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Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary - Contents
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    PIN-FETHERED — PITCHER

    PIN-FETHERED, a. Having the fethers only beginning to shoot; not fully fledged.

    PINFOLD, n. [pin or pen and fold; Eng. to pound.]

    A place in which beasts are confined. We now call it a pound.NWAD PINFOLD.2

    PINGLE, n. A small close. [Not used.]

    PINGUID, a. [L. pinguis; Gr. compact; L. pactus; Eng. pack.]

    Fat; unctuous. [Not used.]NWAD PINGUID.2

    PINHOLE, n. A small hole made by the puncture or perforation of a pin; a very small aperture.

    PINING, ppr. Languishing; wasting away.

    PINION, n. pin’yon.

    1. The joint of a fowl’s wing, remotest from the body.NWAD PINION.2

    2. A fether; a quill.NWAD PINION.3

    3. A wing.NWAD PINION.4

    Hope humbly then, on trembling pinions soar.NWAD PINION.5

    4. The tooth of a smaller wheel, answering to that of a larger.NWAD PINION.6

    5. Fetters or bands for the arms.NWAD PINION.7

    PINION, v.t. pin’yon. To bind or confine the wings.

    1. To confine by binding the wings.NWAD PINION.9

    2. To cut off the first joint of the wing.NWAD PINION.10

    3. To bind or confine the arm or arms to the body.NWAD PINION.11

    4. To confine; to shackle; to chain; as, to be pinioned by formal rules of state.NWAD PINION.12

    5. To bind; to fasten to.NWAD PINION.13

    PINIONED, pp. Confined by the wings; shackled.

    1. a. Furnished with wings.NWAD PINIONED.2

    PINIONIST, n. A winged animal; a fowl. [Not used.]

    PINIROLO, n. A bird resembling the sandpiper, but larger; found in Italy.

    PINITE, n. [from Pini, a mine in Saxony.]

    A mineral holding a middle place between steatite and mica; the micarel of Kirwan. It is found in prismatic crystals of a greenish white color, brown or deep red. It occurs also massive.NWAD PINITE.2

    PINK, n.

    1. An eye, or a small eye; but now disused except in composition, as in pink-eyed, pink-eye.NWAD PINK.2

    2. A plant and flower of the genus Dianthus, common in our gardens.NWAD PINK.3

    3. A color used by painters; from the color of the flower.NWAD PINK.4

    4. Any thing supremely excellent.NWAD PINK.5

    5. A ship with a very narrow stern.NWAD PINK.6

    6. A fish, the minnow.NWAD PINK.7

    PINK, v.t. To work in eyelet-holes; to pierce with small holes.

    1. To stab; to pierce.NWAD PINK.9

    PINK-EYED, a. Having small eyes.

    PINK-NEEDLE, n. A shepherd’s bodkin.

    PIN-STERNED, a. Having a very narrow stern; as a ship.

    PIN-MAKER, n. One whose occupation is to make pins.

    PIN-MONEY, n. A sum of money allowed or settled on a wife for her private expenses.

    PINNACE, n. A small vessel navigated with oars and sails, and having generally two masts rigged like those of a schooner; also, a boat usually rowed with eight oars.

    PINNACLE, n. [L. pinna.]

    1. A turret, or part of a building elevated above the main building.NWAD PINNACLE.2

    Some metropolisNWAD PINNACLE.3

    With glistering spires and pinnacles adorn’d.NWAD PINNACLE.4

    2. A high spiring point; summit.NWAD PINNACLE.5

    PINNACLE, v.t. To build or furnish with pinnacles.

    PINNACLED, pp. Furnished with pinnacles.

    PINNAGE, n. Poundage of cattle. [Not used.] [See Pound.]

    PINNATE, PINNATED, a. [L. pinnatus, from pinna, a fether or fin.]

    In botany, a pinnate leaf is a species of compound leaf wherein a simple petiole has several leaflets attached to each side of it.NWAD PINNATE.2

    PINNATIFID, a. [L. pinna, a fether, and findo, to cleave.]

