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.
Prŭn'ing-shēars, n. pl. p. 1056Shears for pruning trees, &c.Prŭ'ri-ence or Prŭ'ri-en-cy, n. p. 1056The state of being prurient; an itching, longing desire or appetite for any thing. It has nothing to recommend it to the pruriency of curious ears. Burke.Prū'ri-ent, a. p. 1056Uneasy with desire; itching; as, a prurient curiosity. Warton. The eye of the vain and prurient is darting from object to object of illicit attraction. I. Taylor.Prŭ-rĭg'i-nous, a. p. 1056Tending to, or caused by, prurigo; affected by prurigo. Greenhill.Prŭ-rī'go, n. p. 1056(Med.) A popular disease of the skin, of which itching is the principal symptom, the eruption scarcely differing from the healthy cuticle in color.Prus'sian, a. p. 1056(Geog.) Of, or pertaining to, Prussia. Prussian blue (Chem.), cyanide of potassium and iron. This salt is of a beautiful deep blue, and is much used as a pigment. It is also used in medicine.Prus'sian, n. p. 1056(Geog.) A native or inhabitant of Prussia.Prŭs'si-ate or Prūs'si-ate, n. p. 1056(Chem.) One of various compound cyanides; as, the red and yellow prussiate of potash.Prus'sic, a. p. 1056Pertaining to Prussian blue. Prussic acid, hydrocyanic acid, formerly so called because obtained from prussian blue. It is a virulent poison.Prū-tēn'ic, a. p. 1056Prussian; — applied to certain astronomical tables published in the sixteenth century, founded on the principles of Copernicus, a Prussian.Prŷ, v. i. p. 1056To peep into that which is closed; to inspect closely; to attempt to discover that which is inaccessible; — often employed with an implied reproach. Watch, thou, and wake, when others be asleep, To…Prŷ, n. p. 1056Narrow inspection; impertinent peeping.Prŷ, n. p. 1056A lever; — a contraction in America for prize.Prŷ, v. t. p. 1056To raise, or attempt to raise, with a lever; to prize. [U. S.]Prŷ'ing, p. a. p. 1056Looking closely into; closely inspecting. Syn.—Inquisitive; curious. See INQUISITIVE.Prŷ'ing-ly, adv. p. 1056With close inspection or impertinent curiosity.Prŷt'a-nē'um, n. p. 1056(Gr. Antiq.) A public hall in Athens regarded as the home of the city, in which the duties of hospitality were exercised, on behalf of the city, to its own citizens and strangers. Foreign embassadors…Prŷt'a-nīs, n. p. 1056(Gr. Antiq.) A member of one of the ten sections into which the senate of five hundred was divided, and to each of which belonged the presidency of the senate for one tenth of the year.Prŷt'a-ny, n. p. 1056(Gr. Antiq.) The period during which the presidency of the senate belonged to the prytanes of one section.Prŷth'ee p. 1056The same as PRITHEE.Psălm, n. p. 1056A sacred song; a poetical composition for praise or worship to God. Hymns devout and holy psalms Singing everlastingly. Milton. 2. Especially, one of the hymns by David and others, collected into one…Psālm'ist, n. p. 1056A writer or composer of sacred songs;—a title particularly applied to David and the other authors of the scriptural psalms. 2. (Rom. Cath. Church.) A clerk, preceptor, singer, or leader of music in…Psālm'ist-ry, n. p. 1056The use of psalms in devotion. Milton.Psal-mŏd'ic or Psal-mŏd'ic-al, a. p. 1056Relating to psalmody.Psăl'mo-dĭst, n. p. 1056One who sings sacred songs.Psăl'mo-dīze, v. i. p. 1056To practice psalmody. “The psalmodizing art.” Cooper.Psăl'mo-dy, n. p. 1056The act, practice, or art of singing psalms or sacred songs. 2. Psalms considered collectively.Psāl'mo-grāph, n. p. 1056A writer of psalms; a psalmographer.Psal-mōg'ra-pher or Psal-mōg'ra-phist, n. p. 1056A writer of psalms or divine songs and hymns.Psal-mōg'ra-phy, n. p. 1056The act or practice of writing psalms or sacred songs and hymns.Psălm'-sĭng'ing, n. p. 1056The act of singing psalms; psalmody.Psaʹlter, n. p. 1056The Book of Psalms;—often applied to a book containing the Psalms separately printed. 