Chapter LI: Bella (80)

POLYSPERMY Pol"y*sper`my, n. (Biol.)

Defn: Fullness of sperm, or seed; the passage of more than one spermatozoön into the vitellus in the impregnation of the ovum.

POLYSPOROUS Pol`y*spor"ous, a. Etym: [Poly- + spore.] (Bot.)

Defn: Containing many spores.

POLYSTOMATA Pol`y*stom"a*ta, n. pl. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of trematode worms having more two suckers. Called also Polystomea and Polystoma.

POLYSTOME Pol"y*stome, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having many mouths.

POLYSTOME Pol"y*stome, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: An animal having many mouths; -- applied to Protozoa.

POLYSTYLE Pol"y*style, a. Etym: [Gr. polystyle.] (Arch.)

Defn: Having many columns; -- said of a building, especially of an interior part or court; as, a polystyle hall. -- n.

Defn: A polystyle hall or edifice.

POLYSULPHIDE Pol`y*sul"phide, n. Etym: [Poly- + sulphide.] (Chem.)

Defn: A sulphide having more than one atom of sulphur in the molecule; -- contrasted with monosulphide.

POLYSULPHURET Pol`y*sul"phu*ret, n. (Chem.)

Defn: A polysulphide. [Obsoles.]

POLYSYLLABIC; POLYSYLLABICAL Pol`y*syl*lab"ic, Pol`y*syl*lab"ic*al, a. Etym: [Gr. polysyllabique.]

Defn: Pertaining to a polysyllable; containing, or characterized by, polysyllables; consisting of more than three syllables.

POLYSYLLABICISM Pol`y*syl*lab"i*cism, n.

Defn: Polysyllabism.

POLYSYLLABICITY Pol`y*syl`la*bic"i*ty, n.

Defn: Polysyllabism.

POLYSYLLABISM Pol`y*syl"la*bism, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being polysyllabic.

POLYSYLLABLE Pol"y*syl`la*ble, n. Etym: [Poly- + syllable.]

Defn: A word of many syllables, or consisting of more syllables than three; -- words of less than four syllables being called monosyllables, dissyllables, and trisyllables.

POLYSYNDETIC Pol`y*syn*det"ic, a.

Defn: Characterized by polysyndeton, or the multiplication of conjunctions. -- Pol`y*syn*det"ic*al*ly, adv.

POLYSYNDETON Pol`y*syn"de*ton, n. Etym: [NL., from Gr. (Rhet.)

Defn: A figure by which the conjunction is often repeated, as in the sentence, "We have ships and men and money and stores." Opposed to asyndeton.

POLYSYNTHESIS Pol`y*syn"the*sis, n. Etym: [Poly- + synthesis.]

1. The act or process of combining many separate elements into a whole.

2. (Philol.)

Defn: The formation of a word by the combination of several simple words, as in the aboriginal languages of America; agglutination. Latham.

POLYSYNTHETIC Pol`y*syn*thet"ic, a. Etym: [Poly- + synthetic.]

Defn: Characterized by polysynthesis; agglutinative. Polysynthetic twinning (Min.), repeated twinning, like that of the triclinic feldspar, producing fine parallel bands in alternately reversed positions.

POLYSYNTHETICISM Pol`y*syn*thet"i*cism, n.

Defn: Polysynthesis.

POLYTECHNIC Pol`y*tech"nic, a. Etym: [Gr. polytechnique.]

Defn: Comprehending, or relating to, many arts and sciences; -- applied particularly to schools in which many branches of art and science are taught with especial reference to their practical application; also to exhibitions of machinery and industrial products.

POLYTECHNICAL Pol`y*tech"nic*al, a.

Defn: Polytechnic.

POLYTECHNICS Pol`y*tech"nics, n.

Defn: The science of the mechanic arts.

POLYTHALAMIA Pol`y*tha*la"mi*a, n. pl. Etym: [NL. See Polythalamous.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A division of Foraminifera including those having a manychambered shell.

POLYTHALAMOUS Pol`y*thal"a*mous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Many-chambered; -- applied to shells of Foraminifera and cephalopods. See Illust. of Nautilus.

POLYTHEISM Pol"y*the*ism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. polythéisme.]

Defn: The doctrine of, or belief in, a plurality of gods. In the Old Testament, the gradual development of polytheism from the primitive monotheism may be learned. Shaff-Herzog.

POLYTHEIST Pol"y*the*ist, n. Etym: [Cf. F. polythéiste.]

Defn: One who believes in, or maintains the doctrine of, a plurality of gods.

POLYTHEISTIC; POLYTHEISTICAL Pol`y*the*is"tic, Pol`y*the*is"tic*al, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to polytheism; characterized by polytheism; professing or advocating polytheism; as, polytheistic worship; a polytheistic author, or nation. -- Pol`y*the*is"tic*al*ly, adv.

POLYTHEIZE Pol"y*the*ize, v. i.

Defn: To adhere to, advocate, or inculcate, the doctrine of polytheism. Milman.

POLYTHELISM Pol`y*the"lism, n. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. qhlh` a nipple.] (Anat.)

Defn: The condition of having more than two teats, or nipples.

POLYTOCOUS Po*lyt"o*cous, a. Etym: [Gr.

1. (Bot.)

Defn: Bearing fruit repeatedly, as most perennial plants; polycarpic.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Producing many or young.

POLYTOMOUS Po*lyt"o*mous, a. Etym: [Poly- + Gr. (Bot.)

Defn: Subdivided into many distinct subordinate parts, which, however, not being jointed to the petiole, are not true leaflets; -- said of leaves. Henslow.

POLYTOMY Po*lyt"o*my, n. (Logic)

Defn: A division into many members. F. Bowen.

POLYTUNGSTATE Pol`y*tung"state, n.

Defn: A salt of polytungstic acid.

POLYTUNGSTIC Pol`y*tung"stic, a. (Chem.)

Defn: Containing several tungsten atoms or radicals; as, polytungstic acid. Polytungstic acid (Chem.), any one of several complex acids of tungsten containing more than one atom of tungsten.

POLYTYPE Pol"y*type, n. Etym: [Poly- + -type.] (Print.)

Defn: A cast, or facsimile copy, of an engraved block, matter in type, etc. (see citation); as, a polytype in relief. By pressing the wood cut into semifluid metal, an intaglio matrix is produced: and from this matrix, in a similar way, a polytype in relief is obtained. Hansard.

POLYTYPE Pol"y*type, a. (Print.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to polytypes; obtained by polytyping; as, a polytype plate.

POLYTYPE Pol"y*type, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polytyped; p. pr. & vb. n. Polytyping.] (Print.)

Defn: To produce a polytype of; as, to polytype an engraving.

POLYURIA Pol`y*u"ri*a, n. Etym: [NL. See Poly-, and Urine.] (Med.)

Defn: A persistently excessive flow of watery urine, with low specific gravity and without the presence of either albumin or sugar. It is generally accompanied with more or less thirst.

POLYVALENT Po*lyv"a*lent, a. Etym: [Poly- + L. valens, p. pr. See Valent.] (Chem.)

Defn: Multivalent.

POLYVE Pol"yve, n. Etym: [See Polive.]

Defn: A pulley. [Obs.]

POLYZOA Pol`y*zo"a, n. pl. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Bryozoa. See Illust. under Bryozoa, and Phylactolæmata.

POLYZOAN Pol`y*zo"an, n. (Zoöl.) (a) Any species of Polyzoa; one of the Polyzoa. (b) A polyzoön.

