Chapter LI: Bella (65)

PENNYWEIGHT Pen"ny*weight`, n.

Defn: A troy weight containing twenty-four grains, or the twentieth part of an ounce; as, a pennyweight of gold or of arsenic. It was anciently the weight of a silver penny, whence the name.

PENNYWORT Pen"ny*wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: A European trailing herb (Linaria Cymbalaria) with roundish, reniform leaves. It is often cultivated in hanging baskets. March, or Water, pennywort. (Bot.) See under March.

PENNYWORTH Pen"ny*worth`, n.

1. A penny's worth; as much as may be bought for a penny. "A dear pennyworth." Evelyn.

2. Hence: The full value of one's penny expended; due return for money laid out; a good bargain; a bargain. The priests sold the better pennyworths. Locke.

3. A small quantity; a trifle. Bacon.

PENOCK Pen"ock, n.

Defn: See Pend.

PENOLOGICAL Pen`o*log"ic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to penology.

PENOLOGIST Pe*nol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in, or a student of, penology.

PENOLOGY Pe*nol"o*gy, n. Etym: [Gr. poena, punishment + -logy.]

Defn: The science or art of punishment. [Written also poenology.]

PENRACK Pen"rack`, n.

Defn: A rack for pens not in use.

PENS Pens, n.,

Defn: pl. of Penny. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PENSATIVE Pen"sa*tive, a.

Defn: Pensive. [Obs.] Shelton.

PENSEL Pen"sel, n.

Defn: A pencel. Chaucer.

PENSIBLE Pen"si*ble, a.

Defn: Held aloft. [Obs.] Bacon.

PENSILE Pen"sile, a. Etym: [L. pensilis, fr. pendere to hang: cf. OE. pensil. See Pendant.]

Defn: Hanging; suspended; pendent; pendulous. Bacon. The long, pensile branches of the birches. W. Howitt.

PENSILENESS Pen"sile*ness, n.

Defn: State or quality of being pensile; pendulousness.

PENSION Pen"sion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. pensio a paying, payment, fr. pendere, pensum, to weight, to pay; akin to pend to hang. See Pendant, and cf. Spend.]

1. A payment; a tribute; something paid or given. [Obs.] The stomach's pension, and the time's expense. Sylvester.

2. A stated allowance to a person in consideration of past services; payment made to one retired from service, on account of age, disability, or other cause; especially, a regular stipend paid by a government to retired public officers, disabled soldiers, the families of soldiers killed in service, or to meritorious authors, or the like. To all that kept the city pensions and wages. 1 Esd. iv. 56.

3. A certain sum of money paid to a clergyman in lieu of tithes. [Eng.] Mozley & W.

4. Etym: [F., pronounced .]

Defn: A boarding house or boarding school in France, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.

PENSION Pen"sion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pensioned; p. pr. & vb. n. Pensioning.]

Defn: To grant a pension to; to pay a regular stipend to; in consideration of service already performed; -- sometimes followed by off; as, to pension off a servant. One knighted Blackmore, and one pensioned Quarles. Pope.

PENSIONARY Pen"sion*a*ry, a.

1. Maintained by a pension; receiving a pension; as, pensionary spies. Donne.

2. Consisting of a pension; as, a pensionary provision for maintenance.

PENSIONARY Pen"sion*a*ry, n.; pl. Pensionaries. Etym: [Cf. F. pensionnaire. Cf. Pensioner.]

1. One who receives a pension; a pensioner. E. Hall.

2. One of the chief magistrates of towns in Holland. Grand pensionary, the title of the prime minister, or or president of the Council, of Holland when a republic.

PENSIONER Pen"sion*er, n.

1. One in receipt of a pension; hence, figuratively, a dependent. The fickle pensioners of Morpheus' train. Milton. Old pensioners . . . of Chelsea Hospital. Macaulay.

2. One of an honorable band of gentlemen who attend the sovereign of England on state occasions, and receive an annual pension, or allowance, of £150 and two horses.

3. Etym: [Cf. F. pensionnaire one who pays for his board. Cf. Pensionary, n.]

Defn: In the university of Cambridge, England, one who pays for his living in commons; -- corresponding to commoner at Oxford. Ld. Lytton.

PENSIVE Pen"sive, a. Etym: [F. pensif, fr. penser to think, fr. L. pensare to weigh, ponder, consider, v. intens. fr. pendere to weigh. See Pension, Poise.]

1. Thoughtful, sober, or sad; employed in serious reflection; given to, or favorable to, earnest or melancholy musing. The pensive secrecy of desert cell. Milton. Anxious cares the pensive nymph oppressed. Pope.

2. Expressing or suggesting thoughtfulness with sadness; as, pensive numbers. Prior.

PENSIVED Pen"sived, a.

Defn: Made pensive. [R.] Shak.

PENSIVELY Pen"sive*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pensive manner.

PENSIVENESS Pen"sive*ness, n.

Defn: The state of being pensive; serious thoughtfulness; seriousness. Hooker.

PENSTOCK Pen"stock, n. Etym: [Etymol. uncertain; perh. fr. pen an inclosure + stock.]

1. A close conduit or pipe for conducting water, as, to a water wheel, or for emptying a pond, or for domestic uses.

2. The barrel of a wooden pump.

PENT Pent, p. p. or a. Etym: [From Pen, v. t.]

Defn: Penned or shut up; confined; -- often with up. Here in the body pent. J. Montgomery. No pent-up Utica contracts your powers. J. M. Sewall.

PENTA- Pen"ta-. Etym: [Gr. Five.]

1. A combining form denoting five; as, pentacapsular; pentagon.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Denoting the degree of five, either as regards quality, property, or composition; as, pentasulphide; pentoxide, etc. Also used adjectively.

PENTABASIC Pen`ta*ba"sic, a. Etym: [Penta- + basic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Capable of uniting with five molecules of a monacid base; having five acid hydrogen atoms capable of substitution by a basic radical; -- said of certain acids.

PENTACAPSULAR Pen`ta*cap"su*lar, a. Etym: [Penta- + capsular.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having five capsules.

PENTACHENIUM Pen`ta*che"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Penta-, and Achenium.] (Bot.)

Defn: A dry fruit composed of five carpels, which are covered by an epigynous calyx and separate at maturity.

PENTACHLORIDE Pen`ta*chlo"ride, n. Etym: [Penta- + chloride.] (Chem.)

Defn: A chloride having five atoms of chlorine in each molecule.

PENTACHORD Pen"ta*chord, n. Etym: [L. pentachordus five-stringed, Gr.

1. An ancient instrument of music with five strings.

2. An order or system of five sounds. Busby.

PENTACID Pen*tac"id ( Etym: [Penta- + acid.] (Chem.)

Defn: Capable of neutralizing, or combining with, five molecules of a monobasic acid; having five hydrogen atoms capable of substitution by acid residues; -- said of certain complex bases.

PENTACLE Pen"ta*cle, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: A figure composed of two equilateral triangles intersecting so as to form a six-pointed star, -- used in early ornamental art, and also with superstitious import by the astrologers and mystics of the Middle Ages.

PENTACOCCOUS Pen`ta*coc"cous, a. Etym: [See Penta-, Coccus.] (Bot.)

Defn: Composed of five united carpels with one seed in each, as certain fruits.

PENTACONTER Pen"ta*con`ter, n. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: See Penteconter.

PENTACRININ Pen*tac"ri*nin, n. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A red and purple pigment found in certain crinoids of the genus Pentacrinus.

PENTACRINITE Pen*tac"ri*nite, n. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of Pentacrinus.