    In botany, fether-cleft. A pinnatifid leaf is a species of simple leaf, divided transversely by oblong horizontal segments or jags, not extending to the mid rib.NWAD PINNATIFID.2

    PINNATIPED, a. [L. pinna and pes, foot.] Fin-footed; having the toes bordered by membranes.

    PINNED, pp. Fastened with pins; confined.

    PINNER, n. One that pins or fastens; also, a pounder of cattle, or the pound keeper.

    1. A pin-maker.NWAD PINNER.2

    2. The lappet of a head which flies loose.NWAD PINNER.3

    PINNITE, n. Fossil remains of the Pinna, a genus of shells.

    PINNOCK, n. A small bird, the tomtit.

    PINNULATE, a. A pinnulate leaf is one in which each pinna is subdivided.

    PINT, n. Half a quart, or four gills. In medicine, twelve ounces. It is applied both to liquid and dry measure.

    PINTLE, n. A little pin. In artillery, a long iron bolt.

    PINULES, n. plu. In astronomy, the sights of an astrolabe.

    PIONEER, n.

    1. In the art and practice of war, one whose business is to march with or before an army, to repair the road or clear it of obstructions, work at intrenchments, or form mines for destroying an enemy’s works.NWAD PIONEER.2

    2. One that goes before to remove obstructions or prepare the way for another.NWAD PIONEER.3

    PIONING, n. The work of pioneers. [Not used.]

    PIONY, PEONY, n. [L. poeonia; Gr. from Apollo, a physician, and a hymn.]

    An herbaceous perennial plant of the genus Paeonia, with tuberous roots, and bearing large beautiful red flowers.NWAD PIONY.2

    PIOUS, a. [L. pius.]

    1. Godly; reverencing and honoring the Supreme Being in heart and in the practice of the duties he has enjoined; having due veneration and affection for the character of God, and habitually obeying his commands; religious; devoted to the service of God; applied to persons.NWAD PIOUS.2

    2. Dictated by reverence to God; proceeding from piety; applied to things; as pious awe; pious services of affections; pious sorrow.NWAD PIOUS.3

    3. Having due respect and affection for parents or other relatives; practicing the duties of respect and affection towards parents or other near relatives.NWAD PIOUS.4

    4. Practiced under the pretense of religion; as pious frauds.NWAD PIOUS.5

    PIOUSLY, adv. In a pious manner; with reverence and affection for God; religiously; with due regard to sacred things or to the duties God has enjoined.

    1. With due regard to natural or civil relations and to the duties which spring from them.NWAD PIOUSLY.2

    PIP, n. A disease of fowls; a horny pellicle that grows on the tip of their tongue.

    1. A spot on cards.NWAD PIP.2

    PIP, v.i. [L. pipio.] To cry or chirp, as a chicken; commonly pronounced peep.

    PIPE, n. [Eng. fife.]

    1. A wind instrument of music, consisting of a long tube of wood or metal; as a rural pipe. The word, I believe, is not now the proper technical name of any particular instrument, but is applicable to any tubular wind instrument, and it occurs in bagpipe.NWAD PIPE.2

    2. A long tube or hollow body; applied to the veins and arteries of the body, and to many hollow bodies, particularly such as are used for conductors of water or other fluids.NWAD PIPE.3

    3. A tube of clay with a bowl at one end; used in smoking tobacco.NWAD PIPE.4

    4. The organs of voice and respiration; as in windpipe.NWAD PIPE.5

    5. The key or sound of the voice.NWAD PIPE.6

    6. In England, a roll in the exchequer, or the exchequer itself. Hence, pipe-office is an office in which the clerk of the pipe makes out leases of crown lands, accounts of sheriffs, etc.NWAD PIPE.7

    7. A cask containing two hogsheads or 120 gallons, used for wine; or the quantity which it contains.NWAD PIPE.8

    8. In mining, a pipe is where the ore runs forward endwise in a hole, and does not sink downwards or in a vein.NWAD PIPE.9

    PIPE, v.i. To play on a pipe, fife, flute or other tubular wind instrument of music.

