Thomas Davidson

“ Picket, pik′et, n. a pointed stake used in fortification: a small outpost or guard stationed in front of an army: a number of men sent out by a trades-union to prevent others from working against the wishes or decisions of the union: a game at cards: a punishment inflicted by making a person stand on one foot on a pointed stake.—v.i. ”

“ Pillar, pil′ar, n. (archit.) a detached support, differing from a column in that it is not necessarily cylindrical, or of classical proportions: one who, or anything that, sustains: something resembling a pillar in appearance.—adj. Pill′ared, supported by a pillar: having the form of a pillar.—ns. ”

“ Philos′ophy, the science of being as being: the knowledge of the causes and laws of all phenomena: the collection of general laws or principles belonging to any department of knowledge: reasoning: a particular philosophical system: calmness of temper.—Philosopher's stone, an imaginary stone or mineral compound, long sought after by alchemists as a means of transforming other metals into gold.—Moral, and Natural, philosophy (see Moral, Natural) . [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. philosophos—philos, a lover, sophos, wise.] ”

“ Pinn′ūle, one of the branchlets of a pinnate leaf: one of the lateral divisions of the finger-like stalks of an encrinite—also Pinn′ūla.—Pinnate leaf, a compound leaf wherein a single petiole has several leaflets attached to each side of it. [L. pinna, a feather, dim. pinnula.]
Pinnace, pin′ās, n. a small vessel with oars and sails: a boat with eight oars: a man-of-war's boat. [Fr. pinasse—It. pinassa—L. pinus, a pine.]
Pinnacle, pin′a-kl, n. a slender turret: a high point like a spire: the highest point of a mountain, &c.—v.t. to build with pinnacles: to place on a pinnacle. ”

“ Pick′pocket, one who picks or steals from other people's pockets; Pick′-purse, one who steals the purse or from the purse of another.—adj. Pick′some, given to picking and choosing.—n. Pick′-thank, an officious person who does what he is not desired to do in order to gain favour: a flatterer: a parasite.—v.t. to gain favour by unworthy means.—Pick a hole in one's coat, to find fault with one; Pick a quarrel, to find an occasion of quarrelling ”

“ Pistachio, pis-tā′shi-ō, n. the almond-flavoured pistachio-nut, the fruit of the Pistā′chia, a small genus of trees of the cashew family, native to western Asia. [It.,—L. pistacium—Gr. pistakion—Pers. pistā.] ”

“ Physiocracy, fiz-i-ok′rā-si, n. the economic doctrine of the physiocrats (François Quesnay, 1694-1744, and his followers) , that society should be governed by a natural order inherent in itself, land and its products the only true source of wealth, direct taxation of land the only proper source of revenue.—n. ”

“ Physical force, force applied outwardly to the body, as distinguished from persuasion, &c.; Physical geography, an account of the state of the earth in its natural condition—its mountain-chains, ocean-currents, distribution of plants and animals, conditions of climate, &c.; Physical truth, the agreement of thought with what exists in nature ”

“ Perigord pie, a pie flavoured with truffles, abundant in Perigord in France. [Perh. Ir. and Gael. pighe, pie.]
Piebald, Pyebald, pī′bawld, adj. of various colours: having spots and patches. [For pie-balled—pie, a magpie, W. bal, a streak on a horse's forehead.]
Piece, pēs, n. a part of anything: a single article: a definite quantity, as of cloth or paper: an amount of work to be done at one time: a separate performance: a literary or artistic composition: a gun: a coin: a man in chess or draughts: a person, generally a woman, in contempt.—v.t. ”

“ Pill′ar-box, a short pillar in a street with receptacle for letters to be sent by post; Pill′arist, Pill′ar-saint, a person in the early church who crucified the flesh by living on the summit of pillars in the open air, a stylite.—From pillar to post, from one state of difficulty to another: hither and thither. [O. Fr. piler (Fr. pilier) —Low L. pilare—L. pīla, a pillar.]
Pillau, pil-law′, n. See Pilau.
Pillicock, pil′i-kok, n. (Shak.) a term of endearment.
Pillion, pil′yun, n. a cushion for a woman behind a horseman: the cushion of a saddle. ”

