Pledging – Poignantly

Pledging

PLEDG'ING, participle present tense Depositing in pawn or as security; giving warrant for security or safety.

Pleiads

PLEIADS, noun ple'yads. [Latin Pleiades; Gr. to sail, as the rising of seven stars indicated the time of safe navigation.]

In astronomy, a cluster of seven stars in the neck of the constellation Taurus. The Latins called them Vergilioe, from ver, spring, because of their rising about the vernal equinox.

Plenal

PLE'NAL, adjective [See Plenary.] Full. [Not used.]

Plenarily

PLE'NARILY, adverb [from plenary.] Fully; completely.

Plenariness

PLE'NARINESS, noun Fullness; completeness.

Plenarty

PLEN'ARTY, noun The state of a benefice when occupied.

Plenary

PLE'NARY, adjective [Latin plenus.] Full; entire; complete; as a plenary license; plenary consent; plenary indulgence. The plenary indulgence of the pope is an entire remission of penalties to all sins.

PLE'NARY, noun Decisive procedure. [Not used.]

Plenilunary

PLENILU'NARY, adjective Relating to the full moon.

Plenilune

PLEN'ILUNE, noun [Latin plenilunium; plenus, full, and luna, moon.]

The full moon. [Not used.]

Plenipotence

PLENIP'OTENCE, noun [Latin plenus, full, and potentia, power.]

Fullness or completeness of power.

Plenipotent

PLENIP'OTENT, adjective [Latin plenipotens, supra.]

Possessing full power.

Plenipotentiary

PLENIPOTEN'TIARY, noun A person invested with full power to transact any business; usually, an embassador or envoy to a foreign court, furnished with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.

PLENIPOTEN'TIARY, adjective Containing full power; as plenipotentiary license or authority.

Plenish

PLENISH, for replenish, not used.

Plenist

PLE'NIST, noun [Latin plenus.] One who maintains that all space is full of matter.

Plenitude

PLEN'ITUDE, noun [Latin plenitudo, from plenus, full.]

Fullness; as the plenitude of space.

1. Repletion; animal fullness; plethora; redundancy of blood and humors in the animal body.

2. Fullness; complete competence; as the plenitude of the pope's power.

3. Completeness; as the plenitude of a man's fame.

Plenteous

PLEN'TEOUS, adjective [from plenty.] Abundant; copious; plentiful; sufficient for every purpose; as a plenteous supply of provisions; a plenteous crop.

1. Yielding abundance; as a plenteous fountain.

The seven plenteous years. Genesis 41:34.

2. Having an abundance.

The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods. Deuteronomy 28:11.

3. Possessing in abundance and ready to bestow liberally. Psalms 86:5.

[This word is less used than plentiful.]

Plenteously

PLEN'TEOUSLY, adverb In abundance; copiously; plentifully.

Plenteousness

PLEN'TEOUSNESS, noun Abundance; copious supply; plenty; as the seven years of plenteousness in Egypt.

Plentiful

PLEN'TIFUL, adjective [from plenty.] Copious; abundant; adequate to every purpose; as a plentiful crop of grain; a plentiful harvest; a plentiful supply of water; a plentiful fortune.

1. Yielding abundant crops; affording ample supply; fruitful; as a plentiful year.

Plentifully

PLEN'TIFULLY, adverb Copiously; abundantly; with ample supply.

Plentifulness

PLEN'TIFULNESS, noun The state of being plentiful; abundance.

1. The quality of affording full supply.

Plenty

PLEN'TY, noun [from Latin plenus.] Abundance; copiousness; full or adequate supply; as, we have a plenty of corn for bread; the garrison has a plenty of provisions. Its application to persons, as a plenty of buyers or sellers, is inelegant.

1. Fruitfulness; a poetic use.

The teeming clouds

Descend in gladsome plenty o'er the world.

PLEN'TY, adjective Plentiful; being in abundance.

Where water is plenty--

If reasons were as plenty as blackberries.

In every country where liquors are plenty

The common sorts of fowls and the several gallinaceous species are plenty

A variety of other herbs and roots which are plenty

They seem formed for those countries where shrubs are plenty and water scarce.

When laborers are plenty their wages will be low.

In the country, where wood is more plenty they make their beams stronger.

[The use of this word as an adjective seems too well authorized to be rejected. It is universal in common parlance in the United States.]

Plenum

PLE'NUM, noun [Latin] Fullness of matter in space.

Pleonasm

PLE'ONASM, noun [Latin pleonasmus; Gr. full, more, Latin pleo, in impleo, to fill.] Redundancy of words in speaking or writing; the use of more words to express ideas, than are necessary. This may be justifiable when we intend to present thoughts with particular perspicuity or force.

Pleonaste

PLE'ONASTE, noun [Gr. abundant; from its four facets, sometimes found on each solid angle of the octahedron.]

A mineral, commonly considered as a variety of the spinelle ruby. [See Ceylonite.]

Pleonastic

PLEONAS'TIC

PLEONAS'TICAL, adjective Pertaining to pleonasm; partaking of pleonasm; redundant.

Pleonastical

PLEONAS'TICAL, a. Pertaining to pleonasm; partaking of pleonasm; redundant.