POLYZOARIUM Pol`y*zo*a"ri*um, n.; pl. Polyzoaria. Etym: [NL.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Same as Polyzoary.

POLYZOARY Pol`y*zo"a*ry, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The compound organism of a polyzoan.

POLYZONAL Pol`y*zon"al, a. Etym: [Poly- + zonal.]

Defn: Consisting of many zones or rings. Polyzonal lens (Opt.), a lens made up of pieces arranged zones or rings, -- used in the lanterns of lighthouses.

POLYZOON; POLYZOOEN Pol`y*zo"ön, n.; pl. Polyzoa. Etym: [NL. See Polyzoan.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: One of the individual zooids forming the compound organism of a polyzoan.

POMACE Pom"ace, n. Etym: [L. ponum a fruit, LL., an apple: cf. LL. pomagium, pomacium.]

Defn: The substance of apples, or of similar fruit, crushed by grinding.

POMACENTROID Po`ma*cen"troid, a. Etym: [Gr. -oid.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Pertaining to the Pomacentridæ, a family of bright-colored tropical fishes having spiny opercula; -- often called coral fishes.

POMACEOUS Po*ma"ceous, a. Etym: [LL. ponum an apple.]

1. (Bot.) (a) Like an apple or pear; producing pomes. (b) Of or pertaining to a suborder (Pomeæ) of rosaceous plants, which includes the true thorn trees, the quinces, service berries, medlars, and loquats, as well as the apples, pears, crabs, etc.

2. Like pomace.

POMADE Po*made", n. Etym: [F. pommade pomatum, OF. pomade cider (cf. Sp. pomada, It. pomata, LL. pomata a drink made of apples), from L. pomum fruit, LL., an apple. Cf. Pomatum.]

1. Cider. [Obs.] Piers Plowman.

2. Perfumed ointment; esp., a fragrant unguent for the hair; pomatum; -- originally made from apples.

POMANDER Po*man"der, n. Etym: [Sp. poma.] (a) A perfume to be carried with one, often in the form of a ball. (b) A box to contain such perfume, formerly carried by ladies, as at the end of a chain; -- more properly pomander box. [Obs.] Bacon.

POMARINE Po"ma*rine, a. Etym: [Gr. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having the nostril covered with a scale. Pomarine jager (Zoöl.), a North Atlantic jager (Stercorarius pomarinus) having the elongated middle tail feathers obtuse. The adult is black.

POMATUM Po*ma"tum, n. Etym: [See Pomade.]

Defn: A perfumed unguent or composition, chiefly used in dressing the hair; pomade. Wiseman.

POMATUM Po*ma"tum, v. t.

Defn: To dress with pomatum.

POME Pome, n. Etym: [L. pomum a fruit: cf. F. pomme apple. Cf. Pomade.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: A fruit composed of several cartilaginous or bony carpels inclosed in an adherent fleshy mass, which is partly receptacle and partly calyx, as an apple, quince, or pear.

2. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: A ball of silver or other metal, which is filled with hot water, and used by the priest in cold weather to warm his hands during the service.

POME Pome, v. i. Etym: [Cf. F. pommer. See Pome, n.]

Defn: To grow to a head, or form a head in growing. [Obs.]

POMEGRANATE Pome"gran`ate, n. Etym: [OE. pomgarnet, OF. pome de grenate, F. grenade, L. pomum a fruit + granatus grained, having many grains or seeds. See Pome, and Garnet, Grain.]

1. (Bot.)

Defn: The fruit of the tree Punica Granatum; also, the tree itself (see Balaustine), which is native in the Orient, but is successfully cultivated in many warm countries, and as a house plant in colder climates. The fruit is as large as an orange, and has a hard rind containing many rather large seeds, each one separately covered with crimson, acid pulp.

2. A carved or embroidered ornament resembling a pomegranate. Ex. xxviii. 33.

POMEL Pom"el, n.

Defn: A pommel. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POMELO Pom"e*lo, n. Etym: [Cf. Pompelmous.]

Defn: A variety of shaddock, called also grape fruit.

POMELY Pome"ly, a. Etym: [OF. pomelé, F. pommelé. See Pome.]

Defn: Dappled. [Obs.] "Pomely gray." Chaucer.

POMERANIAN Pom`e*ra"ni*an, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to Pomerania, a province of Prussia on the Baltic Sea. -- n.

Defn: A native or inhabitant of Pomerania. Pomeranian dog (Zoöl.), the loup-loup, or Spitz dog.

POMEWATER Pome"wa`ter, n.

Defn: A kind of sweet, juicy apple. [Written also pomwater.] Shak.

POMEY Pom"ey, n.; pl. Pomeys. Etym: [F. pommé grown round, or like an apple, p. p. of pommer to pome.] (Her.)

Defn: A figure supposed to resemble an apple; a roundel, -- always of a green color.

POMFRET Pom"fret, n. Etym: [Perhaps corrupt. fr. Pg. pampano a kind of fish.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of two or more species of marine food fishes of the genus Stromateus (S. niger, S. argenteus) native of Southern Europe and Asia. (b) A marine food fish of Bermuda (Brama Raji).

POMICULTURE Po"mi*cul`ture, n. [L. pomum fruit + cultura culture.] (Hort.)

Defn: The culture of fruit; pomology as an art.

POMIFEROUS Po*mif"er*ous, a. Etym: [L. pomifer; pomum fruit + ferre to bear: cf. F. pomifère.] (Bot.) (a) Bearing pomes, or applelike fruits. (b) Bearing fruits, or excrescences, more or less resembling an apple.

POMMAGE Pom"mage (; 48), n.

Defn: See Pomage.

POMME Pom`mé", a. Etym: [F. See Pomey.] (Her.)

Defn: Having the ends terminating in rounded protuberances or single balls; -- said of a cross.

POMME BLANCHE Pomme` blanche". Etym: [F., literally, white apple.]

Defn: The prairie turnip. See under Prairie.

POMMEL Pom"mel, n. Etym: [OE. pomel, OF. pomel, F. pommeau, LL. pomellus, fr. L. pomum fruit, LL. also, an apple. See Pome.]

Defn: A knob or ball; an object resembling a ball in form; as: (a) The knob on the hilt of a sword. Macaulay. (b) The knob or protuberant part of a saddlebow. (c) The top (of the head). Chaucer. (d) A knob forming the finial of a turret or pavilion.

POMMEL Pom"mel, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pommeled or Pommelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Pommeling or Pommelling.]

Defn: To beat soundly, as with the pommel of a sword, or with something knoblike; hence, to beat with the fists. [Written also pummel.]

POMMELION Pom*mel"ion, n. Etym: [See Pommel: cf. LL. pomilio pygmy.] (Mil.)

Defn: The cascabel, or hindmost knob, of a cannon. [R.]

POMMETTE Pom`met`té", a. Etym: [F.]

Defn: Having two balls or protuberances at each end; -- said of a cross.

POMOLOGICAL Po`mo*log"ic*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pomologique.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to pomology.

POMOLOGIST Po*mol"o*gist, n.

Defn: One versed in pomology; one who culticvates fruit trees.

POMOLOGY Po*mol"o*gy, n. Etym: [L. pomum fruit + -logy: cf. F. pomologie.]

Defn: The science of fruits; a treatise on fruits; the cultivation of fruits and fruit trees.

POMONA Po*mo"na, n. Etym: [L., from pomum fruit.] (Class. Myth.)

