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.
Pleū-rĭt'ic or Pleū-rĭt'ic-al, a. p. 999Pertaining to pleurisy; as, pleuritic symptoms or affections. 2. Diseased with pleurisy.Pleū-rī'tis, n. p. 999(Med.) Inflammation of the pleura; pleurisy. Dunglison.Pleū'ro-pĕr'ip-neū'mo-ny, n. p. 999(Med.) The same as PLEURO-PNEUMONIA.Pleū'ro-pneū-mō'ni-ȧ, n. p. 999(Med.) Inflammatory disease of the pleura and lungs.Plĕv'in, n. p. 999A warrant of assurance. [Obs.]Plĕx'i-fôrm, a. p. 1000In the form of net-work; complicated. Quincy.Plex-im'e-ter, n. p. 1000(Med.) The plate which is placed in contact with the body to receive the percussion in examination by auscultation. [Written also plex-ometer.] Dunglison.Plĕx′ūre, n. p. 1000The act or process of weaving together; that which is woven together.Plĕx'us, n. p. 1000(Physiol.) Any network of vessels, nerves, or fibers. Coxe.Pleyt, n. p. 1000(Naut.) A kind of ship. Simmonds.Pli'a-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1000The quality of being pliable; flexibility. The mountaineers seemed to possess the pliability of movement fitted to execute military maneuvers. W. Scott.Pli'a-ble, a. p. 1000Capable of being plied, turned, or bent; easy to be bent; readily yielding to pressure without rupture; flexible; as, willow is a pliable plant. 2. Hence, flexible in disposition; readily yielding to…Pli'a-ble-ness, n. p. 1000Pliability; flexibility.Pli'a-bly, adv. p. 1000In a pliable manner.Pli'an-cy, n. p. 1000The state of being pliant, in a physical or moral respect.Pli'ant, a. p. 1000Capable of plying or bending; easily bent; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking; flexible; lithe; limber; as, a pliant thread; pliant wax. 2. Hence, readily or easily influenced to…Pli'ant-ly, adv. p. 1000In a pliant manner.Pli'ant-ness, n. p. 1000The state of being pliant. Bacon.Pli'ca, n. p. 1000(Med.) A disease of the hair, peculiar to Poland and the neighboring countries, in which it becomes twisted, interlaced, and agglutinated or matted together. Dunglison.Pli'cate or Pli'ca-ted, a. p. 1000(Bot.) Plaited; folded like a fan; as, a plicate leaf.Pli'cate-ly, adv. p. 1000In a plicate or folded manner.Pli-cā'tion, n. p. 1000A folding or fold.Plie'a-tūre, n. p. 1000A fold; a doubling.Plic'i-dĕn'tine, n. p. 1000(Anat.) A modification of dentine, in which it appears folded upon a series of vertical plates radiating from the axis of the pulp, and which is accompanied by a fluted form of the exterior of the…Pli'ed, imp. & p. p. p. 1000of ply. See PLY.Pli'ers, n. pl. p. 1000A kind of pinchers, by which any small object may be seized and bent.Pli'fōrm, a. p. 1000In the form of a fold or doubling. Pennant.Plight, v. t. p. 1000To expose to danger or risk; to pledge; to give as security for the performance of some act; as, to plight faith, honor, word; — never applied to property or goods. Plight me the full assurance of…Plight, v. t. p. 1000To weave; to braid; to fold or intertwine. [Obs.] “Plighted clouds.” Milton.Plight, n. p. 1000That which is exposed to risk; that which serves to plight or pledge; security; gage. “That Lord, whose hand must take my plight.” Shak. 2. Exposed condition; risky or dangerous state. “Satan beheld…Plight'er, n. p. 1000One who, or that which, plights.Plim, v. i. p. 1000To swell. