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An American Dictionary of the English Language

by Noah Webster

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.

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  1. Plāte, n.p. 996A piece of metal extended or flattened to an even surface with a uniform thickness. ☞ A sheet of metal is thinner than a plate. 2. Metallic armor composed of broad pieces, and thus distinguished from…
  2. Plāte, v. t.p. 996To cover or overlay with gold, silver, or other metals, either by a mechanical process, as hammering, or by a chemical process, as electrotyping;—said especially of overlaying with silver. 2. To arm…
  3. Plāte'-är'mor, n.p. 996Armor of strong metal plates for protecting ships of war or fortifications and the like; also, mail consisting entirely of metallic plates, formerly worn to protect the person.
  4. Plā-teau', n.p. 996A plain; a flat surface; especially, a broad, level area of land in a somewhat elevated position. 2. A large ornamental dish for the center of a table. Smart.
  5. Plāte'ful, n.p. 996Enough to fill a plate; as much as a plate will contain.
  6. Plāte'-gird'er, n.p. 996(Carp.) A girder of which the web is formed of a single vertical plate, or of a single series of such plates joined together.
  7. Plate'-glass, n.p. 996A fine kind of glass, cast in thick plates, and used for mirrors and the best windows.
  8. Plā'tel, n.p. 996A small dish. Simmonds.
  9. Plāte'-lāy'er, n.p. 996A workman who lays down the iron rails of a railway and fixes them to the sleepers. Simmonds.
  10. Plāte'-märk, n.p. 996A special mark or emblematic figure stamped upon gold or silver plate, to indicate the place of manufacture, and the like; thus, the local mark for London is a lion. Simmonds.
  11. Plăt'en, n.p. 996(Print.) The flat part of a press, by which the impression is made. [See Illust. of Printing Press.]
  12. Plāte'-pā'per, n.p. 996A heavy, spongy paper, manufactured expressly for printing from engraved plates. Fairholt.
  13. Plāte'-prīnt'er, n.p. 996One who prints from engraved plates.
  14. Plāte'-prĭnt'ing, n.p. 996The act or process of printing from an engraved plate.
  15. Plāt'er-ēsque', a.p. 996Resembling silver plate;—said of certain architectural ornaments.
  16. Plāte'-wheel, n.p. 996(Mech.) A wheel whose rim is connected with the axle by a thin plate of metal, instead of arms. Appleton.
  17. Plăt’fōrm, n.p. 996Something which is of a flat or level surface; as, (a.) A framework of timber or boards horizontally joined, so as to form a roof. (b.) A framework of timber or boards horizontally joined, so as to…
  18. Plāt'fōrm-cār, n.p. 997A railway-car without a covering; a flat.
  19. Plāt'īc, a.p. 997(Astrol.) Pertaining to, or in the position of, a ray cast from one planet to another, not exactly, but within the orbit of its own light. Bailey.
  20. Plāt'īn, n.p. 997(Mech.) The movable seat of a machine tool, on which the work is secured; called, also, table and carriage.
  21. Plăt'i-nȧ or Pla-tĭ'nȧ, n.p. 997See PLATINUM. Platina mohr, black platinum.—Platina yellow, a pigment of a pale yellow color, composed of an oxide of platinum and an earth. Fairholt.
  22. Plāt'ing, n.p. 997The art or operation of covering any thing with plate or with a metal, particularly of overlaying a baser metal with a thin plate of silver or other metal. 2. A thin coating of metal laid upon…
  23. Pla-tĭn'ic, a.p. 997(Chem.) Of, or pertaining to, platinum.
  24. Plăt'i-nĭf'er-oŭs, a.p. 997Yielding platinum; as, platiniferous sand.
  25. Plăt'i-nīze, v. t.p. 997To cover or combine with platinum. Gregory.
  26. Plāt'i-nōde, n.p. 997Same as CATHODE. See CATHODE.
  27. Plăt'i-noid, a.p. 997Resembling platinum.
  28. Plăt'i-noŭs, a.p. 997Containing, or consisting of, platinum.
  29. Plăt'ĭ-nūm or Pla-tī'num, n.p. 997(Chem.) A metal of the color of silver, but less bright. Its specific gravity is 20, and may be increased by heat and pressure to 21.5. It is harder than iron, undergoes no alteration in air, resists…