Defn: The goddess of fruits and fruit trees.

POMP Pomp, n. Etym: [OE. pompe, F. pompe, L. pompa, fr. Gr. Pump a shoe.]

1. A procession distinguished by ostentation and splendor; a pageant. "All the pomps of a Roman triumph." Addison.

2. Show of magnificence; parade; display; power.

Syn. -- Display; parade; pageant; pageantry; splendor; state; magnificence; ostentation; grandeur; pride.

POMP Pomp, v. i.

Defn: To make a pompons display; to conduct. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

POMPADOUR Pom"pa*dour, n.

Defn: A crimson or pink color; also, a style of dress cut low and square in the neck; also, a mode of dressing the hair by drawing it straight back from the forehead over a roll; -- so called after the Marchioness de Pompadour of France. Also much used adjectively.

POMPANO Pom"pa*no, n. Etym: [Sp. pámpano.] [Written also pampano.] (Zoöl.)

1. Any one of several species of marine fishes of the genus Trachynotus, of which four species are found on the Atlantic coast of the United States; -- called also palometa.

Note: They have a brilliant silvery or golden luster, and are highly esteemed as food fishes. The round pompano (T. thomboides) and the Carolina pompano (T. Carolinus) are the most common. Other species occur on the Pacific coast.

2. A California harvest fish (Stromateus simillimus), highly valued as a food fish. Pompano shell (Zoöl.), a small bivalve shell of the genus Donax; -- so called because eaten by the pompano. [Florida]

POMPATIC Pom*pat"ic, a. Etym: [L. pompaticus.]

Defn: Pompous. [Obs.] Barrow.

POMPEIAN Pom*pe"ian, a. [L. Pompeianus.]

Defn: Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of, Pompeii, an ancient city of Italy, buried by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 a. d., and partly uncovered by modern excavations.

POMPEIAN RED Pompeian red. (Art)

Defn: A brownish red approaching maroon, supposed to be imitated from the color of the wall panels of houses in Pompeii, which were decorated during the last age of the Republic.

POMPELMOUS Pom"pel*mous, n.; pl. Pompelmouses. Etym: [D. pompelmoes; cf. G. pompelmuse, F. pamplemousse, and F. pompoléon.] (Bot.)

Defn: A shaddock, esp. one of large size.

POMPET Pom"pet, n. Etym: [OF. pompette.] (Print.)

Defn: The ball formerly used to ink the type.

POMPHOLYX Pom"pho*lyx, n. Etym: [L., fr. Gr.

1. (Old Chem.)

Defn: Impure zinc oxide.

2. (Med.)

Defn: A skin disease in which there is an eruption of bullæ, without inflammation or fever.

POMPILLION Pom*pil"lion, n.

Defn: An ointment or pomatum made of black poplar buds. [Obs.] Cotgrave.

POMPION Pom"pi*on, n. Etym: [OF. pompon. See Pumpkin.]

Defn: See Pumpion.

POMPIRE Pom"pire, n. Etym: [L. pomum a fruit, LL. also, an apple + pirum a pear.]

Defn: A pearmain. [Obs.]

POMPOLEON Pom*po"le*on, n. (Bot.)

Defn: See Pompelmous.

POM-POM Pom"-pom`, n. [Imitative.]

Defn: A Vickers-Maxim one-pounder automatic machine cannon using metallic ammunition fed from a lopped belt attached to the gun; -- popularly so called from its peculiar drumming sound in action. Sometimes, any of other similar automatic cannons.

POMPON Pom"pon, n. Etym: [F.]

1. Any trifling ornament for a woman's dress or bonnet.

2. (Mil.)

Defn: A tuft or ball of wool, or the like, sometimes worn by soldiers on the front of the hat, instead of a feather.

POMPOSITY Pom*pos"i*ty, n.; pl. Pomposities (.

Defn: The quality or state of being pompous; pompousness. Thackeray.

POMPOSO Pom*po"so, a. & adv. Etym: [It.] (Mus.)

Defn: Grand and dignified; in grand style.

POMPOUS Pomp"ous, a. Etym: [F. pompeux, L. pomposus. See Pomp.]

1. Displaying pomp; stately; showy with grandeur; magnificent; as, a pompous procession.

2. Ostentatious; pretentious; boastful; vainlorious; as, pompous manners; a pompous style. "Pompous in high presumption." Chaucer. he pompous vanity of the old schoolmistress. Thackeray. -- Pom"ous*ly, adv. -- Pomp"ous*ness, n.

POMPTINE Pomp"tine, a.

Defn: See Pontine.

POMWATER Pom"wa`ter, n.

Defn: Same as Pomewater.

PONCELET Ponce"let, n. [After Jean Victor Poncelet, French engineer.] (Physics)

Defn: A unit of power, being the power obtained from an expenditure of one hundred kilogram-meters of energy per second. One poncelet equals g watts, when g is the value of the acceleration of gravity in centimeters.

PONCHO Pon"cho, n.; pl. Ponchos (. Etym: [Sp.]

1. A kind of cloak worn by the Spanish Americans, having the form of a blanket, with a slit in the middle for the head to pass through. A kind of poncho made of rubber or painted cloth is used by the mounted troops in the United States service.

2. A trade name for camlets, or stout worsteds.

POND Pond, n. Etym: [Probably originally, an inclosed body of water, and the same word as pound. See Pound an inclosure.]

Defn: A body of water, naturally or artificially confined, and usually of less extent than a lake. "Through pond or pool." Milton. Pond hen (Zoöl.), the American coot. See Coot (a). -- Pond lily (Bot.), the water lily. See under Water, and Illust. under Nymphæa. -- Pond snail (Zoöl.), any gastropod living in fresh-water ponds or lakes. The most common kinds are air-breathing snails (Pulmonifera) belonging to Limnæa, Physa, Planorbis, and allied genera. The operculated species are pectinibranchs, belonging to Melantho, Valvata, and various other genera. -- Pond spice (Bot.), an American shrub (Tetranthera geniculata) of the Laurel family, with small oval leaves, and axillary clusters of little yellow flowers. The whole plant is spicy. It grows in ponds and swamps from Virginia to Florida. -- Pond tortoise, Pond turtle (Zoöl.), any freshwater tortoise of the family Emydidæ. Numerous species are found in North America.

POND Pond, v. t.

Defn: To make into a pond; to collect, as water, in a pond by damming.

POND Pond, v. t. Etym: [See Ponder.]

Defn: To ponder. [Obs.] Pleaseth you, pond your suppliant's plaint. Spenser.

PONDER Pon"der, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pondered; p. pr. & vb. n. Pondering.] Etym: [L. ponderare, fr. pondus, ponderis, a weight, fr. pendere to weigh: cf. F. pondérer. See Pendant, and cf. Pound a weight.]

1. To weigh. [Obs.]

2. To weigh in the mind; to view with deliberation; to examine carefully; to consider attentively. Ponder the path of thy feet. Prov. iv. 26.

Syn. -- To Ponder, Consider, Muse. To consider means to view or contemplate with fixed thought. To ponder is to dwell upon with long and anxious attention, with a view to some practical result or decision. To muse is simply to think upon continuously with no definite object, or for the pleasure it gives. We consider any subject which is fairly brought before us; we ponder a concern involving great interests; we muse on the events of childhood.

PONDER Pon"der, v. i.

Defn: To think; to deliberate; to muse; -- usually followed by on or over. Longfellow.

PONDERABILITY Pon`der*a*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [Cf. F. pondérabilité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being ponderable.