PENTACRINOID Pen*tac"ri*noid, n. Etym: [Pentacrinus + -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An immature comatula when it is still attached by a stem, and thus resembles a Pentacrinus.

PENTACRINUS Pen*tac"ri*nus, n. Etym: [NL. See Penta-, and Crinum.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of large, stalked crinoids, of which several species occur in deep water among the West Indies and elsewhere.

PENTACRON Pen*ta"cron, n.; pl. L. Pentacra, E. Pentacrons. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Geom.)

Defn: A solid having five summits or angular points.

PENTACROSTIC Pen`ta*cros"tic, n. Etym: [Penta- + acrostic.]

Defn: A set of verses so disposed that the name forming the subject of the acrostic occurs five times -- the whole set of verses being divided into five different parts from top to bottom.

PENTAD Pen"tad, n. Etym: [Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: Any element, atom, or radical, having a valence of five, or which can be combined with, substituted for, or compared with, five atoms of hydrogen or other monad; as, nitrogen is a pentad in the ammonium compounds.

PENTAD Pen"tad, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Having the valence of a pentad.

PENTADACTYL; PENTADACTYLE Pen`ta*dac"tyl, Pen`ta*dac"tyle, a. Etym: [Gr. Penta-, and Dactyl.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: Having five digits to the hand or foot.

2. Having five appendages resembling fingers or toes.

PENTADACTYLOID Pen`ta*dac"tyl*oid, a. Etym: [Pentadactyl + -oid.] (Anat.)

Defn: Having the form of, or a structure modified from, a pentadactyl limb.

PENTADECANE Pen`ta*dec"ane, n. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Chem.)

Defn: A hydrocarbon of the paraffin series, (C15H32) found in petroleum, tar oil, etc., and obtained as a colorless liquid; -- so called from the fifteen carbon atoms in the molecule.

PENTADECATOIC Pen`ta*dec`a*to"ic, a. Etym: [Penta- + decatoic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or derived from, pentadecane, or designating an acid related to it.

PENTADECYLIC Pen`ta*decyl"ic, a. Etym: [Penta- + decylic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Quindecylic.

PENTADELPHOUS Pen`ta*del"phous, a. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having the stamens arranged in five clusters, those of each cluster having their filaments more or less united, as the flowers of the linden.

PENTAFID Pen"ta*fid, a. Etym: [Penta- + root of L. findere to split.] (Bot.)

Defn: Divided or cleft into five parts.

PENTAGLOT Pen"ta*glot, n. Etym: [Penta- + -glot, as in polyglot.]

Defn: A work in five different tongues.

PENTAGON Pen"ta*gon, n. Etym: [Gr. Penta-) + gwni`a angle: cf. L. pentagonium, F. pentagone.] (Geom.)

Defn: A plane figure having five angles, and, consequently, five sides; any figure having five angles. Regular pentagon, a pentagon in which the angles are all equal, and the sides all equal.

PENTAGONAL Pen*tag"o*nal, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pentagonal, pentagone, L. pentagonus, pentagonius, Gr.

Defn: Having five corners or angles. Pentagonal dodecahedron. See Dodecahedron, and Pyritohedron.

PENTAGONALLY Pen*tag"o*nal*ly, adv.

Defn: In the form of a pentagon; with five angles. Sir T. Browne.

PENTAGONOUS Pen*tag"o*nous, a.

Defn: Pentagonal.

PENTAGRAM Pen"ta*gram, n. Etym: [Gr. Penta-, and -gram.]

Defn: A pentacle or a pentalpha. "Like a wizard pentagram." Tennyson.

PENTAGRAPHIC; PENTAGRAPHICAL Pen`ta*graph"ic, Pen`ta*graph"ic*al, a. Etym: [Corrupted fr. pantographic, -ical.]

Defn: Pantographic. See Pantograph.

PENTAGYNIA Pen`ta*gyn"i*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Penta-) + (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan order of plants, having five styles or pistils.

PENTAGYNIAN; PENTAGYNOUS Pen`ta*gyn"i*an, Pen*tag"y*nous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to plants of the order Pentagyna; having five styles.

PENTAHEDRAL Pen`ta*he"dral, a.

Defn: Having five sides; as, a pentahedral figure.

PENTAHEDRICAL Pen`ta*hed"ric*al, a.

Defn: Pentahedral. [R.]

PENTAHEDRON Pen`ta*he"dron, n. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. "e`dra seat, base.]

Defn: A solid figure having five sides.

PENTAHEDROUS Pen`ta*he"drous, a.

Defn: Pentahedral. Woodward.

PENTAIL Pen"tail`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A peculiar insectivore (Ptilocercus Lowii) of Borneo; -- so called from its very long, quill-shaped tail, which is scaly at the base and plumose at the tip.

PENTALPHA Pen*tal"pha, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. pentalpha. See Penta-, and Alpha.]

Defn: A five-pointed star, resembling five alphas joined at their bases; -- used as a symbol.

PENTAMERA Pen*tam"e*ra, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Pentamerous.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive division of Coleoptera, including those that normally have five-jointed tarsi. It embraces about half of all the known species of the Coleoptera.

PENTAMERAN Pen*tam"er*an, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the Pentamera.

PENTAMEROUS Pen*tam"er*ous, a. Etym: [Penta- + Gr.

1. (Biol.)

Defn: Divided into, or consisting of, five parts; also, arranged in sets, with five parts in each set, as a flower with five sepals, five petals, five, or twice five, stamens, and five pistils.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Belonging to the Pentamera.

PENTAMERUS Pen*tam"e*rus, n. Etym: [NL. See Pentamerous.] (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of extinct Paleozoic brachiopods, often very abundant in the Upper Silurian. Pentamerus limestone (Geol.), a Silurian limestone composed largely of the shells of Pentamerus.

PENTAMETER Pen*tam"e*ter, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. Penta-) + (Gr. & L.Pros.)

Defn: A verse of five feet.

Note: The dactylic pentameter consists of two parts separated by a diæresis. Each part consists of two dactyls and a long syllable. The spondee may take the place of the dactyl in the first part, but not in the second. The elegiac distich consists of the hexameter followed by the pentameter. Harkness.

PENTAMETER Pen*tam"e*ter, a.

Defn: Having five metrical feet.

PENTAMETHYLENE Pen`ta*meth"yl*ene, n. Etym: [Penta- + methylene.] (Chem.)

Defn: A hypothetical hydrocarbon, C5H10, metameric with the amylenes, and the nucleus of a large number of derivatives; -- so named because regarded as composed of five methylene residues. Cf. Trimethylene, and Tetramethylene.

PENTANDRIA Pen*tan"dri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Penta-) + (Bot.)

Defn: A Linnæan class of plants having five separate stamens.

PENTANDRIAN; PENTANDROUS Pen*tan"dri*an, Pen*tan"drous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the class Pentadria; having five stamens.

PENTANE Pen"tane, n. Etym: [See Penta-.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any one of the three metameric hydrocarbons, C5H12, of the methane or paraffin series. They are colorless, volatile liquids, two of which occur in petroleum. So called because of the five carbon atoms in the molecule.

PENTANGLE Pen"tan`gle, n. Etym: [Penta- + angle.]

Defn: A pentagon. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

PENTANGULAR Pen*tan"gu*lar, a. Etym: [Penta- + angular.]

Defn: Having five corners or angles. [R.]

PENTAPETALOUS Pen`ta*pet"al*ous, a. Etym: [Penta- + petal.] (Bot.)

Defn: Having five petals, or flower leaves.