  30. Plăt'-i-tūde, n.p. 997Flatness; dullness; insipidity. “To hammer one golden grain of wit into a sheet of infinite platitude.” Motley. 2. That which exhibits flatness or dullness; a weak or empty remark.
  31. Pla-tŏm'e-ter, n.p. 997The same as PLANIMETER, q. v.
  32. Pla-tŏn'ic, n.p. 997One who adopts the views of Plato.
  33. Pla-tŏn'ic or Pla-tŏn'ic-al, a.p. 997Pertaining to Plato the philosopher, or to his philosophy, his school, or his opinions. Platonic bodies, the five regular geometrical solids; namely, the tetrahedron, hexahedron or cube, octahedron…
  34. Pla-tŏn'ic-al-ly, adv.p. 997After the manner of Plato, or of the Platonists.
  35. Plā'to-nĭsm, n.p. 997The doctrines of Plato and his followers. ☞ Plato believed God to be an infinitely wise, just, and powerful Spirit; and that he formed the visible universe out of pre-existent amorphous matter…
  36. Plā'to-nīst, n.p. 997One who professes to be a follower of Plato, and to philosophize as he did. Hammond.
  37. Plā'to-nīze, v. i.p. 997To adopt the opinions of the Platonic school. Milner.
  38. Plā'to-nīze, v. t.p. 997To explain on the principles of the Platonic school, or to accommodate to those principles. Enfield.
  39. Plā'to-nīz'er, n.p. 997One who Platonizes; a Platonist.
  40. Pla-tōōn', n.p. 997(Mil.) (a.) A small body of soldiers or musketeers, drawn out of a battalion of foot, when they form a hollow square, to strengthen the angles. [Obs.] (b.) In present usage, half of a company.
  41. Plăt'ter, n.p. 997A large, shallow dish, for holding the provisions of a table. 2. [See PLAT.] One who plats or forms by weaving.
  42. Plăt'ter-fāced, a.p. 997Having a broad face.
  43. Plāt'ting, n.p. 997Slips of bast, cane, straw, and the like, woven or plaited for making into hats, &c.
  44. Pla-tū'rus, n.p. 997(Zoöl.) A genus of marine serpents having a flattened tail. Baird.
  45. Plāt'y, a.p. 997Like plates; consisting of plates.
  46. Plāt'y-cēph'a-loŭs, a.p. 997Broad-headed.
  47. Plăt'y-cœ'li-an, a.p. 997Flat at the front end and concave at the hinder, as the vertebræ of the extinct cetiosaurs. Dana.
  48. Plāt'y-erī'nīte, a.p. 997(Palæon.) A kind of encrinite, the body of which is stout, and made up of a few large plates. It is confined mostly to the sub-carboniferous limestone in geology. Dana.
  49. Plăt'y-pŏd, n.p. 997(Zoöl.) An animal having broad feet.
  50. Plăt'y-pūs, n.p. 997(Zool.) The same as ORNITHORHYNCHUS. See ORNITHORHYNCHUS.
  51. Plăt'y-rhīne, n.p. 997(Zoöl.) One of a group of monkeys, characterized by having a round head and wide nostrils. See MONKEY.
  52. Plaud'it, n.p. 997A mark or expression of applause; praise bestowed. The plaudits on which it lives are as welcome when shouted by the most ignoble as when uttered by the wise. J. Taylor. Syn.—Acclamation; shouting…
  53. Plaud'it-o-ry, a.p. 997Applauding; commending.
  54. Plau'si-bil'i-ty, n.p. 997The state of being plausible; pretext; speciousness. Swift. To give any plausibility to a scheme of perpetual peace, war must have already become rare. De Quincey.
  55. Plau'si-ble, a.p. 997Capable of being applauded; fitted to gain favor or approbation; hence, superficially pleasing; apparently right; specious; popular; as, a plausible argument; a plausible pretext; a plausible…
  56. Plau'si-ble-īze, v. t.p. 997To render plausible. [Obs. and rare.] Fuller.
  57. Plau'si-ble-ness, n.p. 997The state of being plausible.
  58. Plau'si-bly, adv.p. 997In a plausible manner. They could talk plausibly about what they did not understand. Collier.
  59. Plau'sive, a.p. 997Applauding; manifesting praise. 2. Plausible. [Obs.] It must be a very plausive invention. Shak.
  60. Plāy, v. i.p. 997To engage in sport or lively recreation; to frolic; to engage in some exercise for the sake of amusement. The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day, Had he thy reason, would he skip and play? Pope. 2.…