Poach, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poached p. pr. & vb. n. Poaching.] [F. pocher to place in a pocket, to poach eggs (the yolk of the egg being as it were pouched in the white), from poche pocket, pouch. See Pouch, v. & n.]
1. To cook, as eggs, by breaking them into boiling water; also to cook with butter after breaking in a vessel. Bacon.
2. To rob of game; to pocket and convey away by stealth, as game; hence, to plunder. Garth.

Poach, v. i. To steal or pocket game, or to carry it away privately, as in a bag; to kill or destroy game contrary to law, especially by night; to hunt or fish unlawfully; as to poach for rabbits or for salmon.

Poach, v. t. [Cf. OF. pocher to thrust or dig out with the fingers, to bruise (the eyes), F. pouce thumb, L. pollex, and also E. poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and poke to thrust against.]
1. To stab; to pierce; to spear, \as fish. [Obs.] Carew.
2. To force, drive, or plunge into anything. [Obs.]
"His horse poching one of his legs into some hollow ground." Sir W. Temple.
3. To make soft or muddy by trampling Tennyson.
4. To begin and not complete. [Obs.] Bacon.

Poach, v. i. To become soft or muddy.
"Chalky and clay lands … chap in summer, and poach in winter." Mortimer.

Poachard
Poach´ard, n. [From Poach to stab.] [Written also pocard, pochard.] (Zoöl.) (a) A common European duck ( Aythya ferina); — called also goldhead, poker, and fresh-water, or red-headed, widgeon. (b) The American redhead, which is closely allied to the European poachard. Red-crested poachard (Zoöl.), an Old World duck ( Branta rufina). — Scaup poachard, the scaup duck. — Tufted poachard, a scaup duck ( Aythya, or Fuligula cristata), native of Europe and Asia.

Poachiness
Poach´i•ness, n. The state of being poachy; marshiness.

Poachy
Poach´y, a. [See Poach to stab.] Wet and soft; easily penetrated by the feet of cattle; — said of land { Poak, Poake }, n. Waste matter from the preparation of skins, consisting of hair, lime, oil, etc.

Pochard
Po´chard, n. (Zoöl.) See Poachard.

Pocket
Pock´et, n. [OE. poket, Prov. F. & OF. poquette, F. pochette, dim. fr. poque, pouque, F. poche; probably of Teutonic origin. See Poke a pocket, and cf. Poach to cook eggs, to plunder, and Pouch.]
1. A bag or pouch; especially; a small bag inserted in a garment for carrying small articles, particularly money; hence, figuratively, money; wealth.
2. One of several bags attached to a billiard table, into which the balls are driven.
3. A large bag or sack used in packing various articles, as ginger, hops, cowries, etc. In the wool or hop trade, the pocket contains half a sack, or about 168 Ibs.; but it is a variable quantity, the articles being sold by actual weight.
4. (Arch.) A hole or space covered by a movable piece of board, as in a floor, boxing, partitions, or the like.
5. (Mining.) (a) A cavity in a rock containing a nugget of gold, or other mineral; a small body of ore contained in such a cavity. (b) A hole containing water.
6. (Nat.) A strip of canvas sewn upon a sail so that a batten or a light spar can placed in the interspace.
7. (Zoöl.) Same as Pouch. Pocket is often used adjectively, or in the formation of compound words usually of obvious signification; as pocket comb, pocket compass, pocket edition, pocket handkerchief, pocket money, pocket picking, or pocket-picking, etc. Out of pocket. See under Out, prep. — Pocket borough, a borough "owned" by some person. See under Borough. [Eng.] — Pocket gopher (Zoöl.), any one of several species of American rodents of the genera Geomys, and Thomomys, family Geomydae. They have large external cheek pouches, and are fossorial in their habits. they inhabit North America, from the Mississippi Valley west to the Pacific. Called also pouched gopher. — Pocket mouse (Zoöl.), any species of American mice of the family Saccomyidae. They have external cheek pouches. Some of them are adapted for leaping (genus Dipadomys), and are called kangaroo mice. They are native of the Southwestern United States, Mexico, etc. — Pocket piece, a piece of money kept in the pocket and not spent. — Pocket pistol, a pistol to be carried in the pocket. — Pocket sheriff (Eng. Law), a sheriff appointed by the sole authority of the crown, without a nomination by the judges in the exchequer. Burrill.

Pocket
Pock´et, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pocketed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pocketing.]
1. To put, or conceal, in the pocket; as to pocket the change.
"He would pocket the expense of the license." Sterne.
2. To take clandestinely or fraudulently.
"He pocketed pay in the names of men who had long been dead." Macaulay. To pocket a ball (Billiards), to drive a ball into a pocket of the table. — To pocket an insult, affront, etc., to receive an affront without open resentment, or without seeking redress. "I must pocket up these wrongs." Shak.

Pocket
Pock´et, n. Any hollow place suggestive of a pocket in form or use; specif.: (a) A bin for storing coal, grain, etc. (b) A socket for receiving the foot of a post, stake, etc. (c) A bight on a lee shore.

Pocket veto. The retention by the President of the United States of a bill unsigned so that it does not become a law, in virtue of the following constitutional provision ( Const. Art. I., sec. 7, cl. 2): "If any bill shall not be returned by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law." also an analogous retention of a bill by a State governor.

Pocketbook
Pock´et•book, n. A small book or case for carrying papers, money, etc., in the pocket; also a notebook for the pocket.

Pocketful
Pock´et•ful, n. ; pl. Pocketfuls . As much as a pocket will hold; enough to fill a pocket; as pocketfuls of chestnuts.

Pocketknife
Pock´et•knife, n. ; pl. -knives. A knife with one or more blades, which fold into the handle so as to admit of being carried in the pocket.

Pock-fretten
Pock´-fret•ten, a. See Pockmarked.

Pockmark
Pock´mark, n. A mark or pit made by smallpox.

Pockmarked
Pock´marked, a. Marked by smallpox; pitted.

Pock-pitted
Pock´-pit•ted, a. Pockmarked; pitted.

Pock-pudding
Pock´-pud•ding, n. A bag pudding; a name of reproach or ridicule formerly applied by the Scotch to the English.

Pockwood
Pock´wood, n. [So called because formerly used as a specific for the pock.] (Bot.) Lignum- vitae.

Pocky
Pock´y, a. [ Compar. Pockier superl. Pockiest.] Full of pocks; affected with smallpox or other eruptive disease. Bp. Hall.

Pocock
Po´cock, n. Peacock. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pococurante
Po•co•cu•ran´te, n. [It. poco curante caring little.] A careless person; a trifler. [R.]

Pococurantism
Po•co•cu•ran´tism n. Carelessness; apathy; indifference. [R.] Carlyle.

Pocoson
Po•co´son, n. Low, wooded grounds or swamps in Eastern Maryland and Virginia. [Written also poquoson.] Washington.

Poculent
Poc´u•lent, a. [L. poculentus, fr. poculum a cup.] Fit for drink. [Obs.] "Some those herbs which are not esculent, are … poculent." Bacon.

Poculiform
Poc´u•li•form, a. [L. poculum a cup + -form: cf. F. poculiforme.] Having the shape of a goblet or drinking cup.

Pod, n. [Probably akin to pudding, and perhaps the same word as pad a cushion; cf. also Dan. pude pillow, cushion, and also E. cod a husk, pod.]
1. A bag; a pouch. [Obs. or Prov. Eng.] Tusser.
2. (Bot.) A capsule of plant, especially a legume; a dry dehiscent fruit. See Illust. of Angiospermous.
3. (Zoöl.) A considerable number of animals closely clustered together; — said of seals. Pod auger, or pod bit, an auger or bit the channel of which is straight instead of twisted.

Pod, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Podded; p. pr. & vb. n. Podding.] To swell; to fill; also to produce pods.

Podalgia
Po•dal´gi•a, n. [NL., fr. Gr.,, foot + pain.] (Med.) pain in the foot, due to gout, rheumatism, etc.

Podarthrum
Po•dar´thrum, n. ; pl. Podarthra (#). [NL., fr. Gr.,, foot + joint.] (Anat.) The foot joint; in birds, the joint between the metatarsus and the toes.

Podded
Pod´ded, a. Having pods.

Podder
Pod´der, n. One who collects pods or pulse.

Podesta
Po•des´ta, n. [It. podestà, fr. L. potestas power, magistracy. See Potent.]
1. One of the chief magistrates of the Italian republics in the Middle Ages. Brande & C.
2. A mayor, alderman, or other magistrate, in some towns of Italy.

Podge, n. [Cf. G. patsche puddle, mire.]
1. A puddle; a plash. Skinner.
2. Porridge. [Prov. Eng.] Halliwell.

Podgy
Podg´y, a. Fat and short; pudgy.

Podical
Pod´i•cal, a. [L. podex, podicis, the anus.] (Zoöl.) Anal; — applied to certain organs of insects.

Podiceps
Pod´i•ceps, n. [NL., fr. L. podex, podicis, anus + pes foot.] (Zoöl.) See Grebe.

Podo-
Pod´o- [See Foot.] A combining form or prefix from Gr. poy•s, podo•s, foot; as podocarp, podocephalous, podology.

Podocephalous
Pod•o•ceph´a•lous, a. [ Podo- + Gr. head.] (Bot.) Having a head of flowers on a long peduncle, or footstalk.