Pleonastically

PLEONAS'TICALLY, adverb With redundancy of words.

Plerophory

PLEROPH'ORY, noun [Gr. full, and to bear.]

Full persuasion or confidence. [Little used.]

Plesh

PLESH, for plash, not used.

Plethora

PLETH'ORA, noun [Gr. fullness.] Literally, fullness.

In medicine, fullness of blood; excess of blood; repletion; the state of the vessels of the human body, when they are too full or overloaded with fluids.

Plethoric

PLETH'ORIC, adjective Having a full habit of body, or the vessels overcharged with fluids.

Plethory

PLETH'ORY. [See Plethora.]

Plethron

PLETH'RON

PLETH'RUM, noun [Gr.] A square measure used in Greece, but the contents are not certainly known. Some authors suppose it to correspond with the Roman juger, or 240 feet; others allege it to be double the Egyptian aurora, which was the square of a hundred cubits.

Pleura

PLEU'RA, noun [Gr. the side.] In anatomy, a thin membrane which covers the inside of the thorax.

Pleurisy

PLEU'RISY, noun [Gr. the side.] An inflammation of the pleura or membrane that covers the inside of the thorax. It is accompanied with fever, pain, difficult respiration and cough. The usual remedies are venesection, other evacuations, diluents, etc.

Pleuritic

PLEURIT'IC

PLEURIT'ICAL, adjective Pertaining to pleurisy; as pleuritic symptoms or affections.

1. Diseased with pleurisy.

Pleuritical

PLEURIT'ICAL, a. Pertaining to pleurisy; as pleuritic symptoms or affections. 1. Diseased with pleurisy.

Plevin

PLEV'IN, noun A warrant of assurance.

Plexiform

PLEX'IFORM, noun [Latin plexus, a fold, and form.]

In the form of net-work; complicated.

Plexus

PLEX'US, noun [Latin] Any union of vessels, nerves or fibers, in the form of net-work.

Pliability

PLIABIL'ITY, noun [from pliable.] The quality of bending or yielding to pressure or force without rupture; flexibility; pliableness.

Pliable

PLI'ABLE, adjective [Latin plico.]

1. Easy to be bent; that readily yields to pressure without rupture; flexible; as, willow is a pliable plant.

2. Flexible in disposition; readily yielding to moral influence, arguments, persuasion or discipline; as a pliable youth.

Pliableness

PLI'ABLENESS, noun Flexibility; the quality of yielding to force or to moral influence; pliability; as the pliableness of a plant or of the disposition.

Pliancy

PLI'ANCY, noun [from pliant.] Easiness to be bent; in a physical sense; as the pliancy of a rod, of cordage or of limbs.

1. Readiness to yield to moral influence; as pliancy of temper.

Pliant

PLI'ANT, adjective That may be easily bent; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking; flexible; flexile; lithe; limber; as a pliant thread.

1. That may be easily formed or molded to a different shape; as pliant wax.

2. Easily yielding to moral influence; easy to be persuaded; ductile.

The will was then more ductile and pliant to right reason.

Pliantness

PLI'ANTNESS, noun Flexibility.

Plica

PLI'CA, noun [Latin a fold.] The plica polonica is a disease of the hair, peculiar to Poland and the neighboring countries. In this disease, the hair of the head is matted or clotted by means of an acrid viscid humor which exudes from the hair.

Plicate

PLI'CATE

PLI'CATED, adjective [Latin plicatus, plico, to fold.]

Plaited; folded like a fan; as a plicate leaf.

Plication

PLICA'TION, noun [from Latin plico.] A folding or fold.

Plicature

PLIC'ATURE, noun [Latin plicatura; plico, to fold.] A fold; a doubling.

Pliers

PLI'ERS, noun plural An instrument by which any small thing is seized and bent.

Pliform

PLI'FORM, adjective In the form of a fold or doubling.

Plight

PLIGHT, verb transitive plite. [Latin plico; flecto, to bend; ligo. See Alloy and Ply.]

1. To pledge; to give as security for the performance of some act; but never applied to property or goods. We say, he plighted his hand, his faith, his vows, his honor, his truth or troth. Pledge is applied to property as well as to word, faith, truth, honor, etc. To plight faith is, as it were, to deposit it in pledge for the performance of an act, on the non-performance of which, the pledge is forfeited.

2. To weave; to braid.

[This is the primary sense of the word, Latin plico, but now obsolete.]

PLIGHT, noun plite. Literally, a state of being involved, [Latin plicatus, implicatus, implicitus; ] hence, perplexity, distress, or a distressed state or condition; as a miserable plight But the word by itself does not ordinarily imply distress. Hence,

1. Condition; state; and sometimes good case; as, to keep cattle in plight

In most cases, this word is now accompanied with an adjective which determines its signification; as bad plight; miserable or wretched plight; good plight

2. Pledge; gage.

The Lord, whose hand must take my plight

3. A fold [Latin plica; ] a double; a plait.

All in a silken Camus, lily white,

Purfled upon with many a folded plight

4. A garment. [Not used.]

Plighted

PLIGHTED, participle passive pli'ted. Pledged.

Plighter

PLIGHTER, noun pli'ter. One that pledges; that which plights.

Plighting

PLIGHTING, participle present tense pli'ting; Pledging.

