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.
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.Plăt'ter-fāced, a. p. 997Having a broad face.Plāt'ting, n. p. 997Slips of bast, cane, straw, and the like, woven or plaited for making into hats, &c.Pla-tū'rus, n. p. 997(Zoöl.) A genus of marine serpents having a flattened tail. Baird.Plāt'y, a. p. 997Like plates; consisting of plates.Plāt'y-cēph'a-loŭs, a. p. 997Broad-headed.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.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.Plăt'y-pŏd, n. p. 997(Zoöl.) An animal having broad feet.Plăt'y-pūs, n. p. 997(Zool.) The same as ORNITHORHYNCHUS. See ORNITHORHYNCHUS.Plăt'y-rhīne, n. p. 997(Zoöl.) One of a group of monkeys, characterized by having a round head and wide nostrils. See MONKEY.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…Plaud'it-o-ry, a. p. 997Applauding; commending.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.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…Plau'si-ble-īze, v. t. p. 997To render plausible. [Obs. and rare.] Fuller.Plau'si-ble-ness, n. p. 997The state of being plausible.Plau'si-bly, adv. p. 997In a plausible manner. They could talk plausibly about what they did not understand. Collier.Plau'sive, a. p. 997Applauding; manifesting praise. 2. Plausible. [Obs.] It must be a very plausive invention. Shak.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.…Plāy, v. t. p. 997To put in action or motion; as, to play cannon or a fire-engine. First Peace and Silence all disputes control, Then Order plays the soul. Herbert. 2. To perform music upon; as, to play the flute or…Plāy, n. p. 997Any exercise or series of actions intended for pleasure, amusement, or diversion, as at cricket or quoit, or at blind-man’s-buff; a game. “John naturally loved rough play.” Arbuthnot. 2. Amusement…Plāy'-ăct/or, n. p. 997One who acts, or performs a part in a drama; a player; an actor.Plāy'-bill, n. p. 997A printed advertisement of a play, with the parts assigned to the actors.Plāy'-book, n. p. 997A book of dramatic compositions.Plāy'-dāy, n. p. 997A day given to play or diversion; a day exempt from work. Swift.Play'-dĕbt, n. p. 998A debt contracted by gaming. Arbuthnot.Plāy'er, n. p. 998One who plays; as, (a.) An actor of dramatic scenes; one whose occupation is to imitate characters on the stage. All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. Shak. (b.) A mimic.…Plāy'fĕl-lōw, n. p. 998A companion in amusements or sports; a playmate.Plāy'fēre, n. p. 998A playfellow. [Obs.] Beau. & Fl.Plāy'ful, a. p. 998Sportive; given to levity; as, a playful child. Spectator. 2. Indulging a sportive fancy; as, a playful genius.Plāy'ful-ly, adv. p. 998In a playful manner.Plāy'ful-ness, n. p. 998The state of being playful.Plāy'-gāme, n. p. 998Play of children. Locke.Plāy'-gō'er, n. p. 998One who frequents plays.Plāy'-gō'ing, a. p. 998Frequenting the exhibitions of the stage.Plāy'-house, n. p. 998A house appropriated to the exhibition of dramatic compositions; a theater.Plāy'ing-cārd, n. p. 998One of a set of fifty two cards, made in four suits of thirteen each, bearing painted figures and devices, and used in playing games.Plāy'less, a. p. 998Without play; not playing. Coleridge.Plāy'māte, n. p. 998A playfellow; a companion in diversions.Plāy'-plēas'ure, n. p. 998Idle amusement. [Obs.] Bacon.Plāy'sōme, a. p. 998Playful; wanton. [Rare.]Plā'yṡōme-ness, n. p. 998Playfulness; wantonness. [Rare.]Plāy'thing, n. p. 998Any thing that serves to amuse; a child's toy. A child knows his nurse, and by degrees the playthings of a little more advanced age. Locke.Plāy'wright, n. p. 998A maker of plays. “The coarse caricatures of modern playwrights.” Jeffreys.Plēa, n. p. 998(Law.) That which is alleged by a party in support of his cause; in a stricter sense, an allegation of fact in a cause, as distinguished from a demurrer; in a still more limited sense, and in modern…Plēach, v. t. p. 998To unite by interweaving, as branches of trees; to plash. Round thee blow, self-pleached deep, Bramble roses, faint and pale. Tennyson.Plēad, v. i. p. 998To argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; as, to plead for the life…Plēad, v. t. p. 998To allege or adduce in proof, support, or vindication; to offer in excuse; as, the law of nations may be pleaded in favor of the rights of ambassadors. I will neither plead my age nor sickness in…Plead'a-ble, a. p. 998Capable of being pleaded; capable of being alleged in proof, defense, or vindication; as, a right or privilege pleadable at law. Dryden.Plead'er, n. p. 998One who pleads; especially, a lawyer who makes a plea in a court of justice. So fair a pleader any cause may gain. Dryden.Plead'ing-ly, adv. p. 998In a pleading manner; by supplication.Plead'ings, n. pl. p. 998(Law.) The mutual altercations between the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is…Pleas'ance, n. p. 998The state of being pleasant; that which gives pleasure; pleasantry; gayety; merriment. “To whom he might disclose his witless pleasance.” Spenser. “To take of pleasance each his secret share.” Byron.…Plĕas'ant, a. p. 998Fitted to please; grateful to the mind or to the senses; agreeable. How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Ps. cxxxiii. 1. 2. Cheerful; enlivening; as, pleasant…Pleas'ant, n. p. 998One who utters pleasantries; a buffoon. [Obs.]Pleas'ant-ly, adv. p. 998In a pleasant manner.Pleas'ant-ness, n. p. 998The state or quality of being pleasant.Pleas'ant-ry, n. p. 998Any thing which promotes pleasure or good humor; gayety; merriment. The harshness of reasoning is not a little softened and smoothed by the infusions of mirth and pleasantry. Addison. 2. That which…Pleas'ant-tŏngued, a. p. 998Having pleasing speech.