Podogynium
Pod•o•gyn´i•um, n. [NL., fr. Gr. poy•s, podo•s, foot + gynh• woman.] (Bot.) Same as Basigynium

Podophyllin
Pod•o•phyl´lin, n. [From Podophyllum.] (Chem.) A brown bitter gum extracted from the rootstalk of the May apple ( Podophyllum peltatum). It is a complex mixture of several substances.

Podophyllum
Pod•o•phyl´lum, n. [NL., fr. Gr. poy•s, podo•s, foot + leaf.]
1. (Bot.) A genus of herbs of the Barberry family, having large palmately lobed peltate leaves and solitary flower. There are two species, the American Podohyllum peltatum, or May apple, the Himalayan P. Emodi.
2. (Med.) The rhizome and rootlet of the May apple ( Podophyllum peltatum), — used as a cathartic drug.

Podoscaph
Pod´o•scaph, n. [ Podo- + Gr. boat.] A canoe-shaped float attached to the foot, for walking on water.

Podosperm
Pod´o•sperm, n. [ Podo- + Gr. seed: cf. F. podosperme.] (Bot.) The stalk of a seed or ovule.

Podostomata
Pod•o•stom´a•ta, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. poy•s, podo•s, foot +,, mouth.] (Zoöl.) An order of Bryozoa of which Rhabdopleura is the type. See Rhabdopleura.

Podrida
Po•dri´da, n. [Sp., rotten.] A miscellaneous dish of meats. See Olla-podrida.

Podurid
Po•du´rid, n. (Zoöl.) Any species of Podura or allied genera. — a. Pertaining to the poduras.

Poe
Po´e, n. Same as Poi.

Poem
Po´em, n. [L. poëma, Gr., fr. to make, to compose, to write, especially in verse: cf. F. poëme.]
1. A metrical composition; a composition in verse written in certain measures, whether in blank verse or in rhyme, and characterized by imagination and poetic diction; — contradistinguished from prose; as the poems of Homer or of Milton.
2. A composition, not in verse, of which the language is highly imaginative or impassioned; as a prose poem; the poems of Ossian.

Poematic
Po•em•at´ic, a. [Gr. .] Pertaining to a poem, or to poetry; poetical. [R.] Coleridge.

Poenamu
Po•e´na•mu, n. (Min.) A variety of jade or nephrite, — used in New Zealand for the manufacture of axes and weapons.

Poephaga
Po•eph´a•ga, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. pohfa•gos grass eating; po•a grass + fagei^n to eat.] (Zoöl.) A group of herbivorous marsupials including the kangaroos and their allies. — Po•eph´a•gous (#), a.

Poesy
Po´e•sy, n. [F. poesie (cf. It. poesia), L. poesis, from Gr. . from to make. Cf. Posy.]
1. The art of composing poems; poetical skill or faculty; as the heavenly gift of poesy. Shak.
2. Poetry; metrical composition; poems.
"Music and poesy used to quicken you." Shak.
3. A short conceit or motto engraved on a ring or other thing; a posy. Bacon.

Poetastry
Po´et•as•try, n. The works of a poetaster. [R.]

Poetess
Po´et•ess, n. [Cf. F. poetesse.] A female poet. { Po•et´ic, Po•et´ic•al } a. [L. poëticus, Gr. : cf. F. poetiquee.]
1. Of or pertaining to poetry; suitable for poetry, or for writing poetry; as poetic talent, theme, work, sentiments. Shak.
2. Expressed in metrical form; exhibiting the imaginative or the rhythmical quality of poetry; as a poetical composition; poetical prose. Poetic license. See License, n. , 4.

Poetics
Po•et´ics, n. [Cf. F. poetique, L. poëtica, poëtice, Gr. (sc. .] The principles and rules of the art of poetry. J. Warton.

Poeticule
Po•et´i•cule, n. A poetaster. Swinburne.

Poetize
Po´et•ize, v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Poetized p. pr. & vb. n. Poetizing.] [Cf. F. poetiser.] To write as a poet; to compose verse; to idealize.
"I versify the truth, not poetize." Donne.

Poetship
Po´et•ship, n. The state or personality of a poet. [R.]

Pogamoggan
Pog•a•mog´gan, n. [North Amer. Indian.] An aboriginal weapon consisting of a stone or piece of antler fastened to the end of a slender wooden handle, used by American Indians from the Great Plains to the Mackenzie River.

Poggy
Pog´gy, n. (Zoöl.) (a) See Porgy. (b) A small whale.

Poh, interj. An exclamation expressing contempt or disgust; bah !

Pohagen
Po•ha´gen, n. (Zoöl.) See Pauhaugen.

Poignancy
Poign´an•cy, n. The quality or state of being poignant; as the poignancy of satire; the poignancy of grief. Swift.

Poignant
Poign´ant, a. [F., p. pr. of poindre to sting, fr. L. pungere to prick, sting. See Pungent.]
1. Pricking; piercing; sharp; pungent. "His poignant spear." Spenser. "Poynaunt sauce." Chaucer.
2. Fig.: Pointed; keen; satirical.
"His wit … became more lively and poignant." Sir W. Scott.

Poikilitic
Poi•ki•lit´ic, a. (Geol.) See Pœcilitic.

Poinciana
Poin•ci•a´na, n. [NL. Named after M. de Poinci, a governor of the French West Indies.] (Bot.) A prickly tropical shrub ( Caesalpinia, formerly Poinciana, pulcherrima), with bipinnate leaves, and racemes of showy orange-red flowers with long crimson filaments. The genus Poinciana is kept up for three trees of Eastern Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and India.

Poind (poind), v. t. [See Pound to confine.]
1. To impound, as cattle. [Obs. or Scot.] Flavel.
2. To distrain. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Poinsettia
Poin•set´ti•a (poin•set"ti•a), n. [NL. Named after Joel R. Poinsett of South Carolina.] (Bot.) A Mexican shrub ( Euphorbia pulcherrima) with very large and conspicuous vermilion bracts below the yellowish flowers.

Point (point), v. t. & i. To appoint. [Obs.] Spenser.

Point, n. [F. point, and probably also pointe, L. punctum, puncta, fr. pungere, punctum, to prick. See Pungent, and cf. Puncto, Puncture.]
1. That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, esp. the sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.
2. An instrument which pricks or pierces, as a sort of needle used by engravers, etchers, lace workers, and others; also a pointed cutting tool, as a stone cutter’s point; — called also pointer.
3. Anything which tapers to a sharp, well- defined termination. Specifically: A small promontory or cape; a tract of land extending into the water beyond the common shore line.
4. The mark made by the end of a sharp, piercing instrument, as a needle; a prick.
5. An indefinitely small space; a mere spot indicated or supposed. Specifically: (Geom.) That which has neither parts nor magnitude; that which has position, but has neither length, breadth, nor thickness, — sometimes conceived of as the limit of a line; that by the motion of which a line is conceived to be produced.
6. An indivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge.
"When time’s first point begun Made he all souls." Sir J. Davies.
7. A mark of punctuation; a character used to mark the divisions of a composition, or the pauses to be observed in reading, or to point off groups of figures, etc.; a stop, as a comma, a semicolon, and esp. a period; hence, figuratively, an end, or conclusion.
"And there a point, for ended is my tale." Chaucer.
"Commas and points they set exactly right." Pope.
8. Whatever serves to mark progress, rank, or relative position, or to indicate a transition from one state or position to another, degree; step; stage; hence, position or condition attained; as a point of elevation, or of depression; the stock fell off five points; he won by ten points. "A point of precedence." Selden. "Creeping on from point to point." Tennyson.
"A lord full fat and in good point." Chaucer.
9. That which arrests attention, or indicates qualities or character; a salient feature; a characteristic; a peculiarity; hence, a particular; an item; a detail; as the good or bad points of a man, a horse, a book, a story, etc.
"He told him, point for point, in short and plain." Chaucer.
"In point of religion and in point of honor." Bacon.
"Shalt thou dispute With Him the points of liberty ?" Milton.
10. Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established; as the point of an anecdote. "Here lies the point." Shak.
"They will hardly prove his point." Arbuthnot.
11. A small matter; a trifle; a least consideration; a punctilio.
"This fellow doth not stand upon points." Shak.
"[He] cared not for God or man a point." Spenser.
12. (Mus.) A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time; as: (a) (Anc. Mus.) A dot or mark distinguishing or characterizing certain tones or styles; as points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.; hence, a note; a tune. "Sound the trumpet - - not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war." Sir W. Scott. (b) (Mod. Mus.) A dot placed at the right hand of a note, to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half, as to make a whole note equal to three half notes, a half note equal to three quarter notes.
13. (Astron.) A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended; as the equinoctial points; the solstitial points; the nodal points; vertical points, etc. See Equinoctial Nodal.
14. (Her.) One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See Escutcheon.
15. (Naut.) (a) One of the points of the compass (see Points of the compass, below); also the difference between two points of the compass; as to fall off a point. (b) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See Reef point, under Reef.
16. (Anc. Costume) A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress. Sir W. Scott.
17. Lace wrought the needle; as point de Venise; Brussels point. See Point lace, below.
18. pl. (Railways) A switch. [Eng.]
19. An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer. [Cant, U. S.]
20. (Cricket) A fielder who is stationed on the off side, about twelve or fifteen yards from, and a little in advance of, the batsman.
21. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game; as the dog came to a point. See Pointer.
22. (Type Making) A standard unit of measure for the size of type bodies, being one twelfth of the thickness of pica type. See Point system of type, under Type.
23. A tyne or snag of an antler.
24. One of the spaces on a backgammon board.
25. (Fencing) A movement executed with the saber or foil; as tierce point. The word point is a general term, much used in the sciences, particularly in mathematics, mechanics, perspective, and physics, but generally either in the geometrical sense, or in that of degree, or condition of change, and with some accompanying descriptive or qualifying term, under which, in the vocabulary, the specific uses are explained; as boiling point, carbon point, dry point, freezing point, melting point, vanishing point, etc. At all points, in every particular, completely; perfectly. Shak. — At point, In point, At, In, or On, the point, as near as can be; on the verge; about (see About, prep. , 6); as at the point of death; he was on the point of speaking. "In point to fall down." Chaucer. "Caius Sidius Geta, at point to have been taken, recovered himself so valiantly as brought day on his side." Milton. — Dead point. (Mach.) Same as Dead center, under Dead. — Far point (Med.), in ophthalmology, the farthest point at which objects are seen distinctly. In normal eyes the nearest point at which objects are seen distinctly; either with the two eyes together ( binocular near point), or with each eye separately ( monocular near point). — Nine points of the law, all but the tenth point; the greater weight of authority. — On the point. See At point, above. — Point lace, lace wrought with the needle, as distinguished from that made on the pillow. — Point net, a machine-made lace imitating a kind of Brussels lace (Brussels ground). — Point of concurrence (Geom.), a point common to two lines, but not a point of tangency or of intersection, as for instance, that in which a cycloid meets its base. — Point of contrary flexure, a point at which a curve changes its direction of curvature, or at which its convexity and concavity change sides. — Point of order, in parliamentary practice, a question of order or propriety under the rules. — Point of sight (Persp.), in a perspective drawing, the point assumed as that occupied by the eye of the spectator. — Point of view, the relative position from which anything is seen or any subject is considered. — Points of the compass (Naut.), the thirty-two points of division of the compass card in the mariner’s compass; the corresponding points by which the circle of the horizon is supposed to be divided, of which the four marking the directions of east, west, north, and south, are called cardinal points, and the rest are named from their respective directions, as N. by E., N. N. E., N. E. by N., N. E., etc. See Illust. under Compass. — Point paper, paper pricked through so as to form a stencil for transferring a design. — Point system of type. See under Type. — Singular point (Geom.), a point of a curve which possesses some property not possessed by points in general on the curve, as a cusp, a point of inflection, a node, etc. — To carry one’s point, to accomplish one’s object, as in a controversy. — To make a point of, to attach special importance to. — To make, or gain, a point, accomplish that which was proposed; also to make advance by a step, grade, or position. — To mark, or score, a point, as in billiards, cricket, etc., to note down, or to make, a successful hit, run, etc. — To strain a point, to go beyond the proper limit or rule; to stretch one’s authority or conscience. — Vowel point, in Hebrew, and certain other Eastern and ancient languages, a mark placed above or below the consonant, or attached to it, representing the vowel, or vocal sound, which precedes or follows the consonant.