PONDERABLE Pon"der*a*ble, a. Etym: [L. ponderabilis: cf. F. pondérable.]

Defn: Capable of being weighed; having appreciable weight. -- Pon"der*a*ble*ness, n.

PONDERAL Pon"der*al, a. Etym: [Cf. F. pondéral.]

Defn: Estimated or ascertained by weight; -- distinguished from numeral; as, a ponderal drachma. [R.] Arbuthnot.

PONDERANCE Pon"der*ance, n. Etym: [L. ponderans, p. pr. of ponderare to weigh: cf. OF. ponderant of weight.]

Defn: Weight; gravity. [R.] Gregory.

PONDERARY Pon"der*a*ry, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to weight; as, a ponderary system. [R.] M'Culloch.

PONDERATE Pon"der*ate, v. t. Etym: [L. ponderatus, p. p. of ponderare. See Ponder.]

Defn: To consider; to ponder. [R.]

PONDERATE Pon"der*ate, v. i.

Defn: To have weight or influence. [R.]

PONDERATION Pon`der*a"tion, n. Etym: [L. ponderatio: cf. F. pondération.]

Defn: The act of weighing. [R.] Arbuthnot.

PONDERER Pon"der*er, n.

Defn: One who ponders.

PONDERING Pon"der*ing, a.

Defn: Deliberating. -- Pon"der*ing*ly, adv.

PONDEROSITY Pon`der*os"i*ty, n.; pl. Ponderosities. Etym: [OF. ponderosité.]

Defn: The quality or state of being ponderous; weight; gravity; heaviness, ponderousness; as, the ponderosity of gold. Ray.

PONDEROUS Pon"der*ous, a. Etym: [L. ponderosus, from pondus, -eris, a weight: cf. F. pondéreux. See Ponder.]

1. Very heavy; weighty; as, a ponderous shield; a ponderous load; the ponderous elephant. The sepulcher . . . Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws. Shak.

2. Important; momentous; forcible. "Your more ponderous and settled project." Shak.

3. Heavy; dull; wanting; lightless or spirit; as, a ponderous style; a ponderous joke. Ponderous spar (Min.), heavy spar, or barytes. See Barite.

PONDEROUSLY Pon"der*ous*ly, adv.

Defn: In a ponderous manner.

PONDEROUSNESS Pon"der*ous*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being ponderous; ponderosity.

PONDFISH Pond"fish`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any one of numerous species of American fresh-water fishes belonging to the family Centrarchidæ; -- called also pond perch, and sunfish.

Note: The common pondfish of New England (Lepomis gibbosus) is called also bream, pumpkin seed, and sunny. See Sunfish. The long-eared pondfish (Lepomis auritus) of the Eastern United States is distinguished by its very long opercular flap.

PONDWEED Pond"weed`, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Any aquatic plant of the genus Potamogeton, of which many species are found in ponds or slow-moving rivers. Choke pondweed, an American water weed (Anarcharis, or Elodea, Canadensis.) See Anacharis. -- Horned pondweed, the Zannichellia palustris, a slender, branching aquatic plant, having pointed nutlets.

PONE Pone, n. Etym: [Of Amer. Indian origin.]

Defn: A kind of johnnycake. [Written also paune.] [Southern U. S.]

PONENT Po"nent, a. Etym: [OF., fr. It. ponente, properly, setting (applied to the setting sun), fr. L. ponens, p. pr. of ponere to set, put.]

Defn: Western; occidental. [R.] Forth rush the levant and the ponent winds. Milton.

PONGEE Pon*gee", n. Etym: [Of East Indian origin.]

Defn: A fabric of undyed silk from India and China.

PONGHEE Pon*ghee", n. Etym: [From the native name.]

Defn: A Buddhist priest of the higher orders in Burmah. Malcom.

PONGO Pon"go, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any large ape; especially, the chimpanzee and the orang-outang.

PONIARD Pon"iard, n. Etym: [F. poignard (cf. It. pugnale, Sp. puñal), fr. L. pugio, -onis; probably akin to pugnus fist, or fr. pugnus fist, as held in the fist. See Pugnacious.]

Defn: A kind of dagger, -- usually a slender one with a triangular or square blade. She speaks poniards, and every word stabs. Shak.

PONIARD Pon"iard, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Poniarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Poniarding.]

Defn: To pierce with a poniard; to stab. Cowper.

PONIBILITY Po`ni*bil"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. ponere to place.]

Defn: The capability of being placed or located. [Obs.] Barrow.

PONS Pons, n.; pl. Pontes. Etym: [L., a bridge.] (Anat.)

Defn: A bridge; -- applied to several parts which connect others, but especially to the pons Varolii, a prominent band of nervous tissue situated on the ventral side of the medulla oblongata and connected at each side with the hemispheres of the cerebellum; the mesocephalon. See Brain. Pons asinorum. Etym: [L., literally, bridge of asses.] See Asses' bridge, under Ass.

PONTAGE Pon"tage (; 48), n. Etym: [LL. pontagium, from L. pons, pontis, a bridge: cf. F. pontage.] (O. Eng. Law)

Defn: A duty or tax paid for repairing bridges. Ayliffe.

PONTEE Pon*tee", n. Etym: [F. pontil, pontis.] (Glass Making)

Defn: An iron rod used by glass makers for manipulating the hot glass; -- called also, puntil, puntel, punty, and ponty. See Fascet.

PONTIC Pon"tic, a. Etym: [L. Ponticus, Gr.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the Pontus, Euxine, or Black Sea.

PONTIFEX Pon"ti*fex, n.; pl. Pontifices. Etym: [L.]

Defn: A high priest; a pontiff.

PONTIFF Pon"tiff, n. Etym: [F. pontife, L. pontifex, -ficis; pons, pontis, a bridge (perhaps originally, a way, path) + facere to make. Cf. Pontoon.]

Defn: A high priest. Especially: (a) One of the sacred college, in ancient Rome, which had the supreme jurisdiction over all matters of religion, at the head of which was the Pontifex Maximus. Dr. W. Smith. (b) (Jewish Antiq.) The chief priest. (c) (R. C. Ch.) The pope.

PONTIFIC Pon*tif"ic, a. Etym: [Cf. L. pontificius.]

1. Relating to, or consisting of, pontiffs or priests. "The pontific college with their augurs and flamens." Milton.

2. Of or pertaining to the pope; papal. Shenstone.

PONTIFICAL Pon*tif"ic*al, a. Etym: [L. pontificalis: cf. F. pontifical. See Pontiff.]

1. Of or pertaining to a pontiff, or high priest; as, pontifical authority; hence, belonging to the pope; papal.

2. Of or pertaining to the building of bridges. [R.] Now had they brought the work by wondrous art Pontifical, a ridge of pendent rock Over the vexed abyss. Milton.

PONTIFICAL Pon*tif"ic*al, n. Etym: [F.]

1. A book containing the offices, or formulas, used by a pontiff. South.

2. pl.

Defn: The dress and ornaments of a pontiff. "Dressed in full pontificals." Sir W. Scott.

PONTIFICALITY Pon*tif`i*cal"i*ty, n.

Defn: The state and government of the pope; the papacy. [R.] Bacon.

PONTIFICALLY Pon*tif"ic*al*ly, adv.

Defn: In a pontifical manner.

PONTIFICATE Pon*tif"i*cate, n. Etym: [L. pontificatus: cf. F. pontificat. See Pontiff.]

