Chapter LI: Bella (76)

3. To be the will or pleasure of; to seem good to; -- used impersonally. "It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell." Col. i. 19. To-morrow, may it please you. Shak. To be pleased in or with, to have complacency in; to take pleasure in. -- To be pleased to do a thing, to take pleasure in doing it; to have the will to do it; to think proper to do it. Dryden.

PLEASE Please, v. i.

1. To afford or impart pleasure; to excite agreeable emotions. What pleasing scemed, for her now pleases more. Milton. For we that live to please, must please to live. Johnson.

2. To have pleasure; to be willing, as a matter of affording pleasure or showing favor; to vouchsafe; to consent. Heavenly stranger, please to taste These bounties. Milton. That he would please 8give me my liberty. Swift.

PLEASED Pleased, a.

Defn: Experiencing pleasure. -- Pleas"ed*ly, adv. -- Pleas"ed*ness, n.

PLEASEMAN Please"man, n.

Defn: An officious person who courts favor servilely; a pickthank. [Obs.] Shak.

PLEASER Pleas"er, n.

Defn: One who pleases or gratifies.

PLEASING Pleas"ing, a.

Defn: Giving pleasure or satisfaction; causing agreeable emotion; agreeable; delightful; as, a pleasing prospect; pleasing manners. "Pleasing harmony." Shak. "Pleasing features." Macaulay. -- Pleas"ing*ly, adv. -- Pleas"ing*ness, n.

Syn. -- Gratifying; delightful; agreeable. See Pleasant.

PLEASING Pleas"ing, n.

Defn: An object of pleasure. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEASURABLE Pleas"ur*a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of affording pleasure or satisfaction; gratifying; abounding in pleasantness or pleasantry. Planting of orchards is very . . . pleasurable. Bacon. O, sir, you are very pleasurable. B. Jonson. -- Pleas"ur*a*ble*ness, n. -- Pleas"ur*a*bly, adv.

PLEASURE Pleas"ure, n. Etym: [F. plaisir, originally an infinitive. See Please.]

1. The gratification of the senses or of the mind; agreeable sensations or emotions; the excitement, relish, or happiness produced by the expectation or the enjoyment of something good, delightful, or satisfying; -- opposed to Ant: pain, Ant: sorrow, etc. At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps. xvi. 11.

2. Amusement; sport; diversion; self-indulgence; frivolous or dissipating enjoyment; hence, sensual gratification; -- opposed to labor, service, duty, self-denial, etc. "Not sunk in carnal pleasure." Milton. He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man. Prov. xxi. 17. Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. iii. 4.

3. What the will dictates or prefers as gratifying or satisfying; hence, will; choice; wish; purpose. "He will do his pleasure on Babylon." Isa. xlviii. 14. Use your pleasure; if your love do not presuade you to come, let not my letter. Shak.

4. That which pleases; a favor; a gratification. Shak. Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure Acts xxv. 9. At pleasure, by arbitrary will or choice. Dryden. -- To take pleasure in, to have enjoyment in. Ps. cxlvii. 11.

Note: Pleasure is used adjectively, or in the formation of self- explaining compounds; as, pleasure boat, pleasure ground; pleasure house, etc.

Syn. -- Enjoyment; gratification; satisfaction; comfort; solace; joy; gladness; delight; will; choice; preference; purpose; command; favor; kindness.

PLEASURE Pleas"ure, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pleasured; p. pr. & vb. n. Pleasuring.]

Defn: To give or afford pleasure to; to please; to gratify. Shak. [Rolled] his hoop to pleasure Edith. Tennyson.

PLEASURE Pleas"ure, v. i.

Defn: To take pleasure; to seek pursue pleasure; as, to go pleasuring.

PLEASUREFUL Pleas"ure*ful, a.

Defn: Affording pleasure. [R.]

PLEASURELESS Pleas"ure*less, a.

Defn: Devoid of pleasure. G. Eliot.

PLEASURER Pleas"ur*er, n.

Defn: A pleasure seeker. Dickens.

PLEASURIST Pleas"ur*ist, n.

Defn: A person devoted to worldly pleasure. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

PLEAT Pleat, n. & v. t.

Defn: See Plait.

PLEBE Plebe, n. Etym: [F. plèbe, fr. L. plebs.]

1. The common people; the mob. [Obs.] The plebe with thirst and fury prest. Sylvester.

2. Etym: [Cf. Plebeian.]

Defn: A member of the lowest class in the military academy at West Point. [Cant, U.S.]

PLEBEIAN Ple*be"ian, a. Etym: [L. plebeius, from plebs, plebis, the common people: cf. F. plébéien.]

1. Of or pertaining to the Roman plebs, or common people.

2. Of or pertaining to the common people; vulgar; common; as, plebeian sports; a plebeian throng.

PLEBEIAN Ple*be"ian, n.

1. One of the plebs, or common people of ancient Rome, in distinction from patrician.

2. One of the common people, or lower rank of men.

PLEBEIANCE Ple*be"iance, n.

1. Plebeianism. [Obs.]

2. Plebeians, collectively. [Obs.]

PLEBEIANISM Ple*be"ian*ism, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plébéianisme.]

1. The quality or state of being plebeian.

2. The conduct or manners of plebeians; vulgarity.

PLEBEIANIZE Ple*be"ian*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plebeianized; p. pr. & vb. n. Plebeianizing.]

Defn: To render plebeian, common, or vulgar.

PLEBICOLIST Ple*bic"o*list, n. Etym: [L. plebs the common people + colere to cultivate.]

Defn: One who flatters, or courts the favor of, the common people; a demagogue. [R.]

PLEBIFICATION Pleb`i*fi*ca"tion, n. Etym: [L. plebs the common people + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.]

Defn: A rendering plebeian; the act of vulgarizing. [R.] You begin with the attempt to popularize learning . . . but you will end in the plebification of knowledge. Coleridge.

PLEBISCITARY Ple*bis"ci*ta*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to plebiscite. The Century.

PLEBISCITE Pleb"i*scite, n. Etym: [F. plébiscite, fr. L. plebiscitum.]

Defn: A vote by universal male suffrage; especially, in France, a popular vote, as first sanctioned by the National Constitution of 1791. [Written also plebiscit.] Plebiscite we have lately taken, in popular use, from the French. Fitzed. Hall.

PLEBISCITUM Ple`bis*ci"tum, n. Etym: [L., fr. plebs, plebis, common people + scitum decree.] (Rom. Antiq.)

Defn: A law enacted by the common people, under the superintendence of a tribune or some subordinate plebeian magistrate, without the intervention of the senate.

PLEBS Plebs (plebz), n. [L. Cf. Plebe.]

1. The commonalty of ancient Rome who were citizens without the usual political rights; the plebeians; -- distinguished from the patricians.

2. Hence, the common people; the populace; --construed as a pl.

PLECTILE Plec"tile, a. Etym: [L. plectilis.]

Defn: Woven; plaited. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PLECTOGNATH Plec"tog*nath, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plectognathi. -- n.

Defn: One of the Plectognathi.

PLECTOGNATHI Plec*to"gna*thi, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An order of fishes generally having the maxillary bone united with the premaxillary, and the articular united with the dentary.

Note: The upper jaw is immovably joined to the skull; the ventral fins are rudimentary or wanting; and the body is covered with bony plates, spines, or small rough ossicles, like shagreen. The order includes the diodons, filefishes, globefishes, and trunkfishes.