Point, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pointing.] [Cf. F. pointer. See Point, n. ]
1. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end; as to point a dart, or a pencil. Used also figuratively; as to point a moral.
2. To direct toward an abject; to aim; as to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort.
3. Hence, to direct the attention or notice of.
"Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them." Pope.
4. To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate; as to point a composition.
5. To mark (as Hebrew) with vowel points.
6. To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to indicate, as if by pointing; as the error was pointed out. Pope.
"He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech." Dickens.
7. To indicate or discover by a fixed look, as game.
8. (Masonry) To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
9. (Stone Cutting) To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool. To point a rope (Naut.), to taper and neatly finish off the end by interweaving the nettles. — To point a sail (Naut.), to affix points through the eyelet holes of the reefs. — To point off, to divide into periods or groups, or to separate, by pointing, as figures. — To point the yards (of a vessel) (Naut.), to brace them so that the wind shall strike the sails obliquely. Totten.

Point (point), v. i.
1. To direct the point of something, as of a finger, for the purpose of designating an object, and attracting attention to it; — with a. .
"Now must the world point at poor Katharine." Shak.
"Point at the tattered coat and ragged shoe." Dryden.
2. To indicate the presence of game by fixed and steady look, as certain hunting dogs do.
"He treads with caution, and he points with fear." Gay.
3. (Med.) To approximate to the surface; to head; — said of an abscess. To point at, to treat with scorn or contempt by pointing or directing attention to. — To point well (Naut.), to sail close to the wind; — said of a vessel.

Point, n.
1. (Med.) A pointed piece of quill or bone covered at one end with vaccine matter; — called also vaccine point.
2. One of the raised dots used in certain systems of printing and writing for the blind. The first practical system was that devised by Louis Braille in 1829, and still used in Europe (see Braille). Two modifications of this are current in the United States: New York point founded on three bases of equidistant points arranged in two lines (viz., : :: :::), and a later improvement, American Braille, embodying the Braille base (:::) and the New-York-point principle of using the characters of few points for the commonest letters.
3. In technical senses: (a) In various games, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player himself; as: (1) (Lacrosse & Ice Hockey) The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goal keeper; also the player himself. (2) (Baseball) ( pl. ) The position of the pitcher and catcher. (b) (Hunting) A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run. [Colloq. Oxf. E. D.] (c) (Falconry) The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover. (d) Act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions.

Point applique. Lace having a needle-made design applied to a net ground, this ground often being machine- made.

Point switch. (Railroads) A switch made up of a rail from each track, both rails being tapered far back and connected to throw alongside the through rail of either track.

Pointal
Point´al, n. [From Point: cf. F. pointal an upright wooden prop, OF. pointille a prick or prickle.]
1. (Bot.) The pistil of a plant.
2. A kind of pencil or style used with the tablets of the Middle Ages. "A pair of tablets [ i. e., tablets] … and a pointel." Chaucer.
3. (Arch.) See Poyntel. [Obs. or R.]

Pointel
Point´el, n. [From Point. Cf. Pointal.] See Pointal.

Pointingstock
Point•ing•stock, n. An object of ridicule or scorn; a laughingstock. Shak.

Pointless
Point´less, a. Having no point; blunt; wanting keenness; obtuse; as a pointless sword; a pointless remark.
Syn. — Blunt; obtuse, dull; stupid.

Pointlessly
Point´less•ly, adv. Without point.

Pointleted
Point´let•ed, a. (Bot.) Having a small, distinct point; apiculate. Henslow.

Pointrel
Poin´trel, n. A graving tool. Knight.

Pointsman
Points´man, n. ; pl. - men (-m en). A man who has charge of railroad points or switches. [Eng.]

Poise, n. [OE. pois, peis, OF. pois, peis, F. poids, fr. L. pensum a portion weighed out, pendere to weigh, weigh out. Cf. Avoirdupois, Pendant, Poise, v. ] [Formerly written also peise.]
1. Weight; gravity; that which causes a body to descend; heaviness. "Weights of an extraordinary poise." Evelyn.
2. The weight, or mass of metal, used in weighing, to balance the substance weighed.
3. The state of being balanced by equal weight or power; equipoise; balance; equilibrium; rest. Bentley.
4. That which causes a balance; a counterweight.
"Men of unbounded imagination often want the poise of judgment." Dryden.

Poise, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poised, ; p. pr. & vb. n. Poising.] [OE. poisen, peisen, OF. & F. peser, to weigh, balance, OF. il peise, il poise, he weighs, F. il pèse, fr. L. pensare, v. intens. fr. pendere to weigh. See Poise, n. , and cf. Pensive.] [Formerly written also peise.]
1. To balance; to make of equal weight; as to poise the scales of a balance.
2. To hold or place in equilibrium or equiponderance.
"Nor yet was earth suspended in the sky; Nor poised, did on her own foundation lie." Dryden.
3. To counterpoise; to counterbalance.
"One scale of reason to poise another of sensuality." Shak.
"To poise with solid sense a sprightly wit." Dryden.
4. To ascertain, as by the balance; to weigh.
"He can not sincerely consider the strength, poise the weight, and discern the evidence." South.
5. To weigh (down); to oppress. [Obs.]
"Lest leaden slumber peise me down to- morrow." Shak.

Poise, v. i. To hang in equilibrium; to be balanced or suspended; hence, to be in suspense or doubt.
"The slender, graceful spars Poise aloft in air." Longfellow.

Poiser
Pois´er, n. (Zoöl.) The balancer of dipterous insects.

