Dictionary
An American Dictionary of the English Language
Revised and enlarged (Goodrich & Porter)
Springfield, Mass. · G. & C. Merriam · 1865
- Entries
- 95,912
- Pages
- 1,538
- Illustrations
- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Pow'der, n. p. 1020The fine particles into which any substance is pounded or ground, or into which it falls by decay; dust. Grind their bones to powder small. Shak. 2. Especially, a composition of saltpeter, sulphur…Pow'der, v. t. p. 1020To reduce to fine particles; to pound, grind, or rub into fine particles; to comminute; to pulverize. 2. To sprinkle with powder, or as with powder; as, to powder the hair. A circling zone thou seest…Pow'der, v. i. p. 1020To separate into minute particles; to become like powder; as, some salts powder easily. 2. To come violently. [Obs.] L'Estrange.Pow'der-bŏx, n. p. 1020A box in which powder is kept.Pow'der-cärt, n. p. 1020A cart that carries powder and shot for artillery.Pow'der-chĕst, n. p. 1020A small box, or case, charged with powder, old nails, &c., fastened to the side of a ship, to be discharged at an enemy attempting to board. 2. A chest for holding gunpowder on board a ship.Pow'der-flāsk, n. p. 1020A flask in which gunpowder is carried.Pow'der-hŏrn, n. p. 1020A horn in which gunpowder is carried by sportsmen.Pow'der-ing-tūb, n. p. 1020A tub, or vessel, in which meat is corned or salted. 2. Hence, the place where an infected lecher is cured.Pow'der-măg'a-zīne', n. p. 1020A place where gunpowder is stored; especially, a place made shot-proof, for storing gunpowder, in fortified places, or in ships.Pow'der-mill, n. p. 1020A mill in which gunpowder is made.Pow'der-mīne, n. p. 1020A cave, or hollow, in which gunpowder is placed to be fired at a proper time.Pow'der-mŏnk'ey, n. p. 1020A boy who carries cartridges from the magazine to the guns, in ships of war. “A powder-monkey on board an armed sloop.” W. Scott.Pow'der-rōom, n. p. 1020The apartment, in a ship, where gunpowder is kept. Waller.Pow'der-y, a. p. 1020Easily crumbling to pieces; friable. 2. Sprinkled with powder; dusty. 3. Having a resemblance to powder. “The powdery snow.” Wordsworth.Pow'dike, n. p. 1020A marsh or fen dike. [Prov. Eng.]Pow'er, n. p. 1020Ability to act, regarded as latent or inherent; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or performance; capability of producing an effect, whether physical or moral; might…Pow'er-a-ble, a. p. 1021Capable of being effected by the application of power; capable of being wrought or accomplished by power; possible. J. Young. 2. Capable of exerting power; powerful. [Obs.]Pow'er-ful, a. p. 1021Full of power; capable of producing great effects of any kind; as, a powerful man or animal; a powerful army or navy; a powerful government; a powerful argument; a powerful light. 2. Great; uncommon…Pow'er-ful, adv. p. 1021Exceedingly; greatly; very; as, I felt powerful weak. [Vulgar.] Bartlett.Pow'er-ful-ly, adv. p. 1021With great force or energy; potently; mightily; with great effect; forcibly;— used either in a physical or moral sense.Pow'er-ful-ness, n. p. 1021The quality of having, or exerting, great power; force; power; might.Power-less, a. p. 1021Destitute of power, force, or energy; weak; impotent; not able to produce any effect.Pow'er-less-ness, n. p. 1021The quality of being powerless; destitution of power.Pow'er-lōom, n. p. 1021A loom worked by water, steam, or some mechanical power.Pow'er-press, n. p. 1021A press, especially a printing press worked by steam, water, or other power than the human arm.Powl'dron, n. p. 1021(Her.) That part of armor which covers the shoulders.Pow'ter, n. p. 1021A variety of the common domestic pigeon. See POUTER.Pow'wow, n. p. 1021A priest, or conjurer, among the North American Indians. 2. Conjuration performed for the cure of diseases and other purposes, attended with great noise and confusion, and often with dancing. 3.