PENTAPHYLLOUS Pen*taph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having five leaves or leaflets.

PENTAPODY Pen*tap"o*dy, n. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Pros.)

Defn: A measure or series consisting of five feet.

PENTAPTOTE Pen"tap*tote, n. Etym: [L. (pl.) pentaptota. Gr. Penta-) + (Gram.)

Defn: A noun having five cases.

PENTAPTYCH Pen"tap*tych, n. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Fine Arts)

Defn: A picture, or combination of pictures, consisting of a centerpiece and double folding doors or wings, as for an altarpiece.

PENTARCHY Pen"tar*chy, n. Etym: [Gr. pentarchie. See Penta-, and -archy.]

Defn: A government in the hands of five persons; five joint rulers. P. Fletcher. "The pentarchy of the senses." A. Brewer.

PENTASPAST Pen"ta*spast, n. Etym: [L. pentaspaston, Gr. Penta-) + pentaspaste.]

Defn: A purchase with five pulleys. [R.]

PENTASPERMOUS Pen`ta*sper"mous, a. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Containing five seeds.

PENTASTICH Pen"ta*stich, n. Etym: [Gr. Penta-) +

Defn: A composition consisting of five verses.

PENTASTICHOUS Pen*tas"ti*chous, a. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having, or arranged in, five vertical ranks, as the leaves of an apple tree or a cherry tree.

PENTASTOMIDA Pen`ta*stom"i*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Penta-) + (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Linguatulina.

PENTASTYLE Pen"ta*style, a. Etym: [Penta- + Gr. (Arch.)

Defn: Having five columns in front; -- said of a temple or portico in classical architecture. -- n.

Defn: A portico having five columns.

PENTATEUCH Pen"ta*teuch, n. Etym: [L. pentateuchus, Gr. Penta-) + text. See Five, and Text.]

Defn: The first five books of the Old Testament, collectively; -- called also the Law of Moses, Book of the Law of Moses, etc.

PENTATEUCHAL Pen`ta*teu"chal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Pentateuch.

PENTATHIONIC Pen`ta*thi*on"ic, a. Etym: [Penta- + thionic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, an acid of sulphur obtained by leading hydrogen sulphide into a solution of sulphur dioxide; -- so called because it contains five atoms of sulphur.

PENTATHLON Pen*tath"lon, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A fivefold athletic performance peculiar to the great national games of the Greeks, including leaping, foot racing, wrestling, throwing the discus, and throwing the spear.

PENTATOMIC Pen`ta*tom"ic, a. Etym: [Penta- + atomic.] (Chem.) (a) Having five atoms in the molecule. (b) Having five hydrogen atoms capable of substitution.

PENTAVALENT Pen*tav"a*lent, a. Etym: [Penta- + L. valens, p. pr. See Valence.] (Chem.)

Defn: Having a valence of five; -- said of certain atoms and radicals.

PENTECONTER Pen"te*con`ter, n. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A Grecian vessel with fifty oars. [Written also pentaconter.]

PENTECOST Pen"te*cost, n. Etym: [L. pentecoste, Gr. Five, and cf. Pingster.]

1. A solemn festival of the Jews; -- so called because celebrated on the fiftieth day (seven weeks) after the second day of the Passover (which fell on the sixteenth of the Jewish month Nisan); -- hence called, also, the Feast of Weeks. At this festival an offering of the first fruits of the harvest was made. By the Jews it was generally regarded as commemorative of the gift of the law on the fiftieth day after the departure from Egypt.

2. A festival of the Roman Catholic and other churches in commemoration of the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles; which occurred on the day of Pentecost; -- called also Whitsunday. Shak.

PENTECOSTAL Pen`te*cos"tal, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Pentecost or to Whitsuntide.

PENTECOSTALS Pen`te*cos"tals, n. pl.

Defn: Offerings formerly made to the parish priest, or to the mother church, at Pentecost. Shipley.

PENTECOSTER Pen`te*cos"ter, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: An officer in the Spartan army commanding fifty men. Mitford.

PENTECOSTY Pen`te*cos"ty, n.; pl. Pentecosties. Etym: [Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A troop of fifty soldiers in the Spartan army; -- called also pentecostys. Jowett (Thucyd. ).

PENTELIC; PENTELICAN Pen*tel"ic, Pen*tel"i*can, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Mount Pentelicus, near Athens, famous for its fine white marble quarries; obtained from Mount Pentelicus; as, the Pentelic marble of which the Parthenon is built.

PENTENE Pen"tene, n. Etym: [See Penta-.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Amylene.

PENTHOUSE Pent"house`, n. Etym: [A corruption of pentice.]

Defn: A shed or roof sloping from the main wall or building, as over a door or window; a lean-to. Also figuratively. "The penthouse of his eyes." Sir W. Scott.

PENTHOUSE Pent"house`, a.

Defn: Leaning; overhanging. "Penthouse lid." Shak. "My penthouse eyebrows." Dryden.

PENTICE Pen"tice, n. Etym: [F. appentis a penthouse. See Append.]

Defn: A penthouse. [Obs.] Sir H. Wotton.

PENTILE Pen"tile`, n.

Defn: See Pantile.

PENTINE Pen"tine, n. Etym: [See Penta-.] (Chem.)

Defn: An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C5H8, of the acetylene series. Same as Valerylene.

PENTOIC Pen*to"ic, a. Etym: [See Penta-.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or desingating, an acid (called also valeric acid) derived from pentane.

PENTONE Pen"tone, n. Etym: [See Penta-.] (Chem.)

Defn: Same as Valylene.

PENTOSAN; PENTOSANE Pen"to*san, n. Also -sane. [From Pentose.] (Chem.)

Defn: One of a class of substances (complex carbohydrates widely distributed in plants, as in fruits, gums, woods, hay, etc.) which yield pentoses on hydrolysis.

PENTOSE Pen"tose, n. [Penta- + -ose.] (Chem.)

Defn: Any of a group of sugars of the formula C5H10O5, as arabinose; -- so called from the five carbon atoms in the molecule. They are not fermented by yeast.

PENTOXIDE Pen*tox"ide, n. Etym: [Penta- + oxide.] (Chem.)

Defn: An oxide containing five atoms of oxygen in each molecule; as, phosphorus pentoxide, P2O5.

PENTREMITE Pen"tre*mite, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any species of Pentremites.

PENTREMITES Pen`tre*mi"tes, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. remus an oar.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of crinoids belonging to the Blastoidea. They have five petal-like ambulacra.

PENTROOF Pent"roof`, n. Etym: [F. pente slope + E. roof, or from penthouse roof.]

Defn: See Lean-to.

PENTROUGH Pen"trough`, n.

Defn: A penstock.

PENTYL Pen"tyl, n. Etym: [Penta + -yl.] (Chem.)

Defn: The hypothetical radical, C5H11, of pentane and certain of its derivatives. Same as Amyl.

PENTYLIC Pen*tyl"ic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to, derived from, or containing, pentyl; as, pentylic alcohol

PENUCHLE; PINOCLE Pe"nu*chle, Pin"o*cle, n.

Defn: A game at cards, played with forty-eight cards, being all the cards above the eight spots in two packs.

PENULT Pe"nult, n. Etym: [Abbreviated fr. penultima.] (Gram. & Pros.)

Defn: The last syllable but one of a word; the syllable preceding the final one.

PENULTIMA Pe*nul"ti*ma, n. Etym: [L. (sc. syllaba), fr. penultimus, paenultimus, the last but one; paene almost + ultimus the last.]

Defn: Same as Penult.

PENULTIMATE Pe*nul"ti*mate, a.