Poison
Poi´son, n. [F. poison, in Old French also a potion, fr. L. potio a drink, draught, potion, a poisonous draught, fr. potare to drink. See Potable, and cf. Potion.]
1. Any agent which, when introduced into the animal organism, is capable of producing a morbid, noxious, or deadly effect upon it; as morphine is a deadly poison; the poison of pestilential diseases.
2. That which taints or destroys moral purity or health; as the poison of evil example; the poison of sin. Poison ash. (Bot.) (a) A tree of the genus Amyris ( A. balsamifera) found in the West Indies, from the trunk of which a black liquor distills, supposed to have poisonous qualities. (b) The poison sumac ( Rhus venenata). [U. S.] — Poison dogwood (Bot.), poison sumac. — Poison fang (Zoöl.), one of the superior maxillary teeth of some species of serpents, which, besides having the cavity for the pulp, is either perforated or grooved by a longitudinal canal, at the lower end of which the duct of the poison gland terminates. See Illust. under Fang. — Poison gland (Biol.), a gland, in animals or plants, which secretes an acrid or venomous matter, that is conveyed along an organ capable of inflicting a wound. — Poison hemlock (Bot.), a poisonous umbelliferous plant ( Conium maculatum). See Hemlock. — Poison ivy (Bot.), a poisonous climbing plant ( Rhus Toxicodendron) of North America. It is common on stone walls and on the trunks of trees, and has trifoliate, rhombic-ovate, variously notched leaves. Many people are poisoned by it, if they touch the leaves. See Poison sumac. Called also poison oak, and mercury. — Poison nut. (Bot.) (a) Nux vomica. (b) The tree which yields this seed ( Strychnos Nuxvomica). It is found on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts. — Poison oak (Bot.), the poison ivy; also the more shrubby Rhus diversiloba of California and Oregon. — Poison sac. (Zoöl.) Same as Poison gland, above. See Illust. under Fang. — Poison sumac (Bot.), a poisonous shrub of the genus Rhus ( R. venenata); — also called poison ash, poison dogwood, and poison elder. It has pinnate leaves on graceful and slender common petioles, and usually grows in swampy places. Both this plant and the poison ivy ( Rhus Toxicodendron) have clusters of smooth greenish white berries, while the red-fruited species of this genus are harmless. The tree ( Rhus vernicifera) which yields the celebrated Japan lacquer is almost identical with the poison sumac, and is also very poisonous. The juice of the poison sumac also forms a lacquer similar to that of Japan.
Syn. — Venom; virus; bane; pest; malignity. — Poison, Venom. Poison usually denotes something received into the system by the mouth, breath, etc. Venom is something discharged from animals and received by means of a wound, as by the bite or sting of serpents, scorpions, etc. Hence, venom specifically implies some malignity of nature or purpose.

Poison
Poi´son, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poisoned p. pr. & vb. n. Poisoning.] [Cf. OF. poisonner, F. empoissoner, L. potionare to give to drink. See Poison, n. ]
1. To put poison upon or into; to infect with poison; as to poison an arrow; to poison food or drink. "The ingredients of our poisoned chalice." Shak.
2. To injure or kill by poison; to administer poison to.
"If you poison us, do we not die ?" Shak.
3. To taint; to corrupt; to vitiate; as vice poisons happiness; slander poisoned his mind.
"Whispering tongues can poison truth." Coleridge.

Poison
Poi´son, v. i. To act as or convey, a poison.
"Tooth that poisons if it bite." Shak.

Poison bush. In Australia: (a) Any fabaceous shrub of the genus Gastrolobium, the herbage of which is poisonous to stock; also any species of several related genera, as Oxylobium, Gompholobium, etc. (b) The plant Myoporum deserti, often distinguished as Ellangowan poison bush or dogwood poison bush. (c) The ulmaceous plant Trema cannabina, which, though not poisonous, is injurious to stock because of its large amount of fiber.

Poison cup.
1. A cup containing poison.
2. A cup that was supposed to break on having poison put into it.

Poisonable
Poi´son•a•ble, a.
1. Capable of poisoning; poisonous. [Obs.] "Poisonable heresies." Tooker.
2. Capable of being poisoned.

Poisoner
Poi´son•er, n. One who poisons. Shak.

Poisonous
Poi´son•ous, a. Having the qualities or effects of poison; venomous; baneful; corrupting; noxious. Shak. — Poi´son•ous•ly, adv. — Poi´son•ous•ness, n.

Poisonsome
Poi´son•some, a. Poisonous.[Obs.] Holland.

Poisure
Poi´sure, n. [See Poise.] Weight. [Obs.]

Poke, n. (Bot.) A large North American herb of the genus Phytolacca ( P. decandra), bearing dark purple juicy berries; — called also garget, pigeon berry, pocan, and pokeweed. The root and berries have emetic and purgative properties, and are used in medicine. The young shoots are sometimes eaten as a substitute for asparagus, and the berries are said to be used in Europe to color wine.

Poke, n. [AS. poca, poha, pohha; akin to Icel. poki, OD. poke, and perh. to E. pock; cf. also Gael. poca, and OF. poque. Cf. Pock, Pocket, Pouch.]
1. A bag; a sack; a pocket. "He drew a dial from his poke." Shak.
"They wallowed as pigs in a poke." Chaucer.
2. A long, wide sleeve; — called also poke sleeve. To boy a pig a poke (that is, in a bag), to buy a thing without knowledge or examination of it. Camden.

Poke, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Poked p. pr. & vb. n. Poking.] [Cf. LG. poken to prick, pierce, thrust, pok a dagger, knife, D. pook, G. pocken to beat, also Ir. poc a blow, Gael. puc to push.]
1. To thrust or push against or into with anything pointed; hence, to stir up; to excite; as to poke a fire.
"He poked John, and said "Sleepest thou ?"" Chaucer.
2. To thrust with the horns; to gore.
3. [From 5th Poke, 3.] To put a poke on; as to poke an ox. [Colloq. U. S.] To poke fun, to excite fun; to joke; to jest. [Colloq.] — To poke fun at, to make a butt of; to ridicule. [Colloq.]

Poke, v. i. To search; to feel one’s way, as in the dark; to grope; as to poke about.
"A man must have poked into Latin and Greek." Prior.

Poke, n.
1. The act of poking; a thrust; a jog; as a poke in the ribs. Ld. Lytton.
2. A lazy person; a dawdler; also a stupid or uninteresting person. [Slang, U.S.] Bartlett.
3. A contrivance to prevent an animal from leaping or breaking through fences. It consists of a yoke with a pole inserted, pointed forward. [U.S.] Poke bonnet, a bonnet with a straight, projecting front.

Pokebag
Poke´bag, n. [So called in allusion to its baglike nest.] (Zoöl.) The European long- tailed titmouse; — called also poke-pudding. [Prov. Eng.]

Poker
Pok´er, n. [From Poke to push.]
1. One who pokes.
2. That which pokes or is used in poking, especially a metal bar or rod used in stirring a fire of coals.
3. A poking-stick. Decker.
4. (Zoöl.) The poachard. [Prov. Eng.] Poker picture, a picture formed in imitation of bisterwashed drawings, by singeing the surface of wood with a heated poker or other iron. Fairholt.

Poker
Pok´er, n. [Of uncertain etymol.] A game at cards derived from brag, and first played about 1835 in the Southwestern United States. Johnson’s Cyc.

Poker
Pok´er, n. [Cf. Dan. pokker the deuce, devil, also W. pwci, a hobgoblin, bugbear, and E. puck.] Any imagined frightful object, especially one supposed to haunt the darkness; a bugbear. [Colloq. U. S.]

Poker dice. A game played with five dice in which the count is usually made, in order, by pairs, two pairs, three of a kind, full houses, four of a kind, and five of a kind (the highest throw), similar to poker; also the dice used in this game, esp. when marked with the ace, king, queen, jack, ten, and nine instead of the usual digits.

Pokerish
Pok´er•ish, a. Infested by pokers; adapted to excite fear; as a pokerish place. [Colloq. U. S.]
"There is something pokerish about a deserted dwelling." Lowell.

Pokerish
Pok´er•ish, a. Stiff like a poker. [Colloq.]

Poket
Pok´et, n. A pocket. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pokeweed
Poke´weed, n. (Bot.) See Poke, the plant.

Poking-stick
Pok´ing-stick, n. A small stick or rod of steel, formerly used in adjusting the plaits of ruffs. Shak.

Poky
Pok´y, a. [Written also pokey.]
1. Confined; cramped. [Prov. Eng.]
2. Dull; tedious; uninteresting. [Colloq.]

Polacca
Po•lac´ca, n. [It. polacca, polaccra, polacra; cf. F. polaque, polacre, Sp. polacre,] [Written also polacre.]
1. (Naut.) A vessel with two or three masts, used in the Mediterranean. The masts are usually of one piece, and without tops, caps, or crosstrees.
2. (Mus.) See Polonaise.

Polacre
Po•la´cre, n. Same as Polacca, 1.