PLECTOGNATHIC; PLEC-TOGNATHOUS Plec`tog*nath"ic, Plec-tog"na*thous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plectognathi.

PLECTOSPONDYLI Plec`to*spon"dy*li, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An extensive suborder of fresh-water physostomous fishes having the anterior vertebræ united and much modified; the Eventognathi.

PLECTOSPONDYLOUS Plec`to*spon"dy*lous, a. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Plectospondyli.

PLECTRUM Plec"trum, n.; pl. L. Plectra, E. Plectrums. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

Defn: A small instrument of ivory, wood, metal, or quill, used in playing upon the lyre and other stringed instruments.

PLED Pled,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Plead [Colloq.] Spenser.

PLEDGE Pledge, n. Etym: [OF. plege, pleige, pledge, guaranty, LL. plegium, plivium; akin to OF. plevir to bail, guaranty, perhaps fr. L. praebere to proffer, offer (sc. fidem a trust, a promise of security), but cf. also E. play. sq. root28. Cf. Prebend, Replevin.]

1. (Law)

Defn: The transfer of possession of personal property from a debtor to a creditor as security for a debt or engagement; also, the contract created between the debtor and creditor by a thing being so delivered or deposited, forming a species of bailment; also, that which is so delivered or deposited; something put in pawn.

Note: Pledge is ordinarily confined to personal property; the title or ownership does not pass by it; possession is essential to it. In all these points it differs from a mortgage [see Mortgage]; and in the last, from the hypotheca of the Roman law. See Hypotheca. Story. Kent.

2. (Old Eng. Law)

Defn: A person who undertook, or became responsible, for another; a bail; a surety; a hostage. "I am Grumio's pledge." Shak.

3. A hypothecation without transfer of possession.

4. Anything given or considered as a security for the performance of an act; a guarantee; as, mutual interest is the best pledge for the performance of treaties. "That voice, their liveliest pledge of hope." Milton.

5. A promise or agreement by which one binds one's self to do, or to refrain from doing, something; especially, a solemn promise in writing to refrain from using intoxicating liquors or the like; as, to sign the pledge; the mayor had made no pledges.

6. A sentiment to which assent is given by drinking one's health; a toast; a health. Dead pledge. Etym: [A translation of LL. mortuum vadium.] (Law) A mortgage. See Mortgage. -- Living pledge. Etym: [A translation of LL. vivum vadium.] (Law) The conveyance of an estate to another for money borrowed, to be held by him until the debt is paid out of the rents and profits. -- To hold in pledge, to keep as security. -- To put in pledge, to pawn; to give as security.

Syn. -- See Earnest.

PLEDGE Pledge, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pledged; p. pr. & vb. n. Pledging.] Etym: [Cf. OF. pleiger to give security. See Pledge, n.]

1. To deposit, as a chattel, in pledge or pawn; to leave in possession of another as security; as, to pledge one's watch.

2. To give or pass as a security; to guarantee; to engage; to plight; as, to pledge one's word and honor. We mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor. The Declaration of Independence.

3. To secure performance of, as by a pledge. [Obs.] To pledge my vow, I give my hand. Shak.

4. To bind or engage by promise or declaration; to engage solemnly; as, to pledge one's self.

5. To invite another to drink, by drinking of the cup first, and then handing it to him, as a pledge of good will; hence, to drink the health of; to toast. Pledge me, my friend, and drink till thou be'st wise. Cowley.

PLEDGEE Pledg*ee", n.

Defn: The one to whom a pledge is given, or to whom property pledged is delivered.

PLEDGELESS Pledge"less, a.

Defn: Having no pledge.

PLEDGEOR; PLEDGOR Pledge*or", Pledg*or", n. (Law)

Defn: One who pledges, or delivers anything in pledge; a pledger; -- opposed to Ant: pledgee.

Note: This word analogically requires the e after g, but the spelling pledgor is perhaps commoner.

PLEDGER Pledg"er, n.

Defn: One who pledges.

PLEDGERY Pledg"er*y, n. Etym: [Cf. OF. pleigerie.]

Defn: A pledging; suretyship. [Obs.]

PLEDGET Pledg"et, n. Etym: [Prov. E., a small plug.]

1. A small plug. [Prov. End.]

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A string of oakum used in calking.

3. (Med.)

Defn: A compress, or small flat tent of lint, laid over a wound, ulcer, or the like, to exclude air, retain dressings, or absorb the matter discharged.

PLEGEPODA Ple*gep"o*da, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (-poda. In allusion to the rapid strokes of the vibrating cilia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Infusoria.

PLEIAD Ple"iad, n.

Defn: One of the Pleiades.

PLEIADES Ple"ia*des, n. pl. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (

1. (Myth.)

Defn: The seven daughters of Atlas and the nymph Pleione, fabled to have been made by Jupiter a constellation in the sky.

2. (Astron.)

Defn: A group of small stars in the neck of the constellation Taurus. Job xxxviii. 31.

Note: Alcyone, the brightest of these, a star of the third magnitude, was considered by Mädler the central point around which our universe is revolving, but there is no sufficient evidence of such motion. Only six pleiads are distinctly visible to the naked eye, whence the ancients supposed that a sister had concealed herself out of shame for having loved a mortal, Sisyphus.

PLEIN Plein, a.

Defn: Plan. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEIN Plein, v. i. & t.

Defn: To complain. See Plain. [Obs.]

PLEIN Plein, a. Etym: [OF. & F., fr. L. plenus.]

Defn: Full; complete. [Obs.] "Plein remission." Chaucer. -- Plein"ly, adv.

PLEIOCENE Plei"o*cene, a. (Geol.)

Defn: See Pliocene.

PLEIOPHYLLOUS Plei*oph"yl*lous, a. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Having several leaves; -- used especially when several leaves or leaflets appear where normally there should be only one.

PLEIOSAURUS Plei`o*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL.] (Paleon.)

Defn: Same as Pliosaurus.

PLEISTOCENE Pleis"to*cene, a. Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the epoch, or the deposits, following the Tertiary, and immediately preceding man. -- n.

Defn: The Pleistocene epoch, or deposits.

PLENAL Ple"nal, a. Etym: [L. plenus full. Cf. Plenary.]

Defn: Full; complete; as, a plenal view or act. [Obs.]

PLENARILY Ple"na*ri*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plenary manner.

PLENARINESS Ple"na*ri*ness, n.

Defn: Quality or state of being plenary.

PLENARTY Plen"ar*ty, n.

Defn: The state of a benefice when occupied. Blackstone.

PLENARY Ple"na*ry, a. Etym: [LL. plenarius, fr. L. plenus full. See Plenty.]

Defn: Full; entire; complete; absolute; as, a plenary license; plenary authority. A treatise on a subject should be plenary or full. I. Watts. Plenary indulgence (R. C. Ch.), an entire remission of temporal punishment due to, or canonical penance for, all sins. -- Plenary inspiration. (Theol.) See under Inspiration.

PLENARY Ple"na*ry, n. (Law)

Defn: Decisive procedure. [Obs.]

PLENE Plene, æ. Etym: [L. plenus full.]

Defn: Full; complete; plenary. [Obs.]

PLENICORN Ple"ni*corn, n. Etym: [L. plenus full + cornu horn.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A ruminant having solid horns or antlers, as the deer. Brande & C.

PLENILUNARY Plen`i*lu"na*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the full moon. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne.