Defn: Last but one; as, the penultimate syllable, the last syllable but one of a word.

PENULTIMATE Pe*nul"ti*mate, n.

Defn: The penult.

PENUMBRA Pe*num"bra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. L. paene almost + umbra shade.]

1. An incomplete or partial shadow.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: The shadow cast, in an eclipse, where the light is partly, but not wholly, cut off by the intervening body; the space of partial illumination between the umbra, or perfect shadow, on all sides, and the full light. Sir I. Newton.

Note: The faint shade surrounding the dark central portion of a solar spot is also called the penumbra, and sometimes umbra.

3. (Paint.)

Defn: The part of a picture where the shade imperceptibly blends with the light.

PENUMBRALA Pe*num"brala.

Defn: Of or pertaining to a penumbra; resembling a penumbra; partially illuminated.

PENURIOUS Pe*nu"ri*ous, a. Etym: [From Penury.]

1. Excessively sparing in the use of money; sordid; stingy; miserly. "A penurious niggard of his wealth." Milton.

2. Not bountiful or liberal; scanty. Here creeps along a poor, penurious stream. C. Pitt.

3. Destitute of money; suffering extreme want. [Obs.] "My penurious band." Shak.

Syn. -- Avaricious; covetous; parsimonious; miserly; niggardly; stingy. See Avaricious. --Pe*nu"ri*ous*ly, adv. -- Pe*nu"ri*ous*ness, n.

PENURY Pen"u*ry, n. Etym: [L. penuria; cf. Gr. pénurie.]

1. Absence of resources; want; privation; indigence; extreme poverty; destitution. "A penury of military forces." Bacon. They were exposed to hardship and penury. Sprat. It arises in neither from penury of thought. Landor.

2. Penuriousness; miserliness. [Obs.] Jer. Taylor.

PENWIPER Pen"wip`er, n.

Defn: A cloth, or other material, for wiping off or cleaning ink from a pen.

PENWOMAN Pen"wom`an, n.; pl. Penwomen (.

Defn: A female writer; an authoress. Johnson.

PEON Pe"on, n.

Defn: See Poon.

PEON Pe"on, n. Etym: [Sp. peon, or Pg. pe, one who travels on foot, a foot soldier, a pawn in chess. See Pawn in chess.]

1. A foot soldier; a policeman; also, an office attendant; a messenger. [India]

2. A day laborer; a servant; especially, in some of the Spanish American countries, debtor held by his creditor in a form of qualified servitude, to work out a debt.

3. (Chess)

Defn: See 2d Pawn.

PEONAGE Pe"on*age, n.

Defn: The condition of a peon.

PEONISM Pe"on*ism, n.

Defn: Same as Peonage. D. Webster.

PEONY Pe"o*ny, n.; pl. Peonies. Etym: [OE. pione, pioine, pioni, OF. pione, F. pivoine, L. paeonia, Gr. Pæan.] (Bot.)

Defn: A plant, and its flower, of the ranunculaceous genus Pæonia. Of the four or five species, one is a shrub; the rest are perennial herbs with showy flowers, often double in cultivation. [Written also pæony, and piony.]

PEOPLE Peo"ple, n. Etym: [OE. peple, people, OF. pueple, F. peuple, fr. L. populus. Cf. Populage, Public, Pueblo.]

1. The body of persons who compose a community, tribe, nation, or race; an aggregate of individuals forming a whole; a community; a nation. Unto him shall the gathering of the people be. Gen. xlix. 10. The ants are a people not strong. Prov. xxx. 25. Before many peoples, and nations, and tongues. Rev. x. 11. Earth's monarchs are her peoples. Whitter . A government of all the people, by all the people, for all the people. T. Parker.

Note: Peopleis a collective noun, generally construed with a plural verb, and only occasionally used in the plural form (peoples), in the sense of nations or races.

2. Persons, generally; an indefinite number of men and women; folks; population, or part of population; as, country people; -- sometimes used as an indefinite subject or verb, like on in French, and man in German; as, people in adversity. People were tempted to lend by great premiums. Swift . People have lived twenty-four days upon nothing but water. Arbuthnot .

3. The mass of comunity as distinguished from a special class; the commonalty; the populace; the vulgar; the common crowd; as, nobles and people. And strive to gain his pardon from the people. Addison .

4. With a possessive pronoun: (a) One's ancestors or family; kindred; relations; as, my people were English. (b) One's subjects; fellow citizens; companions; followers. "You slew great number of his people." Shak.

Syn. -- People, Nation. When speaking of a state, we use people for the mass of the community, as distinguished from their rulers, and nation for the entire political body, including the rulers. In another sense of the term, nation describes those who are descended from the same stock; and in this sense the Germans regard themselves as one nation, though politically subject to different forms of government.

PEOPLE Peo"ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Peopled p. pr. & vb. n. Peopling (.] Etym: [Cf. OF. popler, puepler, F. puepler. Cf. Populate.]

Defn: To stock with people or inhabitants; to fill as with people; to populate. "Peopled heaven with angels." Dryden. As the gay motes that people the sunbeams. Milton .

PEOPLED Peo"pled, a.

Defn: Stocked with, or as with, people; inhabited. "The peopled air." Gray.

PEOPLELESS Peo"ple*less, a.

Defn: Destitute of people. Poe.

PEOPLER Peo"pler, n.

Defn: A settler; an inhabitant. "Peoplers of the peaceful glen." J. S. Blackie.

PEOPLE'S BANK Peo"ple's bank.

Defn: A form of coöperative bank, such as those of Germany; -- a term loosely used for various forms of coöperative financial institutions.

PEOPLE'S PARTY People's party. (U. S. Politics)

Defn: A party formed in 1891, advocating in an increase of the currency, public ownership and operation of railroads, telegraphs, etc., an income tax, limitation in ownership of land, etc.

PEOPLISH Peo"plish, a.

Defn: Vulgar. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PEORIAS Pe*o"ri*as, n. pl.; sing. Peoria (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: An Algonquin tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited a part of Illinois.

PEPASTIC Pe*pas"tic, a. & n. Etym: [Gr. pépastique.] (Med.)

Defn: Same as Maturative.

PEPERINE; PEPERINO Pep"e*rine, Pep`e*ri"no, n. Etym: [It. peperino, L. piper pepper. So called on account of its color.] (Geol.)

Defn: A volcanic rock, formed by the cementing together of sand, scoria, cinders, etc.

PEPLIS Pep"lis, n. Etym: [L., a kind of plant, Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of plants including water purslane.

PEPLUM Pep"lum, n.; pl. E. -lumus, L. -la. [L.]

Defn: A peplos. Hence: An overskirt hanging like an ancient peplos; also, a short fitted skirt attached to a waist or coat.

PEPLUS Pep"lus, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. An upper garment worn by Grecian and Roman women.

2. A kind of kerchief formerly worn by Englishwomen. [Obs.] Fairholt.

PEPO Pe"po, n. Etym: [L., a kind of melon, from Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Any fleshy fruit with a firm rind, as a pumpkin, melon, or gourd. See Gourd.

PEPPER Pep"per, n. Etym: [OE. peper, AS. pipor, L. piper, fr. Gr. pippala, pippali.]

1. A well-known, pungently aromatic condiment, the dried berry, either whole or powdered, of the Piper nigrum.

Note: Common, or black, pepper is made from the whole berry, dried just before maturity; white pepper is made from the ripe berry after the outer skin has been removed by maceration and friction. It has less of the peculiar properties of the plant than the black pepper. Pepper is used in medicine as a carminative stimulant.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: The plant which yields pepper, an East Indian woody climber (Piper nigrum), with ovate leaves and apetalous flowers in spikes opposite the leaves. The berries are red when ripe. Also, by extension, any one of the several hundred species of the genus Piper, widely dispersed throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the earth.