Polar
Po´lar, a. [Cf. F. polaire. See Pole of the earth.]
1. Of or pertaining to one of the poles of the earth, or of a sphere; situated near, or proceeding from, one of the poles; as polar regions; polar seas; polar winds.
2. Of or pertaining to the magnetic pole, or to the point to which the magnetic needle is directed.
3. (Geom.) Pertaining to, reckoned from, or having a common radiating point; as polar coördinates. Polar axis, that axis of an astronomical instrument, as an equatorial, which is parallel to the earths axis. — Polar bear (Zoöl.), a large bear ( Ursus, or Thalarctos, maritimus) inhabiting the arctic regions. It sometimes measures nearly nine feet in length and weighs 1,600 pounds. It is partially amphibious, very powerful, and the most carnivorous of all the bears. The fur is white, tinged with yellow. Called also White bear. See Bear. — Polar body, cell, or globule (Biol.), a minute cell which separates by karyokinesis from the ovum during its maturation. In the maturation of ordinary ova two polar bodies are formed, but in parthogenetic ova only one. The first polar body formed is usually larger than the second one, and often divides into two after its separation from the ovum. Each of the polar bodies removes maternal chromatin from the ovum to make room for the chromatin of the fertilizing spermatozoön; but their functions are not fully understood. — Polar circles (Astron. & Geog.), two circles, each at a distance from a pole of the earth equal to the obliquity of the ecliptic, or about 23° 28′, the northern called the arctic circle, and the southern the antarctic circle. — Polar clock, a tube, containing a polarizing apparatus, turning on an axis parallel to that of the earth, and indicating the hour of the day on an hour circle, by being turned toward the plane of maximum polarization of the light of the sky, which is always 90° from the sun. — Polar coördinates. See under 3d Coördinate. — Polar dial, a dial whose plane is parallel to a great circle passing through the poles of the earth. Math. Dict. — Polar distance, the angular distance of any point on a sphere from one of its poles, particularly of a heavenly body from the north pole of the heavens. — Polar equation of a line or surface, an equation which expresses the relation between the polar coördinates of every point of the line or surface. — Polar forces (Physics), forces that are developed and act in pairs, with opposite tendencies or properties in the two elements, as magnetism, electricity, etc. — Polar hare (Zoöl.), a large hare of Arctic America ( Lepus arcticus), which turns pure white in winter. It is probably a variety of the common European hare ( L. timidus). — Polar lights, the aurora borealis or australis. — Polar, or Polaric, opposition or contrast (Logic), an opposition or contrast made by the existence of two opposite conceptions which are the extremes in a species, as white and black in colors; hence, as great an opposition or contrast as possible. — Polar projection. See under Projection. — Polar spherical triangle (Spherics), a spherical triangle whose three angular points are poles of the sides of a given triangle. See 4th Pole, 2. — Polar whale (Zoöl.), the right whale, or bowhead. See Whale.

Polar
Po´lar, n. (Conic Sections) The right line drawn through the two points of contact of the two tangents drawn from a given point to a given conic section. The given point is called the pole of the line. If the given point lies within the curve so that the two tangents become imaginary, there is still a real polar line which does not meet the curve, but which possesses other properties of the polar. Thus the focus and directrix are pole and polar. There are also poles and polar curves to curves of higher degree than the second, and poles and polar planes to surfaces of the second degree.

Polarchy
Pol´ar•chy, n. See Polyarchy.

Polarimeter
Po•lar•im´e•ter, n. [ Polar + -meter.] (Opt.) An instrument for determining the amount of polarization of light, or the proportion of polarized light, in a partially polarized ray.

Polarimetry
Po•lar•im´e•try, n. (Opt.) The art or process of measuring the polarization of light.

Polaris
Po•la´ris, n. [NL. See Polar.] (Astron.) The polestar. See North star, under North.

Polariscopic
Po•lar•i•scop´ic, a. (Opt.) Of or pertaining to the polariscope; obtained by the use of a polariscope; as polariscopic observations.

Polariscopy
Po•lar•is´co•py, n. (Opt.) The art or rocess of making observations with the polariscope.

Polaristic
Po•lar•is´tic, a. Pertaining to, or exhibiting, poles; having a polar arrangement or disposition; arising from, or dependent upon, the possession of poles or polar characteristics; as polaristic antagonism.

Polarity
Po•lar´i•ty, n. [Cf. F. polarite.]
1. (Physics) That quality or condition of a body in virtue of which it exhibits opposite, or contrasted, properties or powers, in opposite, or contrasted, parts or directions; or a condition giving rise to a contrast of properties corresponding to a contrast of positions, as for example, attraction and repulsion in the opposite parts of a magnet, the dissimilar phenomena corresponding to the different sides of a polarized ray of light, etc.
2. (Geom.) A property of the conic sections by virtue of which a given point determines a corresponding right line and a given right line determines a corresponding point. See Polar, n.

Polarization
Po•lar•i•za´tion, n. [Cf. F. polarisation.]
1. The act of polarizing; the state of being polarized, or of having polarity.
2. (Opt.) A peculiar affection or condition of the rays of light or heat, in consequence of which they exhibit different properties in different directions. If a beam of light, which has been reflected from a plate of unsilvered glass at an angle of about 56°, be received upon a second plate of glass similar to the former, and at the same angle of incidence, the light will be readily reflected when the two planes of incidence are parallel to each other, but will not be reflected when the two planes of incidence are perpendicular to each other. The light has therefore, acquired new properties by reflection from the first plate of glass, and is called polarized light, while the modification which the light has experienced by this reflection is called polarization. The plane in which the beam of light is reflected from the first mirror is called the plane of polarization. The angle of polarization is the angle at which a beam of light must be reflected, in order that the polarization may be the most complete. The term polarization was derived from the theory of emission, and it was conceived that each luminous molecule has two poles analogous to the poles of a magnet; but this view is not now held. According to the undulatory theory, ordinary light is produced by vibrations transverse or perpendicular to the direction of the ray, and distributed as to show no distinction as to any particular direction. But when, by any means, these, vibrations are made to take place in one plane, the light is said to be plane polarized. If only a portion of the vibrations lie in one plane the ray is said to be partially polarized. Light may be polarized by several methods other than by reflection, as by refraction through most crystalline media, or by being transmitted obliquely through several plates of glass with parallel faces. If a beam of polarized light be transmitted through a crystal of quartz in the direction of its axis, the plane of polarization will be changed by an angle proportional to the thickness of the crystal. This phenomenon is called rotatory polarization. A beam of light reflected from a metallic surface, or from glass surfaces under certain peculiar conditions, acquires properties still more complex, its vibrations being no longer rectilinear, but circular, or elliptical. This phenomenon is called circular or elliptical polarization.
3. (Elec.) An effect produced upon the plates of a voltaic battery, or the electrodes in an electrolytic cell, by the deposition upon them of the gases liberated by the action of the current. It is chiefly due to the hydrogen, and results in an increase of the resistance, and the setting up of an opposing electro- motive force, both of which tend materially to weaken the current of the battery, or that passing through the cell.

Polarize
Po´lar•ize, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Polarized p. pr. & vb. n. Polarizing ] [Cf. F. polariser.] To communicate polarity to.

Polary
Po´lar•y, a. Tending to a pole; having a direction toward a pole. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Polatouche
Po•la•touche´, n. [F.] (Zoöl.) A flying squirrel ( Sciuropterus volans) native of Northern Europe and Siberia; — called also minene.

Polder
Pol´der, n. [D.] A tract of low land reclaimed from the sea by of high embankments. [Holland & Belgium]

Poldway
Pold´way, n. [Cf. Poledavy.] A kind of coarse bagging, — used for coal sacks. Weale.

Poleless
Pole´less, a. Without a pole; as a poleless chariot.

Polemarch
Pol´e•march, n. [Gr. ; war + leader, from to be first.] (Gr. Antiq.) In Athens, originally, the military commanderin-chief; but, afterward, a civil magistrate who had jurisdiction in respect of strangers and sojourners. In other Grecian cities, a high military and civil officer.

Polemic
Po•lem´ic, a. [Gr. warlike, fr. war: cf. F. polemique.]
1. Of or pertaining to controversy; maintaining, or involving, controversy; controversial; disputative; as a polemic discourse or essay; polemic theology.
2. Engaged in, or addicted to, polemics, or to controversy; disputations; as a polemic writer. South.

Polemic
Po•lem´ic, n.
1. One who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system, in opposition to another; one skilled in polemics; a controversialist; a disputant.
"The sarcasms and invectives of the young polemic." Macaulay.
2. A polemic argument or controversy.

Polemical
Po•lem´ic•al, a. Polemic; controversial; disputatious. — Po•lem´ic•al•ly, adv.
"Polemical and impertinent disputations." Jer. Taylor.

Polemicist
Po•lem´i•cist, n. A polemic. [R.]

Polemics
Po•lem´ics, n. [Cf. F. polemique.] The art or practice of disputation or controversy, especially on religious subjects; that branch of theological science which pertains to the history or conduct of ecclesiastical controversy.

Polemist
Pol´e•mist, n. A polemic. [R.]

Polemoniaceous
Pol•e•mo•ni•a´ceous, a. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants ( Polemoniaceae), which includes Polemonium, Phlox, Gilia, and a few other genera.

Polemonium
Pol•e•mo´ni•um n. [NL., fr. Gr. a kind of plant.] (Bot.) A genus of gamopetalous perennial herbs, including the Jacob’s ladder and the Greek valerian.

Polemoscope
Po•lem´o•scope, n. [Gr. war + -scope: cf. F. polemoscope.] An opera glass or field glass with an oblique mirror arranged for seeing objects do not lie directly before the eye; — called also diagonal, or side, opera glass.

Polemy
Pol´e•my, n. [See Polemic.] Warfare; war; hence, contention; opposition. [Obs.]

Poler
Pol´er, n. One who poles.

Poler
Pol´er, n. An extortioner. See Poller. [Obs.] Bacon.

Polewig
Pole´wig, n. [Cf. Polliwig.] (Zoöl.) The European spotted goby (Gobius minutus); — called also pollybait. [Prov. Eng.]

Polianite
Po´li•a•nite, n. [Gr. to become gray.] (Min.) Manganese dioxide, occurring in tetragonal crystals nearly as hard as quartz.

Policate
Pol´i•cate, a. (Zoöl.) Same as Pollicate.

Policed
Po•liced´, a. Regulated by laws for the maintenance of peace and order, enforced by organized administration. "A policed kingdom." Howell.

