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.
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.Plăn'et, n. p. 995(Astron.) A celestial body which revolves about the sun in an orbit of a moderate degree of eccentricity;—distinguished from a comet by the absence of a coma, and by having a less eccentric orbit.…Plāne'-tā/ble, n. p. 995See PLANE.Plān'et-ā'rĭ-ām, n. p. 995An astronomical machine which, by the movement of its parts, represents the motions and orbits of the planets; an orrery. [See Illust. of Orrery.]Plăn'et-a-ry, a. p. 995Pertaining to the planets; as, planetary inhabitants; planetary motions. 2. Consisting of planets; as, a planetary system. 3. (Astrol.) Under the dominion or influence of a planet; as, a planetary…Plăn'et-ed, a. p. 995Belonging to planets. Young.Pla-nĕt'ie-al, a. p. 995Pertaining to planets. [Obs.]Plān'et-oid, n. p. 995(Astron.) A body resembling a planet; especially, one of the numerous groups of small planets whose orbits lie between those of Mars and Jupiter; an asteroid.Plân'et-oid'al, a. p. 995Relating to a planetoid.Plāne'-tree, n. p. 995(Bot.) A tree of the genus Platanus. The oriental plane-tree is a native of Asia. It rises with a straight, smooth, branching stem to a great height, with palmated leaves, and long, pendulous…Plân'et-strĭck'en or Plân'et-strŭck, a. p. 995Affected by the influence of planets; blasted. Like planet-stricken men of yore He trembles, smitten to the core By strong compunctions and remorse. Wordsworth.Plăn'et-ūle, n. p. 995A little planet. Conybeare.Plân'et-wheel, n. p. 995A wheel revolving around, or within the circumference of, another wheel, by which it is driven. [Appleton.Plān'gent, a. p. 995Beating; dashing, as a wave. [Rare.] “The plangent wave.” H. Taylor.Plān-i-fō'li-ous, a. p. 995(Bot.) Flat-leaved. [Craig.]Pla-nim'e-ter, n. p. 995An instrument designed to measure, by mechanical means, and at once, the area of any plane figure drawn on paper, and so contrived that when the tracer has passed over the irregular outline of a…Plân'i-mêt'rie or Plân'i-mêt'rie-al, a. p. 995Pertaining to the mensuration of plane surfaces.Pla-nĭm'e·try, n. p. 995The mensuration of plane surfaces;—used in contradistinction to stereotomy, or the mensuration of volumes.Plān'ing-ma-chīne', n. p. 995A machine-tool for planing metals. The piece to be planed is fixed to the platen D, which is moved forward and backward on the shears C, in contact with the tool, which is attached to the head B…Plā'ni-pēn'nate, n. p. 995(Entom.) One of a tribe of neuropterous insects, comprehending those which have flat wings, of which the inferior pair are almost equal to the superior ones, and are simply folded underneath at the…Plān'i-pĕt'al-oŭs, a. p. 995(Bot.) Having flat petals. Craig.Plān'ish, v. t. p. 995To render smooth and level, as a metallic surface, by light blows with a smooth faced hammer; as, to planish silver teaspoons or tin plate.Plān'ish-er, n. p. 995One who, or that which, smooths metallic substances by gentle pounding. Weale.Plān'i-sphēre, n. p. 995The representation of the circles of the sphere upon a plane. 2. Especially, a representation of the celestial sphere upon a plane with adjustable circles, or other appendages for showing the…Plān'i-sphēr'ic, a. p. 995Pertaining to a planisphere.Plānk, n. p. 995A broad piece of sawed timber, differing from a board only in being thicker. See BOARD. 2. Hence, a support, as for crossing a chasm or floating in a stream. Trust not to rotten plank. Shak. His…Plānk, v. t. p. 995To cover or lay with planks; as, to plank a floor or a ship. 2. To lay down upon a plank, or as upon a plank; to produce, as a wager, or cash; as, plank your money; i. e., lay down your cash. [U. S.]