    We have piped to you, and ye have not danced. Matthew 11:17.NWAD PIPE.11

    1. To have a shrill sound; to whistle.NWAD PIPE.12

    PIPE, v.t. To play on a wind instrument. 1 Corinthians 14:7.

    PIPED, a. Formed with a tube; tubular.

    PIPE-FISH, n. A fish of the genus Syngnathus.

    PIPER, n. One who plays on a pipe or wind instrument.

    PIPERIDGE, n. A shrub, the berberis, or barberry.

    The piperidge of New England is the nyssa villosa, a large tree with very tough wood.NWAD PIPERIDGE.2

    PIPERIN, n. A concretion of volcanic ashes.

    1. A peculiar crystalline substance extracted from black pepper. The crystals of piperin are transparent, of a straw color, and they assume the tetrahedral prismatic form with oblique summits.NWAD PIPERIN.2

    PIPE-TREE, n. The lilac.

    PIPING, ppr. Playing on a pipe.

    1. a. Weak; feeble; sickly. [Vulgar and not in use in America.]NWAD PIPING.2

    2. Very hot; boiling; from the sound of boiling fluids. [Used in vulgar language.]NWAD PIPING.3

    PIPISTREL, n. A species of bat, the smallest of the kind.

    PIPKIN, n. [dim. of pipe.] A small earthen boiler.

    PIPPIN, n. A kind of apple; a tart apple. This name in America is given to several kinds of apples, as to the Newtown pippin, an excellent winter apple, and the summer pippin, a large apple, but more perishable than the Newtown pippin.

    PIQUANCY, n. pik’ancy. [infra.] Sharpness; pungency; tartness; severity.

    PIQUANT, a. pik’ant.

    1. Pricking; stimulating to the tongue; as rock as piguant to the tongue as salt.NWAD PIQUANT.2

    2. Sharp; tart; pungent; severe; as piquant railleries.NWAD PIQUANT.3

    PIQUANTLY, adv. pik’antly. With sharpness or pungency; tartly.

    PIQUE, n. peek. An offense taken; usually, slight anger, irritation or displeasure at persons, rather temporary than permanent, and distinguished either in degree or temporariness from settled enmity or malevolence.

    Out of personal pique to those in service, he stands as a looker on, when the government is attacked.NWAD PIQUE.2

    1. A strong passion.NWAD PIQUE.3

    2. Point; nicety; punctilio.NWAD PIQUE.4

    Add long prescription of established laws,NWAD PIQUE.5

    And pique of honor to maintain a cause.NWAD PIQUE.6

    PIQUE, v.t. peek.

    1. To offend; to nettle; to irritate; to sting; to fret; to excite a degree of anger. It expresses less than exasperate.NWAD PIQUE.8

    The lady was piqued by her indifference.NWAD PIQUE.9

    2. To stimulate; to excite to action; to touch with envy; jealousy or other passion.NWAD PIQUE.10

    Piqu’d by Protogenes’fame,NWAD PIQUE.11

    From Co to Rhodes Apelles came--NWAD PIQUE.12

    3. With the reciprocal pronoun, to pride or value one’s self.NWAD PIQUE.13

    Men pique themselves on their skill in the learned languages.NWAD PIQUE.14

    PIQUED, pp. pee’ked. Irritated; nettled; offended; excited.

    PIQUEER. [See Pickeer.]

    PIQUEERER, n. A plunderer; a freebooter. [See Pickeerer.]

    PIQUET. [See Picket.]

    PIQUET, n. piket’. A game at cards played between two persons, with only thirty two cards; all the deuces, threes, fours, fives and sixes being set aside.

    PIQUING, ppr. pee’king. Irritating; offending; priding.

    PIRACY, n. [L. piratica, from Gr. to attempt, to dare, to enterprise, whence L. periculum, experior; Eng. to fare.]

    1. The act, practice or crime of robbing on the high seas; the taking of property from others by open violence and without authority, on the sea; a crime that answers to robbery on land.NWAD PIRACY.2

    Other acts than robbery on the high seas, are declared by statute to be piracy. See Act of Congress, April 30, 1790.NWAD PIRACY.3

    2. The robbing of another by taking his writings.NWAD PIRACY.4

    PIRATE, n. [L. pirata.]