Policeman
Po•lice´man, n. ; pl. Policemen . A member of a body of police; a constable.

Policial
Po•li´cial, a. Relating to the police. [R.]

Policied
Pol´i•cied, a. Policed. [Obs.] Bacon.

Policy
Pol´i•cy, n. ; pl. Policies (#). [L. politia, Gr. ; cf. F. police, Of. police. See Police, n. ]
1. Civil polity. [Obs.]
2. The settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, administered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of a state.
3. The method by which any institution is administered; system of management; course.
4. Management or administration based on temporal or material interest, rather than on principles of equity or honor; hence, worldly wisdom; dexterity of management; cunning; stratagem.
5. Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit.
"The very policy of a hostess, finding his purse so far above his clothes, did detect him." Fuller.
6. Motive; object; inducement. [Obs.]
"What policy have you to bestow a benefit where it is counted an injury?" Sir P. Sidney.
Syn. — See Polity.

Policy
Pol´i•cy, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Policied p. pr. & vb. n. Policying.] To regulate by laws; to reduce to order. [Obs.] "Policying of cities." Bacon.

Policy
Pol´i•cy, n. [F. police; cf. Pr. polissia, Sp. pólizia, It. pólizza; of uncertain origin; cf. L. pollex thumb (as being used in pressing the seal), in LL. also seal; or cf. LL. politicum, poleticum, polecticum, L. polyptychum, account book, register, fr. Gr. having many folds or leaves; many + fold, leaf, from to fold; or cf. LL. apodixa a receipt.]
1. A ticket or warrant for money in the public funds.
2. The writing or instrument in which a contract of insurance is embodied; an instrument in writing containing the terms and conditions on which one party engages to indemnify another against loss arising from certain hazards, perils, or risks to which his person or property may be exposed. See Insurance.
3. A method of gambling by betting as to what numbers will be drawn in a lottery; as to play policy. Interest policy, a policy that shows by its form that the assured has a real, substantial interest in the matter insured. — Open policy, one in which the value of the goods or property insured is not mentioned. — Policy book, a book to contain a record of insurance policies. — Policy holder, one to whom an insurance policy has been granted. — Policy shop, a gambling place where one may bet on the numbers which will be drawn in lotteries. — Valued policy, one in which the value of the goods, property, or interest insured is specified. — Wager policy, a policy that shows on the face of it that the contract it embodies is a pretended insurance, founded on an ideal risk, where the insured has no interest in anything insured.

Polishable
Pol´ish•a•ble, a. Capable of being polished.

Polished
Pol´ished, a. Made smooth and glossy, as by friction; hence, highly finished; refined; polite; as polished plate; polished manners; polished verse.

Polishedness
Pol´ished•ness, n. The quality of being polished.

Polisher
Pol´ish•er, n. One who, or that which, polishes; also that which is used in polishing. Addison.

Polishing
Pol´ish•ing, a. & n. from Polish. Polishing iron, an iron burnisher; esp., a small smoothing iron used in laundries. — Polishing slate. (a) A gray or yellow slate, found in Bohemia and Auvergne, and used for polishing glass, marble, and metals. (b) A kind of hone or whetstone; hone slate. — Polishing snake, a tool used in cleaning lithographic stones. — Polishing wheel, a wheel or disk coated with, or composed of, abrading material, for polishing a surface.

Polissoir
Po•lis•soir´, n. [F.]
1. A polishing or grinding implement or instrument.
2. (Glass Making) A tool consisting of a flat wooden block with a long iron handle, used for flattening out split cylinders of blown glass.

Polite
Po•lite´, a. [ Compar. Politer superl. Politest.] [L. politus, p. p. of polire to polish: cf. F. poli. See Polish, v. ]
1. Smooth; polished. [Obs.]
"Rays of light falling on a polite surface." Sir I. Newton.
2. Smooth and refined in behavior or manners; well bred; courteous; complaisant; obliging; civil.
"He marries, bows at court, and grows polite." Pope.
3. Characterized by refinement, or a high degree of finish; as polite literature. Macaulay.
Syn. — Polished; refined; well bred; courteous; affable; urbane; civil; courtly; elegant; genteel.

Polite
Po•lite´, v. t. To polish; to refine; to render polite. [Obs.] Ray.

Politely
Po•lite´ly, adv.
1. In a polished manner; so as to be smooth or glossy. [Obs.] Milton.
2. In a polite manner; with politeness.

Politeness
Po•lite´ness, n.
1. High finish; smoothness; burnished elegance. [R.] Evelyn.
2. The quality or state of being polite; refinement of manners; urbanity; courteous behavior; complaisance; obliging attentions.
Syn. — Courtesy; good breeding; refinement; urbanity; courteousness; affability; complaisance; civility; gentility; courtliness. — Politeness, Courtesy. Politeness denotes that ease and gracefulness of manners which first sprung up in cities, connected with a desire to please others by anticipating their wants and wishes, and studiously avoiding whatever might give them pain. Courtesy is, etymologically, the politeness of courts. It displays itself in the address and manners; it is shown more especially in receiving and entertaining others, and is a union of dignified complaisance and kindness.

Politic
Pol´i•tic, a. [L. politicus political, Gr. belonging to the citizens or to the state, fr. citizen: cf. F. politique. See Police, and cf. ePolitical.]
1. Of or pertaining to polity, or civil government; political; as the body politic. See under Body.
"He with his people made all but one politic body." Sir P. Sidney.
2. Pertaining to, or promoting, a policy, especially a national policy; well-devised; adapted to its end, whether right or wrong; — said of things; as a politic treaty. "Enrich’d with politic grave counsel." Shak.
3. Sagacious in promoting a policy; ingenious in devising and advancing a system of management; devoted to a scheme or system rather than to a principle; hence, in a good sense, wise; prudent; sagacious; and in a bad sense, artful; unscrupulous; cunning; — said of persons.
"Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy." Shak.
Syn. — Wise; prudent; sagacious; discreet; provident; wary; artful; cunning.

Politic
Pol•i•tic, n. A politician. [Archaic] Bacon.
"Swiftly the politic goes; is it dark? he borrows a lantern; Slowly the statesman and sure, guiding his feet by the stars." Lowell.

Political
Po•lit´i•cal, a.
1. Having, or conforming to, a settled system of administration. [R.] "A political government." Evelyn.
2. Of or pertaining to public policy, or to politics; relating to affairs of state or administration; as a political writer. "The political state of Europe." Paley.
3. Of or pertaining to a party, or to parties, in the state; as his political relations were with the Whigs.
4. Politic; wise; also artful. [Obs.] Sterne. Political economy, that branch of political science or philosophy which treats of the sources, and methods of production and preservation, of the material wealth and prosperity of nations.

Politicalism
Po•lit´i•cal•ism, n. Zeal or party spirit in politics.

Politically
Po•lit´i•cal•ly, adv.
1. In a political manner.
2. Politicly; artfully. [Obs.] Knolles.

Politicaster
Po•lit´i•cas•ter, n. [Cf. It. politicastro.] A petty politician; a pretender in politics. Milton.

Politician
Pol•i•ti´cian, n. [Cf. F. politicien.]
1. One versed or experienced in the science of government; one devoted to politics; a statesman.
"While empiric politicians use deceit." Dryden.
2. One primarily devoted to his own advancement in public office, or to the success of a political party; — used in a depreciatory sense; one addicted or attached to politics as managed by parties (see Politics, 2); a schemer; an intriguer; as a mere politician.
"Like a scurvy politician, seem To see the things thou dost not." Shak.
"The politician … ready to do anything that he apprehends for his advantage." South.

Politician
Pol•i•ti´cian, a. Cunning; using artifice; politic; artful. "Ill-meaning politician lords." Milton.

Politicist
Po•lit´i•cist, n. A political writer. [R.]

Politicly
Pol´i•tic•ly, adv. In a politic manner; sagaciously; shrewdly; artfully. Pope.

Politics
Pol´i•tics, n. [Cf. F. politique, Gr. (sc.). See Politic.]
1. The science of government; that part of ethics which has to do with the regulation and government of a nation or state, the preservation of its safety, peace, and prosperity, the defense of its existence and rights against foreign control or conquest, the augmentation of its strength and resources, and the protection of its citizens in their rights, with the preservation and improvement of their morals.
2. The management of a political party; the conduct and contests of parties with reference to political measures or the administration of public affairs; the advancement of candidates to office; in a bad sense, artful or dishonest management to secure the success of political candidates or parties; political trickery.
"When we say that two men are talking politics, we often mean that they are wrangling about some mere party question." F. W. Robertson.

Politure
Pol´i•ture, n. [L. politura, fr. polire to polish. See Polish, v. ] Polish; gloss. [Obs.] Donne.

Polive
Pol´ive, n. A pulley. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Polka
Pol´ka, n. [Pol. Polka a Polish woman: cf. F. & G. polka.]
1. A dance of Polish origin, but now common everywhere. It is performed by two persons in common time.
2. (Mus.) A lively Bohemian or Polish dance tune in 2-4 measure, with the third quaver accented. Polka jacket, a kind of knit jacket worn by women.

Poll, n. [From Polly, The proper name.] A parrot; — familiarly so called.

Poll, n. [Gr. the many, the rabble.] One who does not try for honors, but is content to take a degree merely; a passman. [Cambridge Univ., Eng.]