3. Any plant of the genus Capsicum, and its fruit; red pepper; as, the bell pepper.

Note: The term pepper has been extended to various other fruits and plants, more or less closely resembling the true pepper, esp. to the common varieties of Capsicum. See Capsicum, and the Phrases, below. African pepper, the Guinea pepper. See under Guinea. -- Cayenne pepper. See under Cayenne. -- Chinese pepper, the spicy berries of the Xanthoxylum piperitum, a species of prickly ash found in China and Japan. -- Guinea pepper. See under Guinea, and Capsicum. -- Jamaica pepper. See Allspice. -- Long pepper. (a) The spike of berries of Piper longum, an East Indian shrub. (b) The root of Piper, or Macropiper, methysticum. See Kava. -- Malaguetta, or Meleguetta, pepper, the aromatic seeds of the Amomum Melegueta, an African plant of the Ginger family. They are sometimes used to flavor beer, etc., under the name of grains of Paradise. -- Red pepper. See Capsicum. -- Sweet pepper bush (Bot.), an American shrub (Clethra alnifolia), with racemes of fragrant white flowers; -- called also white alder. -- Pepper box or caster, a small box or bottle, with a perforated lid, used for sprinkling ground pepper on food, etc. -- Pepper corn. See in the Vocabulary. -- Pepper elder (Bot.), a West Indian name of several plants of the Pepper family, species of Piper and Peperomia. -- Pepper moth (Zoöl.), a European moth (Biston betularia) having white wings covered with small black specks. -- Pepper pot, a mucilaginous soup or stew of vegetables and cassareep, much esteemed in the West Indies. -- Pepper root. (Bot.). See Coralwort. -- pepper sauce, a condiment for the table, made of small red peppers steeped in vinegar. -- Pepper tree (Bot.), an aromatic tree (Drimys axillaris) of the Magnolia family, common in New Zealand. See Peruvian mastic tree, under Mastic.

PEPPER Pep"per, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Peppered; p. pr. & vb. n. Peppering.]

1. To sprinkle or season with pepper.

2. Figuratively: To shower shot or other missiles, or blows, upon; to pelt; to fill with shot, or cover with bruises or wounds. "I have peppered two of them." "I am peppered, I warrant, for this world." Shak.

PEPPER Pep"per, v. i.

Defn: To fire numerous shots (at).

PEPPER BOX Pep"per box`, n.

Defn: A buttress on the left-hand wall of a fives court as the game is played at Eton College, England.

PEPPERBRAND Pep"per*brand`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See 1st Bunt.

PEPPERCORN Pep"per*corn`, n.

1. A dried berry of the black pepper (Piper nigrum).

2. Anything insignificant; a particle.

PEPPER DULSE Pep"per dulse`. (Bot.)

Defn: A variety of edible seaweed (Laurencia pinnatifida) distinguished for its pungency. [Scot.] Lindley.

PEPPERER Pep"per*er, n.

Defn: A grocer; -- formerly so called because he sold pepper. [Obs.]

PEPPERGRASS Pep"per*grass`, n. (Bot.) (a) Any herb of the cruciferous genus Lepidium, especially the garden peppergrass, or garden cress, Lepidium sativum; -- called also pepperwort. All the species have a pungent flavor. (b) The common pillwort of Europe (Pilularia globulifera). See Pillwort.

PEPPERIDGE Pep"per*idge, n. Etym: [Cf. NL. berberis, E. barberry.] (Bot.)

Defn: A North American tree (Nyssa multiflora) with very tough wood, handsome oval polished leaves, and very acid berries, -- the sour gum, or common tupelo. See Tupelo. [Written also piperidge and pipperidge.] Pepperidge bush (Bot.), the barberry.

PEPPERING Pep"per*ing, a.

Defn: Hot; pungent; peppery. Swift.

PEPPERMINT Pep"per*mint, n. Etym: [Pepper + mint.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: An aromatic and pungent plant of the genus Mentha (M. piperita), much used in medicine and confectionery.

2. A volatile oil (oil of peppermint) distilled from the fresh herb; also, a well-known essence or spirit (essence of peppermint) obtained from it.

3. A lozenge of sugar flavored with peppermint. Peppermint camphor. (Chem.) Same as Menthol. -- Peppermint tree (Bot.), a name given to several Australian species of gum tree (Eucalyptus amygdalina, E. piperita, E. odorata, etc.) which have hard and durable wood, and yield an essential oil.

PEPPERWORT Pep"per*wort`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Peppergrass.

PEPPERY Pep"per*y, a.

1. Of or pertaining to pepper; having the qualities of pepper; hot; pungent.

2. Fig.: Hot-tempered; passionate; choleric.

PEPSIN Pep"sin, n. Etym: [Gr. pepsine. Cf. Dyspepsia.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: An unorganized proteolytic ferment or enzyme contained in the secretory glands of the stomach. In the gastric juice it is united with dilute hydrochloric acid (0.2 per cent, approximately) and the two together constitute the active portion of the digestive fluid. It is the active agent in the gastric juice of all animals.

Note: As prepared from the glandular layer of pigs' or calves' stomachs it constitutes an important article of pharmacy.

PEPSINHYDROCHLORIC Pep`sin*hy`dro*chlo"ric, a. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Same as Peptohydrochloric.

PEPSINOGEN Pep*sin"o*gen, n. Etym: [Pepsin + -gen.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: The antecedent of the ferment pepsin. A substance contained in the form of granules in the peptic cells of the gastric glands. It is readily convertible into pepsin. Also called propepsin.

PEPTIC Pep"tic, a. Etym: [L. pepticus, Gr. Pepsin.]

1. Relating to digestion; promoting digestion; digestive; as, peptic sauces.

2. Able to digest. [R.] Tolerably nutritive for a mind as yet so peptic. Carlyle.

3. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to pepsin; resembling pepsin in its power of digesting or dissolving albuminous matter; containing or yielding pepsin, or a body of like properties; as, the peptic glands.

PEPTIC Pep"tic, n.

1. An agent that promotes digestion.

2. pl.

Defn: The digestive organs. Is there some magic in the place, Or do my peptics differ Tennyson.

PEPTICS Pep"tics, n.

Defn: The science of digestion.

PEPTOGEN Pep"to*gen, n. Etym: [Peptone + -gen.] (Physiol.)

Defn: A substance convertible into peptone.

PEPTOGENIC Pep`to*gen"ic, a.

Defn: Same as Peptogenous.

PEPTOGENOUS Pep*tog"e*nous, a. (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Capable of yielding, or being converted into, peptone.

PEPTOHYDROCHLORIC Pep`to*hy`dro*chlo"ric, a. Etym: [See Peptone, and Hydrochloric.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: Designating a hypothetical acid (called peptohydrochloric acid, pepsinhydrochloric acid, and chloropeptic acid) which is supposed to be formed when pepsin and dilute (0.1-0.4 per cent) hydrochloric acid are mixed together.

PEPTONE Pep"tone, n. Etym: [Gr. (Physiol. Chem.) (a) The soluble and diffusible substance or substances into which albuminous portions of the food are transformed by the action of the gastric and pancreatic juices. Peptones are also formed from albuminous matter by the action of boiling water and boiling dilute acids. (b) Collectively, in a broader sense, all the products resulting from the solution of albuminous matter in either gastric or pancreatic juice. In this case, however, intermediate products (albumose bodies), such as antialbumose, hemialbumose, etc., are mixed with the true peptones. Also termed albuminose.

