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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- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
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.Plow'-bōte or Plough'-bōte, n. p. 1000(Eng. Law.) Wood or timber allowed to a tenant for the repair of instruments of husbandry.Plow'boy or Plough'boy, n. p. 1000A boy that drives or guides a team in plowing; a rustic boy.Plow'er or Plough'er, n. p. 1000One who plows land; a cultivator.Plow'-fōot or Plough'-fōot, n. p. 1000The lower or bottom part of a plow.Plow'-gāng or Plough'-gāng, n. p. 1000The same as PLOW-GATE.Plow'-gāte or Plough'-gāte, n. p. 1000A certain quantity of land, being about thirty acres. [Eng.] “Not having one plow-gate of land.” W. Scott.Plow'-hĕad or Plough'-hĕad, n. p. 1000The draught-iron at the end of the beam of a plow.Plow'-lānd or Plough'-lānd, n. p. 1000Land that is plowed, or suitable for tillage. 2. (O. Eng. Law.) A quantity of land allotted for the work of one plow; as much as one team can plow in a year.Plow'-man or Plough'-man, n. p. 1000One who plows or holds a plow; a cultivator of grain; a husbandman. At last, the robber binds the plowman, and carries him off with the oxen. Spelman. 2. A rustic; a countryman; a hardy laborer.Plow'-Mōn'day or Plough'-Mōn'day, n. p. 1000The Monday after Twelfth-day, formerly fixed upon by English farmers as the period for commencing the labors of the plow. Tusser.Plow'-pĕn'ny or Plough'-pĕn'ny, n. p. 1000A special tax on each plow. [Denmark.] Sinding.Plow'shāre or Plough'shāre, n. p. 1001The part of a plow which cuts the ground at the bottom of the furrow, and raises the slice of earth or sod to the mold-board, which turns it over.Plow'-shoe or Plough'-shoe, n. p. 1001A piece of wood somewhat resembling a shoe, which is placed under a plow so that it may be drawn over the soil without penetrating.Plow'-sŏck or Plough'-sŏck, n. p. 1001Plowshare. [Scot.] W. Scott.Plow'-stȧff or Plough'-stȧff, n. p. 1001An instrument like a paddle for cleaning a plow, or for clearing it when it becomes choked with stalks, weeds, or the like.Plow'-tāil or Plough'-tāil, n. p. 1001The hind part or handle of a plow.Plow'-wrīght or Plough'-wrīght, n. p. 1001One who works upon, makes, or repairs plows.Ploy, v. i. p. 1001(Mil.) To form a column from a line of battle on some designated subdivision.Plŭck, v. t. p. 1001To pull; to draw. Its own nature did the mischief, and plucks on its own dissolution. Bp. Taylor. 2. Especially, to pull with sudden force or effort, or to pull off, out, or from, with a twitch; to…Plück, n. p. 1001The heart, liver, and lights of an animal. 2. Spirit; perseverance under opposition or discouragement; indomitableness; courage. “Decay of English spirit, decay of manly pluck.” Thackeray.Plück'er, n. p. 1001One who plucks. Mortimer.Plück'i-ly, adv. p. 1001In a bold, resolute manner.Plück'-i-ness, n. p. 1001The quality of pluck. Thackeray.Plück'less, a. p. 1001Without pluck.Plück'y, a. p. 1001Having resolute and enduring courage; spirited. Thackeray.Plüff, n. p. 1001A puff; an escape of smoke; an explosion of gunpowder. [Scot.]Plüg, n. p. 1001Any piece of wood or other substance used to stop a hole; a stopple. 2. The foil or other matter used by a dentist to fill the cavity in a tooth. [U. S.] 3. A flat, oblong cake of pressed tobacco…Plŭg, v. t. p. 1001To stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole.Plŭg'ging, n. p. 1001The act of stopping with a plug; the material of which a plug or stopple is made.Plŭg'-rŏd, n. p. 1001(Steam-eng.) A rod attached to the beam for working the valves, as in the Cornish engine.Plūm, n. p. 1001The fruit of a tree belonging to the genus Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called plum-tree. ☞ The fruit is a drupe, containing a nut or stone with prominent sutures, and inclosing a kernel.