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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- 2,133
Look up a word as the writers of the time used it.
Ptĕr'i-ple-gĭst'ic, a. p. 1057Relating to fowling, or shooting birds.Ptēr'o-dāc'tyl, n. p. 1057(Paleon.) A fossil reptile which had the little finger of the hand greatly elongated, for the purpose of bearing a membraneous wing.Pte-rōph'o-rūs, n. p. 1057(En-tom.) A genus of small, lepidopterous insects, distinguished by the wings being divided into narrow feathered rays. Baird.Ptēr’o-pŏd, n. p. 1057(Zoöl.) An animal of the subdivision Cephalates, in the sub-kingdom Mollusca. See MOLLUSK.Pte-rōp'o-doūs, a. p. 1057Having the characters of a pteropod.Ptĕr'y-goid, a. p. 1057Like a bird's wing in form; as, the pterygoid process of the sphenoid bone.Ptĭs'an, n. p. 1057A decoction of barley with other ingredients. 2. (Med.) An aqueous medicine, containing little, if any, medicinal agent; a tisane. Dunglison.Ptōl'e-mā'ic, a. p. 1057Pertaining to Ptolemy. Ptolemaic system (Astron.), that maintained by Ptolemy, who supposed the earth to be fixed in the center of the universe, with the sun and stars revolving around it. This…Ptōl'e-mā'ist, n. p. 1057One who receives the astronomical system of Ptolemy.Ptȳ'a-līne, n. p. 1057(Chem.) A soluble matter which constitutes a part of the saliva. It acts as a fermenting principle, and readily converts starch into sugar. Gregory.Pty'a-līsm, n. p. 1057(Med.) A morbid and copious excretion of saliva; salivation. Coxe.Ptȳ-āl′o-gŏgue, n. p. 1057(Med.) A ptysmagogue.Pty̆s'ma-gōgue, n. p. 1057(Med.) A medicine that promotes discharges of saliva.Pŭb'ble, a. p. 1057Puffed out; pursy; fat. [Obs.] Thou shalt find me fat, and well fed, As pubble as may be. Drant.Pū'ber-al, a. p. 1057Pertaining to puberty.Pū'ber-ty, n. p. 1057The age at which persons are capable of begetting or bearing children, usually considered, in temperate climates, to be about fourteen years in males, and twelve in females. 2. (Bot.) The period when…Pu-bĕr′u-lent, a. p. 1057(Bot.) Covered with down so short and fine as hardly to be perceptible. Gray.Pū'bēs, n. p. 1057(Anat.) (a.) The middle part of the hypogastric region, so called as covered with hair, in both sexes, at the period of puberty. (b.) The hair itself. Dunglison. 2. (Bot.) The down of plants; a downy…Pu-bĕs'çençe, n. p. 1057The state of a youth who has arrived at puberty; or the state of puberty. Browne. 2. (Bot.) The soft, short hairs on plants.Pu-bĕs'çen-cy, n. p. 1057Pubescence. Browne.Pu-bĕs'çent, a. p. 1057Arriving at puberty. That ... the men [are] pubescent at the age of twice seven, is accounted a punctual truth. Browne. 2. (Bot.) Covered with pubescence, as the leaves of plants. 3. (Zoöl.) Covered…Pū'bĭc, a. p. 1057(Anat.) Of, or pertaining to, the pubes; as, the pubic arch. Dunglison.Pū'bis, n. p. 1057(Anat.) The anterior part of one of the bones of the pelvis (os innominatum), corresponding to the genital organs. Dunglison.Pŭb'lic, a. p. 1057Pertaining to, or belonging to, the people; relating to a nation, state, or community; — opposed to private. To the public good Private respects must yield. Milton. He [Alexander Hamilton] touched…Pŭb'lic, n. p. 1057The general body of mankind, or of a nation, state, or community; the people, indefinitely. The public is more disposed to censure than to praise. Addison. 2. A public house; an inn. [Rare.] Ye can…Pūb'li-can, n. p. 1058(Rom. Antiq.) A farmer of the taxes and public revenues; hence, a collector of toll or tribute. The inferior officers of this class were often oppressive in their exactions, and were regarded with…Pŭb'li-cā'tion, n. p. 1058The act of publishing or making known; notification to the people at large, either by words, writing, or printing; proclamation; divulgation; promulgation; as, the publication of the law at Mount…Pŭb'lic-heärt'ed, a. p. 1058Public-spirited. [Obs.] Clarendon.Pŭb'lic-house, n. p. 1058An ordinary inn or house of entertainment.Pŭb'li-cĭst, n. p. 1058A writer on the laws of nature and nations; one who treats of the rights of nations. The Whig leaders, however, were much more desirous to get rid of Episcopacy than