2. Especially, the Book of Psalms as printed in the Book of Common Prayer, a version which differs slightly from…Psāl'ter-y, n. p. 1056A stringed instrument of music used by the Hebrews, the form of which is not now known, but it is supposed to have been triangular in shape. It was used especially on solemn occasions, and for sacred…Psăm'mite, n. p. 1056(Min.) A species of micaceous sandstone.Psam-mĭt'ic, a. p. 1056Pertaining to, or containing, psammite.Psē'phism, n. p. 1056(Gr. Antiq.) A statute enacted by vote of the Athenian people.Pseu'de-pīg'ra-phōūs, a. p. 1056Inscribed with a false name. [Obs.] Cudworth.Pseū'de-pīg'ra-phy, n. p. 1056The ascription of false names of authors to works.Pseu'dī-ōd'o-mōn, n. p. 1056(Arch.) A mode of building in Greece, in which the height, length, and thickness of the courses differed. Elmes.Pseŭ'do p. 1056A prefix signifying false, counterfeit, pretended, or spurious;—often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, pseudo-apostle, pseudo-clergy, pseudo-episcopal, pseudo-evangelicism…Pseū'do-blēp'sis, n. p. 1056(Med.) False or depraved sight; imaginary vision of objects. Forsyth.Pseū'do-būlb p. 1056/ (sū'do-), n. [From prefix pseudo and bulb, q. v.] (Bot.) A kind of corm, as of some epiphytic, orchidaceous plants. Gray.Pseū'do-chī'nā, n. p. 1056(Bot.) (a.) The false china root, a plant of the genus Smilax (S. pseudo-china), found in America. (b.) A species of Strychnos, and a species of Solanum.Pseü'do-dip'ter-al, a. p. 1056(Arch.) Falsely or imperfectly dipteral, as a temple with the inner range of columns surrounding the cell omitted. Oxf. Gloss.Pseū'do-dip'ter-al, n. p. 1056(Arch.) An imperfectly dipteral temple, or one in which the inner range of columns surrounding the cell is omitted.Pseü'do-dōx, a. p. 1056Not true in opinion; false.Pseŭ'do-ga-lē'nā, n. p. 1056False galena or black-jack.Pseü'do-grāph or Pseü-dōg'ra-phy, n. p. 1056False writing. Holder.Pseū-dŏl'o-gist, n. p. 1056One who utters falsehoods; a liar.Pseü-dŏl'o-gy, n. p. 1056Falsehood of speech. Arbuthnot.Pseü'do-me-tāl'lic, a. p. 1056Falsely or imperfectly metallic;—said of a kind of luster which is perceptible only when held toward the light, as in minerals. Philips.Pseü'do-mōrph, n. p. 1056An irregular or deceptive form. Tennyson. 2. (Crystallog.) A pseudomorphous crystal, as a crystal consisting of quartz, but having the cubic form of fluor spar, the fluor crystal having been changed…Pseü'do-môr'phïzm, n. p. 1056(Crystallog.) The taking of a crystalline form different from that which belongs to the species. Dana.Pseü'do-môr'phōus, a. p. 1056Not having the true form. Pseudomorphous crystal, one which has a form that does not result from its own powers of crystallization. Dana.Pseü'do-nўm, n. p. 1056A fictitious name assumed for the time, as by an author. [Written also pseudonyme.]Pseü-dōn'y-mōs, a. p. 1056Bearing a false or fictitious name.Pseü'do-pe-rīp'ter-al, a. p. 1056(Arch.) Falsely or imperfectly peripteral, as a temple having the columns at the sides attached to the walls. Oef. Gloss.Pseu'do-pe-rīp'ter-al, n. p. 1056(Arch.) An imperfectly peripheral temple, or one having the columns at the sides attached to the walls.Pseü'do-ro-mān'tic, a. p. 1056Falsely romantic. “The false taste, the pseudo-romantic rage.” De Quincey.Pseü'do-scope, n. p. 1056(Opt.) An instrument which exhibits the objects with their proper relief reversed;—an effect opposite to that produced by the stereoscope. Wheatstone.