Note: Pure peptones are of three kinds, amphopeptone, antipeptone, and hemipeptone, and, unlike the albumose bodies, are not precipitated by saturating their solutions with ammonium sulphate.

PEPTONIZE Pep"to*nize, v. t. (Physiol.)

Defn: To convert into peptone; to digest or dissolve by means of a proteolytic ferment; as, peptonized food.

PEPTONOID Pep"to*noid, n. Etym: [Peptone + -oid.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A substance related to peptone.

PEPTONURIA Pep`to*nu"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Peptone, and Urine.] (Med.)

Defn: The presence of peptone, or a peptonelike body, in the urine.

PEPTOTOXINE Pep`to*tox"ine, n. Etym: [Peptone + toxic + -ine.] (Physiol. Chem.)

Defn: A toxic alkaloid found occasionally associated with the peptones formed from fibrin by pepsinhydrochloric acid.

PEQUOTS Pe"quots, n. pl.; sing. Pequot (. (Ethnol.)

Defn: A tribe of Indians who formerly inhabited Eastern Connecticut. [Written also Pequods.]

PER- Per-. Etym: [See Per.]

1. A prefix used to signify through, throughout, by, for, or as an intensive as perhaps, by hap or chance; perennial, that lasts throughout the year; perforce, through or by force; perfoliate, perforate; perspicuous, evident throughout or very evident; perplex, literally, to entangle very much.

2. (Chem.)

Defn: Originally, denoting that the element to the name of which it is prefixed in the respective compounds exercised its highest valence; now, only that the element has a higher valence than in other similar compounds; thus, barium peroxide is the highest oxide of barium; while nitrogen and manganese peroxides, so-called, are not the highest oxides of those elements.

PER Per, prep. Etym: [L. Cf. Far, For-, Pardon, and cf. Par, prep.]

Defn: Through; by means of; through the agency of; by; for; for each; as, per annum; per capita, by heads, or according to individuals; per curiam, by the court; per se, by itself, of itself. Per is also sometimes used with English words. Per annum, by the year; in each successive year; annually. -- Per cent, Per centum, by the hundred; in the hundred; -- used esp. of proportions of ingredients, rate or amount of interest, and the like; commonly used in the shortened form per cent. -- Per diem, by the day. [For other phrases from the Latin, see Quotations, Phrases, etc., from Foreign Languages, in the Supplement.]

PERACT Per*act", v. t. Etym: [L. peractus, p.p. of peragere.]

Defn: To go through with; to perform. [Obs.] Sylvester.

PERACUTE Per`a*cute", a. Etym: [L. peracutus. See Per-, and Acute.]

Defn: Very sharp; very violent; as, a peracute fever. [R.] Harvey.

PERADVENTURE Per`ad*ven"ture, adv. & conj. Etym: [OE. per aventure, F. par aventure. See Per, and Adventure.]

Defn: By chance; perhaps; it may be; if; supposing. "If peradventure he speak against me." Shak. Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city. Gen. xviii. 24.

PERADVENTURE Per`ad*ven"ture, n.

Defn: Chance; hap; hence, doubt; question; as, proved beyond peradventure. South.

PERAEOPOD Pe*ræ"o*pod, n. Etym: [Gr. -pod.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the thoracic legs of a crustacean. See Illust. of Crustacea.

PERAGRATE Per"a*grate, v. t. Etym: [L. peragratus, p.p. of peragrate.]

Defn: To travel over or through. [Obs.]

PERAGRATION Per`agra"tion, n. Etym: [L. peragratio: cf. F. peragration.]

Defn: The act or state of passing through any space; as, the peragration of the moon in her monthly revolution. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PERAMBULATE Per*am"bu*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perambulated; p. pr. & vb. n. Perambulating.] Etym: [L. perambulatus, p.p. of perambulare to perambulate; per through + ambulare to walk. See Per-, and Amble.]

Defn: To walk through or over; especially, to travel over for the purpose of surveying or examining; to inspect by traversing; specifically, to inspect officially the boundaries of, as of a town or parish, by walking over the whole line.

PERAMBULATE Per*am"bu*late, v. i.

Defn: To walk about; to ramble; to stroll; as, he perambulated in the park.

PERAMBULATION Per*am`bu*la"tion, n.

1. The act of perambulating; traversing. Bacon.

2. An annual survey of boundaries, as of town, a parish, a forest, etc.

3. A district within which one is authorized to make a tour of inspection. "The . . . bounds of his own perambulation." [Obs.] Holyday.

PERAMBULATOR Per*am"bu*la`tor, n.

1. One who perambulates.

2. A surveyor's instrument for measuring distances. It consists of a wheel arranged to roll along over the ground, with an apparatus of clockwork, and a dial plate upon which the distance traveled is shown by an index. See Odometer.

3. A low carriage for a child, propelled by pushing.

PERAMELES Per`a*me"les, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. meles a badger.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any marsupial of the genus Perameles, which includes numerous species found in Australia. They somewhat resemble rabbits in size and form. See Illust. under Bandicoot.

PERBEND Per"bend, n.

Defn: See Perpender.

PERBREAK Per"break`, n. [Obs.]

Defn: See Parbreak.

PERBROMATE Per*bro"mate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of perbromic acid.

PERBROMIC Per*bro"mic, a. Etym: [Pref. per- + bromic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, the highest oxygen acid, HBrO4, of bromine.

PERBROMIDE Per*bro"mide, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A bromide having a higher proportion of bromine than any other bromide of the same substance or series.

PERCA Per"ca, n. Etym: [L., a perch.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of fishes, including the fresh-water perch.

PERCALE Per`cale", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A fine cotton fabric, having a linen finish, and often printed on one side, -- used for women's and children's wear.

PERCALINE Per`ca`line", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A fine kind of French cotton goods, usually of one color.

PERCARBIDE Per*car"bide, n. Etym: [Pref. per- + carbide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A compound containing a relatively large amount of carbon. [R.]

PERCARBURET Per*car"bu*ret, n. Etym: [Pref. per- + carburet.] (Chem.)

Defn: A percarbide. [Obsoles.]

PERCARBURETED Per*car"bu*ret`ed, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Combined with a relatively large amount of carbon.

PERCASE Per*case", adv. Etym: [OE. per cas. See Parcase.]

Defn: Perhaps; perchance. [Obs.] Bacon.

PERCE Perce, v. t.

Defn: To pierce. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PERCEIVABLE Per*ceiv"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being perceived; perceptible. -- Per*ceiv"a*bly, adv.

PERCEIVANCE Per*ceiv"ance, n.

Defn: Power of perceiving. [Obs.] "The senses and common perceivance." Milton.

PERCEIVE Per*ceive", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Perceived; p. pr. & vb. n. Perceiving.] Etym: [OF. percevoir, perceveir, L. percipere, perceptum; per (see Per-) + capere to take, receive. See Capacious, and cf. Perception.]

1. To obtain knowledge of through the senses; to receive impressions from by means of the bodily organs; to take cognizance of the existence, character, or identity of, by means of the senses; to see, hear, or feel; as, to perceive a distant ship; to perceive a discord. Reid.

2. To take intellectual cognizance of; to apprehend by the mind; to be convinced of by direct intuition; to note; to remark; to discern; to see; to understand. Jesus perceived their wickedness. Matt. xxii. 18. You may, fair lady, Perceive I speak sincerely. Shak. Till we ourselves see it with our own eyes, and perceive it by our own understandings, we are still in the dark. Locke.

