Thomas Davidson

“ Penn′y-a-lin′er, one who writes for a public journal at so much a line: a writer for pay; Penn′y-a-lin′erism, hack-writing; Penn′y-dog, the tope or miller's dog, a kind of shark; Penn′y-post, a means of carrying a letter for a penny; Penn′y-rent, income; Penn′yweight, twenty-four grains of troy weight (the weight of a silver penny) ; Penn′y-wis′dom, prudence in petty matters.—adj. Penn′y-wise, saving small sums at the risk of larger: niggardly on improper occasions.—ns. Penn′y-worth, a penny's worth of anything: the amount that can be given for a penny: a good bargain—also Penn′'orth (coll.) ”

“ Pavilion, pa-vil′yun, n. a tent: an ornamental building often turreted or domed: (mil.) a tent raised on posts: a canopy or covering: the outer ear: a flag or ensign carried at the gaff of the mizzenmast.—v.t. to furnish with pavilions: to shelter, as with a tent.—n. Pavil′ion-roof, a roof sloping equally on all sides. ”

“ Compound pendulum, every ordinary pendulum is compound, as differing from a Simple pendulum, which is a material point suspended by an ideal line; Invariable pendulum, a pendulum for carrying from station to station to be oscillated at each so as to fix the relative acceleration of gravity; Long and short pendulum, a pendulum for determining the absolute force of gravity by means of a bob suspended by a wire of varying length. ”

“ Pec′ulātor. [L. peculāri, -ātus—pecūlium, private property, akin to pecunia, money.]
Peculiar, pē-kūl′yar, adj. one's own: belonging to no other: appropriate: particular: odd, uncommon, strange.—n. (obs.) private property: a parish or church exempt from the jurisdiction of the ordinary or bishop in whose diocese it is placed.—v.t. Pecul′iarise, to set apart.—n. Peculiar′ity, quality of being peculiar or singular: that which is found in one and in no other: that which marks a person off from others: individuality.—adv. ”

“ Peace, pēs, n. a state of quiet: freedom from disturbance: freedom from war: friendliness: calm: rest: harmony: silence.—interj. silence: be silent: hist!—adj. Peace′able, disposed to peace: free from war or disturbance: quiet: tranquil.—n. Peace′ableness.—adv. Peace′ably.—n. Peace′-break′er, one who breaks or disturbs the peace of others.—adj. Peace′ful, full of peace: quiet: tranquil: calm: serene.—adv. Peace′fully.—n. Peace′fulness.—adj. Peace′less, without peace.—ns. Peace′lessness; Peace′maker, one who makes or produces peace; one who reconciles enemies ”

“ Patrician, pa-trish′an, n. a nobleman in ancient Rome, being a descendant of one of the fathers or first Roman senators: a nobleman.—adj. pertaining to the ancient senators of Rome or to their descendants: of noble birth.—n. Patric′iate, the position or duties of a patrician: the patrician order. [L. patricius—pater, patris, a father.]
Patricide, pat′ri-sīd, n. the murder or the murderer of one's own father.—adj. Pat′ricīdal, relating to patricide or the murder of a father. [L. patricida—pater, patris, father, cædĕre, to kill.] ”

“ Pawn, pawn, n. a common piece in chess. [O. Fr. paon, a foot-soldier—Low L. pedo, pedonis, a foot-soldier—L. pes, pedis, the foot.]
Pawn, pawn, n. a gallery.
Pawnee, paw′nē, n. one of a tribe of Indians in North America.—adj. belonging to this tribe.
Pax, paks, n. the kiss of peace (Rom. xvi. 16) : a plaque or tablet used in giving the kiss of peace when the mass is celebrated by a high dignitary—a crucifix, a tablet with the image of Christ on the cross upon it, or a reliquary.—Pax vobis, Pax vobiscum, peace (be) with you. [L.]
Paxwax, paks′waks, n. the strong tendon in the neck of animals. ”

“ Peg′-top, a child's plaything made to spin round by winding a string round it and then rapidly pulling it off: (pl.) a kind of trousers, wide at the top and narrow at the ankles.—adj. shaped like a top.—Peg away, to keep continually working.—Take down a peg, to take down, to humble. [Scand.; as in Dan. pig, a spike.]
Pegasus, peg′a-sus, n. a winged horse which arose from the blood of the Gorgon Medusa, when she was slain by Perseus: a genus of small fishes with large, wing-like, pectoral fins: one of the constellations in the northern sky.—adj. Pegasē′an. ”

