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.
Pōr'eate or Pōr'ē-a-ted, a. p. 1013Formed in parallel ridges; ridged. Asiat. Res.Pôr'çe-lain, n. p. 1013A fine, translucent kind of earthen ware, made first in China and Japan, but now in Europe and America; — called also China, or China ware. Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. Dryden. 2.…Porcelain-clay p. 1013a clay composed of alumina and silica, used in making porcelain.—Porcelain-jasper. See Porcelanite.Pōr'çe-lā'ne-ous, a. p. 1013Pertaining to, or resembling, porcelain; as, porcelaneous shells. Hatchett.Pōr'çe-la-nite, n. p. 1013(Min.) A semi-vitrified clay or shale, somewhat resembling jasper; — called also porcelain-jasper. Dana.Pōr'çe-lā'nōus, a. p. 1013Pertaining to, or like, porcelain; porcelaneous.Pōrch, n. p. 1013(Arch.) A kind of vestibule at the entrance, of temples, halls, churches, or other buildings; hence, a stately or ornamental entrance way. The graceless Helen in the porch I spied Of Vesta’s temple.…Pōr'cine, a. p. 1013Pertaining to swine; as, the porcine species of animals.Pōr'cu-pīne, n. p. 1013(Zool.) A rodent quadruped of the genus Hystrix of Linnæus, furnished with spines or quills upon the body, covered with sharp prickles, some of which are twelve inches long, and capable of being…Pôr'eu-pine-fish, n. p. 1013(Ichth.) A fish of the tropical seas, which is covered with spines or prickles capable of being erected by its inflating the body. It is the Diodon hystrix of Bloch. Jardine.Pōr'eu-pine-wood, n. p. 1013The wood of a species of palm; — so called because, when cut horizontally, the markings of the wood resemble the quills of a porcupine. Simmonds.Pōre, n. p. 1013(Anat.) A minute orifice in an animal membrane. 2. A minute opening or passage-way; an interstice between the constituent particles or molecules of a body; as, the pores of plants or of stones.Pōre, v. i. p. 1013To look with steady, continued attention or application on or over; to study with an abstracted gaze;—often with on or over. “Painfully to pore upon a book.” Shak. The eye grows weary with poring…Pōre'blind, a. p. 1013Near-sighted; short-sighted; purblind. [Obs.] Bacon.Pōr'er, n. p. 1013One who pores or studies diligently.Pōr'gee or Pōr'gy, n. p. 1013(Ichth.) A salt-water fish of the gilt-head kind, much esteemed for food. The common species in North America is the Pagrus argyrops. The Sand-porgee is the Sargus arenosus.Po-rif'e-ran, n. p. 1013(Zoöl.) An animal of the group comprising the sponges. Carpenter.Pō'ri·fōrm, a. p. 1013Resembling a pore, or small puncture.Pō'rime, n. p. 1013(Math.) A theorem or proposition so easy of demonstration as to be almost self-evident. Crabb.Pōr'i-ness, n. p. 1013The state of being pory, or having numerous pores. [Rare.] Wiseman.Pō'rism, n. p. 1013(Geom.) A proposition having for its object to find the condition that will render certain problems indeterminate or capable of innumerable solutions. Math. Dict. 2. (Gr. Geom.) A corollary. Brande.Pō'ris·măt'ic or Pō'ris·măt'ic-al or Po-ris'tic or Po-ris'tic-al, a. p. 1013Pertaining to, or of the nature of, a porism.Pō'rite, n. p. 1013(Zoöl.) A coral of certain species, having the surface covered with very shallow or superficial cells, which are quite small and every where contiguous. They grow often to a very large size, and are…Pōrk, n. p. 1013The flesh of swine, fresh or salted, used for food.Pōrk'er, n. p. 1013A hog. W. Scott.Pōrk'et, n. p. 1013A young hog; a pig. Dryden. His fields abound with . . . kids, lambs, and porkets. Howitt.Pōrk'ling, n. p. 1013A pig. Tusser.Por-nŏg'ra-phy, n. p. 1013Licentious painting employed to decorate the walls of rooms sacred to bacchanalian orgies, examples of which exist in Pompeii.Po-rŏs'i-ty, n. p. 1013The quality or state of having pores or interstices;—opposed to density.Po-rŏt'ic, n. p. 1013(Med.) A remedy supposed capable of assisting the formation of a callus. Dunglison.Pōr'ōŭs, a. p. 1013Full of pores; having interstices