    1. A robber on the high seas; one that by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas. In strictness, the word pirate is one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas.NWAD PIRATE.2

    2. An armed ship or vessel which sails without legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other vessels indiscriminately on the high seas.NWAD PIRATE.3

    3. A bookseller that seizes the copies or writings of other men without permission.NWAD PIRATE.4

    PIRATE, v.i. To rob on the high seas.

    PIRATE, v.t. To take by theft or without right or permission, as books or writings.

    They advertised they would pirate his edition.NWAD PIRATE.7

    PIRATED, pp. Taken by theft or without right.

    PIRATING, ppr. Robbing on the high seas; taking without right, as a book or writing.

    1. a. Undertaken for the sake of piracy; as a pirating expedition.NWAD PIRATING.2

    PIRATICAL, a. [L. piraticus.] Robbing or plundering by open violence on the high seas; as a piratical commander or ship.

    1. Consisting in piracy; predatory; robbing; as a piratical trade or occupation.NWAD PIRATICAL.2

    2. Practicing literary theft.NWAD PIRATICAL.3

    The errors of the press were multiplied by piratical printers.NWAD PIRATICAL.4

    PIRATICALLY, adv. By piracy.

    PIROGUE piro’ge

    PIRAGUA, n. pirau’gua. [This word is variously written, periagua or pirogue. The former is the spelling of Washington and Jefferson; the latter of Charlevoix.]

    1. A canoe formed out of the truck of a tree, or two canoes united.NWAD PIRAGUA.2

    2. In modern usage in America, a narrow ferry boat carrying two masts and a leeboard.NWAD PIRAGUA.3

    PIRRY, n. A rough gale of wind; a storm. [Not used.]

    PISCARY, n. [L. piscis, a fish; piscor, to fish.]

    In law, the right or privilege of fishing in another man’s waters.NWAD PISCARY.2

    PISCATION, n. [L. piscatio. See Piscary and Fish.]

    The act or practice of fishing.NWAD PISCATION.2

    PISCATORY, a. [L. piscatorius.] Relating to fishes or to fishing; as a piscatory eclogue.

    PISCES, n. plu. [L. piscis.] In astronomy, the Fishes, the twelfth sign or constellation in the zodiac.

    PISCINE, a. [L. piscis, a fish.]

    Pertaining to fish or fishes; as piscine remains.NWAD PISCINE.2

    PISCIVOROUS, a. [L. piscis, a fish, and voro, to eat.]

    Feeding or subsisting on fishes. Many species of aquatic fowls are piscivorous.NWAD PISCIVOROUS.2

    PISH, exclam. A word expressing contempt; sometimes spoken and written pshaw.

    PISH, v.i. To express contempt.

    PISIFORM, a. [L. pisum, a pea, and forma, form.]

    Having the form of a pea.NWAD PISIFORM.2

    Masses of pisiform argillaceous iron ore.NWAD PISIFORM.3

    PISMIRE, n. The insect called the ant or emmet.

    PISOLITE, n. [Gr. a pea, and a stone.] Peastone, a carbonate of lime, slightly colored by the oxyd of iron. It occurs in little globular concretions of the size of a pea or larger, which usually contain each a grain of sand as a nucleus. These concretions in union sometimes compose entire beds of secondary mountains. It is sometimes called calcarious tufa.

    PISOPHALT, n. Pea-mineral or mineral-pea; a soft bitumen, black and of a strong pungent smell. It appears to be petrol passing to asphalt. It holds a middle place between petrol, which is liquid, and asphalt, which is dry and brittle.

    PISS, v.t. To discharge the liquor secreted by the kidneys and lodged in the urinary bladder.

    PISS, n. Urine; the liquor secreted by the kidneys into the bladder of an animal and discharged through the proper channel.

    PISSABED, n. The vulgar name of a yellow flower, growing among grass.