…Plŭm, a. p. 1001Plump; round; full. [Obs.]Plŭm'ăge, n. p. 1001The collection of plumes or feathers which cover a bird. Say, will the falcon stooping from above, Smit with her varying plumage, spare the dove? Pope.Plu-māś'sa-ry, n. p. 1001A plume or collection of ornamental feathers.Pīu-mā'sĭ-er, n. p. 1001One who prepares and deals in plumes or feathers for ornament.Plūmb, n. p. 1001A mass or weight of lead or other material attached to a line, and used to indicate a vertical direction, as in erecting buildings, &c.; a plummet; — rarely used except in composition. See PLUMB-LINE.Plŭmb, a. p. 1001Perpendicular, that is, standing according to a plumb-line; as, the post of the house or the wall is plumb.Plŭmb, adv. p. 1001In a plumb direction; perpendicularly. The eagle, of all birds, would be the first to flutter and sink plumb down if the atmosphere should make no resistance to his wings. De Quincey.Plūmb, v. t. p. 1001To adjust by a plumb-line; to set in a perpendicular direction; as, to plumb a building or a wall. 2. [W. plwmiaw.] To sound with a plumb or plummet, as the depth of water. [Rare.] Swift. 3. To…Plum-bāʹgine, n. p. 1001(Chem.) A crystallizable substance extracted from the root of a certain plant, the Plumbago Europæa.Plum-bāg′i-nous, a. p. 1001Resembling plumbago; consisting of, or containing, plumbago; as, a plumbaginous slate.Plum-bā’go, n. p. 1001(Min.) A mineral consisting of carbon, with usually, but not necessarily, a little iron. It is used for pencils, &c., and is popularly called black-lead.Plūm'be-an or Plūm'be-ous, a. p. 1001Consisting of or resembling lead; lead-colored. 2. Dull; heavy; stupid. J. P. Smith.Plŭmb'er, n. p. 1001One who works in lead; especially, one who adjusts lead pipes and other apparatus for the conveyance of water.Plŭmber-blŏck, n. p. 1001A metal box or case containing the pillows on which the journals of shafts revolve;—the same as PILLOW-BLOCK. See PILLOW-BLOCK.Plŭmb'er-y, n. p. 1001The business of a plumber. 2. The place where plumbing is carried on.Plŭm'bĭc, a. p. 1001Pertaining to, or obtained from, lead; as, plumbic acid.Plum-bĭf'er-ōūs, a. p. 1001Producing or containing lead. Kirwan.Plŭmb'ing, n. p. 1001The art of casting and working in lead, and using it in building. Gwilt. 2. Especially, the business of arranging pipes for conducting water. 3. The lead pipes and other apparatus employed in…Plŭmb'-line, n. p. 1001A line having a weight attached to its end, used to determine a perpendicular; a plummet. 2. A line perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; a line directed to the center of gravity in the earth.Plŭmb'-rūle, n. p. 1001A narrow board having a plumb-line suspended from its top, used by builders to determine a perpendicular.Plŭm'-cāke, n. p. 1001Cake containing raisins, currants, or other fruit.Plūme, n. p. 1001The feather of a bird; especially, the finer or heavier part of a feather. 2. A large or handsome feather worn as an ornament on a helmet, on a military hat, on a lady’s bonnet, and the like. “His…Plūme, v. t. p. 1001To pick and adjust the plumes or feathers of. “Pluming her wings among the breezy bowers.” Irving. Swans must be kept in some inclosed pond, where they may have room to come on shore and plume…Plūme'-āl'um, n. p. 1001Feathery or fibrous alum.Plūme'less, a. p. 1001Without plumes. Eusden.Plūme'let, n. p. 1001A small plume. “When rosy plumets tuft the larch.” Tennyson. 2. (Bot.) A plumule.Plūm'er-y, n. p. 1001A collection of plumes; plumes in general. [Rare.] Southey.