PLENILUNE Plen"i*lune, n. Etym: [L. plenilunium; plenus full + luna the moon.]

Defn: The full moon. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

PLENIPOTENCE; PLENIPOTENCY Ple*nip"o*tence, Ple*nip"o*ten*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plenipotent. [R.]

PLENIPOTENT Ple*nip"o*tent, a. Etym: [L. plenus full + potens, -entis, potent.]

Defn: Possessing full power. [R.] Milton.

PLENIPOTENTIARY Plen`i*po*ten"ti*a*ry, n.; pl. Plenipotentiaries. Etym: [LL. plenipotentiarius: cf. F. plénipotentiaire.]

Defn: A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or envoy to a foreign court, with full power to negotiate a treaty, or to transact other business.

PLENIPOTENTIARY Plen`i*po*ten"ti*a*ry, a.

Defn: Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers. Howell.

PLENISH Plen"ish, v. t. Etym: [See Replenish.]

1. To replenish. [Obs.] T. Reeve.

2. To furnish; to stock, as a house or farm. [Scot.]

PLENISHING Plen"ish*ing, n.

Defn: Household furniture; stock. [Scot.]

PLENIST Ple"nist, n. Etym: [L. plenus full; cf. F. pléniste.]

Defn: One who holds that all space is full of matter.

PLENITUDE Plen"i*tude, n. Etym: [L. plenitudo, fr. plenus full; cf. F. plenitude.]

1. The quality or state of being full or complete; fullness; completeness; abundance; as, the plenitude of space or power.

2. Animal fullness; repletion; plethora. [Obs.]

PLENITUDINARIAN Plen`i*tu`di*na"ri*an, n.

Defn: A plenist.

PLENITUDINARY Plen`i*tu"di*na*ry, a.

Defn: Having plenitude; full; complete; thorough. [Obs.]

PLENTEOUS Plen"te*ous, a. Etym: [From Plenty.]

1. Containing plenty; abundant; copious; plentiful; sufficient for every purpose; as, a plenteous supply. "Reaping plenteous crop." Milton.

2. Yielding abundance; productive; fruitful. "The seven plenteous years." Gen. xli. 34.

3. Having plenty; abounding; rich. The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods. Deut. xxviii. 11.

Syn. -- Plentiful; copious; full. See Ample. -- Plen"te*ous*ly, adv. -- Plen"te*ous*ness, n.

PLENTEVOUS Plen"te*vous, a.

Defn: Plenteous. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLENTIFUL Plen"ti*ful, a.

1. Containing plenty; copious; abundant; ample; as, a plentiful harvest; a plentiful supply of water.

2. Yielding abundance; prolific; fruitful. If it be a long winter, it is commonly a more plentiful year. Bacon.

3. Lavish; profuse; prodigal. [Obs.] He that is plentiful in expenses will hardly be preserved from Bacon. -- Plen"ti*ful*ly, adv. -- Plen"ti*ful*ness, n.

PLENTY Plen"ty, n.; pl. Plenties, in Shak. Etym: [OE. plentee, plente, OF. plenté, fr. L. plenitas, fr. plenus full. See Full, a., and cf. Complete.]

Defn: Full or adequate supply; enough and to spare; sufficiency; specifically, abundant productiveness of the earth; ample supply for human wants; abundance; copiousness. "Plenty of corn and wine." Gen. xxvii. 28. "Promises Britain peace and plenty." Shak. Houses of office stuffed with plentee. Chaucer. The teeming clouds Descend in gladsome plenty o'er the world. Thomson.

Syn. -- Abundance; exuberance. See Abundance.

PLENTY Plen"ty, a.

Defn: Plentiful; abundant. [Obs. or Colloq.] If reasons were as plenty as blackberries. Shak. (Folio ed.) Those countries where shrubs are plenty. Goldsmith.

PLENUM Ple"num, n. Etym: [L., fr. plenus full.]

Defn: That state in which every part of space is supposed to be full of matter; -- opposed to vacuum. G. Francis.

PLEOCHROIC Ple`o*chro"ic, a.

Defn: Having the property of pleochroism.

PLEOCHROISM Ple*och"ro*ism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The property possessed by some crystals, of showing different colors when viewed in the direction of different axes.

PLEOCHROMATIC Ple*och`ro*mat"ic, a.

Defn: Pleochroic.

PLEOCHROMATISM Ple`o*chro"ma*tism, n.

Defn: Pleochroism.

PLEOCHROOUS Ple*och"ro*ous, a.

Defn: Pleochroic.

PLEOMORPHIC Ple`o*mor"phic, a.

Defn: Pertaining to pleomorphism; as, the pleomorphic character of bacteria.

PLEOMORPHISM Ple`o*mor"phism, n. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The property of crystallizing under two or more distinct fundamental forms, including dimorphism and trimorphism.

2. (Biol.)

Defn: The theory that the various genera of bacteria are phases or variations of growth of a number of Protean species, each of which may exhibit, according to undetermined conditions, all or some of the forms characteristic of the different genera and species.

PLEOMORPHOUS Ple`o*mor"phous, a.

Defn: Having the property of pleomorphism.

PLEONASM Ple"o*nasm, ( n. Etym: [L. pleonasmus, Gr. Full, a., and cf. Poly-, Plus.] (Rhet.)

Defn: Redundancy of language in speaking or writing; the use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; as, I saw it with my own eyes.

PLEONAST Ple"o*nast, n.

Defn: One who is addicted to pleonasm. [R.] C. Reade.

PLEONASTE Ple"o*naste, n. Etym: [Gr.pléonaste.] (Min.)

Defn: A black variety of spinel.

PLEONASTIC; PLEONASTICAL Ple`o*nas"tic, Ple`o*nas"tic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pléonastique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to pleonasm; of the nature of pleonasm; redundant.

PLEONASTICALLY Ple`o*nas"tic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pleonastic manner.

PLEOPOD Ple"o*pod, n.; pl. E. Pleopods, L. Pleopoda. Etym: [Gr. -pod.] (Zoöl.)

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

PLEROME Ple"rome, n. Etym: [Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: The central column of parenchyma in a growing stem or root.

PLEROPHORY Ple*roph"o*ry, n. Etym: [Gr.

Defn: Fullness; full persuasion. "A plerophory of assurance." Bp. Hall.

PLESANCE Ples"ance, n.

Defn: Pleasance. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLESH Plesh, n.

Defn: A pool; a plash. [Obs.] Spenser.

PLESIMORPHISM Ple`si*mor"phism, n. Etym: [Gr. (Crystallog.)

Defn: The property possessed by some substances of crystallizing in closely similar forms while unlike in chemical composition.

PLESIOMORPHOUS Ple`si*o*mor"phous, a.

Defn: Nearly alike in form.

PLESIOSAUR Ple"si*o*saur, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: One of the Plesiosauria.

PLESIOSAURIA Ple`si*o*sau"ri*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Plesiosaurus.] (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct order of Mesozoic marine reptiles including the genera Plesiosaurus, and allied forms; -- called also Sauropterygia.

PLESIOSAURIAN Ple`si*o*sau"ri*an, n. (Paleon.)

Defn: A plesiosaur.

PLESIOSAURUS Ple`si*o*sau"rus, n.; pl. Plesiosauri. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr (Paleon.)

Defn: A genus of large extinct marine reptiles, having a very long neck, a small head, and paddles for swimming. It lived in the Mesozoic age.

PLESSIMETER Ples*sim"e*ter, n.

Defn: See Pleximeter.