Plim

PLIM, verb intransitive To swell. [Not in use.]

Plinth

PLINTH, noun [Gr. a brick or tile; Latin plinthus.]

In architecture, a flat square member in form of a brick, which serves as the foundation of a column; being the flat square table under the molding of the base and pedestal, at the bottom of the order. Vitruvius gives the name to the abacus or upper part of the Tuscan order, from its resemblance to the plinth

PLINTH of a statue, is a base, flat, round or square.

PLINTH of a wall, two or three rows of bricks advanced from the wall in form of a platband; and in general, any flat high molding that serves in a front wall to mark the floors, to sustain the eaves of a wall or the larmier of a chimney.

Plod

PLOD, verb intransitive To travel or work slowly or with steady laborious diligence.

A plodding diligence brings us sooner to our journey's end, than a fluttering way of advancing by starts.

Some stupid, plodding, money-loving wight.

1. To study heavily with steady diligence.

2. To toil; to drudge.

Plodder

PLOD'DER, noun A dull, heavy, laborious person.

Plodding

PLOD'DING, participle present tense Traveling or laboring with slow movement and steady diligence; studying closely but heavily.

1. adjective Industrious; diligent, but slow in contrivance or execution.

PLOD'DING, noun Slow movement or study with steadiness or persevering industry.

Plot

PLOT, noun [a different orthography of plat.]

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

It was a chosen plot of fertile land.

When we mean to build,

We first survey the plot

2. A plantation laid out.

3. A plan or scheme. [Qu. the next word.]

4. In surveying, a plan or draught of a field, farm or manor surveyed and delineated on paper.

PLOT, verb transitive To make a plan of; to delineate.

PLOT, noun

1. Any scheme, stratagem or plan of a complicated nature, or consisting of many parts, adapted to the accomplishment of some purpose, usually a mischievous one. A plot may be formed by a single person or by numbers. In the latter case, it is a conspiracy or an intrigue. The latter word more generally denotes a scheme directed against individuals; the former against the government. But this distinction is not always observed.

O think what anxious moments pass between

The birth of plots, and their last fatal periods!

2. In dramatic writings, the knot or intrigue; the story of a play, comprising a complication of incidents which are at last unfolded by unexpected means.

If the plot or intrigue must be natural, and such as springs from the subject, the winding up of the plot must be a probable consequence of all that went before.

3. Contrivance; deep reach of thought; ability to plot

A man of much plot

PLOT, verb intransitive To form a scheme of mischief against another, or against a government or those who administer it. A traitor plots against his king.

The wicked plotteth against the just. Psalms 37:1.

1. To contrive a plan; to scheme.

The prince did plot to be secretly gone.

PLOT, verb transitive To plan; to devise; to contrive; as, to plot an unprofitable crime.

Plotted

PLOT'TED, participle passive Contrived; planned.

Plotter

PLOT'TER, noun One that plots or contrives; a contriver.

1. A conspirator.

Plotting

PLOT'TING, participle present tense Contriving; planning; forming an evil design.

Plough

PLOUGH. [See Plow.]

Plover

PLOV'ER, noun [Latin pluvialis, rainy; pluo, to rain.]

The common name of several species of birds that frequent the banks of rivers and the sea shore, belonging to the genus Charadrius.

Plow

PLOW, noun

1. In agriculture, an instrument for turning up, breaking and preparing the ground for receiving the seed. It is drawn by oxen or horses and saves the labor of digging; it is therefore the most useful instrument in agriculture.

The emperor lays hold of the plow and turns up several furrows.

When fern succeeds, ungrateful to the plow

2. Figuratively, tillage; culture of the earth; agriculture.

3. A joiner's instrument for grooving.

PLOW, verb transitive To trench and turn up with a plow; as, to plow the ground for wheat; to plow it into ridges.

1. To furrow; to divide; to run through in sailing.

With speed we plow the watery wave.

2. To tear; to furrow.

3. In Scripture, to labor in any calling.

He that ploweth should plow in hope. 1 Corinthians 9:10.

To plow on the back, to scourge; to mangle, or to persecute and torment. Psalms 129:3.

To plow with one's heifer, to deal with the wife to obtain something from the husband. Judges 14:18.

To plow iniquity or wickedness, and reap it, to devise and practice it, and at last suffer the punishment of it. Job 4:8. Hosea 10:11.

To plow in, to cover by plowing; as, to plow in wheat.

To plow up or out, to turn out of the ground by plowing.

To put one's hand to the plow and look back, is to enter on the service of Christ and afterwards abandon it. Luke 17:7.

[This difference of orthography often made between the noun and verb is wholly unwarrantable, and contrary to settled analogy in our language. Such a difference is never made in changing into verbs, plot, harrow, notice, question, and most other words. See Practice.]

Plow-Bote

PLOW'-BOTE, noun In English law, wood or timber allowed to a tenant for the repair of instruments of husbandry.

Plow-Land

PLOW'-LAND, noun Land that is plowed, or suitable for tillage.

Plowboy

PLOW'BOY, noun A boy that drives or guides a team in plowing; a rustic boy.

Plowed

PLOW'ED, participle passive Turned up with a plow; furrowed.

Plower

PLOW'ER, noun One that plows land; a cultivator.

