Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
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Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pōr-trāy'er, n. p. 1015One who paints, draws to the life, or describes.Pōrt'reeve, n. p. 1015The same as PORTGRAVE, q. v.Pōr'tress, n. p. 1015A female guardian of a gate; a female porter. Milton.Pōrt'-rōpe, n. p. 1015A rope to draw up a port-lid.Pōrt'sāle, n. p. 1015A public or open sale. [Obs.] The great quarrel between Cæpio and Drusus grew by occasion of a ring sold in port-sale. Holland.Pōrt'so-ken, a. p. 1015Having the circuit or liberties of the gate; that is, being within the city gates in point of privileges, though without it in point of fact. One ward in London has now this name.Pōrt'-tōll, n. p. 1015(Law.) A payment made for the privilege of bringing goods into port. Craig.Pōrt'-town, n. p. 1015A town having, or situated near, a port.Pōr'tu-guēse, n. p. 1015(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Portugal.Pōr'tu-guēse, a. p. 1015(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Portugal, or its inhabitants.Pōr'tu-lā'cā, n. p. 1015(Bot.) A genus of plants embracing the common purslain, and also species having beautiful flowers. Loudon.Pōrt'-ward'en, n. p. 1015The officer in charge of a port; a harbor-master. Simmonds.Pōr'wīg-le, n. p. 1015A tadpole; a young frog. [Obs.] See POLLIWIG.Pōrt'-wine, n. p. 1015See PORT.Pōr'y, a. p. 1015Full of pores or small interstices. [Rare.] Dryden.Pōse, n. p. 1015The attitude in which a person stands; especially, a position formally assumed for the sake of effect; as, the pose of an actor; the pose of a person whose likeness is taken; artificial position.Posé, a. p. 1015(Her.) Standing still, with all his feet on the ground;—said of the attitude of a lion, horse, or other beast.Pōse, n. p. 1015A stuffing of the head; catarrh. [Obs.] Chaucer.Pōse, v. t. p. 1015To bring to a stand; to put a stop to; to puzzle. Learning was posed, philosophy was set. Herbert. 2. To question with a view to puzzling; to interrogate rigidly; to embarrass by questioning or…Pōs'er, n. p. 1015One who puzzles by asking difficult questions; a close examiner. 2. A question, statement, or the like, which puzzles or silences.Pŏs'ing-ly, adv. p. 1015In a manner to pose, or puzzle.Pŏs'it, v. t. p. 1015To place firmly or fixedly; to assume as real or conceded. J. Edwards.Po-sĭ'tion, n. p. 1015The state of being posited, or placed; the manner in which any thing is placed; attitude; condition; as, a firm, inclined, or upright position. We have different prospects of the same thing…Po-sĭ'tion-al, a. p. 1015Respecting position. [Obs.] Browne.Pŏs'i-tive, a. p. 1015Having a real position, existence, or energy; real; actual; — opposed to negative. “Positive good.” Bacon. 2. Derived from an object by itself; not dependent on changing circumstances or relations…Pŏs'i-tive, n. p. 1016That which is capable of being affirmed; reality. South. 2. That which settles by absolute or arbitrary appointment. Waterland. 3. (Gram.) A word that affirms or asserts existence. Harris. 4.…Pŏs'i-tive-ly, adv. p. 1016Absolutely; by itself, independent of any thing else; not comparatively. Good and evil removed may be esteemed good or evil comparatively, and not positively, or simply. Bacon. 2. Not negatively…Pŏs'i-tive-ness, n. p. 1016Reality of existence; not mere negation; actualness. The positiveness of sins of commission lies both in the habitude of the will and in the executed act too: the positiveness of sins of omission is…Pŏs'i-tiv-ism, n. p. 1016A system of philosophy originated by M. Auguste Comte, and which deals only with positives. It excludes from philosophy every thing but the natural phenomena or properties of knowable things…Pŏs'i-tiv-ist, n. p. 1016A believer in, or advocate of, positivism.Pŏs'i-tīv'i-ty, n. p. 1016The same as POSITIVENESS. [Obs. or rare.] Watts.Pŏs'net, n. p. 1016A little basin; a porringer, skillet, or saucepan.Pŏs/o-lŏg'ic or Pŏs/o-lŏg'ic-al, a. p. 1016Pertaining to