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.
Pōl’y-a-dĕl’phi-an or Pōl’y-a-dĕl’phōus, a. p. 1008(Bot.) Belonging to the class Polyadelphia; having stamens united in three or more bundles.Pōl'y-ăn'dri-ă, n. p. 1008(Bot.) A class of monoclinous or hermaphrodite plants, in the Linnæan system, having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.Pŏl'y-ăn'dri-an or Pŏl'y-ăn'drōus, a. p. 1008(Bot.) Belonging to the class Polyandria; having many stamens, that is, any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.Pŏl'y-ăn'dry, n. p. 1008The possession by a woman of more husbands than one at the same time; plurality of husbands.Pŏl'y-ăn'thus, n. p. 1008(Bot.) (a.) An ornamental plant of the genus Primula, whose flower-stalks produce flowers in clusters. (b.) A bulbous, flowering plant of the genus Narcissus (N. tazetta, or N. polyanthus of some…Pŏl'y-ärch'ist, n. p. 1008One who favors, or supports, polyarchy.Pŏl'y-ärch'y, n. p. 1008A government by many persons, of whatever order or class. Cudworth.Pŏl'y-au-tŏg'ra-phy, n. p. 1008The act or practice of multiplying copies of one's own handwriting, or of manuscripts, by engraving on stone; a species, or particular application, of lithography.Pŏl'y-bā'sic, a. p. 1008(Chem.) Having, or combined with, several bases.Po-lĭb'a-site, n. p. 1008(Min.) An iron-black ore of silver, consisting of silver, sulphur, and antimony, with some copper and arsenic.Pŏl'y-cär'pon, n. p. 1008(Bot.) A genus of plants, including but two species, the seeds of which are very numerous.Pŏl'y-căr'poŭs, a. p. 1008(Bot.) (a.) Bearing flowers repeatedly. (b.) Having several pistils in one flower.Pŏl'y-chœr'a-ny, n. p. 1008A government by many chiefs, princes, or rulers. [Obs. and rare.] Otherwise there would not be... one prince or monarch over the whole: but the world would be a polychœrany, or aristocracy of gods…Pŏl'y-chôrd, n. p. 1008(Mus.) (a.) A musical instrument used among the ancients, having ten strings. Roget. (b.) An apparatus for coupling two octave notes, capable of being attached to a piano or other keyed instrument.…Pŏl'y-chôrd, a. p. 1008Having many cords or strings.Pŏl'y-chrēst, n. p. 1008(Med.) A medicine that serves for many uses, or that cures many diseases. [Obs.] Polychrest salt (O. Chem.), the sulphate of potassa.Pŏl'y-chro-īsm, n. p. 1008The same as PLEOCHROISM, q. v.Pŏl'y-chro-īte, n. p. 1008The coloring matter of saffron. Ure.Pŏl'y-chro-măt'ic, a. p. 1008Exhibiting a variety of colors; colored with various tints. Polychromatic acid (Chem.), an acid obtained by the action of nitric acid upon aloes.Pŏl'y-chrōme, a. p. 1008Executed in the manner of polychromy; as, polychrome sculpture. Eng. Cyc.Pŏl'y-chrō'my, n. p. 1008(Anc. Art.) The practice of coloring statues to imitate nature, and also buildings, prints, &c., in harmonious, prismatic, or compound tints. Fairholt.Pŏl'y-chrō'ni-oŭs, a. p. 1008Enduring through a long time; chronic. [Rare.]Pŏl'y-cŏn'ic, a. p. 1008Pertaining to, or based upon, many cones; as, a polyconic projection. Polyconic projection (Map Projection), a projection or development of the earth's surface, or a portion of it, which supposes…Pŏl'y-cot-y-lē'don, n. p. 1008(Bot.) A plant that has many, or more than two, cotyledons or lobes to the seed. Martyn.Pōl'y-cot-y-lĕd'ō-noŭs, a. p. 1009Having more than two lobes to the seed.Po-lye'ra-cy, n. p. 1009Government by many rulers.Pŏl'y-cŷs'tine, n. p. 1009(Zoöl.) One of a group of animals belonging to the protozoans. See PROTOZOAN.Pŏl'y-dĭp'si-ă, n. p. 1009(Med.) A constant desire for drinking, with a sense of dryness in the mouth and throat, occasioned by disease. Dunglison.Pŏl'y-ē'dron, n. p. 1009See POLYHEDRON.Pōl'y-ē'droŭs, a. p. 1009See POLYHEDRAL.Pōl'y-ēm'bry-ō-nate, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several