1. The state or dignity of a high priest; specifically, the office of the pope. Addison.

2. The term of office of a pontiff. Milman.

PONTIFICATE Pon*tif"i*cate, v. i. (R. C. Ch.)

Defn: To perform the duty of a pontiff.

PONTIFICE Pon"ti*fice, n. Etym: [L. pons, pontis, a bridge + facere to make. Cf. Pontiff.]

Defn: Bridgework; structure or edifice of a bridge. [R.] Milton.

PONTIFICIAL Pon`ti*fi"cial, a. Etym: [L. pontificius.]

Defn: Papal; pontifical. [Obs.] "Pontificial writers." Burton.

PONTIFICIAN Pon`ti*fi"cian, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pontiff or pope. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.

PONTIFICIAN Pon`ti*fi"cian, n.

Defn: One who adheres to the pope or papacy; a papist. [Obs.] Bp. Montagu.

PONTIL Pon"til, n.

Defn: Same as Pontee.

PONTILE Pon"tile, a. Etym: [L. pontilis pertaining to a bridge.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pons Varolii. See Pons.

PONTINE Pon"tine, a. Etym: [L. Pontinus or Pomptinus, an appellation given to a district in Latium, near Pometia.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to an extensive marshy district between Rome and Naples. [Written also Pomptine.]

PONTLEVIS Pont"le*vis, n. Etym: [F., properly, a drawbridge.] (Man.)

Defn: The action of a horse in rearing repeatedly and dangerously.

PONTON Pon*ton", n. Etym: [F.]

Defn: See Pontoon.

PONTOON Pon*toon", n. Etym: [F. ponton (cf. It. pontone), from L. ponto, - onis, fr. pons, pontis, a bridge, perhaps originally, a way, path: cf. Gr. path, pathi, panthan. Cf. Punt a boat.]

1. (Mil.)

Defn: A wooden flat-bottomed boat, a metallic cylinder, or a frame covered with canvas, India rubber, etc., forming a portable float, used in building bridges quickly for the passage of troops.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: A low, flat vessel, resembling a barge, furnished with cranes, capstans, and other machinery, used in careening ships, raising weights, drawing piles, etc., chiefly in the Mediterranean; a lighter. Pontoon bridge, a bridge formed with pontoons. -- Pontoon train, the carriages of the pontoons, and the materials they carry for making a pontoon bridge.

Note: The French spelling ponton often appears in scientific works, but pontoon is more common form.

PONTOONING Pon*toon"ing, n.

Defn: The act, art, or process of constructing pontoon bridges. "Army instruction in pontooning." Gen. W. T. Shermah.

PONTVOLANT Pont`vo*lant" (; F. ), n. Etym: [F. pont bridge + volant flying.] (Mil.)

Defn: A kind of light bridge, used in sieges, for surprising a post or outwork which has but a narrow moat; a flying bridge.

PONTY Pon"ty, n. (Class Making)

Defn: See Pontee.

PONY Po"ny, n.; pl. Ponies (. [Written also poney.] Etym: [Gael. ponaidh.]

1. A small horse.

2. Twenty-five pounds sterling. [Slang, Eng.]

3. A translation or a key used to avoid study in getting lessons; a crib. [College Cant]

4. A small glass of beer. [Slang] Pony chaise, a light, low chaise, drawn by a pony or a pair of ponies. -- Pony engine, a small locomotive for switching cars from one track to another. [U.S.] -- Pony truck (Locomotive Engine), a truck which has only two wheels. -- Pony truss (Bridge Building), a truss which has so little height that overhead bracing can not be used.

POOD Pood, n. Etym: [Russ. pud'.]

Defn: A Russian weight, equal to forty Russian pounds or about thirty-six English pounds avoirdupois.

POODLE Poo"dle, n. Etym: [G. pudel.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A breed of dogs having curly hair, and often showing remarkable intelligence in the performance of tricks.

POOH Pooh, interj. Etym: [Of. imitative origin; cf. Icel. pu.]

Defn: Pshaw! pish! nonsense! -- an expression of scorn, dislike, or contempt.

POOH-POOH Pooh`-pooh", v. t.

Defn: To make light of; to treat with derision or contempt, as if by saying pooh! pooh! [Colloq.] Thackeray.

POOKOO Poo"koo, n. Etym: [From the native name.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A red African antelope (Kobus Vardoni) allied to the water buck.

POOL Pool, n. Etym: [AS. pol; akin to LG. pool, pohl, D. poel, G. pfuhl; cf. Icel. pollr, also W. pwll, Gael. poll.]

1. A small and rather deep collection of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream; a reservoir for water; as, the pools of Solomon. Wyclif. Charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool. Bacon. The sleepy pool above the dam. Tennyson.

2. A small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle. "The filthy mantled pool beyond your cell." Shak.

POOL Pool, n. Etym: [F. poule, properly, a hen. See Pullet.] [Written also poule.]

1. The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a snare; also, the receptacle for the stakes.

2. A game at billiards, in which each of the players stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game; a game of skill in pocketing the balls on a pool table.

Note: This game is played variously, but commonly with fifteen balls, besides one cue ball, the contest being to drive the most balls into the pockets. He plays pool at the billiard houses. Thackeray.

3. In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners.

4. Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join.

5. A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed; as, the pool took all the wheat offered below the limit; he put $10,000 into the pool.

6. (Railroads)

Defn: A mutual arrangement between competing lines, by which the receipts of all are aggregated, and then distributed pro rata according to agreement.

7. (Law)

Defn: An aggregation of properties or rights, belonging to different people in a community, in a common fund, to be charged with common liabilities. Pin pool, a variety of the game of billiards in which small wooden pins are set up to be knocked down by the balls. -- Pool ball, one of the colored ivory balls used in playing the game at billiards called pool. -- Pool snipe (Zoöl.), the European redshank. [Prov. Eng.] -- Pool table, a billiard table with pockets.

POOL Pool, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pooled; p. pr. & vb. n. Pooling.]

Defn: To put together; to contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of; as, the companies pooled their traffic. Finally, it favors the poolingof all issues. U. S. Grant.

POOL Pool, v. i.

Defn: To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.

POOLER Pool"er, n.

Defn: A stick for stirring a tan vat.

POOLING Pool"ing, n. (Law)

Defn: The act of uniting, or an agreement to unite, an aggregation of properties belonging to different persons, with a view to common liabilities or profits.

POON Poon, n. Etym: [Canarese ponne.]

Defn: A name for several East Indian, or their wood, used for the masts and spars of vessels, as Calophyllum angustifolium, C. inophullum, and Sterculia foetida; -- called also peon.

POONAC Poo"nac, n.

Defn: A kind of oil cake prepared from the cocoanut. See Oil cake, under Cake.

POONAH PAINTING Poo"nah paint`ing. [From Poona, in Bombay Province, India.]

Defn: A style of painting, popular in England in the 19th century, in which a thick opaque color is applied without background and with scarcely any shading, to thin paper, producing flowers, birds, etc., in imitation of Oriental work. Hence: Poonah brush, paper, painter, etc.

POONGA OIL Poon"ga oil`.

Defn: A kind of oil used in India for lamps, and for boiling with dammar for pitching vessels. It is pressed from the seeds of a leguminous tree (Pongamia glabra).

POOP Poop, n. (Arch.)

Defn: See 2d Poppy.

POOP Poop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pooped; p. pr. & vb. n. Pooping.] Etym: [Cf. D. poepen. See Pop.]