to prove themselves consummate…Pub-lic'i-ty, n. p. 1058The state of being public or open to the knowledge of a community; notoriety.Pŭb'lic-ly, adv. p. 1058With exposure to popular view or notice; without concealment; as, property publicly-offered for sale; an opinion publicly avowed; a declaration publicly made. 2. In the name of the community.Pŭb'lic-mīnd'ed, a. p. 1058Disposed to promote the public interest. [Rare.]Pŭb'lic-mīnd'ed-ness, n. p. 1058A disposition to promote the public advantage. [Rare.] South.Pŭb'lie-ness, n. p. 1058The state of being public, or open to the view or notice of people at large; publicity; as, the publicness of a sale. 2. State of belonging to the community; as, the publicness of property. Boyle.Pŭb'lic-spīr'it-ed, a. p. 1058Having or exercising a disposition to advance the interest of the community; disposed to make private sacrifices for the public good; as, public-spirited men. 2. Dictated by a regard to public good…Pŭb'lic-spĭr'it-ed-ly, adv. p. 1058With public spirit.Pŭb'lic-spĭr'it-ed-ness, n. p. 1058A disposition to advance the public good, or a willingness to make sacrifices of private interest to promote the common weal.Pŭb'lish, v. t. p. 1058To make public; to make known to mankind or to people in general; to divulge, as a private transaction; to promulgate or proclaim, as a law or edict. The unwearied sun, from day to day, Does his…Pŭb'lish-a-ble, a. p. 1058Capable of being published.Pŭb'lish-er, n. p. 1058One who publishes or makes known. The love of you, not hate unto my friend, Hath made me publisher of this pretense. Shak. 2. One who sends a book or writing into the world for common use; one who…Pŭb'lish-ment, n. p. 1058The act or process of making publicly known. 2. A public notice of intended marriage, formerly required by the laws of some States, as Massachusetts and Connecticut.Pue-cōōn', n. p. 1058(Bot.) A plant of various species, yielding a red pigment, used by the North American Indians, as the bloodroot and alkanet; also, the pigment itself.Pūçe, a. p. 1058Of a dark brown or brownish-purple color.Pū'çel, n. p. 1058A maid; a virgin. See PUCELLE. [Obs.]Pū'çel-aġe, n. p. 1058A state of virginity. [Rare.] Robinson.Pu-çĕlle', n. p. 1058A maid; a virgin. [Written also pucel.] “Lady or pucelle, that wears mask or fan.” B. Jonson.Pū'çe-rŏn, n. p. 1058(Entom.) The Aphis, vine-fretter, or plant-louse.Pū'cha-păt, n. p. 1058(Bot.) A plant of the genus Pogostemon (P. patchouli), from the essential oil of which the perfume patchouly is made.Pŭck, n. p. 1058(Medieval Myth.) A celebrated fairy, “the merry wanderer of the night;” —called also Robin Good-fellow, Friar Rush, Pug, &c. He meeteth Puck, whom most men call Hobgoblin, and on him doth fall.…Pŭck'-ball, n. p. 1058A kind of mushroom full of dust; a puck-fist.Pŭck'er, v. t. p. 1058To gather into small folds or wrinkles; to contract into ridges and furrows; to corrugate; —often followed by up. “His face pale and withered, and his skin puckered in wrinkles.” Spectator.Pŭck'er, n. p. 1058A fold or wrinkle, or a collection of folds. 2. A state of perplexity or anxiety; confusion; bother; agitation. [Prov. Eng. Colloq. U. S.]Pŭck'er-er, n. p. 1058One who, or that which, puckers.Pŭck'er-y, a. p. 1058Producing, or tending to produce, a pucker; as, a puckery taste. Lowell. 2. Inclined to become puckered or wrinkled.Pŭck'-fist, n. p. 1058A mushroom or fungus, called also puff-ball; — used as a term of reproach. Nares.Pud'den-ing, n. p. 1058(Naut.) (a.) A quantity of rope-yarn, or the like, for guarding against chafing. (b.) A gromet of rope lashed round a mast, or yard, to serve as a support if the slings give way. Totten.Pŭd'der, n. p. 1058A tumult; a confused noise; a bustle. The superstitious man, . . . being scared by the pangs and gripes of a boiling conscience, all in a pudder, shuffles up to himself such a God and such a worship…Pŭd'der, v. i. p. 1058To make a tumult or bustle; to act with violence; to splash; to make a pother; to meddle. “Puddering in the designs or doings of others.” Barrow. Others pudder into their food with their broad nebs.…Pŭd'der, v. t. p. 1058To perplex; to embarrass; to confuse; to bother. Locke.