“ Physic′ianship; Phys′ic-nut, Barbadoes or Purging nut, the seeds of Jatropha curcas.—Physic garden, a botanical garden. [O. Fr.,—Gr. physikē, natural—Gr. physis, nature.]
Physical, fiz′ik-al, adj. pertaining to nature or to natural objects: pertaining to material things: of or pertaining to natural philosophy: known to the senses: pertaining to the body.—n. Phys′icalist, one who thinks that human thought and action are determined by the physical organisation.—adv. ”

“ Pilocar′pine, an alkaloid isolated from pilocarpus, with sudorific properties. [Gr. pilos, a cap, karpos, fruit.]
Pilose, pī′lōs, adj. hairy—also Pī′lous.—n. Pilos′ity. [L. pilosus—pilus, hair.]
Pilot, pī′lut, n. the steersman of a ship: one who conducts ships in and out of a harbour, along a dangerous coast, &c.: a guide.—v.t. to conduct as a pilot: to direct through dangerous places.—ns. Pī′lotage, the skill of a pilot: the act of piloting: the fee or wages of pilots; Pī′lot-boat, a boat used by pilots for meeting or leaving ships; Pī′lot-cloth, a coarse, stout kind of cloth for overcoats ”

“ Pī′ler, one who forms into a heap.—Pile arms, to place three muskets with fixed bayonets so that the butts remain firm, the muzzles close together pointing obliquely—also Stack arms. [Fr.,—L. pĭla, a ball.]
Pile, pīl, n. a pillar: a large stake driven into the earth to support foundations: a pyramidal figure in a heraldic bearing.—v.t. to drive piles into.—ns. Pile′-driv′er, Pile′-en′gine, an engine for driving down piles; Pile′-dwell′ing, a dwelling built on piles, a lake-dwelling; Pile′work, work or foundations made of piles ”

“ Pip, pip, v.i. to chirp, as a young bird.
Pipe, pīp, n. a musical wind instrument consisting of a long tube: any long tube: a tube of clay, &c., with a bowl at one end for smoking tobacco: a pipeful: the note of a bird: a cask containing two hogsheads.—v.i. to play upon a pipe: to whistle, to chirp: to make a shrill noise.—v.t. to play on a pipe: to call with a pipe, as on board ships: to give forth shrill notes: to supply with pipes, to convey by pipes.—ns. Pip′age, conveyance or distribution by pipes; Pipe′-case, a box softly lined to protect a pipe ”

“ Phosphoresce′, to shine in the dark like phosphorus.—n. Phosphoresc′ence.—adjs. Phosphoresc′ent, shining in the dark like phosphorus; Phosphor′ic, Phos′phorous, pertaining to or obtained from phosphorus.—ns. Phos′phorite, a massive radiated variety of apatite; Phos′phuret, a compound of phosphorus with a metal.—adj. Phos′phuretted, combined with phosphorus.—n. Phos′sy-jaw, phosphorous poisoning.—Phosphatic diathesis (med.) , the condition in which there is a tendency in the urine to deposit white gravel. [L.,—Gr.,—phōsphoros, light-bearer—phōs, light, phoros, bearing, from pherein, to bear.] ”

“ Piping, pī′ping, adj. uttering a weak, shrill, piping sound, like the sick: sickly: feeble: boiling.—n. act of piping: sound of pipes: a system of pipes for any purpose: small cord used as trimming for dresses, &c.: a slip or cutting taken from a plant with a jointed stem.
Pipistrel, Pipistrelle, pip-is-trel′, n. a small reddish-brown bat. [Fr.]
Pipit, pip′it, n. a genus of birds resembling larks in plumage and wagtails in habits, the most common British species being the titlark.
Pipkin, pip′kin, n. a small earthen pot. [Pipe.] ”

“ Pine, pīn, v.i. to waste away under pain or mental distress: to languish with longing.—v.t. to grieve for: to bewail.—n. wasting pain: weary suffering.—Done to pine, starved to death. [A.S. pínian, to torment—L. pœna, punishment.]
Pinfold, pin′fōld, n. a pound or enclosure for cattle.—v.t. to impound. [For pind-fold=pound-fold.]
Ping, ping, n. the whistling sound of a bullet.—v.i. to produce such a sound.—n. Ping′-pong, a kind of indoor lawn-tennis, played with battledores or small rackets over a net on a table. ”