Plowing

PLOW'ING, participle present tense Turning up with a plow; furrowing.

PLOW'ING, noun The operation of turning up ground with a plow; as the first and second plowing; three plowings.

Plowman

PLOW'MAN, noun One that plows or holds a plow.

At last the robber binds the plowman and carries him off with the oxen.

1. A cultivator of grain; a husbandman.

2. A rustic; a countryman; a hardy laborer.

PLOW'-MONDAY, noun The Monday after twelfth-day.

Plowshare

PLOW'SHARE, noun [See Shear.] The part of a plow which cuts the ground at the bottom of the furrow, and raises the slice to the mold-board, which turns it over.

Pluck

PLUCK, verb transitive

1. To pull with sudden force or effort, or to pull off, out or from, with a twitch. Thus we say, to pluck feathers from a fowl; to pluck hair or wool from a skin; to pluck grapes or other fruit.

They pluck the fatherless from the breast. Job 24:9.

2. To strip by plucking; as, to pluck a fowl.

They that pass by do pluck her. Psalms 80:12.

The sense of this verb is modified by particles.

To pluck away, to pull away, or to separate by pulling; to tear away.

He shall pluck away his crop with his feathers. Leviticus 1:16.

To pluck down, to pull down; to demolish; or to reduce to a lower state.

To pluck off, is to pull or tear off; as, to pluck off the skin. Micah 3:2.

To pluck on, to pull or draw on.

PLUCK up, to tear up by the roots or from the foundation; to eradicate; to exterminate; to destroy; as, to pluck up a plant; to pluck up a nation. Jeremiah 12:14.

To pluck out, to draw out suddenly or to tear out; as, to pluck out the eyes; to pluck out the hand from the bosom. Psalms 74:11.

To pluck up, to resume courage; properly, to pluck up the heart. [Not elegant.]

PLUCK, noun The heart, liver and lights of an animal.

Plucked

PLUCK'ED, participle passive Pulled off; stripped of feathers or hair.

Plucker

PLUCK'ER, noun One that plucks.

Plucking

PLUCK'ING, participle present tense Pulling off; stripping.

Plug

PLUG, noun A stopple; any piece of pointed wood or other substance used to stop a hole, but larger than a peg or spile.

Hawse-plug, in marine affairs, a plug to stop a hawse-hole.

Shot-plug, a plug to stop a breach made by a cannon ball in the side of a ship.

PLUG, verb transitive To stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole.

Plum

PLUM, noun

1. The fruit of a tree belonging to the genus Prunus. The fruit is a drupe, containing a nut or stone with prominent sutures and inclosing a kernel. The varieties of the plum are numerous and well known.

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

3. The sum of f100, 000 sterling.

4. A kind of play.

[Dr. Johnson remarks that this word is often written improperly plumb. This is true, not only of this word, but of all words in which b follows m, as in thumb, dumb, etc.]

Plum-Cake

PLUM-CAKE, noun Cake containing raisins or currants.

Plum-Porridge

PLUM-POR'RIDGE, noun Porridge with plums.

Plum-Pudding

PLUM-PUD'DING, noun Pudding containing raisins or currants.

Plum-Tree

PLUM-TREE, noun A tree that produces plums.

PLU'MULE, noun [Latin plumula.] The ascending scaly part of the embryo plant, which becomes the stem. [See Plume.]

Plumage

PLU'MAGE, noun The feathers that cover a fowl.

Smit with her varying plumage spare the dove.

Plumb

PLUMB, noun plum. [Latin plumbum, lead; probably a clump or lump.]

A mass of lead attached to a line, and used to ascertain a perpendicular position of buildings and the like. But the word as a noun is seldom used, except in composition. [See Plumb-line.]

PLUMB, adjective Perpendicular, that is, standing according to a plumb-line. The post of the house or the wall is plumb [This is the common language of our mechanics.]

PLUMB, adverb In a perpendicular direction; in a line perpendicular to the plane of the horizon. The wall stands plumb

PLUMB down he falls.

1. Directly; suddenly; at once; as a falling mass; usually pronounced plump. He fell plumb into the water.

PLUMB, verb transitive To adjust by a plumb-line; to set in a perpendicular direction; as, to plumb a building or a wall.

1. To sound with a plummet, as the depth of water. [Little used.]

Plumb-Line

PLUMB-LINE, noun plum'-line. A line perpendicular to the plane of the horizon; or a line directed to the center of gravity in the earth.

Plumbaginous

PLUMBAG'INOUS, adjective Resembling plumbago; consisting of plumbago, or partaking of its properties.

Plumbago

PLUMBA'GO, noun [Latin] A mineral consisting of carbon and iron; used for pencils, etc.

Plumbean

PLUM'BEAN

PLUMBED, participle passive plum'med. Adjusted by a plumb-line.

Plumbed

PLUMBED, pp. plum'med. Adjusted by a plumb-line.

Plumbeous

PLUM'BEOUS, adjective Consisting of lead; resembling lead.

1. Dull; heavy; stupid.

Plumber

PLUMBER, noun plum'mer. One who works in lead.

Plumbery

PLUMBERY, noun plum'mery. Works in lead; manufactures of lead; the place where lead is wrought.