posology.Po-sŏl'o-gy, n. p. 1016(Med.) The science or doctrine of doses.Pŏs'po-lite, n. p. 1016A kind of militia in Poland, which, in case of invasion, was summoned to arms for the defense of the country.Pŏss, v. t. p. 1016To dash or throw about; to push; to punch, to kick. [Prov. Eng.] Pegge.Pŏs'se Cŏm'i-tā'tus p. 1016(Law.) The power of the county, or the citizens who may be summoned to assist an officer in suppressing a riot, or executing any legal precept which is forcibly opposed. Blackstone. ☞ The word…Pos-sĕss', v. t. p. 1016Lit., to sit upon; hence, to occupy in person; to hold in one's own keeping; to have and to hold. 2. To have the legal title to; to have a just right to; to have a fair claim upon; to own. 3. To…Pos-sĕs'/sion, n. p. 1016The act of possessing. 2. (Law.) The having, holding, or detention of property in one's power or command; actual seizin or occupancy; ownership, whether rightful or wrongful. ⚒ Possession may be…Pos-sĕs'sion, v. t. p. 1016To invest with property. [Obs.] Carver.Pos-sĕs'sion-a-ry, a. p. 1016Pertaining to, or arising from, possession.Pos-sĕs'sion-er, n. p. 1016One who has possession of a thing, or power over it. [Obs.] “Having been of old freemen and possessioners.” Sidney.Pos-sĕss'ive, a. p. 1016Pertaining to possession; having possession. Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case, or case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership; as, John's book; or some relation of one thing…Pos-sĕss′īve-ly, adv. p. 1016In a manner denoting possession.Pos-sĕss'or, n. p. 1016One who possesses; one who owns or controls; one who has actual participation or enjoyment, generally of that which is desirable; an occupant. Think of the happiness of the prophets and apostles…Pos-sĕss'o-ry, a. p. 1016Relating to a possessor, or to that which is possessed; having possession; as, a possessory lord. Howell. Possessory action or suit (Law.), an action or suit founded on possession or a right to it…Pŏs'set, n. p. 1016A beverage composed of milk curdled by some strong infusion, as by wine, &c., much in favor formerly. I have drugged their posset. Shak.Pŏs'set, v. t. p. 1016To curdle; to turn, as milk with acids; as, to posset the blood. Shak.Pŏs'si-bil'i-ty, n. p. 1016The power of being or existing; the state of being possible. “All possibility of error.” Hooker. 2. That which is possible. “In the number of possibilities.” South. 3. (Law.) A contingency; a thing…Pŏs'si-ble, a. p. 1016Liable to happen or come to pass; capable of existing or of being conceived or thought of; capable of being done; not contrary to the nature of things. With God all things are possible. Matt. xix.…Pŏs'si-bly, adv. p. 1016By any power, moral or physical, really existing. Can we possibly his love desert? Milton. 2. Without involving impossibility or absurdity; perhaps. Arbitrary power tends to make a man a bad…Pŏs'sum, n. p. 1016The opossum. [Colloq. U. S.] To play possum, to act possum, to feign inactivity, indifference, or inattention, with the intent to deceive;—so applied in allusion to the habit of the opossum, which…Pŏst, a. p. 1016Hired to do what is wrong; suborned. [Obs.] Sandys.Pŏst, n. p. 1016A piece of timber, metal, or other solid substance, placed firmly in an upright position, especially as a stay or support to something else; a pillar; as, a cedar post; a granite post. Then by main…Pōst, v. i. p. 1017To travel with post-horses. 2. Hence, to travel with speed. “And post o’er land and ocean without rest.” Milton.Pōst, adv. p. 1017With post-horses; as, to travel post. 2. With great rapidity. “Sent from Media post to Egypt.” Milton.Pōst, v. t. p. 1017To attach to a sign-post or other usual place of affixing public notices; to advertise; as, to post a notice. 2. Especially, to hold up to public fame or reproach; to advertise opprobriously; as, to…Pōst p. 1017A Latin preposition, much used in composition as a prefix, signifying after.Pōst'a-ble, a. p. 1017Capable of being carried. [Obs.]Pōst'-āct, n. p. 1017An after-act; an act done afterward. Burrill.