Defn: To make a noise; to pop; also, to break wind.

POOP Poop, n. Etym: [F. poupe; cf. Sp. & Pg. popa, It. poppa; all fr. L. puppis.] (Naut.)

Defn: A deck raised above the after part of a vessel; the hindmost or after part of a vessel's hull; also, a cabin covered by such a deck. See Poop deck, under Deck. See also Roundhouse. With wind in poop, the vessel plows the sea. Dryden. The poop was beaten gold. Shak.

POOP Poop, v. t. (Naut.) (a) To break over the poop or stern, as a wave. "A sea which he thought was going to poop her." Lord Dufferin. (b) To strike in the stern, as by collision.

POOPED Pooped, p. p. & a. (Naut.) (a) Having a poop; furnished with a poop. (b) Struck on the poop.

POOPING Poop"ing, n. (Naut.)

Defn: The act or shock of striking a vessel's stern by a following wave or vessel.

POOR Poor, a. [Compar. Poorer (; 254); superl. Poorest.] Etym: [OE. poure or povre, OF. povre, F. pauvre, L. pauper; the first syllable of which is probably akin to paucus few (see Paucity, Few), and the second to parare to prepare, procure. See Few, and cf. Parade, Pauper, Poverty.]

1. Destitute of property; wanting in material riches or goods; needy; indigent.

Note: It is often synonymous with indigent and with necessitous denoting extreme want. It is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but who are not rich; as, a poor man or woman; poor people.

2. (Law)

Defn: So completely destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public.

3. Hence, in very various applications:

Defn: Destitute of such qualities as are desirable, or might naturally be expected; as: (a) Wanting in fat, plumpness, or fleshiness; lean; emaciated; meager; as, a poor horse, ox, dog, etc. "Seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed." Gen. xli. 19. (b) Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as, poor health; poor spirits. "His genius . . . poor and cowardly." Bacon. (c) Of little value or worth; not good; inferior; shabby; mean; as, poor clothes; poor lodgings. "A poor vessel." Clarendon. (d) Destitute of fertility; exhausted; barren; sterile; -- said of land; as, poor soil. (e) Destitute of beauty, fitness, or merit; as, a poor discourse; a poor picture. (f) Without prosperous conditions or good results; unfavorable; unfortunate; unconformable; as, a poor business; the sick man had a poor night. (g) Inadequate; insufficient; insignificant; as, a poor excuse. That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day. Calamy.

4. Worthy of pity or sympathy; -- used also sometimes as a term of endearment, or as an expression of modesty, and sometimes as a word of contempt. And for mine own poor part, Look you, I'll go pray. Shak. Poor, little, pretty, fluttering thing. Prior.

5. Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Matt. v. 3. Poor law, a law providing for, or regulating, the relief or support of the poor. -- Poor man's treacle (Bot.), garlic; -- so called because it was thought to be an antidote to animal poison. [Eng] Dr. Prior. -- Poor man's weatherglass (Bot.), the red-flowered pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis), which opens its blossoms only in fair weather. -- Poor rate, an assessment or tax, as in an English parish, for the relief or support of the poor. -- Poor soldier (Zoöl.), the friar bird. -- The poor, those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy. In a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public. "I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor, the less they provide for themselves." Franklin.

POOR Poor, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European codfish (Gadus minutus); -- called also power cod.

POORBOX Poor"box`, n.

Defn: A receptacle in which money given for the poor is placed.

POORHOUSE Poor"house`, n.

Defn: A dwelling for a number of paupers maintained at public expense; an almshouse; a workhouse.

POOR-JOHN Poor"-john`, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A small European fish, similar to the cod, but of inferior quality. Poor-john and apple pies are all our fare. Sir J. Harrington.

POORLINESS Poor"li*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being poorly; ill health.

POORLY Poor"ly, adv.

1. In a poor manner or condition; without plenty, or sufficiency, or suitable provision for comfort; as, to live poorly.

2. With little or no success; indifferently; with little profit or advantage; as, to do poorly in business.

3. Meanly; without spirit. Nor is their courage or their wealth so low, That from his wars they poorly would retire. Dryden.

4. Without skill or merit; as, he performs poorly. Poorly off, not well off; not rich.

POORLY Poor"ly, a.

Defn: Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health. "Having been poorly in health." T. Scott.

POORNESS Poor"ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being poor (in any of the senses of the adjective). Bacon.

POOR-SPIRITED Poor"-spir`it*ed, a.

Defn: Of a mean spirit; cowardly; base. -- Poor"-spir`it*ed*ness, n.

POOR-WILL Poor"-will`, n. Etym: [So called in imitation of its note.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: A bird of the Western United States (Phalænoptilus Nutalli) allied to the whip-poor-will.

POOR-WILLIE Poor"-wil`lie, n. Etym: [So called in imitation of its note.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: The bar-tailed godwit. [Prov. Eng.]

POP Pop, n. Etym: [Of imitative origin. Cf. Poop.]

1. A small, sharp, quick explosive sound or report; as, to go off with a pop. Addison.

2. An unintoxicating beverage which expels the cork with a pop from the bottle containing it; as, ginger pop; lemon pop, etc. Hood.

3. (Zoöl.)

Defn: The European redwing. [Prov. Eng.] Pop corn. (a) Corn, or maize, of peculiar excellence for popping; especially, a kind the grains of which are small and compact. (b) Popped corn; which has been popped.

POP Pop, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Popped; p. pr. & vb. n. Popping.]

1. To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound; as, the muskets popped away on all sides.

2. To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart; -- with in, out, upon, off, etc. He that killed my king . . . Popp'd in between the election and my hopes. Shak. A trick of popping up and down every moment. Swift.

3. To burst open with a pop, when heated over a fire; as, this corn pops well.

POP Pop, v. t.

1. To thrust or push suddenly; to offer suddenly; to bring suddenly and unexpectedly to notice; as, to pop one's head in at the door. He popped a paper into his hand. Milton.

2. To cause to pop; to cause to burst open by heat, as grains of Indian corn; as, to pop corn or chestnuts. To pop off, to thrust away, or put off promptly; as, to pop one off with a denial. Locke. -- To pop the question, to make an offer of marriage to a lady. [Colloq.] Dickens.

POP Pop, adv.

Defn: Like a pop; suddenly; unexpectedly. "Pop goes his plate." Beau. & Fl.

POPE Pope, n. Etym: [AS. papa, L. papa father, bishop. Cf. Papa, Papal.]

1. Any ecclesiastic, esp. a bishop. [Obs.] Foxe.

2. The bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. See Note under Cardinal.

3. A parish priest, or a chaplain, of the Greek Church.

4. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A fish; the ruff. Pope Joan, a game at cards played on a round board with compartments. -- Pope's eye, the gland surrounded with fat in the middle of the thigh of an ox or sheep. R. D. Blackmore. -- Pope's nose, the rump, or uropygium, of a bird. See Uropygium.

POPEDOM Pope"dom, n. Etym: [AS. papedom.]

1. The place, office, or dignity of the pope; papal dignity. Shak.

2. The jurisdiction of the pope.

POPELING Pope"ling, n.

1. A petty or deputy pope.

2. An adherent of the pope. [R.] Marlowe.

POPELOTE Pop"e*lote, n.

Defn: A word variously explained as "a little puppet," "a little doll," or "a young butterfly." Cf. Popet. [Obs.] So gay a popelote, so sweet a wench. Chaucer.

POPERY Pop"er*y, n.