1. The art of casting and working lead, or of making sheets and pipes of lead.

Plumbiferous

PLUMBIF'EROUS, adjective [Latin plumbum, lead, and fero, to produce.]

Producing lead.

Plume

PLUME, noun [Latin pluma.]

1. The feather of a fowl, particularly a large feather.

2. A feather worn as an ornament, particularly an ostrich's feather.

And his high plume that nodded o'er his head.

3. Pride; towering mien.

4. Token of honor; prize of contest.

Ambitious to win from me some plume

PLUME

Plume-Alum

PLUME-AL'UM, noun A kind of asbestus.

Plumeless

PLU'MELESS, adjective Without feathers or plumes.

Plumigerous

PLUMIG'EROUS, adjective [Latin pluma, a feather, and gero, to wear.]

Feathered; having feathers.

Plumiped

PLU'MIPED, adjective [infra.] Having feet covered with feathers.

PLU'MIPED, noun [Latin pluma, feather, and pes, foot.]

A fowl that has feathers on its feet.

Plummet

PLUM'MET, noun [See Plumb.]

1. A long piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water.

2. An instrument used by carpenters, masons, etc. in adjusting erections to a perpendicular line, and with a square, to determine a horizontal line. It consists of a piece of lead fastened to a line.

3. Any weight.

4. A piece of lead used by school boys to rule their paper for writing.

Plumming

PLUM'MING, noun Among miners, the operation of finding by means of a mine dial the place where to sink an air shaft, or to bring an adit to the work, or to find which way the lode inclines.

Plumose

PLU'MOSE

PLUMOS'ITY, noun The state of having feathers.

Plumosity

PLUMOS'ITY, n. The state of having feathers.

Plumous

PLU'MOUS, adjective [Latin plumosus.] Feathery; resembling feathers.

1. In botany, a plumose bristle is one that has hairs growing on the sides of the main bristle. Plumose pappus or down is a flying crown to some seeds, composed of feathery hairs.

Plump

PLUMP, adjective

1. Full; swelled with fat or flesh to the full size; fat; having a full skin; round; as a plump boy; a plump habit of body.

The famish'd crow grows plump and round.

2. Full; blunt; unreserved; unqualified; as a plump lie.

PLUMP, noun A knot; a cluster; a clump; a number of things closely united or standing together; as a plump of trees; a plump of fowls; a plump of horsemen.

[This word is not now used in this sense, but the use of it formerly, is good evidence that plump is clump, with a different prefix, and both are radically one word with lump. Plumb, Latin plumbum, is the same word, a lump or mass.

PLUMP, verb transitive [from the adjective.] To swell; to extend to fullness; to dilate; to fatten.

The particles of air expanding themselves, plump out the sides of the bladder.

A wedding at our house will plump me up with good cheer.

PLUMP, verb intransitive

1. To plunge or fall like a heavy mass or lump of dead matter; to fall suddenly or at once.

2. To enlarge to fullness; to be swelled.

PLUMP, adverb Suddenly; heavily; at once, or with a sudden heavy fall.

Plumper

PLUMP'ER, noun Something carried in the mouth to dilate the cheeks; any thing intended to swell out something else.

1. A full unqualified lie. [In vulgar use.]

Plumply

PLUMP'LY, adverb Fully; roundly; without reserve; as, to assert a thing plumply; a word in common popular use.

Plumpness

PLUMP'NESS, noun Fullness of skin; distention to roundness; as the plumpness of a boy; plumpness of the eye or cheek.

Plumpy

PLUMP'Y, adjective Plump; fat; jolly. [Not elegant.]

Plumule

PLU'MULE, noun In botany, the ascending scaly part of the corculum or heart of a seed; the scaly part of the embryo plant within the seed, which rises and becomes the stem or body. It extends itself into the cavity of the lobes, and is terminated by a small branch resembling a feather, from which it derives its name.

PLUME, verb transitive To pick and adjust plumes or feathers.

Swans must be kept in some inclosed pond, where they may have room to come on shore and plume themselves.

1. To strip of feathers. Carnivorous animals will not take pains to plume the birds they devour.

2. To strip; to peel.

3. To set as a plume; to set erect.

His stature reach'd the sky, and on his crest

Sat honor plum'd.

4. To adorn with feathers or plumes.

5. To pride; to value; to boast. He plumes himself on his skill or his prowess.

Plumy

PLU'MY, adjective [from plume.] Feathered; covered with feathers.

1. Adorned with plumes; as a plumy crest.

Plunder

PLUN'DER, verb transitive

1. To pillage; to spoil; to strip; to take the goods of an enemy by open force. Nebuchadnezzar plundered the temple of the Jews.

2. To take by pillage or open force. The enemy plundered all the goods they found. We say, he plundered the tent, or he plundered the goods of the tent. The first is the proper use of the word.

3. To rob, as a thief; to take from; to strip; as, the thief plundered the house; the robber plundered a man of his money and watch; pirates plunder ships and men.

PLUN'DER, noun That which is taken from an enemy by force; pillage; prey; spoil.

1. That which is taken by theft, robbery or fraud.

Plundered

PLUN'DERED, participle passive Pillaged; robbed.

Plunderer

PLUN'DERER, noun A hostile pillager; a spoiler.