embryos; poly-embryonic.Pōl'y-ĕm'bry-ŏn'ĭc, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several embryos. Dana.Pŏl'y-ĕm-brŷ'ō-ny, n. p. 1009(Bot.) The existence, or development, of two or more embryos in the same seed.Pōl'y-ēr'gŏs, n. p. 1009(Entom.) A genus of ants, of which one species (P. rufescens) is remarkable for making incursions into the territories of another species of ant (Formica fusca), and capturing the larvæ, to be reared…Pŏl'y-foil, n. p. 1009(Arch.) A leaf-shaped ornament of more than five divisions, made by foils or segments of circles: a multifoil. [See Illust. of Multifoil.]Pōl'y-gā'mi-ă, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A class of plants, in the Linnæan system, bearing hermaphrodite flowers, with male or female flowers, or both, not inclosed in the same common calyx, but scattered either on the same plant, or…Pōl'y-gā'mi-an, a. p. 1009(Bot.) Producing hermaphrodite flowers, with male or female flowers, or both.Po-lŷg'ă-mist, n. p. 1009A person who practices polygamy, or maintains its lawfulness.Po-lŷg'ă-mize, v. i. p. 1009To act as a polygamist; to marry several wives. [Rare.] Coleridge.Po-ly̆g'a-mŏus, a. p. 1009Of, or pertaining to, polygamy. 2. Inclined to polygamy; having a plurality of wives. 3. (Bot.) The same as POLYGAMIAN.Po-ly̆g'a-my, n. p. 1009A plurality of wives or husbands at the same time, or the having of such plurality; usually, the condition of a man having more than one wife. He lived, to his death, in the sin of polygamy, without…Pŏl'y-găr'eh'y, n. p. 1009Government by many rulers; polyarchy.Pŏl'y-găs'tri-an or Pŏl'y-găs'trie, n. p. 1009An animal having, or supposed to have, many stomachs.Pŏl'y-găs'trie, a. p. 1009Of, or relating to, the polygastrians; having many stomachs; as, polygastric animalcules. Bell.Pŏl'y-gĕ-nĕ'tic, a. p. 1009Having many distinct sources; originating in various places or times.Po-lŷg'e-noŭs, a. p. 1009Consisting of many kinds; as, a polygenous mountain, which is composed of strata of different species of stone. Kirwan.Pŏl'y-glŏt, a. p. 1009Containing, or pertaining to, several languages; many-languaged; as, a polyglot lexicon.Pōl'y-glōt, n. p. 1009A person acquainted with several languages. “A polyglot, or good linguist.” Howell. 2. A book containing several versions of the same text, or containing the same subject-matter in several languages…Pŏl'y-glŏt'tōŭs, a. p. 1009Speaking many languages. [Rare.] “The polyglottous tribes of America.” M. Müller.Pŏl'y-gŏn, n. p. 1009(Geom.) A plane figure of many angles, and consequently of many sides; especially, one whose perimeter consists of more than four sides. Polygon of forces (Mech.), a polygonal figure, the sides of…Po-lŷg'o-nal, a. p. 1009Having many angles.Polygonal numbers p. 1009a series of numbers in arithmetical progression;—so called because the number of points which they severally indicate may be arranged symmetrically in the form of some polygonal figure, as the…Pŏl'y-go-nôm'e-try, n. p. 1009The doctrine of polygons; an extension of some of the principles of trigonometry to the case of polygons. Math. Dict.Po-lŷg'o-noŏs, a. p. 1009Polygonal.Po-lyg'o-nūm, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A genus of plants embracing a large number of species, including the various kinds of buckwheat, bistort, knotgrass, &c.Po-lŷg'o-ny, n. p. 1009(Bot.) A plant of the genus Polygonium; knotweed;—so called from its numerous joints.Pŏl'y-grām, n. p. 1009A figure consisting of many lines. Barlow.Pŏl'y-grāph, n. p. 1009An instrument for multiplying copies of a writing with ease and expedition.Pŏl'y-grāph'ic or Pŏl'y-grāph'ic-al, a. p. 1009Pertaining to, or employed in, polygraphy; as, a polygraphic instrument. 2. Done with a polygraph; as, a polygraphic copy or writing.Po-ly̆g'ra-phy, n. p. 1009The art of writing in various ciphers, and of deciphering the same.