Defn: The religion of the Roman Catholic Church, comprehending doctrines and practices; -- generally used in an opprobrious sense.

POPE'S HEAD Pope's head.

Defn: A long-handled brush for dusting ceilings, etc., also for washing windows. [Cant]

POPET Pop"et, n.

Defn: A puppet. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POPGUN Pop"gun`, n.

Defn: A child's gun; a tube and rammer for shooting pellets, with a popping noise, by compression of air.

POPINJAY Pop"in*jay, n. Etym: [OE. popingay, papejay, OF. papegai, papegaut; cf. Pr. papagai, Sp. & Pg. papagayo, It. pappagallo, LGr. gallus cock, or the same word as E. jay, F. geai. Cf. Papagay.]

1. (Zoöl.) (a) The green woodpecker. (b) A parrot. The pye and popyngay speak they know not what. Tyndale.

2. A target in the form of a parrot. [Scot.]

3. A trifling, chattering, fop or coxcomb. "To be so pestered with a popinjay." Shak.

POPISH Pop"ish, a.

Defn: Of or pertaining to the pope; taught or ordained by the pope; hence, of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church; -- often used opprobriously. -- Pop"ish*ly, adv. -- Pop"ish*ness, n.

POPLAR Pop"lar, n. Etym: [OE. popler, OF. poplier, F. peuplier, fr. L. populus poplar.] (Bot.)

1. Any tree of the genus Populus; also, the timber, which is soft, and capable of many uses.

Note: The aspen poplar is Populus tremula and P. tremuloides; Balsam poplar is P. balsamifera; Lombardy poplar (P. dilatata) is a tall, spiry tree; white poplar is Populus alba.

2. The timber of the tulip tree; -- called also white poplar. [U.S.]

POPLEXY Po*plex"y, n.

Defn: Apoplexy. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POPLIN Pop"lin, n. Etym: [F. popeline, papeline.]

Defn: A fabric of many varieties, usually made of silk and worsted, - - used especially for women's dresses. Irish poplin, a fabric with silk warp and worsted weft, made in Ireland.

POPLITEAL Pop*lit"e*al, a. Etym: [From L. poples, -itis, the ham.] (Anat.)

Defn: Of or pertaining to the ham; in the region of the ham, or behind the knee joint; as, the popliteal space.

POPLITIC Pop*lit"ic, a. (Anat.)

Defn: Popliteal.

POPOVTSY Po*pov"tsy, n. pl. [Russ., prop., those having popes or priests.]

Defn: See Raskolnik.

POPPER Pop"per, n.

Defn: A utensil for popping corn, usually a wire basket with a long handle.

POPPER Pop"per, n.

Defn: A dagger. [Obs.] Chaucer.

POPPET Pop"pet, n.

1. See Puppet.

2. (Naut.)

Defn: One of certain upright timbers on the bilge ways, used to support a vessel in launching. Totten.

3. (Mach.)

Defn: An upright support or guide fastened at the bottom only. Poppet head, Puppet head. See Headstock (a).

POPPIED Pop"pied, a. Etym: [See 1st Poppy.]

1. Mingled or interspersed with poppies. "Poppied corn." Keats.

2. Affected with poppy juice; hence, figuratively, drugged; drowsy; listless; inactive. [R.] The poppied sails doze on the yard. Lowell.

POPPING Pop"ping,

Defn: a. & n. from Pop. Popping crease. (Cricket) See under Crease.

POPPLE Pop"ple, v. i. Etym: [Cf. Pop.]

Defn: To move quickly up and down; to bob up and down, as a cork on rough water; also, to bubble. Cotton.

POPPLE Pop"ple, n.

1. The poplar. [Prov. Eng. & Local, U. S.]

2. Tares. [Obs.] "To sow popple among wheat." Bale.

POPPY Pop"py, n.; pl. Poppies. Etym: [OE. popy, AS. popig, L. papaver.] (Bot.)

Defn: Any plant or species of the genus Papaver, herbs with showy polypetalous flowers and a milky juice. From one species (Papaver somniferum) opium is obtained, though all the species contain it to some extent; also, a flower of the plant. See Illust. of Capsule. California poppy (Bot.), any yellow-flowered plant of the genus Eschscholtzia. -- Corn poppy. See under Corn. -- Horn, or Horned, poppy. See under Horn. -- Poppy bee (Zoöl.), a leaf-cutting bee (Anthocopa papaveris) which uses pieces cut from poppy petals for the lining of its cells; -- called also upholsterer bee. -- Prickly poppy (Bot.), Argemone Mexicana, a yellow-flowered plant of the Poppy family, but as prickly as a thistle. -- Poppy seed, the seed the opium poppy (P. somniferum). -- Spatling poppy (Bot.), a species of Silene (S. inflata). See Catchfly.

POPPY; POPPYHEAD Pop"py, Pop"py*head`, n. Etym: [F. poupée doll, puppet. See Puppet.] (Arch.)

Defn: A raised ornament frequently having the form of a final. It is generally used on the tops of the upright ends or elbows which terminate seats, etc., in Gothic churches.

POPULACE Pop"u*lace, n. Etym: [F. populace, fr. It. popolaccio, popolazzo, fr. popolo people, L. populus. See People.]

Defn: The common people; the vulgar; the multitude, -- comprehending all persons not distinguished by rank, office, education, or profession. Pope. To . . . calm the peers and please the populace. Daniel. They . . . call us Britain's barbarous populaces. Tennyson.

Syn. -- Mob; people; commonalty.

POPULACY Pop"u*la*cy, n.

Defn: Populace. [Obs.] Feltham.

POPULAR Pop"u*lar, a. Etym: [L. popularis, fr. populus people: cf. F. populaire. See People.]

1. Of or pertaining to the common people, or to the whole body of the people, as distinguished from a select portion; as, the popular voice; popular elections. "Popular states." Bacon. "So the popular vote inclines." Milton. The commonly held in popular estimation are greatest at a distance. J. H. Newman.

2. Suitable to common people; easy to be comprehended; not abstruse; familiar; plain. Homilies are plain popular instructions. Hooker.

3. Adapted to the means of the common people; possessed or obtainable by the many; hence, cheap; common; ordinary; inferior; as, popular prices; popular amusements. The smallest figs, called popular figs, . . . are, of all others, the basest and of least account. Holland.

4. Beloved or approved by the people; pleasing to people in general, or to many people; as, a popular preacher; a popular law; a popular administration.

5. Devoted to the common people; studious of the favor of the populace. [R.] Such popular humanity is treason. Addison.

6. Prevailing among the people; epidemic; as, a popular disease. [Obs.] Johnson. Popular action (Law), an action in which any person may sue for penalty imposed by statute. Blackstone.

POPULARES Pop`u*la"res, n. pl. Etym: [L.]

Defn: The people or the people's party, in ancient Rome, as opposed to the optimates.

POPULARITY Pop`u*lar"i*ty, n.; pl. Popularities. Etym: [L. popularitas an effort to please the people: cf. F. popularité.]

1. The quality or state of being popular; especially, the state of being esteemed by, or of being in favor with, the people at large; good will or favor proceeding from the people; as, the popularity of a law, statesman, or a book. A popularity which has lasted down to our time. Macaulay.

2. The quality or state of being adapted or pleasing to common, poor, or vulgar people; hence, cheapness; inferiority; vulgarity. This gallant laboring to avoid popularity falls into a habit of affectation. B. Jonson.