1. A thief; a robber.

Plundering

PLUN'DERING, participle present tense Pillaging; robbing.

Plunge

PLUNGE, verb transitive

1. To thrust into water or other fluid substance, or into any substance that is penetrable; to immerse in a fluid; to drive into flesh, mire or earth, etc.; as, to plunge the body in water; to plunge the arm into fire or flame; to plunge a dagger into the breast.

2. To thrust or drive into any state in which the thing is considered as enveloped or surrounded; as, to plunge one's self into difficulties or distress; to plunge a nation into war.

3. To baptize by immersion.

PLUNGE, verb intransitive To pitch; to thrust or drive one's self into water or a fluid; to dive or to rush in. He plunged into the river.

The troops plunged into the stream.

His courser plung'd,

And threw him off; the waves whelm'd over him.

1. To fall or rush into distress or any state or circumstances in which the person or thing is enveloped, inclosed or overwhelmed; as, to plunge into a gulf; to plunge into debt or embarrassments; to plunge into war; a body of cavalry plunged into the midst of the enemy.

2. To pitch or throw one's self headlong.

PLUNGE, noun The act of thrusting into water or any penetrable substance.

1. Difficulty; strait; distress; a state of being surrounded or overwhelmed with difficulties.

People when put to a plunge cry out to heaven for help.

And wilt thou not reach out a friendly arm,

To raise me from amidst this plunge of sorrow?

[In this sense, the word is now little used.]

Plunged

PLUNG'ED, participle passive Thrust into a fluid or other penetrable substance; immersed; involved in straits.

Plungeon

PLUN'GEON, noun A sea fowl.

Plunger

PLUNG'ER, noun One that plunges; a diver.

1. A cylinder used as a forcer in pumps.

Plunging

PLUNG'ING, participle present tense Immersing; diving; rushing headlong.

Plungy

PLUNG'Y, adjective Wet. [Not used.]

Plunket

PLUNK'ET, noun A kind of blue color.

Plural

PLU'RAL, adjective [Latin pluralis, from plus, pluris, more.]

1. Containing more than one; consisting of two or more, or designating two or more; as a plural word.

2. In grammar, the plural number is that which designates more than one, that is, any number except one. Thus in most languages, a word in the plural number expresses two or more. But the Greek has a dual number to express two; and the plural expresses more than two.

Pluralist

PLU'RALIST, noun A clerk or clergyman who holds more ecclesiastical benefices than one, with cure of souls.

Plurality

PLURAL'ITY, noun [Latin pluralis.]

1. A number consisting of two or more of the same kind; as a plurality of gods; a plurality of worlds.

2. A state of being or having a greater number.

3. In elections, a plurality of votes is when one candidate has more votes than any other, but less than half of the whole number of votes given. It is thus distinguished from a majority, which is more than half of the whole number.

4. plurality of benefices, is where the same clerk is possessed of more benefices than one, with cure of souls. In this case, each benefice thus held is called a plurality

Plurally

PLU'RALLY, adverb In a sense implying more than one.

Pluriliteral

PLURILIT'ERAL, adjective [Latin plus and litera, letter.]

Containing more letters than three.

PLURILIT'ERAL, noun A word consisting of more letters than three.

Plurisy

PLU'RISY, noun [Latin plus, pluris.] Superabundance. [Not used.]

Plus

PLUS, [Latin more, ] in algebra, a character marked thus, +, used as the sign of addition.

Plush

PLUSH, noun Shag; a species of shaggy cloth or stuff with a velvet nap on one side, composed regularly of a woof of a single thread and a double warp; the one, wool of two threads twisted, the other of goat's or camel's hair. But some plushes are made wholly of worsted; others wholly of hair.

Plusher

PLUSH'ER, noun A marine fish.

Plutonian

PLUTO'NIAN, adjective Plutonic, which see.

PLUTO'NIAN, noun One who maintains the origin of mountains, etc. to be from fire.

The plutonian theory of the formation of rocks and mountains is opposed to the Neptunian.

Plutonic

PLUTON'IC, adjective [from Pluto, in mythology, the king of the infernal regions.] Pertaining to or designating the system of the Plutonists; as the plutonic theory.

Plutonist

PLU'TONIST, noun One who adopts the theory of the formation of the world in its present state from igneous fusion.

Pluvial

PLU'VIAL

PLUVIAM'ETER, noun [Latin pluvia, rain, and Gr.measure.] A rain gage, an instrument for ascertaining the quantity of water that falls in rain, or in rain and snow, in any particular climate or place.

Pluviameter

PLUVIAM'ETER, n. [L. pluvia, rain, and Gr.measure.] A rain gage, an instrument for ascertaining the quantity of water that falls in rain, or in rain and snow, in any particular climate or place.

Pluviametrical

PLUVIAMET'RICAL, adjective Pertaining to a pluviameter; made or ascertained by a pluviameter.

Pluvious

PLU'VIOUS, adjective [Latin pluvialis, from pluvia, rain.] Rainy; humid.

PLU'VIAL, noun A priest's cope.

Ply

PLY, verb transitive [Gr. to fold; Latin plico.]

1. To lay on, to put to or on with force and repetition; to apply to closely, with continuation of efforts or urgency.

And plies him with redoubled strokes.