3. To be affected of influented by. [R.] The upper regions of the air perceive the collection of the matter of tempests before the air here below. Bacon.

Syn. -- To discern; distinguish; observe; see; feel; know; understand. -- To Perceive, Discern. To perceive a thing is to apprehend it as presented to the senses or the intellect; to discern is to mark differences, or to see a thing as distinguished from others around it. We may perceive two persons afar off without being able to discern whether they are men or women. Hence, discern is often used of an act of the senses or the mind involving close, discriminating, analytical attention. We perceive that which is clear or obvious; we discern that which requires much attention to get an idea of it. "We perceive light, darkness, colors, or the truth or falsehood of anything. We discern characters, motives, the tendency and consequences of actions, etc." Crabb.

PERCEIVER Per*ceiv"er, n.

Defn: One who perceives (in any of the senses of the verb). Milton.

PERCELY Perce"ly, n.

Defn: Parsley. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PERCENTAGE Per*cent"age, n. Etym: [Per cent + -age, as in average. See Per, and Cent.] (Com.)

Defn: A certain rate per cent; the allowance, duty, rate of interest, discount, or commission, on a hundred.

PERCEPT Per"cept, n. Etym: [From L. percipere, perceptum.]

Defn: That which is perceived. Sir W. Hamilton. The modern discussion between percept and concept, the one sensuous, the other intellectual. Max Müller.

PERCEPTIBILITY Per*cep`ti*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. perceptibilité.]

1. The quality or state of being perceptible; as, the perceptibility of light or color.

2. Perception. [R.] Dr. H. More.

PERCEPTIBLE Per*cep"ti*ble, a. Etym: [L. perceptibilis: cf. F. perceptible. See Perceive.]

Defn: Capable of being perceived; cognizable; discernible; perceivable. With a perceptible blast of the air. Bacon. -- Per*cep"ti*ble*ness, n. -- Per*cep"ti*bly, adv.

PERCEPTION Per*cep"tion, n. Etym: [L. perceptio: cf. F. perception. See Perceive.]

1. The act of perceiving; cognizance by the senses or intellect; apperhension by the bodily organs, or by the mind, of what is presented to them; discernment; apperhension; cognition.

2. (Metaph.)

Defn: The faculty of perceiving; the faculty, or peculiar part, of man's constitution by which he has knowledge through the medium or instrumentality of the bodily organs; the act of apperhending material objects or qualities through the senses; -- distinguished from conception. Sir W. Hamilton. Matter hath no life nor perception, and is not conscious of its own existence. Bentley.

3. The quality, state, or capability, of being affected by something external; sensation; sensibility. [Obs.] This experiment discovereth perception in plants. Bacon.

4. An idea; a notion. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

Note: "The word perception is, in the language of philosophers previous to Reid, used in a very extensive signification. By Descartes, Malebranche, Locke, Leibnitz, and others, it is employed in a sense almost as unexclusive as consciousness, in its widest signification. By Reid this word was limited to our faculty acquisitive of knowledge, and to that branch of this faculty whereby, through the senses, we obtain a knowledge of the external world. But his limitation did not stop here. In the act of external perception he distinguished two elements, to which he gave the names of perception and sensation. He ought perhaps to have called these perception proper and sensation proper, when employed in his special meaning." Sir W. Hamilton.

PERCEPTIVE Per*cep"tive, a. Etym: [Cf. F. perceptif.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to the act or power of perceiving; having the faculty or power of perceiving; used in perception. "His perceptive and reflective faculties." Motley.

PERCEPTIVITY Per`cep*tiv"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being perceptive; power of perception. Locke.

PERCESOCES Per*ces"o*ces, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. perca a perch + esox, -ocis, a pike.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of fishes including the gray mullets (Mugil), the barracudas, the silversides, and other related fishes. So called from their relation both to perches and to pikes.

PERCH Perch, n. [Written also pearch.] Etym: [OE. perche, F. perche, L. perca, fr. Gr. p spotted, speckled, and E. freckle.] (Zoöl.)

1. Any fresh-water fish of the genus Perca and of several other allied genera of the family Percidæ, as the common American or yellow perch (Perca flavescens, or Americana), and the European perch (P. fluviatilis).

2. Any one of numerous species of spiny-finned fishes belonging to the Percidæ, Serranidæ, and related families, and resembling, more or less, the true perches. Black perch. (a) The black bass. (b) The flasher. (c) The sea bass. -- Blue perch, the cunner. -- Gray perch, the fresh-water drum. -- Red perch, the rosefish. -- Red-bellied perch, the long-eared pondfish. -- Perch pest, a small crustacean, parasitic in the mouth of the perch. -- Silver perch, the yellowtail. -- Stone, or Striped, perch, the pope. -- White perch, the Roccus, or Morone, Americanus, a small silvery serranoid market fish of the Atlantic coast.

PERCH Perch, n. Etym: [F. perche, L. pertica.]

1. A pole; a long staff; a rod; esp., a pole or other support for fowls to roost on or to rest on; a roost; figuratively, any elevated resting place or seat. As chauntecleer among his wives all Sat on his perche, that was in his hall. Chaucer. Not making his high place the lawless perch Of winged ambitions. Tennyson.

2. (a) A measure of length containing five and a half yards; a rod, or pole. (b) In land or square measure: A square rod; the 160th part of an acre. (c) In solid measure: A mass 16

3. A pole connecting the fore gear and hind gear of a spring carriage; a reach.

PERCH Perch, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Perched; p. pr. & vb. n. Perching.] Etym: [F. percher. See Perch a pole.]

Defn: To alight or settle, as a bird; to sit or roost. Wrens make prey where eagles dare not perch. Shak.

PERCH Perch, v. t.

1. To place or to set on, or as on, a perch.

2. To occupy as a perch. Milton.

PERCHANCE Per*chance", adv. Etym: [F. par by (L. per) + chance. See Par, and Chance.]

Defn: By chance; perhaps; peradventure.

PERCHANT Perch"ant, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: A bird tied by the foot, to serve as decoy to other birds by its fluttering.

PERCHER Perch"er, n. Etym: [From Perch, v. i.]

1. One who, or that which, perches. J. Burroughs.

2. One of the Insessores.

3. Etym: [From Perch a pole.]

Defn: A Paris candle anciently used in England; also, a large wax candle formerly set upon the altar. [Obs.] Bailey.

PERCHERON Per"che*ron, n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: One of a breed of draught horses originating in Perche, an old district of France; -- called also Percheron-Norman.

PERCHLORATE Per*chlo"rate, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A salt of perchloric acid.

PERCHLORIC Per*chlo"ric, a. Etym: [Pref. per- + chloric.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, the highest oxygen acid (HClO4), of chlorine; -- called also hyperchloric.

PERCHLORIDE Per*chlo"ride, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A chloride having a higher proportion of chlorine than any other chloride of the same substance or series.

PERCHROMIC Per*chro"mic, a. Etym: [Pref. per- + chromic.] (Chem.)

Defn: Pertaining to, or designating, a certain one of the highly oxidized compounds of chromium, which has a deep blue color, and is produced by the action of hydrogen peroxide.

PERCIFORM Per"ci*form, a. Etym: [NL., & L. perca a perch + -form.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Perciformes.

PERCIFORMES Per`ci*for"mes, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive tribe or suborder of fishes, including the true perches (Percidæ); the pondfishes (Centrarchidæ); the sciænoids (Sciænidæ); the sparoids (Sparidæ); the serranoids (Serranidæ), and some other related families.