“ Pay for, to make amends for: to bear the expense of; Pay off, to discharge: to take revenge upon: to requite: (naut.) to fall away to leeward; Pay out, to cause to run out, as rope; Pay round, to turn the ship's head; Pay the piper, to have all expenses to pay.—In the pay of, hired by. [Fr. payer—L. pacāre, to appease; cf. pax, peace.]
Pay, pā, v.t. (naut., and in the proverb 'the devil to pay') to smear with tar, pitch, &c. [Perh. through O. Fr. peier (Sp. empegar) from L. picāre, to pitch.]
Payne, pān, v.i. (Spens.) to take pains, exert one's self. ”

“ Penny gaff (slang) , a low-class theatre; Penny mail (Scot.) , rent in money, not in kind: a small sum paid to the superior of land; Penny wedding, a wedding ceremonial in Scotland, at which the invited guests made contributions in money to pay the general expenses.—A pretty penny, a considerable sum of money; Turn an honest penny, to earn money honestly. [A.S. penig, oldest form pending, where pend=Eng. pawn, Ger. pfand, Dut. pand, a pledge, all which are from L. pannus, a rag, a piece of cloth.] ”

“ Patriarch′al, Patriarch′ic, belonging or subject to a patriarch: like a patriarch: of the nature of a patriarch.—ns. Pā′triarchalism, the condition of tribal government by a patriarch; Pā′triarchate, the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch or church dignitary: the residence of a patriarch; Pā′triarchism, government by a patriarch; Pā′triarchy, a community of related families under the authority of a patriarch. [O. Fr.,—L.,—Gr. patriarchēs—patēr, father, archē, beginning.] ”

“ Queen's, or King's, peace, the public peace, for the maintenance of which the sovereign as head of the executive is responsible; Swear the peace, to take oath before a magistrate that a certain person ought to be put under bond to keep the peace. [O. Fr. pais (Fr. paix) —L. pax, pacis, peace.]
Peach, pēch, v.i. to betray one's accomplice: to become informer.—n. Peach′er. [A corr. of impeach.]
Peach, pēch, n. a tree with a delicious, juicy fruit: the fruit of this tree.—ns. Peach′-bloss′om, a canary-yellow colour: pink with a yellowish tinge: a collector's name for a moth, the Thyatira batis ”

“ Pēdā′lian, relating to the foot, or to a metrical foot; Ped′āte, divided like a foot: (bot.) having the side lobes of a divided leaf also divided into smaller parts, the midribs of which do not run to a common centre as in the palmate leaf.—adv. Ped′ātely.—adj. Pedat′ifid, divided in a pedate manner, but having the divisions connected at the base.—Combination pedal, a metal pedal in organs controlling several stops at once. [L. pedalis—pes, pedis, the foot.]
Pedant, ped′ant, n. one who makes a vain display of learning: a pretender to knowledge which he does not possess: (Shak.) ”

“ Pedal, ped′al, adj. pertaining to a foot.—n. any part of a machine transmitting power from the foot: in musical instruments, a lever moved by the foot.—v.i. to work a pedal.—n. Pēdā′le, a foot-cloth in front of an altar: a collection of canons of general councils in the Greek Church.—adjs. ”

“ Patrimō′nially. [Fr. patrimoine—L. patrimonium, a paternal estate—pater, patris, a father.]
Patriot, pā′tri-ot, or pat′-, n. one who truly loves and serves his fatherland.—adj. devoted to one's country.—adj. Pātriot′ic, like a patriot: actuated by a love of one's country: directed to the public welfare.—adv. Pātriot′ically.—n. Pā′triotism, quality of being patriotic: love of one's country. [Fr.,—Low L.,—Gr. patriōtēs—patrios—patēr, a father.] ”

“ Patris′tics, the knowledge of the fathers as a subject of study—sometimes Patrol′ogy. [Fr., coined from L. pater, patris, a father.]
Patrol, pa-trōl′, v.i. to go the rounds in a camp or garrison: to watch and protect.—v.t. to pass round as a sentry:—pr.p. patrōl′ling; pa.t. and pa.p. patrōlled′.—n. the marching round of a guard in the night: the guard or men who make a patrol: (also Patrōl′man) a policeman who walks about a certain beat for a specified time, such policemen collectively. ”