The hero from afar

Plies him with darts and stones.

We retain the precise sense in the phrase to lay on, to put it on him.

2. To employ with diligence; to apply closely and steadily; to keep busy.

Her gentle wit she plies.

The wearied Trojans ply their shattered oars.

3. To practice or perform with diligence.

Their bloody task, unweari'd, still they ply

4. To urge; to solicit with pressing or persevering importunity.

He plies the duke at morning and at night.

5. To urge; to press; to strain; to force.

PLY, verb intransitive To bend; to yield.

The willow plied and gave way to the gust.

1. To work steadily.

He was forced to ply in the streets.

2. To go in haste.

Thither he plies undaunted.

3. To busy one's self; to be steadily employed.

4. To endeavor to make way against the wind.

PLY, noun A fold; a plait.

1. Bent; turn; direction; bias.

The late learners cannot so well take the ply

Plyer

PLY'ER, noun He or that which plies. In fortification, plyers denotes a kind of balance used in raising and letting down a drawbridge, consisting of timbers joined in the form of St. Andrew's cross.

Plying

PLY'ING, participle present tense Laying on with steadiness or repetition; applying closely; employing; performing; urging; pressing or attempting to make way against the wind.

PLY'ING, noun Urgent solicitation.

1. Effort to make way against the wind.

Pneumatic

PNEUMATIC

PNEUMATICAL, adjective numat'ic. [Gr. breath, spirit; to breathe or blow.]

1. Consisting of air, as a thin compressible substance; opposed to dense or solid substances.

The pneumatic substance being, in some bodies, the native spirit of the body.

2. Pertaining to air, or to the philosophy of its properties; as pneumatic experiments; a pneumatic engine.

3. Moved or played by means of air; as a pneumatic instrument of music.

Pneumatics

PNEUMAT'ICS, noun In natural philosophy, that branch which treats of air. In chimistry, that branch which treats of the gases.

1. In the schools, the doctrine of spiritual substances, as God, angels, and the souls of men.

Pneumatocele

PNEUMAT'OCELE, noun [Gr. air, and a tumor.] In surgery, a distension of the scrotum by air.

Pneumatological

PNEUMATOLOG'ICAL, adjective Pertaining to pneumatology.

Pneumatologist

PNEUMATOL'OGIST, noun One versed in pneumatology.

Pneumatology

PNEUMATOL'OGY, noun [Gr. air, and discourse.]

1. The doctrine of the properties of elastic fluids, or of spiritual substances.

2. A treatise on elastic fluids, or on spiritual substances.

Pneumonia

PNEUMO'NIA

PNEUMON'IC, adjective Pertaining to the lungs; pulmonic.

PNEUMON'IC, noun A medicine for affections of the lungs.

Pneumony

PNEU'MONY, noun [Gr. the lungs, to breathe.]

In medicine, an inflammation of the lungs.

Poach

POACH, verb transitive

1. To boil slightly.

2. To dress by boiling slightly and mixing in a soft mass.

3. To begin and not complete.

4. To tread soft ground, or snow and water, as cattle, whose feet penetrate the soil of soft substance and leave deep tracks.

5. To steal game; properly, to pocket game, or steal it and convey it away in a bag.

6. To steal; to plunder by stealth.

They poach Parnassus, and lay claim for praise.

POACH, verb transitive [Eng. poke, poker, to punch; Latin pungo.]

To stab; to pierce; to spear; as, to poach fish.

POACH, verb intransitive To be trodden with deep tracks, as soft ground. We say, the ground is soft in spring, and poaches badly.

Chalky and clay lands burn in hot weather, chap in summer, and poach in winter.

Poachard

POACHARD

POACHED, participle passive Slightly boiled or softened; trodden with deep footsteps; stolen.

Poached

POACHED, pp. Slightly boiled or softened; trodden with deep footsteps; stolen.

Poacher

POACHER, noun One that steals game.

Poachiness

POACHINESS, noun Wetness and softness; the state of being easily penetrable by the feet of beasts; applied to land.

Poachy

POACHY, adjective Wet and soft; such as the feet of cattle will penetrate to some depth; applied to land or ground of any kind.

Pochard

POCHARD, noun [from poach.] A fresh water duck of an excellent taste, weighing a pound and twelve ounces. It is the red headed duck of Lawson; found in America and in the north of Europe.

Pock

POCK, noun [Eng. big.] A pustule raised on the surface of the body in the variolous and vaccine diseases, named from the pustules, small pox, or as it ought to be written, small pocks.

Pocket

POCK'ET, noun

1. A small bag inserted in a garment for carrying small articles.

2. A small bag or net to receive the balls in billiards.

3. A certain quantity; as a pocket of hops, as in other cases we use sack. [Not used in America.]

POCK'ET, verb transitive To put or conceal in the pocket; as, to pocket a penknife.

1. To take clandestinely.

To pocket an insult or affront, to receive it without resenting it, or at least without seeking redress. [In popular use.]

Pocket-Book

POCK'ET-BOOK, noun A small book of paper covered with leather; used for carrying papers in the pocket.

Pocket-Glass

POCK'ET-GLASS, noun A portable looking glass.