    PISSASPHALT, n. [Gr. pitch, and asphalt.] Earth-pitch; pitch mixed with bitumen, natural or artificial; a fluid opake mineral substance, thick and inflammable, but leaving a residuum after burning.

    PISSBURNT, a. Stained with urine.

    PIST, PISTE, n. The track or foot-print of a horseman on the ground he goes over.

    PISTACHIO, n. [L. pistachia.] The nut of the Pistacia terebinthus or turpentine tree, containing a kernel of a pale greenish color, of a pleasant taste, resembling that of the almond, and yielding a well tasted oil. It is wholesome and nutritive. The tree grows in Syria, Arabia and Persia.

    PISTACITE, PISTAZITE, [See Epidote.]

    PISTAREEN, n. A silver coin of the value of 17 or 18 cents, or 9d sterling.

    PISTIL, n. [L. pistillum, a pestle.] In botany, the pointal, an organ of female flowers adhering to the fruit for the reception of the pollen, supposed to be a continuation of the pith, and when perfect, consisting of three parts, the germ or ovary, the style, and the stigma.

    PISTILLACEOUS, a. Growing on the germ or seed bud of a flower.

    PISTILLATE, a. Having or consisting in a pistil.

    PISTILLATION, n. [L. pistillum, a pestle, that is, a beater or driver.] The act of pounding in a mortar. [Little used.]

    PISTILLIFEROUS, a. [pistil and L. fero, to bear.]

    Having a pistil without stamens; as a female flower.NWAD PISTILLIFEROUS.2

    PISTOL, n. A small fire-arm, or the smallest fire-arm used, differing from a musket chiefly in size. Pistols are of different lengths, and borne by horsemen in cases at the saddle bow, or by a girdle. Small pistols are carried in the pocket.

    PISTOL, v.t. To shoot with a pistol.

    PISTOLE, n. A gold coin of Spain, but current in the neighboring countries.

    PISTOLET, n. A little pistol.

    PISTON, n. [L. pinso, the primary sense of which is to press, send, drive, thrust or strike, like embolus.]

    A short cylinder of metal or other solid substance, used in pumps and other engines or machines for various purposes. It is fitted exactly to the bore of another body so as to prevent the entrance or escape of air, and is usually applied to the purpose of forcing some fluid into or out of the canal or tube which it fills, as in pumps, fire-engines and the like.NWAD PISTON.2

    PIT, n.

    1. An artificial cavity made in the earth by digging; a deep hole in the earth.NWAD PIT.2

    2. A deep place; an abyss; profundity.NWAD PIT.3

    Into what pit thou seestNWAD PIT.4

    From what height fallen.NWAD PIT.5

    3. The grave. Psalms 28:1; Psalms 30:3, 9.NWAD PIT.6

    4. The area for cock-fighting; whence the phrase, to fly the pit.NWAD PIT.7

    5. The middle part of a theater.NWAD PIT.8

    6. The hollow of the body at the stomach. We say, the pit of the stomach.NWAD PIT.9

    7. The cavity under the shoulder; as the arm-pit.NWAD PIT.10

    8. A dint made by impression on a soft substance, as by the finger, etc.NWAD PIT.11

    9. A little hollow in the flesh, made by a pustule, as in the small picks.NWAD PIT.12

    10. A hollow place in the earth excavated for catching wild beasts; hence in Scripture, whatever ensnares and brings into calamity or misery, from which it is difficult to escape. Psalm 7:15; Proverbs 22:14; Proverbs 23:27.NWAD PIT.13

    11. Great distress and misery, temporal, spiritual or eternal. Isaiah 38:17-18; Psalm 40:2.NWAD PIT.14

    12. Hell; as the bottomless pit. Revelation 20:1, 3.NWAD PIT.15

    PIT, v.t. To indent; to press into hollows.

    1. To mark with little hollows, as by variolous pustules; as the face pitted by the small pocks.NWAD PIT.17

    2. To set in competition, as in combat.NWAD PIT.18

    PITAHAYA, n. A shrub of California, which yields a delicious fruit, the Cactus Pitajaya.