“ Pendulum, pen′dū-lum, n. any weight so hung from a fixed point as to swing freely: the swinging weight which regulates the movement of a clock: a lamp, &c., pendent from a ceiling: a guard-ring of a watch by which it is attached to a chain.—adj. Pen′dular, relating to a pendulum.—v.i. Pen′dulate, to swing, vibrate.—adjs. Pen′dulent, pendulous; Pen′duline, building a pendulous nest; Pen′dulous, hanging loosely: swinging freely, as the pensile nests of birds: (bot.) hanging downwards, as a flower on a curved stalk.—adv. ”

“ Patonce, pa-tons′, n. (her.) a cross whose four arms expand in curves from the centre, with floriated ends.—adj. Patoncée. [Fr.,—L. patēre, to expand.]
Patres conscripti, pā′tres kon-skrip′tī, n.pl. conscript fathers: the senators of ancient Rome. [L. patres, pl. of pater, a father, conscripti, pl. of conscriptus,—conscribĕre, to enrol.]
Patrial, pā′tri-al, adj. designating a race or nation.—n. a noun derived from the name of a country.
Patria potestas, pā′tri-ä pō-tes′tas, n. a father's control over his family, in ancient Rome, which was almost unlimited. ”

“ Good people, or folk, a popular euphemistic name for the fairies; Peculiar people (see Peculiar) ; The people, the populace, the mass. [Fr. peuple—L. populus, prob. reduplicated from root of plebs, people.]
Peotomy, pē-ot′ō-mi, n. the amputation of the penis. [Gr. peos, the penis, temnein, to cut.]
Peperin, pep′e-rin, n. a volcanic tufa found in the Alban Hills near Rome. [It. peperino—pepe, pepper—L. piper, pepper.] ”

“ Pedicellā′ria, a minute structure on the skin of sea-urchins and star-fish, like a stalk with a three or two bladed snapping forceps at the summit.—adjs. Ped′icellate, Pedic′ūlate, provided with a pedicel.—n. Ped′icle, a fetter for the foot. [Fr. pédicelle—L. pediculus, dim. of pes, pedis, the foot.]
Pediculus, pē-dik′ū-lus, n. a genus of lice, or an individual of it.—adjs. Pēdic′ular, Pēdic′ulous, lousy.—ns. Pēdiculā′tion, Pēdiculō′sis, lousiness.
Pedicure, ped′i-kūr, n. the treatment of corns, bunions, or the like: one who treats the feet. ”

“ Pecū′lium, private property, esp. that given by a father to a son, &c.—Peculiar people, the people of Israel: a sect of faith-healers, founded in London in 1838, who reject medical aid in cases of disease, and rely on anointing with oil by the elders, and on prayer, with patient nursing. [Fr.,—L. peculiaris—peculium, private property.]
Pecuniary, pē-kū′ni-ar-i, adj. relating to money: consisting of money.—adv. Pecū′niarily.—adj. Pecū′nious, rich. [Fr.,—L. pecuniarius—pecunia, money—pecu-, which appears in L. pecudes (pl.) , cattle.] ”

“ Peace′-off′ering, an offering bringing about peace: among the Jews, an offering to God, either in gratitude for past or petition for future mercies (see Lev. iii.; vii. 11-21) : satisfaction to an offended person; Peace′-off′icer, an officer whose duty it is to preserve the peace: a police-officer.—adj. ”

“ Pec′tin, Pec′tine, a soluble gelatinising substance obtained from pectose; Pec′tōse, a substance yielding pectin, contained in the fleshy pulp of unripe fruit. [Gr. pēktikos, congealing—pēgnynai, to make solid.]
Pectoral, pek′tō-ral, adj. relating to the breast or chest.—n. armour for the breast: an ornament worn on the breast, esp. the breastplate worn by the ancient Jewish high-priest, and the square of gold, embroidery, &c. ”

“ Pentagynia, pent-a-jin′i-a, n. (bot.) a Linnæan order of plants, characterised by their flowers having five pistils.—n. Pent′agyn (bot.) , a plant having five styles.—adjs. Pentagyn′ian, Pentag′ynous. [Gr. pente, five, gynē, a female.] ”

“ Pecan, pē-kan′, n. a North American tree whose wood is chiefly used for fuel, also the nut it yields.
Peccable, pek′a-bl, adj. liable to sin.—ns. Peccabil′ity; Pecc′ancy, sinfulness: transgression.—adj. Pecc′ant, sinning: transgressing: guilty: morbid: offensive: bad.—adv. ”