in the skin or substance of the body; having spiracles or passages for fluids; as, a porous skin; porous wood. “The veins of porous earth.” Milton.Pōr'oŭs-ly, adv. p. 1013In a porous manner.Pōr'ōŭs-ness, n. p. 1013The quality of having pores; porosity; as, the porousness of the skin of an animal, or of wood, or of fossils. [Obs.] 2. The porous part of any thing. [Rare.] They will forcibly get into the…Pōr'pen-tine, n. p. 1013A porcupine. [Obs.]Pōr'pess or Pōr'pesse p. 1013and Pōr'pesse, n. See PORPOISE.Pōr'phy-rā'ceoŭs, a. p. 1013Porphyritic.Pōr'phyre, n. p. 1013Porphyry. [Obs.] Locke.Pŏr'phy-rĭt'ic, a. p. 1013Pertaining to, resembling, or consisting of, porphyry; as, porphyritic mountains. Kirwan.Pōr'phy-rize, v. t. p. 1013To cause to resemble porphyry; to make spotted in its composition, like porphyry.Pōr'phy-ry, n. p. 1013(Min.) A rock consisting of a compact base, usually feldspathic, through which crystals of feldspar are disseminated. The crystals are of a lighter tint than the base, and often white. There are red…Pôr'poise, n. p. 1014(Ichth.) A cetaceous mammal of the genus Delphinus of Linnæus, but of the genus Phocæna of more recent naturalists (P. communis). It is about six feet in length, of a bluish-black color on the back…Pōr'po-rī'no, n. p. 1014A composition of quicksilver, tin, and sulphur, forming a yellow powder, sometimes used by medieval artists, for the sake of economy, instead of gold. Fairholt.Pōr'pus, n. p. 1014A porpoise. [Obs. or vulgar.]Por-rā'ceoŭs, a. p. 1014Resembling the leek in color; greenish. Wiseman.Por-rēct’,, a. p. 1014(Zoöl.) Extended horizontally; stretched out.Por-rēc'tion, n. p. 1014The act of stretching forth. [Obs.]Pōr'ret, n. p. 1014A scallion; a leek or small onion. [Rare.] Browne.Pōr'ridge, n. p. 1014A kind of food made by boiling vegetables in water, with or without meat; — often made, in America, by boiling meal, flour, or other farinaceous substances in water, or in milk and water, to the…Pōr'ridge-pōt, n. p. 1014A pot in which porridge is boiled.Pŏr'rin-ger, n. p. 1014A porridge-dish; especially, a small metallic vessel in which porridge or other liquids are warmed for children, or from which children are fed. 2. A head-dress in the shape of a porringer;—so called…Pōrt, n. p. 1014[Fr. & Pr. port, It. & Pg. porto, Sp. puerto, Lat. portus, A.-S. port.] A place where ships may ride secure from storms; an inlet, recess, or cove of water where vessels may float in safety; a…Pōrt, v. t. p. 1014To carry; to bear; to transport. [Obs.] I am glad That any thing could port her hence. B. Jonson. 2. (Mil.) To hold, as a musket, in a slanting direction upward across the body, so that its breech is…Pōrt'a-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1014The state of being portable; fitness to be carried.Pōrt'a-ble, a. p. 1014Capable of being borne or carried; not bulky or heavy; easily transported; conveyed without difficulty; as, a portable bed, desk, &c. The pleasure of the religious man is an easy and portable…Pōrt'a-ble-ness, n. p. 1014The quality of being portable.Pōrt'age, n. p. 1014The act of carrying. 2. The price of carriage. Fell. 3. (Naut.) (a.) A port-hole. [Obs.] Shak. (b.) A narrow tract of land over which merchandise, &c., is carried between two bodies of navigable…Pör'ta-güe, n. p. 1014A Portuguese gold coin worth about 3½ pounds sterling, or about 16 dollars. [Obs.] “Ten thousand portuguees, besides great pearls.” Marlow.Pōrt'al, n. p. 1014A small door or gate; hence, sometimes, any passage-way. Thick with sparkling orient gems The portal shone. Milton. 2. (Arch.) (a.) The arch over a door or gate. (b.) The frame-work of the gate. (c.)…Pōrt'al, a. p. 1014(Anat.) Relating or belonging to the porta or gateway of the liver; as, the portal vein, which enters the liver between the portal eminences. ☞— The term has been applied to a similar circulation in…Pōrt'ance, n. p. 1014Air; mien; carriage; port; demeanor. [Obs.] “His portance terrible.” Spencer.