plān, n. p. 994A draught or form; properly, the representation of any thing drawn on a plane, as a map or chart; especially, the representation of an horizontal section of any thing, as of a building or machine; a…Plăn, v. t. p. 994To form a draught or representation of; to represent, as by a diagram. 2. To scheme; to devise; to form in design; as, to plan the conquest of a country; to plan a reduction of taxes, or of the…Pla-nā'ri-ă, n. p. 994(Zoöl.) A genus of annelids, chiefly inhabiting fresh-water ponds and ditches, and remarkable for their flattened form, which somewhat resembles the foot of a gastropodous mollusk.Pla-nā'ri-an, n. p. 994(Zoöl.) A thin, flat, fleshy animal of the Planaria family, related to the worms, found often on plants in moist places.Pla-nā'ri-oid, a. p. 994Like the planaria in form.Plā'na-ry, a. p. 994Pertaining to a plane.Plăn-çeer', n. p. 994The same as PLANCHER.Plănch, n. p. 994A plank. [Obs.]Plănch, v. t. p. 994To cover with planks or boards; to plank. “A planched gate.” Shak.Plănch'er, n. p. 994A floor. [Obs.] Bacon. 2. A plank. [Obs.] Drayton. 3. (Arch.) The under side of a cornice; a soffit. Gwilt.Plănch'et, n. p. 994A flat piece of metal or coin; especially, a disk of metal ready to be stamped as a coin.Planchette, n. p. 994A small plank or board. 2. A circumferentor. Simmonds.Plănch'ing, n. p. 994The laying of floors in a building; also, a floor of boards or planks. Carew.Plāne, a. p. 994Without elevations or depressions; even; level; flat; pertaining to, lying in, or constituting a plane; as, a plane surface. Plane angle, the angle included between two straight lines in a plane. —…Plāne, n. p. 994(Geom.) A surface, real or imaginary, in which if any two points are taken, the straight line which joins them lies wholly in that surface; or a surface, any section of which, by a like surface, is a…Plāne, v. t. p. 995To make smooth; to pare off the inequalities of the surface of, as of a board or other piece of wood, by the use of a plane; to free from inequalities of surface.Plāne'-ī'ron, n. p. 995A piece of iron, made either single or double, with a steel cutting-edge, to be inserted in a joiner's plane.Plān'er, n. p. 995(Print.) A wooden block used for forcing down the type in a form, and making the surface even. Hansard. 2. (Mech.) The same as PLANING-MACHINE.Plā'ner-head, n. p. 995(Mach.) The slide-rest of a planing-machine, or planer.Plā’ner-tree, n. p. 995(Bot.) A tree of the genus Planera, growing in North America. Gray.