Poll, n. [Akin to LG. polle the head, the crest of a bird, the top of a tree, OD. pol, polle, Dan. puld the crown of a hat.]
1. The head; the back part of the head. "All flaxen was his poll." Shak.
2. A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of heads or individuals.
"We are the greater poll, and in true fear They gave us our demands." Shak.
"The muster file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll." Shak.
3. Specifically, the register of the names of electors who may vote in an election.
4. The casting or recording of the votes of registered electors; as the close of the poll.
"All soldiers quartered in place are to remove … and not to return till one day after the poll is ended." Blackstone.
5. pl. The place where the votes are cast or recorded; as to go to the polls.
6. The broad end of a hammer; the but of an ax.
7. (Zoöl.) The European chub. See Pollard, 3 (a). Poll book, a register of persons entitled to vote at an election. — Poll evil (Far.), an inflammatory swelling or abscess on a horse’s head, confined beneath the great ligament of the neck. — Poll pick (Mining), a pole having a heavy spike on the end, forming a kind of crowbar. — Poll tax, a tax levied by the head, or poll; a capitation tax.

Poll, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Polled p. pr. & vb. n. Polling.]
1. To remove the poll or head of; hence, to remove the top or end of; to clip; to lop; to shear; as to poll the head; to poll a tree.
"When he [Absalom] pollled his head." 2 Sam. xiv. 26.
"His death did so grieve them that they polled themselves; they clipped off their horse and mule’s hairs." Sir T. North.
2. To cut off; to remove by clipping, shearing, etc.; to mow or crop; — sometimes with off; as to poll the hair; to poll wool; to poll grass.
"Who, as he polled off his dart’s head, so sure he had decreed That all the counsels of their war he would poll off like it." Chapman.
3. To extort from; to plunder; to strip. [Obs.]
"Which polls and pills the poor in piteous wise." Spenser.
4. To impose a tax upon. [Obs.]
5. To pay as one’s personal tax.
"The man that polled but twelve pence for his head." Dryden.
6. To enter, as polls or persons, in a list or register; to enroll, esp. for purposes of taxation; to enumerate one by one.
"Polling the reformed churches whether they equalize in number those of his three kingdoms." Milton.
7. To register or deposit, as a vote; to elicit or call forth, as votes or voters; as he polled a hundred votes more than his opponent.
"And poll for points of faith his trusty vote." Tickell.
8. (Law) To cut or shave smooth or even; to cut in a straight line without indentation; as a polled deed. See Dee poll. Burrill. To poll a jury, to call upon each member of the jury to answer individually as to his concurrence in a verdict which has been rendered.

Poll, v. i. To vote at an election. Beaconsfield.

Pollack
Pol´lack, n. [Cf. G. & D. pollack, and Gael. pollag a little pool, a sort of fish.] (Zoöl.) (a) A marine gadoid food fish of Europe ( Pollachius virens). Called also greenfish, greenling, lait, leet, lob, lythe, and whiting pollack. (b) The American pollock; the coalfish.

Pollage
Poll´age, n. A head or poll tax; hence, extortion. [Obs.] Foxe.

Pollan
Pol´lan, n. [Cf. Gael. pollag a kind of fish.] (Zoöl.) A lake whitefish ( Coregonus pollan), native of Ireland. In appearance it resembles a herring.

Pollard
Pol´lard, n. [From Poll the head.]
1. A tree having its top cut off at some height above the ground, that may throw out branches. Pennant.
2. A clipped coin; also a counterfeit. [Obs.] Camden.
3. (Zoöl.) (a) A fish, the chub. (b) A stag that has cast its antlers. (c) A hornless animal (cow or sheep).

Pollard
Pol´lard, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pollarded; p. pr. & vb. n. Pollarding.] To lop the tops of, as trees; to poll; as to pollard willows. Evelyn.

Polled, a. Deprived of a poll, or of something belonging to the poll. Specifically: (a) Lopped; — said of trees having their tops cut off. (b) Cropped; hence, bald; — said of a person. "The polled bachelor." Beau. & Fl. (c) Having cast the antlers; — said of a stag. (d) Without horns; as polled cattle; polled sheep.

Pollen
Pol´len, n. [L. pollen fine flour, fine dust; cf. Gr. ]
1. Fine bran or flour. [Obs.] Bailey.
2. (Bot.) The fecundating dustlike cells of the anthers of flowers. See Flower, and Illust. of Filament. Pollen grain (Bot.), a particle or call of pollen. — Pollen mass, a pollinium. Gray. — Pollen sac, a compartment of an anther containing pollen, — usually there are four in each anther. — Pollen tube, a slender tube which issues from the pollen grain on its contact with the stigma, which it penetrates, thus conveying, it is supposed, the fecundating matter of the grain to the ovule.

Pollened
Pol´lened, a. Covered with pollen. Tennyson.

Polleniferous
Pol•len•if´er•ous, a. [ Pollen + -ferous.] (Bot.) Producing pollen; polliniferous.

Pollenin
Pol´len•in, n. [Cf. F. pollenine.] (Chem.) A substance found in the pollen of certain plants. [R.]

Pollenize
Pol´len•ize, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Pollenized p. pr. & vb. n. Pollenizing ] To supply with pollen; to impregnate with pollen.

Pollicate
Pol´li•cate, a. [L. pollex, pollicis, a thumb.] (Zoöl.) Having a curved projection or spine on the inner side of a leg joint; — said of insects.

Pollicitation
Pol•lic•i•ta´tion, n. [L. pollicitatio, fr. pollicitari to promise, v. intens. fr. polliceri to promise: cf. F. pollicitation.]
1. A voluntary engagement, or a paper containing it; a promise. Bp. Burnet.
2. (Roman Law) A promise without mutuality; a promise which has not been accepted by the person to whom it is made. Bouvier.

Pollinate
Pol´li•nate, a. (Zoöl.) Pollinose.

Pollinate
Pol´li•nate, v. t. (Bot.) To apply pollen to (a stigma). — Pol•li•na´tion (#), n. (Bot.)

Pollinctor
Pol•linc´tor, n. [L., fr. pollingere.] (Rom. Antiq.) One who prepared corpses for the funeral.

Polling
Poll´ing, n. [See Poll the head.]
1. The act of topping, lopping, or cropping, as trees or hedges.
2. Plunder, or extortion. [Obs.] E. Hall.
3. The act of voting, or of registering a vote. Polling booth, a temporary structure where the voting at an election is done; a polling place.

Pollinium
Pol•lin´i•um, n. ; pl. Pollinia (#). [NL. See Pollen.] (Bot.) A coherent mass of pollen, as in the milkweed and most orchids.

Polluted
Pol•lut´ed, a. Defiled; made unclean or impure; debauched. — Pol•lut´ed•ly, adv. — Pol•lut´ed•ness, n.

Polluter
Pol•lut´er, n. One who pollutes. Dryden.

Polluting
Pol•lut´ing, a. Adapted or tending to pollute; causing defilement or pollution. — Pol•lut´ing•ly, adv.

Pollution
Pol•lu´tion, n. [L. pollutio: cf. F. pollution.]
1. The act of polluting, or the state of being polluted (in any sense of the verb); defilement; uncleanness; impurity.
2. (Med.) The emission of semen, or sperm, at other times than in sexual intercourse. Dunglison.

Pollux
Pol´lux, n. [L., the twin brother of castor; also the constellation.]
1. (Astron.) A fixed star of the second magnitude, in the constellation Gemini. Cf. 3d Castor.
2. (Min.) Same as Pollucite.

Pollywog
Pol´ly•wog, n. (Zoöl.) A polliwig.

Polo
Po´lo, n. [Of Eastern origin; — properly, the ball used in the game.]
1. A game of ball of Eastern origin, resembling hockey, with the players on horseback.
2. A similar game played on the ice, or on a prepared floor, by players wearing skates.

Polo
Po´lo, n. A game similar to hockey played by swimmers.

Polo
Po´lo, n. [Sp., an air or popular song in Andalucia.] A Spanish gypsy dance characterized by energetic movements of the body while the feet merely shuffle or glide, with unison singing and rhythmic clapping of hands.

Polonaise
Po•lo•naise´, a. [F. polonais, polonaise, Polish.] Of or pertaining to the Poles, or to Poland. [Written also Polonese.]

Polonaise
Po•lo•naise´, n. [Written also Polonese and Polonoise.]
1. The Polish language.
2. An article of dress for women, consisting of a body and an outer skirt in one piece.
3. (Mus.) A stately Polish dance tune, in 3-4 measure, beginning always on the beat with a quaver followed by a crotchet, and closing on the beat after a strong accent on the second beat; also a dance adapted to such music; a polacca.

Polonese
Po•lo•nese´, a. & n. See Polonaise.

Polony
Po•lo´ny, n. [Prob. corrupt. fr. Bologna.] A kind of sausage made of meat partly cooked.

Polron
Pol´ron, n. See Pauldron.

Poltroon
Pol•troon´, n. [F. poltron, from It. poltrone an idle fellow, sluggard, coward, poltro idle, lazy, also bed, fr. OHG. polstar, bolstar, cushion, G. polster, akin to E. bolster. See Bolster.] An arrant coward; a dastard; a craven; a mean-spirited wretch. Shak.

Poltroon
Pol•troon´, a. Base; vile; contemptible; cowardly.

Poltroonery
Pol•troon´er•y, n. [F. poltronnerie; cf. It. poltroneria.] Cowardice; want of spirit; pusillanimity.