PERCIPIENCE; PERCIPIENCY Per*cip"i*ence, Per*cip"i*en*cy, n.

Defn: The faculty, act or power of perceiving; perception. Mrs. Browning.

PERCIPIENT Per*cip"i*ent, a. Etym: [L. percipiens, -entis, p.pr. of percipere. See Perceive.]

Defn: Having the faculty of perception; perceiving; as, a percipient being. Bentley. -- n.

Defn: One who, or that which, is percipient. Glanvill.

PERCLOSE Per*close", n. Etym: [OF. parclose an inclosed place; L. per through + claudere, clausum, to shut.]

1. (Eccl. Arch.)

Defn: Same as Parclose.

2. Conclusion; end. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

PERCOID Per"coid, a. Etym: [L. perca a perch + -oid: cf. F. percoïde.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Belonging to, or resembling, the perches, or family Percidæ. -- n.

Defn: Any fish of the genus Perca, or allied genera of the family Percidæ.

PERCOIDEA Per*coi"de*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Perciformes.

PERCOLATE Per"co*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Percolated; p. pr. & vb. n. Percolating.] Etym: [L. percolatus, p.p. of percolare to percolate; per through + colare to strain.]

Defn: To cause to pass through fine interstices, as a liquor; to filter; to strain. Sir M. Hale.

PERCOLATE Per"co*late, v. i.

Defn: To pass through fine interstices; to filter; as, water percolates through porous stone.

PERCOLATION Per`co*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. percolatio.]

Defn: The act or process of percolating, or filtering; filtration; straining. Specifically (Pharm.), the process of exhausting the virtues of a powdered drug by letting a liquid filter slowly through it.

PERCOLATOR Per"co*la`tor, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, filters. "[Tissues] act as percolators." Henfrey.

PERCOMORPHI Per`co*mor"phi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. L. perca perch + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of fishes including the perches and related kinds.

PERCULACED Per"cu*laced, a. Etym: [Prob. corrupt. fr. portcullised.] (Her.)

Defn: Latticed. See Lattice, n., 2.

PERCURRENT Per*cur"rent, a. Etym: [L. percurrens, p.pr. of percurrere to run through; per through + currere to run.]

Defn: Running through the entire length.

PERCURSORY Per*cur"so*ry, a. Etym: [L. percursor one who runs through, fr. percurrere. See Percurrent.]

Defn: Running over slightly or in haste; cursory. [R.]

PERCUSS Per*cuss", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Percussed; p. pr. & vb. n. Percussing.] Etym: [L. percussus, p.p. of percutere; per + quatere to shake, strike. See Quash.]

Defn: To strike smartly; to strike upon or against; as, to percuss the chest in medical examination. Flame percussed by air giveth a noise. Bacon.

PERCUSS Per*cuss", v. i. (Med.)

Defn: To strike or tap in an examination by percussion. See Percussion, 3. Quain.

PERCUSSION Per*cus"sion, n. Etym: [L. percussio: cf. F. percussion. See Percuss.]

1. The act of percussing, or striking one body against another; forcible collision, esp. such as gives a sound or report. Sir I. Newton.

2. Hence: The effect of violent collision; vibratory shock; impression of sound on the ear. The thunderlike percussion of thy sounds. Shak.

3. (Med.)

Defn: The act of tapping or striking the surface of the body in order to learn the condition of the parts beneath by the sound emitted or the sensation imparted to the fingers. Percussion is said to be immediate if the blow is directly upon the body; if some interventing substance, as a pleximeter, is, used, it is called mediate. Center of percussion. See under Center. -- Percussion bullet, a bullet containing a substance which is exploded by percussion; an explosive bullet. -- Percussion cap, a small copper cap or cup, containing fulminating powder, and used with a percussion lock to explode gunpowder. -- Percussion fuze. See under Fuze. -- Percussion lock, the lock of a gun that is fired by percussion upon fulminating powder. -- Percussion match, a match which ignites by percussion. -- Percussion powder, powder so composed as to ignite by slight percussion; fulminating powder. -- Percussion sieve, Percussion table, a machine for sorting ores by agitation in running water.

PERCUSSIVE Per*cuss"ive, a.

Defn: Striking against; percutient; as, percussive force.

PERCUTIENT Per*cu"tient, a. Etym: [L. percutiens, p.pr. of percutere. See Percuss.]

Defn: Striking; having the power of striking. -- n.

Defn: That which strikes, or has power to strike. Bacon.

PERDICINE Per"di*cine, a. Etym: [See Perdix.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the family Perdicidæ, or partridges.

PERDIE Per*die", adv.

Defn: See Parde. Spenser.

PER DIEM Per di"em. [L.]

Defn: By the day; substantively (chiefly U. S.), an allowance or amount of so much by the day.

PERDIFOIL Per"di*foil, n. Etym: [L. perdere to lose + folium leaf.] (Bot.)

Defn: A deciduous plant; -- opposed to Ant: evergreen. J. Barton.

PERDITION Per*di"tion, n. Etym: [F., fr. L. perditio, fr. perdere, perditum, to ruin, to lose; per (cf. Skr. para away) + -dere (only in comp.) to put; akin to Gr. do. See Do.]

1. Entire loss; utter destruction; ruin; esp., the utter loss of the soul, or of final happiness in a future state; future misery or eternal death. The mere perdition of the Turkish fleet. Shak. If we reject the truth, we seal our own perdition. J. M. Mason.

2. Loss of diminution. [Obs.] Shak.

PERDITIONABLE Per*di"tion*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being ruined; worthy of perdition. [R.] Pollok.

PERDIX Per"dix, n. Etym: [L., a partridge, Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of birds including the common European partridge. Formerly the word was used in a much wider sense to include many allied genera.

PERDU Per*du", n. Etym: [See Perdu, a.]

1. One placed on watch, or in ambush.

2. A soldier sent on a forlorn hope. Shak.

PERDU; PERDUE Per*du", Per*due", a. Etym: [F. perdu, f. perdue, lost, p.p. of perdre to lose, L. perdere. See Perdition.]

1. Lost to view; in concealment or ambush; close. He should lie perdue who is to walk the round. Fuller.

2. Accustomed to, or employed in, desperate enterprises; hence, reckless; hopeless. "A perdue captain." Beau. & Fl.

PERDUELLION Per`du*el"lion, n. Etym: [L. perduellio; per + duellum, bellum, war.] (Civil Law)

Defn: Treason.

PERDULOUS Per"du*lous, a. Etym: [See Perdu, a.]

Defn: Lost; thrown away. [Obs.] Abp. Bramhall.

PERDURABILITY Per*dur`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: Durability; lastingness. [Archaic] Chaucer.

PERDURABLE Per*dur"a*ble, n. Etym: [Cf. F. perdurable, OE. pardurable. See Perdure.]

Defn: Very durable; lasting; continuing long. [Archaic] Chaucer. Shak. -- Per*dur"a*bly, adv. [Archaic]

PERDURANCE; PERDURATION Per*dur"ance, Per`du*ra"tion, n.

Defn: Long continuance. [Archaic]

PERDURE Per*dure", v. i. Etym: [L. perdurare; per trough + durare to last.]

Defn: To last or endure for a long time; to be perdurable or lasting. [Archaic] The mind perdures while its energizing may construct a thousand lines. Hickok.

PERDY Per*dy", adv.

Defn: Truly. See Parde. [Obs.] Ah, dame! perdy ye have not done me right. Spenser.

PERE Pere, n.

Defn: A peer. [Obs.] Chaucer.