Pocket-Hole

POCK'ET-HOLE, noun The opening into a pocket.

Pocket-Lid

POCK'ET-LID, noun The flap over the pocket-hole.

Pocket-Money

POCK'ET-MONEY, noun Money for the pocket or for occasional expenses.

POCK'-HOLE, noun The pit or scar made by a pock.

Pockiness

POCK'INESS, noun The state of being pocky.

Pockwood

POCK'WOOD, noun Lignum vitae, a very hard wood.

Pocky

POCK'Y, adjective [from pock.] Infected with the small pocks; full of pocks.

1. Vile; rascally; mischievous; contemptible. [In vulgar use.]

Poculent

POC'ULENT, adjective [Latin poculentus, from poculum, a cup.]

Fit for drink. [Not used.]

Pod

POD, noun The pericarp, capsule or seed vessel of certain plants. The silique or pod is an oblong, membranaceous, two valved pericarp, having the seeds fixed along both sutures. A legume is a pericarp of two valves, in which the seeds are fixed along one suture only.

According to these descriptions, the seed vessels of peas and beans are legumes, and not pods; but in popular language, pod is used for the legume as well as for the silique or siliqua. In New England, it is the only word in popular use.

POD, verb intransitive To swell; to fill; also, to produce pods.

Podagric

PODAG'RIC

PODAG'RICAL, adjective [Latin podagra; Gr. the foot, and a seizure.]

1. Pertaining to the gout; gouty; partaking of the gout.

2. Afflicted with the gout.

Podagrical

PODAG'RICAL, a. [L. podagra; Gr. the foot, and a seizure.] 1. Pertaining to the gout; gouty; partaking of the gout.2. Afflicted with the gout.

Podded

POD'DED, adjective Having its pods formed; furnished with pods.

Podder

POD'DER, noun A gatherer of pods.

Podge

PODGE, noun A puddle; a plash.

Poem

PO'EM, noun [Latin poema; Gr. to make, to compose songs.]

1. A metrical composition; a composition in which the verses consist of certain measures, whether in blank verse or in rhyme; as the poems of Homer or of Milton; opposed to prose.

2. This term is also applied to some compositions in which the language is that of excited imagination; as the poems of Ossian.

Poesy

PO'ESY, noun [Latin poesis; Gr. to make.]

1. The art or skill of composing poems; as, the heavenly gift of poesy

2. Poetry; metrical composition.

Music and poesy used to quicken you.

3. A short conceit engraved on a ring or other thing.

Poet

PO'ET, noun [Latin poeta. See Poem.]

1. The author of a poem; the inventor or maker of a metrical composition.

A poet is a maker, as the word signifies; and he who cannot make, that is, invent, hath his name for nothing.

2. One skilled in making poetry, or who has a particular genius for metrical composition; one distinguished for poetic talents. Many write verses who cannot be called poets.

Poet-Laureat

POET-LAUREAT, noun A poet employed to compose poems for the birth days of a prince or other special occasion.

Poet-Musician

POET-MUSI'CIAN, noun An appellation given to the bard and lyrist of former ages, as uniting the professions of poetry and music.

Poetaster

PO'ETASTER, noun A petty poet; a pitiful or rhymer or writer of verses.

Poetess

PO'ETESS, noun A female poet.

Poetic

POET'IC

POET'ICAL, adjective [Latin poeticus.]

1. Pertaining to poetry; suitable to poetry; as a poetical genius; poetic turn or talent; poetic license.

2. Expressed in poetry or measure; as a poetical composition.

3. Possessing the peculiar beauties of poetry; sublime; as a composition or passage highly poetical.

Poetical

POET'ICAL, a. [L. poeticus.] 1. Pertaining to poetry; suitable to poetry; as a poetical genius; poetic turn or talent; poetic license.2. Expressed in poetry or measure; as a poetical composition.3. Possessing the peculiar beauties of poetry; sublime; as a composition or passage highly poetical.

Poetically

POET'ICALLY, adverb With the qualities of poetry; by the art of poetry; by fiction.

Poetics

POET'ICS, noun The doctrine of poetry.

Poetize

PO'ETIZE, verb intransitive To write as a poet; to compose verse.

Poetress

PO'ETRESS, noun A female poet.

Poetry

PO'ETRY, noun [Gr.] Metrical composition; verse; as heroic poetry; dramatic poetry; lyric or Pindaric poetry

1. The art or practice of composing in verse. He excels in poetry

2. Poems; poetical composition. We take pleasure in reading poetry

3. This term is also applied to the language of excited imagination and feeling.

Poignancy

POIGNANCY, noun poin'ancy. [See Poignant.]

1. Sharpness; the power of stimulating the organs of taste.

2. Point; sharpness; keenness; the power of irritation; asperity; as the poignancy of wit or sarcasm.

3. Severity; acuteness.

Poignant

POIGNANT, adjective poin'ant. [Latin pungere, pungo, to prick.]

1. Sharp; stimulating the organs of taste; as poignant sauce.

2. Pointed; keen; bitter; irritating; satirical; as poignant wit.

3. Severe; piercing; very painful or acute; as poignant pain or grief.

Poignantly

POIGNANTLY, adverb poin'antly. In a stimulating, piercing or irritating manner; with keenness or point.