3. Something which obtains, or is intended to obtain, the favor of the vulgar; claptrap. Popularities, and circumstances which . . . sway the ordinary judgment. Bacon.

4. The act of courting the favor of the people. [Obs.] "Indicted . . . for popularity and ambition." Holland.

5. Public sentiment; general passion. [R.] A little time be allowed for the madness of popularity to cease. Bancroft.

POPULARIZATION Pop`u*lar*i*za"tion, n.

Defn: The act of making popular, or of introducing among the people.

POPULARIZE Pop"u*lar*ize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Popularized; p. pr. & vb. n. Popularizing.] Etym: [Cf. F. populariser.]

Defn: To make popular; to make suitable or acceptable to the common people; to make generally known; as, to popularize philosophy. "The popularizing of religious teaching." Milman.

POPULARIZER Pop"u*lar*i`zer, n.

Defn: One who popularizes.

POPULARLY Pop"u*lar*ly, adv.

Defn: In a popular manner; so as to be generally favored or accepted by the people; commonly; currently; as, the story was popularity reported. The victor knight, Bareheaded, popularly low had bowed. Dryden.

POPULARNESS Pop"u*lar*ness, n.

Defn: The quality or state of being popular; popularity. Coleridge.

POPULATE Pop"u*late, a. Etym: [L. populus people. See People.]

Defn: Populous. [Obs.] Bacon.

POPULATE Pop"u*late, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Populated; p. pr. & vb. n. Populating.]

Defn: To furnish with inhabitants, either by natural increase or by immigration or colonization; to cause to be inhabited; to people.

POPULATE Pop"u*late, v. i.

Defn: To propagate. [Obs.] Great shoals of people which go on to populate. Bacon.

POPULATION Pop`u*la"tion, n. Etym: [L. populatio: cf. F. population.]

1. The act or process of populating; multiplication of inhabitants.

2. The whole number of people, or inhabitants, in a country, or portion of a country; as, a population of ten millions.

POPULATOR Pop"u*la`tor, n.

Defn: One who populates.

POPULICIDE Pop"u*li*cide`, n. Etym: [L. populus people + caedere to kill.]

Defn: Slaughter of the people. [R.]

POPULIN Pop"u*lin, n. Etym: [L. populus poplar: cf. F. populine.] (Chem.)

Defn: A glycoside, related to salicin, found in the bark of certain species of the poplar (Populus), and extracted as a sweet white crystalline substance.

POPULISM Pop"u*lism, n. (U. S. Politics)

Defn: The political doctrines advocated by the People's party.

POPULIST Pop"u*list, n. [L. populus people + -ist.] (U. S. Politics)

Defn: A member of the People's party. -- Pop`u*lis"tic (#), a.

POPULOSITY Pop`u*los"i*ty, n. Etym: [L. populositas: cf. F. populosité.]

Defn: Populousness.[Obs.]

POPULOUS Pop"u*lous, a. Etym: [L. populosus, fr. populus people: cf. F. populeux.]

1. Abounding in people; full of inhabitants; containing many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of the country. Heaven, yet populous, retains Number sufficient to possess her realms. Milton.

2. Popular; famous. [Obs.] J. Webster.

3. Common; vulgar. [Obs.] Arden of Feversham.

4. Numerous; in large number. [Obs.] "The dust . . . raised by your populous troops." Shak. -- Pop"u*lous*ly, adv. -- Pop"u*lous*ness, n.

PORAILLE Po*raille", n. Etym: [OF. pouraille. See Poor.]

Defn: Poor people; the poor. [Obs.] Chaucer.

PORBEAGLE Por"bea`gle, n. (Zoöl.)

Defn: A species of shark (Lamna cornubica), about eight feet long, having a pointed nose and a crescent-shaped tail; -- called also mackerel shark. [Written also probeagle.]

PORCATE Por"cate, a. Etym: [L. porca a ridge between two furrows.] (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having grooves or furrows broader than the intervening ridges; furrowed.

PORCELAIN Por"ce*lain, n. (Bot.)

Defn: Purslain. [Obs.]

PORCELAIN Por"ce*lain (277), n. Etym: [F. porcelaine, It. porcellana, orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (Cypræa porcellana), from a dim. fr. L. porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in shape to a pig's back. Porcelain was called after this shell, either on account of its smoothness and whiteness, or because it was believed to be made from it. See Pork.]

Defn: A fine translucent or semitransculent kind of earthenware, made first in China and Japan, but now also in Europe and America; -- called also China, or China ware. Porcelain, by being pure, is apt to break. Dryden. Ivory porcelain, porcelain with a surface like ivory, produced by depolishing. See Depolishing. -- Porcelain clay. See under Clay. -- Porcelain crab (Zoöl.), any crab of the genus Porcellana and allied genera (family Porcellanidæ). They have a smooth, polished carapace. -- Porcelain jasper. (Min.) See Porcelanite. -- Porcelain printing, the transferring of an impression of an engraving to porcelain. -- Porcelain shell (Zoöl.), a cowry.

PORCELAINIZED Por"ce*lain*ized, a. (Geol.)

Defn: Baked like potter's lay; -- applied to clay shales that have been converted by heat into a substance resembling porcelain.

PORCELANEOUS; PORCELLANEOUS Por`ce*la"ne*ous, Por`cel*la"ne*ous, a.

1. Of or pertaining to porcelain; resembling porcelain; as, porcelaneous shells.

2. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Having a smooth, compact shell without pores; -- said of certain Foraminifera.

PORCELANITE Por"ce*la*nite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. porcelanite.] (Min.)

Defn: A semivitrified clay or shale, somewhat resembling jasper; -- called also porcelain jasper.

PORCELANOUS; PORCELLANOUS Por"ce*la`nous, Por"cel*la`nous, a.

Defn: Porcelaneous. Ure.

PORCH Porch, n. Etym: [F. porche, L. porticus, fr. porta a gate, entrance, or passage. See Port a gate, and cf. Portico.]

1. (Arch.)

Defn: A covered and inclosed entrance to a building, whether taken from the interior, and forming a sort of vestibule within the main wall, or projecting without and with a separate roof. Sometimes the porch is large enough to serve as a covered walk. See also Carriage porch, under Carriage, and Loggia. The graceless Helen in the porch I spied Of Vesta's temple. Dryden.

2. A portico; a covered walk. [Obs.] Repair to Pompey's porch, where you shall find find us. Shak. The Porch, a public portico, or great hall, in Athens, where Zeno, the philosopher, taught his disciples; hence, sometimes used as equivalent to the school of the Stoics. It was called "h poiki`lh stoa`. [See Poicile.]

PORCINE Por"cine, a. Etym: [L. porcinus, from porcus a swine. See Pork.]

Defn: Of or pertaining to swine; characteristic of the hog. "Porcine cheeks." G. Eliot.

PORCUPINE Por"cu*pine, n. Etym: [OE. porkepyn, porpentine, OF. porc-espi, F. porc-épic (cf. It. porco spino, porco spinoso, Sp. puerco espino, puerco espin, fr. L. porcus swine + spina thorn, spine). The last part of the French word is perhaps a corruption from the It. or Sp.; cf. F. épi ear, a spike of grain, L. spica. See Pork, Spike a large nail, Spine.]

1. (Zoöl.)

Defn: Any Old Word rodent of the genus Hystrix, having the back covered with long, sharp, erectile spines or quills, sometimes a foot long. The common species of Europe and Asia (Hystrix cristata) is the best known.

2. (Zoöl.)