PLETE Plete, v. t. & i.

Defn: To plead. [Obs.] P. Plowman.

PLETHORA Pleth"o*ra, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Pleonasm.]

1. Overfullness; especially, excessive fullness of the blood vessels; repletion; that state of the blood vessels or of the system when the blood exceeds a healthy standard in quantity; hyperæmia; -- opposed to anæmia.

2. State of being overfull; excess; superabundance. He labors under a plethora of wit and imagination. Jeffrey.

PLETHORETIC Pleth`o*ret"ic, a.

Defn: Plethoric. [Obs.] Johnson.

PLETHORIC Ple*thor"ic, a. Etym: [Gr. pléthorique.]

Defn: Haeving a full habit of body; characterized by plethora or excess of blood; as, a plethoric constitution; -- used also metaphorically. "Plethoric phrases." Sydney Smith. "Plethoric fullness of thought." De Quincey.

PLETHORICAL Ple*thor"ic*al, a.

Defn: Plethoric. [R.] -- Ple*thor"ic*al*ly, adv. Burke.

PLETHORY Pleth"o*ry, n.

Defn: Plethora. Jer. Taylor.

PLETHRON; PLETHRUM Pleth"ron, Pleth"rum, n.; pl. Plethra. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Gr. Antiq.)

Defn: A long measure of 100 Greek, or 101 English, feet; also, a square measure of 10,000 Greek feet.

PLETHYSMOGRAPH Pleth"ys*mo*graph, n. Etym: [Gr. -graph.] (Physiol.)

Defn: An instrument for determining and registering the variations in the size or volume of a limb, as the arm or leg, and hence the variations in the amount of blood in the limb. -- Pleth`ys*mo*graph"ic, a.

PLETHYSMOGRAPHY Pleth`ys*mog"ra*phy, n. (Physiol.)

Defn: The study, by means of the plethysmograph, of the variations in size of a limb, and hence of its blood supply.

PLEURA Pleu"ra, n.,

Defn: pl. of Pleuron.

PLEURA Pleu"ra, n.; pl. L. Pleuræ, E. Pleuras. Etym: [NL., n. fem., fr. Gr.

1. (Anat.) (a) The smooth serous membrane which closely covers the lungs and the adjacent surfaces of the thorax; the pleural membrane. (b) The closed sac formed by the pleural membrane about each lung, or the fold of membrane connecting each lung with the body wall.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pleuron.

PLEURAL Pleu"ral, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pleura or pleuræ, or to the sides of the thorax.

PLEURALGIA Pleu*ral"gi*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: Pain in the side or region of the ribs.

PLEURAPOPHYSIS Pleu`ra*poph"y*sis, n.; pl. Pleurapophyses. Etym: [NL. See Pleura, and Apophysis.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the ventral processes of a vertebra, or the dorsal element in each half of a hemal arch, forming, or corresponding to, a vertebral rib. -- Pleu*rap`o*phys"i*al, a. Owen.

PLEURENCHYMA Pleu*ren"chy*ma, n. Etym: [Gr. parenchyma.] (Bot.)

Defn: A tissue consisting of long and slender tubular cells, of which wood is mainly composed.

PLEURIC Pleu"ric, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Pleural.

PLEURISY Pleu"ri*sy, n. Etym: [F. pleurésie, L. pleurisis, pleuritis, Gr pleyri is (sc. no`sos), fr. pleyra` rib, side.] (Med.)

Defn: An inflammation of the pleura, usually accompanied with fever, pain, difficult respiration, and cough, and with exudation into the pleural cavity. Pleurisy root. (Bot.) (a) The large tuberous root of a kind of milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) which is used as a remedy for pleuritic and other diseases. (b) The plant itself, which has deep orange-colored flowers; -- called also butterfly weed.

PLEURITE Pleu"rite, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pleuron.

PLEURITIC; PLEURITICAL Pleu*rit"ic, Pleu*rit"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. pleuriticus, Gr. pleurétique.] (Med.) (a) Of or pertaining to pleurisy; as, pleuritic symptoms. (b) Suffering from pleurisy.

PLEURITIS Pleu*ri"tis, n. Etym: [L.] (Med.)

Defn: Pleurisy.

PLEURO- Pleu"ro-. Etym: [See Pleura.]

Defn: A combining form denoting relation to a side; specif., connection with, or situation in or near, the pleura; as, pleuroperitoneum.

PLEUROBRACHIA Pleu`ro*brach"i*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Pleuro-, and Brachium.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A genus of ctenophores having an ovate body and two long plumose tentacles.

PLEUROBRANCH Pleu"ro*branch, n. Etym: [See Pleuro-, and Branchia.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of the gills of a crustacean that is attached to the side of the thorax.

PLEUROBRANCHIA Pleu`ro*bran"chi*a, n.; pl. Pleuroeranchiæ. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Pleurobranch.

PLEUROCARP Pleu"ro*carp, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Any pleurocarpic moss.

PLEUROCARPIC; PLEUROCARPOUS Pleu`ro*car"pic, Pleu`ro*car"pous, a. (Bot.)

Defn: Side-fruited; -- said of those true mosses in which the pedicels or the capsules are from lateral archegonia; -- opposed to Ant: acrocarpous.

PLEUROCENTRUM Pleu`ro*cen"trum, n. Etym: [NL. see Pleuro-, and Centrum.] (Anat.)

Defn: One of the lateral elements in the centra of the vertebræ in some fossil batrachians.

PLEURODERES Pleu*rod"e*res, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of fresh-water turtles in which the neck can not be retracted, but is bent to one side, for protection. The matamata is an example.

PLEURODONT Pleu"ro*dont, a. Etym: [Pleuro- + Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: Having the teeth consolidated with the inner edge of the jaw, as in some lizards.

PLEURODONT Pleu"ro*dont, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any lizard having pleurodont teeth.

PLEURODYNIA Pleu`ro*dyn"i*a, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A painful affection of the side, simulating pleurisy, usually due to rheumatism.

PLEURON Pleu"ron, n.; pl. Pleura. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the sides of an animal. (b) One of the lateral pieces of a somite of an insect. (c) One of lateral processes of a somite of a crustacean.

PLEURONECTOID Pleu`ro*nec"toid, a. Etym: [NL. Pleuronectes, name of a genus (fr. Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Pleuronectidæ, or Flounder family.

PLEUROPERICARDIAL Pleu`ro*per`i*car"di*al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pleura and pericardium.

PLEUROPERIPNEUMONY Pleu`ro*per`ip*neu"mo*ny, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + peripneumony.] (Med.)

Defn: Pleuropneumonia.

PLEUROPERITONEAL Pleu`ro*per`i*to*ne"al, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pleural and peritoneal membranes or cavities, or to the pleuroperitoneum.

PLEUROPERITONEUM Pleu`ro*per`i*to*ne"um, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + peritoneum.] (Anat.)

Defn: The pleural and peritoneal membranes, or the membrane lining the body cavity and covering the surface of the inclosed viscera; the peritoneum; -- used especially in the case of those animals in which the body cavity is not divided.

Note: Peritoneum is now often used in the sense of pleuroperitoneum, the pleuræ being regarded as a part of the peritoneum, when the body cavity is undivided.

PLEUROPNEUMONIA Pleu`ro*pneu*mo"ni*a, n. Etym: [Pleuro- + pneumonia.] (Med.)