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Grose.Plinth, n. p. 1000(Arch.) A square, projecting, vertically faced member forming the lowest division of the base of a column; the plain projecting face at the bottom of a wall immediately above the ground. Oxf. Gloss.Plī'ō-cēne, a. p. 1000(Geol.) Pertaining to, or characterizing, the most recent tertiary deposits, in which 40 per cent. or more of the fossil shells are of recent species. Lyell.Plī'o-cēne, n. p. 1000(Geol.) The pliocene formation.Plī'o-sau'rus, n. p. 1000(Palæon.) A swimming saurian allied to the plesiosaurus, whose fossil remains are found in the oolite. R. Owen.Plitt, n. p. 1000An instrument of punishment or torture resembling the knout, used in Russia.Plīde, n. p. 1000(Naut.) A mixture of hair and tar for covering the bottom of a ship. Simmonds.Plō'çe, n. p. 1000(Rhet.) A figure in which a word is separated or repeated, by way of emphasis, so as not only to signify the individual thing denoted by it, but also its peculiar attribute or quality; as, “His…Plŏd, v. i. p. 1000imp. & p. p. PLODD'ED; p. pr. & vb. n. PLODDING.} [Cf. Gael. plod, a clod, to strike or pelt with a clod or clods.] 1. To travel with steady, laborious diligence. Some stupid, plodding, money-loving…Plŏd, v. t. p. 1000To tread with a heavy, laboring step. Barefoot plod I the cold ground. Shak.Plōd'der, n. p. 1000One who plods. Shak.Plōd'ding-ly, adv. p. 1000In a plodding manner.Plōnge, n. p. 1000(Mil.) The superior slope of a parapet. Campbell.Plongée, n. p. 1000The same as PLONGE, q. v.Plōt, n. p. 1000A small extent of ground; as, a garden plot. It was a chosen plot of fertile land. Spencer. When we mean to build, We first survey the plot. Shak. 2. A plantation laid out. [Obs.] Sidney. 3. (Surv.)…Plōt, n. p. 1000Any scheme, stratagem, or plan of a complicated nature, or consisting of many parts, adapted to the accomplishment of some purpose, usually a mischievous one. I have overheard a plot of death. Shak.…Plŏt, v. i. p. 1000To form a scheme of mischief against another, especially against a government. The wicked plotteth against the just. Ps. xxxvii. 12. 2. To contrive a plan; to scheme. The prince did plot to be…Plŏt, v. t. p. 1000To plan; to devise; to contrive; as, to plot an unprofitable crime. “Plotting now the fall of others.” Milton. 2. To make a plan of; to delineate. To plot forth, to draw away by a plot. [Obs.] The…Plōt'fyl, a. p. 1000Abounding with plots.Plo-t'nist, n. p. 1000(Eccl. Hist.) A disciple of Plotinus, a celebrated Platonic philosopher, who, in the early ages of Christianity, taught that the human soul emanates from the divine Being, to whom it is reunited at…Plōt'ter, n. p. 1000One who plots or contrives; a contriver; a conspirator.Plōt'ting-seāle, n. p. 1000(Surv.) An instrument consisting of two ivory scales, one of which is at right angles to, and sliding upon, the other;—used in plotting, especially in plotting offsets from main lines.Plough, n. p. 1000See PLOW.Plôv'er, n. p. 1000(Ornith.) A bird of several species frequenting the banks of rivers and the sea-shore, and belonging to the genus Charadrius of Linnæus. Their flesh is excellent food. Partington.Plow or Plough, n. p. 1000(Agr.) A well-known implement for turning up the soil, drawn by animal or other power. “Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow.” Dryden. 2. Hence, culture of the earth; agriculture; tillage. 3. A…Plow or Plough, v. t. p. 1000To trench and turn up with a plow; as, to plow the ground for wheat; to plow it into ridges. 2. To furrow; to divide; to run through in sailing. With speed we plow the watery wave. Pope. 3. To turn…Plow or Plough, v. i. p. 1000To labor with a plow. He that ploweth should plow in hope. 1 Cor. ix. 10. 2. To advance by plowing, or in spite of obstacles. Guided by faith and matchless fortitude, To peace and truth thy glorious…Plow'a-ble or Plough'a-ble, a. p. 1000Capable of being plowed; arable.Plow'-älms or Plough'-älms, n. p. 1000A penny formerly paid by every plow-land to the church. [Obs.] Cowell.