    PITAPAT, adv. [probably allied to beat.] In a flutter; with palpitation or quick succession of beats; as, his heart went pitapat.

    PITAPAT, n. A light quick step.

    Now I hear the pitapat of a pretty foot, through the dark alley.NWAD PITAPAT.3

    PITCH, n. [L. pix; Gr. most probably named from its thickness or inspissation; L. figo.]

    1. A thick tenacious substance, the juice of a species of pine or fir called abies picea, obtained by incision from the bark of the tree. When melted and pressed in bags of cloth, it is received into barrels. This is white or Burgundy pitch; by mixture with lampblack it is converted into black pitch. When kept long in fusion with vinegar, it becomes dry and brown, and forms colophony. The smoke of pitch condensed forms lampblack.NWAD PITCH.2

    2. The resin of pine, or turpentine, inspissated; used in caulking ships and paying the sides and bottom.NWAD PITCH.3

    PITCH, n. [from the root of pike, peak.]

    1. Literally, a point; hence, any point or degree of elevation; as a high pitch; lowest pitch.NWAD PITCH.5

    How high a pitch his resolution soars.NWAD PITCH.6

    Alcibiades was one of the best orators of his age, notwithstanding he lived when learning was at its highest pitch.NWAD PITCH.7

    2. Highest rise.NWAD PITCH.8

    3. Size; stature.NWAD PITCH.9

    So like in person, garb and pitch.NWAD PITCH.10

    4. Degree; rate.NWAD PITCH.11

    No pitch of glory from the grave is free.NWAD PITCH.12

    5. The point where a declivity begins, or the declivity itself; descent; slope; as the pitch of a hill.NWAD PITCH.13

    6. The degree of descent or declivity.NWAD PITCH.14

    7. A descent; a fall; a thrusting down.NWAD PITCH.15

    8. Degree of elevation of the key-note of a tune or of any note.NWAD PITCH.16

    PITCH, v.t. [L. figo, to fix, and uniting pike, pique with fix.]

    1. To throw or thrust, and primarily, to thrust a long or pointed object; hence, to fix; to plant; to set; as, to pitch a tent or pavilion, that is, to set the stakes.NWAD PITCH.18

    2. To throw at a point; as, to pitch quoits.NWAD PITCH.19

    3. To throw headlong; as, to pitch one in the mire or down a precipice.NWAD PITCH.20

    4. To throw with a fork; as, to pitch hay or sheaves of corn.NWAD PITCH.21

    5. To regulate or set the key-note of a tune in music.NWAD PITCH.22

    6. To set in array; to marshal or arrange in order; used chiefly in the participle; as a pitched battle.NWAD PITCH.23

    7. [from pitch.] To smear or pay over with pitch; as, to pitch the seams of a ship.NWAD PITCH.24

    PITCH, v.i. To light; to settle; to come to rest from flight.

    Take a branch of the tree on which the bees pitch, and wipe the hive.NWAD PITCH.26

    1. To fall headlong; as, to pitch from a precipice; to pitch on the head.NWAD PITCH.27

    2. To plunge; as, to pitch into a river.NWAD PITCH.28

    3. To fall; to fix choice; with on or upon.NWAD PITCH.29

    Pitch upon the best course of life, and custom will render it the most easy.NWAD PITCH.30

    4. To fix a tent or temporary habitation; to encamp.NWAD PITCH.31

    Laban with his brethren pitched in the mount of Gilead. Genesis 31:25.NWAD PITCH.32

    5. In navigation, to rise and fall, as the head and stern of a ship passing over waves.NWAD PITCH.33

    6. To flow or fall precipitously, as a river.NWAD PITCH.34

    Over this rock, the river pitches in one entire sheet.NWAD PITCH.35

    PITCHED, pp. Set; planted; fixed; thrown headlong; set in array; smeared with pitch.

    PITCHER, n.

    1. An earthen vessel with a spout for pouring out liquors. This is its present signification. It seems formerly to have signified a water pot, jug or jar with ears.NWAD PITCHER.2

    2. An instrument for piercing the ground.NWAD PITCHER.3

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