Defn: Inflammation of the pleura and lungs; a combination of pleurisy and pneumonia, esp. a kind of contagions and fatal lung plague of cattle.

PLEUROPTERA Pleu*rop"te*ra, n. pl Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A group of Isectivora, including the colugo.

PLEUROSIGMA Pleu`ro*sig"ma, n. Etym: [NL. See Pleuro-, and Sigma.] (Bot.)

Defn: A genus of diatoms of elongated elliptical shape, but having the sides slightly curved in the form of a letter S. Pleurosigma angulatum has very fine striations, and is a favorite object for testing the high powers of microscopes.

PLEUROSTEON Pleu*ros"te*on, n.; pl. L. Pleurostea, E. -ons. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Anat.)

Defn: The antero-lateral piece which articulates the sternum of birds.

PLEUROTHOTONUS Pleu`ro*thot"o*nus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Med.)

Defn: A species of tetanus, in which the body is curved laterally. Quain. Dunglison.

PLEUROTOMA Pleu*rot"o*ma, n.; pl. L. Pleurotomæ, E. Pleurotomas. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any marine gastropod belonging to Pleurotoma, and ether allied genera of the family Pleurotmidæ. The species are very numerous, especially in tropical seas. The outer lip has usually a posterior notch or slit.

PLEVIN Plev"in, n. Etym: [OF. plevine. See Replevin.]

Defn: A warrant or assurance. [Obs.]

PLEXIFORM Plex"i*form, a. Etym: [Plexus + -form: cf. F. Plexiforme.]

Defn: Like network; complicated. Quincy.

PLEXIMETER Plex*im"e*ter, n. Etym: [Gr. -meter.] (Med.)

Defn: A small, hard, elastic plate, as of ivory, bone, or rubber, placed in contact with body to receive the blow, in examination by mediate percussion. [Written also plexometer.]

PLEXURE Plex"ure, n. Etym: [See Plexus.]

Defn: The act or process of weaving together, or interweaving; that which is woven together. H. Brooke.

PLEXUS Plex"us, n.; pl. L. Plexus, E. Plexuses. Etym: [L., a twining, braid, fr. plectere, plexum, to twine, braid.]

1. (Anat.)

Defn: A network of vessels, nerves, or fibers.

2. (Math.)

Defn: The system of equations required for the complete expression of the relations which exist between a set of quantities. Brande & C.

PLEY Pley, v. & n.

Defn: See Play. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEY Pley, a.

Defn: Full See Plein. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PLEYT Pleyt, n. (Naut.)

Defn: An old term for a river boat.

PLIABILITY Pli`a*bil"i*ty, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being pliable; flexibility; as, pliability of disposition. "Pliability of movement." Sir W. Scott.

PLIABLE Pli"a*ble, a. Etym: [F., fr. plier to bend, to fold. See Ply, v.]

1. Capable of being plied, turned, or bent; easy to be bent; flexible; pliant; supple; limber; yielding; as, willow is a pliable plant.

2. Flexible in disposition; readily yielding to influence, arguments, persuasion, or discipline; easy to be persuaded; -- sometimes in a bad sense; as, a pliable youth. "Pliable she promised to be." Dr. H. More. -- Pli"a*ble*ness, n. -- Pli"a*bly, adv.

PLIANCY Pli"an*cy, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being pliant in sense; as, the pliancy of a rod. "Avaunt all specious pliancy of mind." Wordsworth.

PLIANT Pli"ant, a. Etym: [F. pliant, p. pr. of plier to bend. See Ply, v.]

1. Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking; flexible; pliable; lithe; limber; plastic; as, a pliant thread; pliant wax. Also used figuratively: Easily influenced for good or evil; tractable; as, a pliant heart. The will was then ductile and pliant to right reason. South.

2. Favorable to pliancy. [R.] "A pliant hour." Shak. -- Pli"ant*ly, adv. -- Pli"ant*ness, n.

PLICA Pli"ca, n. Etym: [LL., a fold, fr. L. plicare to fold. See Ply, v.]

1. (Med.)

Defn: A disease of the hair (Plica polonica), in which it becomes twisted and matted together. The disease is of Polish origin, and is hence called also Polish plait. Dunglison.

2. (Bot.)

Defn: A diseased state in plants in which there is an excessive development of small entangled twigs, instead of ordinary branches.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The bend of the wing of a bird.

PLICATE; PLICATED Pli"cate, Pli"ca*ted, a. Etym: [L. plicatus, p. p. of plicare to fold.]

Defn: Plaited; folded like a fan; as, a plicate leaf. -- Pli"cate*ly, adv.

PLICATION Pli*ca"tion, n.

Defn: A folding or fold; a plait. Richardson.

PLICATURE Plic"a*ture, n. Etym: [L. plicatura, fr. plicare to fold.]

Defn: A fold; a doubling; a plication. Dr. H. More.

PLICIDENTINE Plic`i*den"tine, n. Etym: [LL. plica fold + E. dentine.] (Anat.)

Defn: A form of dentine which shows sinuous lines of structure in a transverse section of the tooth.

PLIED Plied,

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Ply.

PLIERS Pli"ers, n. pl. Etym: [From Ply to bend, fold.]

Defn: A kind of small pinchers with long jaws, -- used for bending or cutting metal rods or wire, for handling small objects such as the parts of a watch, etc.

PLIFORM Pli"form, a Etym: [Ply a fold + -form.]

Defn: In the form of a ply, fold, or doubling. [Obs.] Pennant.

PLIGHT Plight, obs.

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Plight, to pledge. Chaucer.

PLIGHT Plight, obs.

Defn: imp. & p. p. of Pluck. Chaucer.

PLIGHT Plight, v. t. Etym: [OE. pliten; probably through Old French, fr. LL. plectare, L. plectere. See Plait, Ply.]

Defn: To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.[Obs.] "To sew and plight." Chaucer. A plighted garment of divers colors. Milton.

PLIGHT Plight, n.

Defn: A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment. [Obs.] "Many a folded plight." Spenser.

PLIGHT Plight, n. Etym: [OE. pliht danger, engagement, AS. pliht danger, fr. pleón to risk; akin to D. plicht duty, G. pflicht, Dan. pligt. sq. root28. Cf. Play.]

1. That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge. "That lord whose hand must take my plight." Shak.

2. Etym: [Perh. the same word as plight a pledge, but at least influenced by OF. plite, pliste, ploit, ploi, a condition, state; cf. E. plight to fold, and F. pli a fold, habit, plier to fold, E. ply.]

Defn: Condition; state; -- risk, or exposure to danger, often being implied; as, a luckless plight. "Your plight is pitied." Shak. To bring our craft all in another plight Chaucer.

PLIGHT Plight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Plighting.] Etym: [AS. plihtan to expose to danger, pliht danger;cf. D. verplichten to oblige, engage, impose a duty, G. verpflichten, Sw. förplikta, Dan. forpligte. See Plight, n.]

1. To pledge; to give as a pledge for the performance of some act; as, to plight faith, honor, word; -- never applied to property or goods. " To do them plighte their troth." Piers Plowman. He plighted his right hand Unto another love, and to another land. Spenser. Here my inviolable faith I plight. Dryden.

2. To promise; to engage; to betroth. Before its setting hour, divide The bridegroom from the plighted bride. Sir W. Scott.

PLIGHTER Plight"er, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plights.

PLIM Plim, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Plump.]

Defn: To swell, as grain or wood with water. [Prov. Eng.] Grose.

