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.
Pū'sil-la-nim'i-ty, n. p. 1065The quality of being pusillanimous; weakness of spirit; cowardliness. “The badge of pusillanimity and cowardice.” Shak. It is obvious to distinguish between an act of pusillanimity and an act of…Pū'sil-lān'i-mōus, a. p. 1065Destitute of a manly or courageous strength and firmness of mind; of weak spirit; mean-spirited; cowardly;—said of persons; as, a pusillanimous prince. 2. Evincing weakness of mind or want of…Pū'sil-lān'i-mōŭs-ly, adv. p. 1065In a pusillanimous manner.Pū'sil-lān'i-mōs-ness, n. p. 1065The quality of being pusillanimous; want of courage; pusillanimity.Puss, n. p. 1065A cat;—a fondling appellation. 2. A hare;—so called by sportsmen.Puss'y, n. p. 1065A puss;—a diminutive of puss, used as a fondling name for a cat.Pŭs'sy, a. p. 1065See PURSY.Pūst'ū-lar, a. p. 1065(Bot.) Covered with prominences resembling pustules; pustulous.Pŭst'ū-lāte, v. t. p. 1065To form into pustules, or blisters. Stackhouse.Pŭst'ū-late, a. p. 1065(Nat. Hist.) Covered with pustules.Pŭst'ū-lāt'ed p. 1065tule-like prominences. Dana.Pŭst'ūle, n. p. 1065(Med.) An elevation of the cuticle, with an inflamed base, containing pus.Pŭst'ū-loŭs, a. p. 1065Full of pustules; covered with pustules.Put, v. t. p. 1065To move in any direction; to impel; to thrust; to push;—nearly obsolete, except with adverbs, as with by; to thrust aside; to divert;—or with forth; to thrust out. The design of the evil one is to…Put, v. i. p. 1066To go or move; as, when the air first puts up. [Obs.] Bacon. 2. To steer; to direct. His fury thus appeased, he puts to land. Dryden. To put about (Naut.), to change direction; to tack.—To put forth.…Put, n. p. 1066An action of distress; as, a forced put. L'Estrange.Pŭt, n. p. 1066A rustic; a clown. Queer country puts extol Queen Bess's reign. Bramston. 2. A game at cards. [Obs.] Nares.Pūt, n. p. 1066A strumpet; a prostitute. [Obs.]Pŭ'tage, n. p. 1066(Law.) Prostitution or fornication on the part of a female.Pŭ'tan-ism, n. p. 1066Customary lewdness or prostitution of a female.Pu-tā'men, n. p. 1066(Bot.) The shell of a nut; the stone of a drupe fruit. Gray.Pŭ'ta-tive, n. p. 1066Commonly thought or deemed; supposed; reputed; as, the putative father of a child. “His other putative (I dare not say feigned) friends.” J. Hall. Thus things indifferent, being esteemed useful or…Pût-chûck', n. p. 1066A fragrant root imported into China from the north-west coast of India, and used for burning as incense. [Written also put'chock and putchuk.] McCulloch.Pū'te-al, n. p. 1066(Arch.) An inclosure surrounding a well to prevent persons from falling into it; a well-curb. Weale.Pŭt'ter-y, n. p. 1066Harlotry; whoredom; prostitution. [Obs.] Chaucer.Pŭ'tid, a. p. 1066Mean; base; worthless. [Obs.] Bp. Taylor. Such is thy putid muse, Lucretius. That fain would teach that souls all mortal be. Henry More.Pu-tid'i-ty or Pu'tid-ness, n. p. 1066Meanness; vileness. [Obs.]Pût'log, n. p. 1066(Arch.) A short piece of timber, on which the planks forming the floor of a scaffold are laid, one end resting on the ledger of the scaffold, and the other in a hole left in the wall temporarily for…Pût'-ôff, n. p. 1066A shift for evasion or delay; an evasion.Pū'tour, n. p. 1066A harlot. [Obs.]Pu-trĕd'i-noūs, a. p. 1066Proceeding from putrefaction, or partaking of the putrefactive process; having an offensive smell; stinking. Flower.Pū'tre-fāc'tion, n. p. 1066The act or process of putrefying; the offensive decay of albuminoid compounds, accompanied by the presence of, and probably produced by, minute organisms. 