“ Phleum, flē′um, n. a small genus of annual or perennial grasses—timothy, cat's-tail grass, herd's grass. [Gr. phleōs.]
Phlœum, flē′um, n. the cellular portion of bark next the epidermis—also Epiphlœum and Bast.—n. Phlō′ëm, the bast or liber portion of a vascular bundle. [Gr. phloios, bark.]
Phlogiston, flō-jis′ton, n. an imaginary element, believed in till nearly the end of the 18th century as forming part of every combustible body, which by its disengagement caused burning, or fire in action.—adj. Phlogis′tic (chem.) , containing or resembling phlogiston: inflaming: (med.) ”

“ Physalia, fī-sā′li-a, n. a genus of large oceanic hydrozoans—Portuguese man-of-war. [Gr. physallis, a plant, bladder—physa, bellows.]
Physalite, fis′a-līt, n. a coarse topaz.
Physeter, fi-sē′tėr, n. a sperm-whale.
Physic, fiz′ik, n. the science of medicine: the art of healing: a medicine: (orig.) natural philosophy, physics.—v.t. to give medicine to:—pr.p. phys′icking; pa.t. and pa.p. phys′icked.—ns. Physician (fi-zish′an) , one skilled in the use of physic or the art of healing: one who prescribes remedies for diseases: a doctor.—ns. ”

“ Pic′ture-writ′ing, the use of pictures to express ideas or relate events. [L. pictura—pingĕre, pictum, to paint.]
Picturesque, pik-tū-resk′, adj. like a picture: such as would make a good or striking picture: expressing the pleasing beauty of a picture.—adv. Picturesque′ly.—n. Picturesque′ness. [It. pittoresco—pittura, a picture—L. pictura.]
Picul, Pecul, pik′ul, n. a Chinese weight of about 1331⁄3 lb.
Picus, pī′kus, n. a Linnæan genus of woodpeckers.
Piddle, pid′l, v.i. to deal in trifles: to trifle: to eat with little relish: to make water.—n. Pidd′ler, a trifler.—adj. ”

“ Pī′lot-en′gine, a locomotive engine sent on before a train to clear its way, as a pilot; Pī′lot-fish, a fish of the mackerel family, so called from its having been supposed to guide sharks to their prey; Pī′lot-flag, the flag hoisted at the fore by a vessel needing a pilot; Pī′lot-house, an enclosed place on deck to shelter the steering-gear and the pilot—also Wheel-house; Pī′lot-jack′et, a pea-jacket worn by seamen; Pī′lot-whale, the caaing-whale (q.v.) . [Fr. pilote—Dut. piloot, from peilen, to sound, loot (Ger. loth, Eng. lead) , a sounding-lead.] ”

“ Phobanthropy, fō-ban′thrō-pi, n. a morbid dread of mankind.
Phocine, fō′sin, adj. pertaining to the seal family.—n. Phō′ca, a seal.—adj. Phocā′cean, relating to the genus Phoca.—n. a seal of this genus.—n. Phocæ′na, a genus of delphinoid odontocete cetaceans—the true porpoises.—adjs. Phō′cal; Phocæ′nine, like a porpoise. [L. phoca—Gr. phōkē, a seal.] ”

“ Picture, pik′tūr, n. a painting: a likeness in colours: a drawing: painting: a resemblance: an image: a vivid verbal description.—v.t. to paint, to represent by painting: to form a likeness of in the mind: to describe vividly in words.—n. Pic′tograph, a picture or pictorial sign: a piece of picture-writing.—adj. Pictograph′ic.—n. Pictog′raphy.—adjs. Pictō′rial, Pic′tūral, relating to pictures: illustrated by pictures: consisting of pictures.—adv. Pictō′rially.—ns. Pic′tūral (Spens.) , a picture; Pic′ture-book, a book of pictures ”

“ Pimp, pimp, n. one who procures gratifications for the lust of others: a pander.—v.i. to pander.—adjs. Pimp′ing, petty: mean; Pimp′-like. [Fr. pimper, a nasalised form of piper, to pipe, hence to cheat.]
Pimpernel, pim′pėr-nel, n. a plant of the primrose family, with reddish flowers—also Poor man's weather-glass, Red chickweed.—n. Pimpinel′la, a genus of umbelliferous plants—anise, pimpernel, breakstone. [Fr. pimprenelle (It. pimpinella) , either a corr. of a L. form bipennula, double-winged, dim. of bi-pennis—bis, twice, penna, feather; or from a dim. of L. pampinus, a vine-leaf.] ”