PLIMSOLL'S MARK Plim"soll's mark`. (Naut.)

Defn: A mark conspicuously painted on the port side of all British sea-going merchant vessels, to indicate the limit of submergence allowed by law; -- so called from Samuel Plimsoll, by whose efforts the act of Parliament to prevent overloading was procured.

PLINTH Plinth, n. Etym: [L. plinthus, Gr. flint: cf. F. plinthe.]

Defn: (Arch.) In classical architecture, a vertically faced member immediately below the circular base of a column; also, the lowest member of a pedestal; hence, in general, the lowest member of a base; a sub-base; a block upon which the moldings of an architrave or trim are stopped at the bottom. See Illust. of Column.

PLIOCENE Pli"o*cene, a. [Written also pleiocene.] Etym: [Gr. (Geol.)

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or characterizing, the most recent division of the Tertiary age.

PLIOCENE Pli"o*cene, n. (Geol.)

Defn: The Pliocene period or deposits.

PLIOHIPPUS Pli`o*hip"pus, n. Etym: [NL., fr. E. pliocene + Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of horses from the Pliocene deposits. Each foot had a single toe (or hoof), as in the common horse.

PLIOSAURUS Pli`o*sau"rus, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Paleon.)

Defn: An extinct genus of marine reptiles allied to Plesiosaurus, but having a much shorter neck.

PLITT Plitt, n. Etym: [Russ. plete.]

Defn: An instrument of punishment or torture resembling the knout, used in Russia.

PLOC Ploc, n. Etym: [F.] (Naut.)

Defn: A mixture of hair and tar for covering the bottom of a ship.

PLOCE Plo"ce, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure in which a word is separated or repeated by way of emphasis, so as not only to signify the individual thing denoted by it, but also its peculiar attribute or quality; as, "His wife's a wife indeed." Bailey.

PLOD Plod, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Plodded; p. pr. & vb. n. Plodding.] Etym: [Gf. Gael. plod a clod, a pool; also, to strike or pelt with a clod or clods.]

1. To travel slowly but steadily; to trudge. Shak.

2. To toil; to drudge; especially, to study laboriously and patiently. "Plodding schoolmen." Drayton.

PLOD Plod, v. t.

Defn: To walk on slowly or heavily. The ploughman homeward plods his weary way. Gray.

PLODDER Plod"der, n.

Defn: One who plods; a drudge.

PLODDING Plod"ding, a.

Defn: Progressing in a slow, toilsome manner; characterized by laborious diligence; as, a plodding peddler; a plodding student; a man of plodding habits. --Plod"ding*ly, adv.

PLONGE Plonge, v. t. Etym: [See Plunge.]

Defn: To cleanse, as open drains which are entered by the tide, by stirring up the sediment when the tide ebbs.

PLONGEE Plon`gée", n. Etym: [F. See Plunge.] (Mil.)

Defn: A slope or sloping toward the front; as, the plongée of a parapet; the plongée of a shell in its course. [Sometimes written plonge.]

PLOP Plop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Plopped; p. pr. & vb. n. Plopping.] [Imitative.]

Defn: To fall, drop, or move in any way, with a sudden splash or slap, as on the surface of water.

The body plopped up, turning on its side. Kipling.

PLOP Plop, n.

Defn: Act of plopping; the sound made in plopping.

PLOT Plot, n. Etym: [AS. plot; cf. Goth. plats a patch. Cf. Plat a piece of ground.]

1. A small extent of ground; a plat; as, a garden plot. Shak.

2. A plantation laid out. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

3. (Surv.)

Defn: A plan or draught of a field, farm, estate, etc., drawn to a scale.

PLOT Plot, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plotted; p. pr. & vb. n. Plotting.]

Defn: To make a plot, map, pr plan, of; to mark the position of on a plan; to delineate. This treatise plotteth down Cornwall as it now standeth. Carew.

PLOT Plot, n. Etym: [Abbrev. from complot.]

1. Any scheme, stratagem, secret design, or plan, of a complicated nature, adapted to the accomplishment of some purpose, usually a treacherous and mischievous one; a conspiracy; an intrigue; as, the Rye-house Plot. I have overheard a plot of death. Shak. O, think what anxious moments pass between The birth of plots and their last fatal periods! Addison.

2. A share in such a plot or scheme; a participation in any stratagem or conspiracy. [Obs.] And when Christ saith. Who marries the divorced commits adultery, it is to be understood, if he had any plot in the divorce. Milton.

3. Contrivance; deep reach thought; ability to plot or intrigue. [Obs.] "A man of much plot." Denham.

4. A plan; a purpose. "No other plot in their religion but serve Got and save their souls." Jer. Taylor.

5. In fiction, the story of a play, novel, romance, or poem, comprising a complication of incidents which are gradually unfolded, sometimes by unexpected means. If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, then the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before. Pope.

Syn. -- Intrigue; stratagem; conspiracy; cabal; combination; contrivance.

PLOT Plot, v. i.

1. To form a scheme of mischief against another, especially against a government or those who administer it; to conspire. Shak. The wicked plotteth against the just. Ps. xxxvii. 12.

2. To contrive a plan or stratagem; to scheme. The prince did plot to be secretly gone. Sir H. Wotton.

PLOT Plot, v. t.

Defn: To plan; to scheme; to devise; to contrive secretly. "Plotting an unprofitable crime." Dryden. "Plotting now the fall of others." Milton

PLOTFUL Plot"ful, a.

Defn: Abounding with plots.

PLOTINIAN Plo*tin"i*an, a.

Defn: Of pertaining to the Plotinists or their doctrines.

PLOTINIST Plo*ti"nist, n. (Eccl. Hist.)

Defn: A disciple of Plotinus, a celebrated Platonic philosopher of the third century, who taught that the human soul emanates from the divine Being, to whom it reunited at death.

PLOT-PROOF Plot"-proof`, a.

Defn: Secure against harm by plots. Shak.

PLOTTER Plot"ter, n.

Defn: One who plots or schemes; a contriver; a conspirator; a schemer. Dryden.

PLOUGH Plough, n. & v.

Defn: See Plow.

PLOUTER Plout"er, v. i. [Also plowter, plotter.] [Perh. imitative.]

Defn: To wade or move about with splashing; to dabble; also, to potter; trifle; idle. [Scot. & Dial. Eng.]

I did not want to plowter about any more. Kipling.

PLOUTER Plout"er, n. [Also plowter.]

Defn: Act of ploutering; floundering; act or sound of splashing. [Scot. & Dial.Eng.]

PLOVER Plov"er, n. Etym: [OF. plovier, F. pluvier, prop., the rain bird, fr. LL. (assumed) pluviarius, fr. L. pluvia rain, from pluere to rain; akin to E. float, G. fliessen to flow. See Float.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of limicoline birds belonging to the family Charadridæ, and especially those belonging to the subfamily Charadrinsæ. They are prized as game birds.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any grallatorial bird allied to, or resembling, the true plovers, as the crab plover (Dromas ardeola); the American upland, plover (Bartramia longicauda); and other species of sandpipers.