2. The condition of being putrefied; also…Pū'tre-fāc'tive, a. p. 1066Pertaining to putrefaction; as, the putrefactive smell or process. 2. Tending to promote putrefaction; causing putrefaction.Pū'tre-făc'tive-ness, n. p. 1066The state or quality of being putrefactive.Pū'tre-fy, v. t. p. 1066To render putrid; to cause to decay offensively; to cause to be decomposed; to cause to rot. 2. To corrupt; to make foul. Let him have them; to keep them here They would but stink, and putrefy the…Pū'tre-fy, v. i. p. 1066To become putrid; to decay offensively; to have the constituent elements newly arranged, forming new compounds, as animal and vegetable substances deprived of the living principle; to rot.Pu-trĕs'cence, n. p. 1066The state of being putrescent.Pu-trĕs'cent, a. p. 1066Becoming putrid. “Stately, externally powerful, although putrescent at the core.” Motley. 2. Pertaining to the process of putrefaction; as, a putrescent smell.Pu-trĕs'çi-ble, a. p. 1066Capable of being putrefied; liable to become putrid; as, putrescible substances.Pu-trĕs'çi-ble, n. p. 1066A body generally, if not always, nitrogenized, which undergoes decomposition at certain temperatures, when in contact with air and moisture.Pū'trid, a. p. 1066Tending to dissolution or decay: decomposed; rotten; — said of animal or vegetable matter; as, putrid flesh. 2. Indicating or proceeding from a decayed state of animal or vegetable matter; as, a…Pu-trid'i-ty or Pū'trid-ness, n. p. 1066The state of being putrid; corruption; putrefaction. Flower.Pū'tri-fāc'ted, a. p. 1066Putrified. [Obs.] “What vermin bred of putrefacted slime.” Marston.Pū'tri-fi-cā'tion, n. p. 1066The state of being or becoming putrified; putrefaction.Pū'tri-lage, n. p. 1066(Med.) The slough formed in ulcers and thrown off. Dunglison.Pū'try, a. p. 1066Rotten; putrid. [Obs.] Marston.Put'ter, n. p. 1066One who puts or places. 2. One who pushes the small wagons in a coal mine, and the like.Pŭt'ter, v. i. p. 1066To act inefficiently or idly; to trifle; to potter. See POTTER.Put'ter-ōn, n. p. 1066An inciter or instigator. Shak.Put'ting, n. p. 1066The throwing of a heavy stone, with the hand raised over the head;—an ancient sport in Scotland.Put'ting-stōne, n. p. 1066A heavy stone used in the game of putting. [Scot.] Jamieson.Pŭt'tock, n. p. 1066The glede, a species of kite; also, sometimes, the common buzzard. [Eng.] To be a dog, a mule, . . . a lizard, an owl, a puttock, . . . I would not care. Shak. 2. [Probably corrupted from futtock.]…Pŭt'ty, n. p. 1066A kind of paste or cement compounded of whiting, or soft carbonate of lime, and linseed oil, beaten or kneaded to the consistence of dough;—used in fastening glass in sashes, stopping crevices, or…Pŭt'ty, v. t. p. 1066To cement with putty; to fill up with putty.Pŭt'ty-fāced, a. p. 1067White-faced;—used contemptuously. Clarke.Pŭt'ty-root, n. p. 1067(Bot.) A low plant (Aplectrum hyemale) having a globular corm filled with a glutinous starch, whence the name. It is common in the United States.Pā'y, n. p. 1067The same as Poy.Pǔz'zel, n. p. 1067A vile harlot; a drab. [Obs.]Pŭz'zle, v. t. p. 1067To perplex; to embarrass; to put to a stand; to nonplus. A very shrewd disputant in those points is dexterous in puzzling others. More. He is perpetually puzzled and perplexed amidst his own…Pŭz'zle, v. i. p. 1067To be bewildered; to be awkward. “A puzzling fool, that heeds nothing.” L'Estrange.