…Pow'wow, v. i. p. 1021To use conjuration, with noise and confusion, as among the American Indians; hence, to carry on a noisy frolic or gathering.Pŏx, n. p. 1021(Med.) Strictly, pustules or eruptions of any kind, but chiefly or wholly restricted to three or four diseases — the small-pox, chicken-pox, the vaccine, and the venereal diseases. ☞ Pox, when used…Pŏx, v. t. p. 1021To infect with the pox, or venereal disease.Poy, n. p. 1021A rope-dancer’s pole. 2. A long boat-hook, by which barges are impelled against the stream. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.Poy'al, n. p. 1021A kind of striped stuff for covering seats and benches. Simmonds.Poy-nā'do, n. p. 1021A poniard; a dagger. [Obs. and rare.] I will have it so sharp-pointed, that it shall stab Motto like a poynado. Lily.Poynd'ing, n. p. 1021See POINDING.Poy-nĕt'tē', n. p. 1021A small bodkin, or point, to punch holes with. [Obs.]Poynt'ell, n. p. 1021(Arch.) A mode of paving, or flooring, in small squares or lozenges. Weale.Poy'gu, n. p. 1021(Zoöl.) An animal of the genus Dasypus (D. Encoubert); a species of armadillo found in South America.Pōze, v. t. p. 1021To pose; to puzzle. See POSE.Pŏz'/zo-lä'nä or Pŏz'/zu-o-lä'nä, n. p. 1021Volcanic ashes from Pozzuoli, in Italy, used in the manufacture of a kind of mortar which hardens under water. Brande.Prāam, n. p. 1021(Naut.) A flat-bottomed boat, or lighter; — used in Holland and the Baltic for conveying goods to and from a vessel, in loading and unloading.Präc'tic, a. p. 1021The same as PRACTICAL. 2. Artful. “His practic will.” Spenser.Prăc'ti·ca·bil'i·ty, n. p. 1021The quality or state of being practicable; feasibility.Prā'c·ti-ca-ble, a. p. 1021Capable of being practiced or performed; capable of being done or accomplished; possible to be accomplished with known means or resources; feasible; as, a practicable plan. “A practicable virtue.”…Prăc'ti·ca-ble-ness, n. p. 1021The quality of being practicable; practicability.Präc'ti·ca·bly, adv. p. 1021In a practicable manner; in such a manner as may be performed.Prăc'ti·cal, a. p. 1021Pertaining to practice. 2. Capable of being turned to use or account; useful, in distinction from ideal, or theoretical. “Man’s practical understanding.” South. “For all practical purposes.”…Prăc'ti·căl'i·ty, n. p. 1021The quality of being practical; practicalness.Prăc'ti-cal-ly, adv. p. 1021In relation to practice. 2. By means of practice or use; by experiment; as, practically wise or skillful. 3. In practice or use; as, a medicine practically safe; theoretically wrong, but practically…Prăc'ti·cal·ness, n. p. 1021The quality of being practical.Prac'tice, n. p. 1021Frequently repeated or customary actions; a succession of acts of a similar kind; as, the practice of rising early or of dining late; the practice of making regular entries of accounts; the practice…Prăc'tice, v. t. p. 1021To do or perform frequently, customarily, or habitually; to perform by a succession of acts; as, to practice gaming; to practice fraud or deception. 2. To carry on in practice, or repeated action; to…Præ'tiçe, v. i. p. 1021To perform certain acts frequently or customarily, either for instruction, profit, or amusement; as, to practice with the broadsword; to practice with the rifle, or on the piano. 2. To learn by…Præc'ti-cer, n. p. 1021One who practices; one who customarily performs certain acts. 2. One who exercises a profession; a practitioner.Prac-ti'cian, n. p. 1021One who is, by practice, acquainted with, or skilled in, any thing.Præ'ti-sant, n. p. 1021An agent. [Obs.] Shak.Præ'ctise, v. t. & i. p. 1021See PRACTICE. ☞ There is no reason why the noun and verb should not both be spelled with c, as in notice, sacrifice, apprentice, and all like cases where the accent precedes the last syllable. The…Prac-ti'tion-er, n. p. 1021One who is engaged in the actual use or exercise of any art or profession, particularly in law or medicine. 2. One who does any thing customarily or habitually. Whitgift. 3. One who practices sly or…Præ'tive-ly, adv. p. 1021In a practical manner; by practice. [Obs.] The preachers and the people both Then practically did thrive. Warner.