Note: Among the more important species are the blackbellied, or blackbreasted, plover (Charadrius squatarola) of America and Europe; -- called also gray plover, bull-head plover, Swiss plover, sea plover, and oxeye; the golden plover (see under Golden); the ring or ringed plover (Ægialitis hiaticula). See Ringneck. The piping plover (Ægialitis meloda); Wilson's plover (Æ. Wilsonia); the mountain plover (Æ. montana); and the semipalmated plover (Æ. semipalmata), are all small American species. Bastard plover (Zoöl.), the lapwing. -- Long-legged, or yellow-legged, plover. See Tattler. -- Plover's page, the dunlin. [Prov. Eng.] -- Rock plover, or Stone plover, the black-bellied plover. [Prov. Eng.] -- Whistling plover. (a) The golden plover. (b) The black-bellied plover.

PLOW; PLOUGH Plow, Plough (plou), n. Etym: [OE. plouh, plou, AS. ploh; akin to D. ploeg, G. pflug, OHG. pfluog, pfluoh, Icel. plogr, Sw. plog, Dan. ploug, plov, Russ. plug', Lith. plugas.]

1. A well-known implement, drawn by horses, mules, oxen, or other power, for turning up the soil to prepare it for bearing crops; also used to furrow or break up the soil for other purposes; as, the subsoil plow; the draining plow. Where fern succeeds ungrateful to the plow. Dryden.

2. Fig.: Agriculture; husbandry. Johnson.

3. A carucate of land; a plowland. [Obs.] [Eng.] Johan, mine eldest son, shall have plowes five. Tale of Gamelyn.

4. A joiner's plane for making grooves; a grooving plane.

5. (Bookbinding)

Defn: An implement for trimming or shaving off the edges of books.

6. (Astron.)

Defn: Same as Charles's Wain. Ice plow, a plow used for cutting ice on rivers, ponds, etc., into cakes suitable for storing. [U. S.] -- Mackerel plow. See under Mackerel. -- Plow alms, a penny formerly paid by every plowland to the church. Cowell. -- Plow beam, that part of the frame of a plow to which the draught is applied. See Beam, n., 9. -- Plow Monday, the Monday after Twelth Day, or the end of Christmas holidays. -- Plow staff. (a) A kind of long-handled spade or paddle for cleaning the plowshare; a paddle staff. (b) A plow handle. -- Snow plow, a structure, usually

PLOW; PLOUGH Plow, Plough, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plowed (ploud) or Ploughed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plowing or Ploughing.]

1. To turn up, break up, or trench, with a plow; to till with, or as with, a plow; as, to plow the ground; to plow a field.

2. To furrow; to make furrows, grooves, or ridges in; to run through, as in sailing. Let patient Octavia plow thy visage up With her prepared nails. Shak. With speed we plow the watery way. Pope.

3. (Bookbinding)

Defn: To trim, or shave off the edges of, as a book or paper, with a plow. See Plow, n., 5.

4. (Joinery)

Defn: To cut a groove in, as in a plank, or the edge of a board; especially, a rectangular groove to receive the end of a shelf or tread, the edge of a panel, a tongue, etc. To plow in, to cover by plowing; as, to plow in wheat. -- To plow up, to turn out of the ground by plowing.plow ahead, to continue in spite of obstacles or resistence by others.

Note: Often used in a bad sense, meaning to continue obstinately in spite of the contrary advice of others. plow through, to execute a difficult or laborious task steadily, esp. one containing many parts; as, he plowed through the stack of correspondence until all had been answered.

PLOW; PLOUGH Plow, Plough (plou), v. i.

Defn: To labor with, or as with, a plow; to till or turn up the soil with a plow; to till or turn up the soil with a plow; to prepare the soil or bed for anything. Shak. Doth the plowman plow all day to sow Isa. xxviii. 24.

PLOWABLE; PLOUGHABLE Plow"a*ble, Plough"a*ble, a.

Defn: Capable of being plowed; arable.

PLOWBOTE; PLOUGHBOTE Plow"bote`, Plough"bote`, n. (Eng. Law)

Defn: Wood or timber allowed to a tenant for the repair of instruments of husbandry. See Bote.

PLOWBOY; PLOUGHBOY Plow"boy`, Plough"boy`, n.

Defn: A boy that drives or guides a team in plowing; a young rustic.

PLOWER; PLOUGHER Plow"er, Plough"er, n.

Defn: One who plows; a plowman; a cultivator.

PLOWFOOT; PLOUGHFOOT Plow"foot`, Plough"foot`, n.

Defn: An adjustable staff formerly attached to the plow beam to determine the depth of the furrow. Piers Plowman.

PLOWGANG; PLOUGHGANG Plow"gang`, Plough"gang`, n.

Defn: Same as Plowgate.

PLOWGATE; PLOUGHGATE Plow"gate`, Plough"gate`, n.

Defn: The Scotch equivalent of the English word plowland. Not having one plowgate of land. Sir W. Scott.

PLOWHEAD; PLOUGHHEAD Plow"head`, Plough"head`, n.

Defn: The clevis or draught iron of a plow.

PLOWLAND; PLOUGLAND Plow"land`, Ploug"land`, n.

1. Land that is plowed, or suitable for tillage.

2. (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: the quantity of land allotted for the work of one plow; a hide.

PLOWMAN; PLOUGHMAN Plow"man, Plough"man, n.; pl. -men (.

1. One who plows, or who holds and guides a plow; hence, a husbandman. Chaucer. Macaulay.

2. A rustic; a countryman; a field laborer. Plowman's spikenard (Bot.), a European composite weed (Conyza squarrosa), having fragrant roots. Dr. Prior.

PLOWPOINT; PLOUGHPOINT Plow"point`, Plough"point`, n.

Defn: A detachable share at the extreme front end of the plow body.

PLOWSHARE; PLOUGHSHARE Plow"share`, Plough"share", n.

Defn: The share of a plow, or that part which cuts the slice of earth or sod at the bottom of the furrow. Plowshare bone (Anat.), the pygostyle.

PLOWTAIL; PLOUGHTAIL Plow"tail`, Plough"tail`, n.

Defn: The hind part or handle of a plow.

PLOWWRIGHT; PLOUGHWRIGHT Plow"wright`, Plough"wright`, n.

Defn: One who makes or repairs plows.

PLOY Ploy, n.

Defn: Sport; frolic. [Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

PLOY Ploy, v. i. Etym: [Prob. abbrev. fr. deploy.] (Mil.)

Defn: To form a column from a line of troops on some designated subdivision; -- the opposite of deploy. Wilhelm.

PLOYMENT Ploy"ment, n. (Mil.)

Defn: The act or movement of forming a column from a line of troops on some designated subdivision; -- the opposite of deployment.

PLUCK Pluck, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plucked; p. pr. & vb. n. Plucking.] Etym: [AS. pluccian; akin to LG. & D. plukken, G. pflücken, Icel. plokka, plukka, Dan. plukke, Sw. plocka.

1. To pull; to draw. Its own nature . . . plucks on its own dissolution. Je

2. Especially, to pull with sudden force or effort, or to pull off or out from something, with a twitch; to twitch; also, to gather, to pick; as, to pluck feathers from a fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes. I come to pluck your berries harsh and crude. Milton. E'en children followed, with endearing wile, And plucked his gown to share the good man's smile. Goldsmith.

3. To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl. They which pass by the way do pluck her. Ps. lxxx.

4. (Eng. Universities)

Defn: To reject at an examination for degrees. C. Bronté. To pluck away, to pull away, or to separate by pulling; to tear away. -- To pluck down, to pull down; to demolish; to reduce to a lower state. -- to pluck off, to pull or tear off; as, to pluck off the skin. -- to pluck up. (a) To tear up by the roots or from the foundation; to eradicate; to exterminate; to destroy; as, to pluck up a plant; to pluk up a nation. Jer. xii. 17. (b) To gather up; to summon; as, to pluck up courage.

PLUCK Pluck, v. i.

Defn: To make a motion of pulling or twitching; -- usually with at; as, to pluck at one's gown.

PLUCK Pluck, n.

1. The act of plucking; a pull; a twitch.

2. Etym: [Prob. so called as being plucked out after the animal is killed; or cf. Gael. & Ir. pluc a lump, a knot, a bunch.]

Defn: The heart, liver, and lights of an animal.

3. Spirit; courage; indomitable resolution; fortitude. Decay of English spirit, decay of manly pluck. Thackeray.

4. The act of plucking, or the state of being plucked, at college. See Pluck, v. t., 4.

5. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The lyrie. [Prov. Eng.]

PLUCKED Plucked, a.

Defn: Having courage and spirit. [R.]

PLUCKER Pluck"er, n.

1. One who, or that which, plucks. Thou setter up and plucker down of kings. Shak.

2. A machine for straightening and cleaning wool.

PLUCKER TUBE Plück"er tube. [So named after Julius Plücker, a German physicist.] (Physics) (a) A vacuum tube, used in spectrum analysis, in which the part through which the discharge takes place is a capillary tube, thus producing intense incandescence of the contained gases. (b) Crookes tube.

PLUCKILY Pluck"i*ly, adv.

Defn: In a plucky manner.

PLUCKINESS Pluck"i*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being plucky.

PLUCKLESS Pluck"less, a.

Defn: Without pluck; timid; faint-hearted.

PLUCKY Pluck"y, a. [Compar. Pluckier; superl. Pluckiest.]

Defn: Having pluck or courage; characterized by pluck; displaying pluck; courageous; spirited; as, a plucky race. If you're plucky, and not over subject to fright. Barham.

PLUFF Pluff, v. t. Etym: [Prob. of imitative origin.]

Defn: To throw out, as smoke, dust, etc., in puffs. [Scot.]

PLUFF Pluff, n.

1. A puff, as of smoke from a pipe, or of dust from a puffball; a slight explosion, as of a small quantity of gunpowder. [Scot.]

2. A hairdresser's powder puff; also, the act of using it. [Scot.]

PLUG Plug, n. Etym: [Akin to D. plug, G. pflock, Dan. plök, plug, Sw. plugg; cf. W. ploc.]

1. Any piece of wood, metal, or other substance used to stop or fill a hole; a stopple.

2. A flat oblong cake of pressed tobacco. [U. S.]

3. A high, tapering silk hat. [Slang, U.S.]

4. A worthless horse. [Slang, U.S.]

5. (Building)

Defn: A block of wood let into a wall, to afford a hold for nails. Fire plug, a street hydrant to which hose may be attached. [U. S.] -- Hawse plug (Naut.), a plug to stop a hawse hole. -- Plug and feather. (Stone Working) See Feather, n., 7. -- Plug centerbit, a centerbit ending in a small cylinder instead of a point, so as to follow and enlarge a hole previously made, or to form a counterbore around it. -- Plug rod (Steam Eng.) , a rod attached to the beam for working the valves, as in the Cornish engine. -- Plug valve (Mech.), a tapering valve, which turns in a case like the plug of a faucet.

PLUG Plug, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plugged; p. pr. & vb. n. Plugging.]

Defn: To stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole.

PLUG BOARD Plug board. (Elec.)

Defn: A switchboard in which connections are made by means of plugs.

PLUGGER Plug"ger, n.

Defn: One who, or that which, plugs.

PLUGGING Plug"ging, n.

1. The act of stopping with a plug.

2. The material of which a plug or stopple is made.

PLUM Plum, n. Etym: [AS.plume, fr. L. prunum; akin to Gr. Prune a dried plum.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica, and of several other species of Prunus; also, the tree itself, usually called plum tree. The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum, of our gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. G. Bentham. are in bold format, like collocations.

Note: Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from the Prunus domestica are described; among them the greengage, the Orleans, the purple gage, or Reine Claude Violette, and the German prune, are some of the best known.

Note: Among the true plums are; Beach plum, the Prunus maritima, and its crimson or purple globular drupes, -- Bullace plum. See Bullace. -- Chickasaw plum, the American Prunus Chicasa, and its round red drupes. -- Orleans plum, a dark reddish purple plum of medium size, much grown in England for sale in the markets. -- Wild plum of America, Prunus Americana, with red or yellow fruit, the original of the Iowa plum and several other varieties. Among plants called plum, but of other genera than Prunus, are; Australian plum, Cargillia arborea and C. australis, of the same family with the persimmon. -- Blood plum, the West African Hæmatostaphes Barteri. -- Cocoa plum, the Spanish nectarine. See under Nectarine. -- Date plum. See under Date. -- Gingerbread plum, the West African Parinarium macrophyllum. -- Gopher plum, the Ogeechee lime. -- Gray plum, Guinea plum. See under Guinea. -- Indian plum, several species of Flacourtia.

2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.

3. A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant language, the sum of £100,000 sterling; also, the person possessing it. Plum bird, Plum budder (Zoöl.), the European bullfinch. -- Plum gouger (Zoöl.), a weevil, or curculio (Coccotorus scutellaris), which destroys plums. It makes round holes in the pulp, for the reception of its eggs. The larva bores into the stone and eats the kernel. -- Plum weevil (Zoöl.), an American weevil which is very destructive to plums, nectarines cherries, and many other stone fruits. It lays its eggs in crescent-shaped incisions made with its jaws. The larva lives upon the pulp around the stone. Called also turk, and plum curculio. See Illust. under Curculio.

PLUMA Plu"ma, n.; pl. Plumæ. Etym: [L.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A feather.

PLUMAGE Plum"age, n. Etym: [F., from plume a feather.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The entire clothing of a bird.

Note: It consist of the contour feathers, or the ordinary feathers covering the head, neck, and body; the tail feathers, with their upper and lower coverts; the wing feathers, including primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, with their coverts; and the down which lies beneath the contour feathers. See Illust. under Bird.

PLUMASSARY Plu*mas"sa*ry, n. Etym: [Cf. F. plumasseau.]

Defn: A plume or collection of ornamental feathers.

PLUMASSIER Plu`mas`sier", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: One who prepares or deals in ornamental plumes or feathers.

PLUMB Plumb, n. Etym: [F. plomb, L. plumbum lead, a leaden ball or bullet; cf. Gr. Plummet, Plunge.]

Defn: A little mass or weight of lead, or the like, attached to a line, and used by builders, etc., to indicate a vertical direction; a plummet; a plumb bob. See Plumb line, below. Plumb bob. See Bob, 4. -- Plumb joint, in sheet-metal work, a lap joint, fastened by solder. -- Plumb level. See under Level. -- Plumb line. (a) The cord by which a plumb bob is suspended; a plummet. (b) A line directed to the center of gravity of the earth. -- Plumb rule, a narrow board with a plumb line, used by builders and carpenters.

PLUMB Plumb, a.

Defn: Perpendicular; vertical; conforming the direction of a line attached to a plumb; as, the wall is plumb.

PLUMB Plumb, adv.

Defn: In a plumb direction; perpendicularly. "Plumb down he falls." Milton.

PLUMB Plumb, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plumbed; p. pr. & vb. n. Plumbing.]

1. To adjust by a plumb line; to cause to be perpendicular; as, to plumb a building or a wall.