Poltroonish
Pol•troon´ish, a. Resembling a poltroon; cowardly.

Polverine
Pol´ve•rine, n. [It. polverino, fr. polvere ust, L. pulvis, - veris. See Powder.] Glassmaker’s ashes; a kind of potash or pearlash, brought from the Levant and Syria, — used in the manufacture of fine glass.

Poly
Po´ly, n. [L. polium, the name of a plant, perhaps Teucrium polium, Gr. .] (Bot.) A whitish woolly plant ( Teucrium Polium) of the order Labiatae, found throughout the Mediterranean region. The name, with sundry prefixes, is sometimes given to other related species of the same genus. [Spelt also poley.] Poly mountain. See Poly-mountain, in Vocabulary.

Polyacoustic
Pol•y•a•cous´tic, a. [ Poly- + acoustic: cf. F. polyacoustique.] Multiplying or magnifying sound. — n. A polyacoustic instrument.

Polyacoustics
Pol•y•a•cous´tics, n. The art of multiplying or magnifying sounds.

Polyacron
Pol•y•a´cron, n. ; pl. Polyacra (#), E. Polyacrons (#). [NL., fr. Gr. poly•s many + ’a•kron summit.] (Geom.) A solid having many summits or angular points; a polyhedron.

Polyactinia
Pol•y•ac•tin´i•a, n. pl. [NL. See Poly-, and Actinia.] (Zoöl.) An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias have numerous simple tentacles.

Polyandria
Pol•y•an´dri•a, n. pl. [NL. See Polyandry.] (Bot.) A Linnaean class of monoclinous or hermaphrodite plants, having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.

Polyandric
Pol•y•an´dric, a. [Cf. polyandrique.] Pertaining to, or characterized by, polyandry; mating with several males. "Polyandric societies." H. Spencer.

Polyandrous
Pol•y•an´drous, a. (Bot.) Belonging to the class Polyandria; having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.

Polyandry
Pol•y•an´dry, n. [ Poly- + Gr.,, man, male: cf. F. polyandrie.] The possession by a woman of more than one husband at the same time; — contrasted with monandry. In law, this falls under the head of polygamy.

Polyanthus
Pol•y•an´thus, n. ; pl. Polyanthuses (#). [NL., fr. Gr. rich in flowers; poly•s many + flower.] [Written also polyanthos.] (Bot.) (a) The oxlip. So called because the peduncle bears a many-flowered umbel. See Oxlip. (b) A bulbous flowering plant of the genus Narcissus ( N. Tazetta, or N. polyanthus of some authors). See Illust. of Narcissus.

Polyarchy
Pol´y•ar•chy, n. [ Poly- + -archy: cf. F. polyarchie. Cf. Polarchy.] A government by many persons, of whatever order or class. Cudworth.

Polyautography
Pol•y•au•tog´ra•phy, n. [ Poly- + autography.] The act or practice of multiplying copies of one’s own handwriting, or of manuscripts, by printing from stone, — a species of lithography.

Polybasic
Pol•y•ba´sic, a. [ Poly- + basic.] (Chem.) Capable of neutralizing, or of combining with, several molecules of a monacid base; having several hydrogen atoms capable of being replaced by basic radicals; — said of certain acids; as sulphuric acid is polybasic.

Polybasite
Pol•y•ba´site, n. [See Polybasic.] (Min.) An iron-black ore of silver, consisting of silver, sulphur, and antimony, with some copper and arsenic.

Polycarpellary
Pol•y•car´pel•la•ry, a. (Bot.) Composed of several or numerous carpels; — said of such fruits as the orange. { Pol•y•car´pic, Pol•y•car´pous } a. [ Poly- + Gr. fruit.] (Bot.) (a) Bearing fruit repeatedly, or year after year. (b) Having several pistils in one flower.

Polychaeta
Pol•y•chae´ta, n. pl. [NL., from Gr. poly•s many + hair.] (Zoöl.) One of the two principal groups of Chaetopoda. It includes those that have prominent parapodia and fascicles of setae. See Illust. under Parapodia.

Polychœrany
Pol•y•chœr"a•ny, n. [Gr., fr. wide-ruling.] A government by many chiefs, princes, or rules. [Obs.] Cudworth.

Polychord
Pol´y•chord, a. [Gr. ; poly•s many + string, cord.] Having many strings.

Polychord
Pol´y•chord, n. (Mus.) (a) A musical instrument of ten strings. (b) An apparatus for coupling two octave notes, capable of being attached to a keyed instrument.

Polychrest
Pol´y•chrest, n. [Gr. useful for many purposes; poly•s many + useful, fr. to use: cf. F. polychreste.] (Med.) A medicine that serves for many uses, or that cures many diseases. [Obs.] Polychrest salt (Old Med. Chem.), potassium sulphate, specifically obtained by fusing niter with sulphur.

Polychroism
Pol´y•chro•ism, n. [ Poly- + Gr. color.] Same as Pleochroism.

Polychromate
Pol•y•chro´mate, n. [See Polychromic.] (Chem.) A salt of a polychromic acid.

Polychromate
Pol•y•chro´mate, n. [See Polychromatic.] (Chem.) A compound which exhibits, or from which may be prepared, a variety of colors, as certain solutions derived from vegetables, which display colors by fluorescence.

Polychrome
Pol´y•chrome, n. [ Poly- + Gr. color.] (Chem.) Esculin; — so called in allusion to its fluorescent solutions. [R.]

Polychrome
Pol´y•chrome, a. [Cf. F. polychrome.] Executed in the manner of polychromy; as polychrome printing.

Polychromic
Pol•y•chro´mic, a. [ Poly- + (sense 1) Gr., or (sense 2) chromic.]
1. Polychromatic.
2. (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, any one of several acids (known only in their salts) which contain more than one atom of chromium.

Polychromous
Pol•y•chro´mous, a. Of or pertaining to polychromy; many-colored; polychromatic.

Polychromy
Pol´y•chro•my, n. [ Poly- + Gr. color.] (Anc. Art) The art or practice of combining different colors, especially brilliant ones, in an artistic way.

Polychronious
Pol•y•chro´ni•ous, a. [ Poly- + Gr. for a long time, time.] Enduring through a long time; chronic.

Polyclinic
Pol•y•clin´ic, n. [ Poly- + clinic.] (Med.) A clinic in which diseases of many sorts are treated; especially, an institution in which clinical instruction is given in all kinds of disease.

Polyconic
Pol•y•con´ic, a. [ Poly- + conic.] Pertaining to, or based upon, many cones. Polyconic projection (Map Making), a projection of the earth’s surface, or any portion thereof, by which each narrow zone is projected upon a conical surface that touches the sphere along this zone, the conical surface being then unrolled. This projection differs from conic projection in that latter assumes but one cone for the whole map. Polyconic projection is that in use in the United States coast and geodetic survey.

Polycotyledon
Pol•y•cot•y•le´don, n. [ Poly- + cotyledon: cf. F. polycotyledone.] (Bot.) A plant that has many, or more than two, cotyledons in the seed. — Pol•y•cot•y•led´on•ous (#), a.

Polycotyledonary
Pol•y•cot•y•led´on•a•ry, a. [ Poly- + cotyledonary.] (Anat.) Having the villi of the placenta collected into definite patches, or cotyledons.

Polycracy
Po•lyc´ra•cy, n. [ Poly- + -cracy, as in democracy.] Government by many rulers; polyarchy.

Polycrotic
Pol•y•crot´ic (pol•i•krot"ik), a. [ Poly- + Gr. krotei^n to beat.] (Physiol.) Of or pertaining to polycrotism; manifesting polycrotism; as a polycrotic pulse; a polycrotic pulse curve.

Polycrotism
Po•lyc´ro•tism, n. (Physiol.) That state or condition of the pulse in which the pulse curve, or sphygmogram, shows several secondary crests or elevations; — contrasted with monocrotism and dicrotism.

Polycystid
Pol•y•cys´tid, n. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the Polycystidea. (b) One of the Polycystina. — a. Pertaining to the Polycystidea, or the Polycystina.

Polycystidea
Pol•y•cys•tid´e•a, n. pl. [NL. See Poly-, and Cystidea.] (Zoöl.) A division of Gregarinae including those that have two or more internal divisions of the body.

Polycyttaria
Pol•y•cyt•ta´ri•a, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. poly•s many +, dim. fr. a hollow vessel.] (Zoöl.) A division of Radiolaria. It includes those having one more central capsules.

Polydactylism
Pol•y•dac´tyl•ism, n. [ Poly- + Gr. finger: cf. F. polydactylisme.] (Anat.) The possession of more that the normal number of digits.

Polydipsia
Pol•y•dip´si•a, n. [NL., fr. Gr. poly•s much + thirst.] (Med.) Excessive and constant thirst occasioned by disease.

Polyedron
Pol•y•e´dron, n. See Polyhedron.

Polyeidism
Pol•y•ei´dism, n. (Zoöl.) The quality or state of being polyeidic.

Polyembryonate
Pol•y•em´bry•o•nate, a. [ Poly- + embryonate.] (Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several embryos; polyembryonic.

Polyembryonic
Pol•y•em•bry•on´ic, a. [ Poly- + embryonic.] (Bot.) Polyembryonate.

Polyembryony
Pol•y•em´bry•o•ny, n. [See Poly-, and Embryo.] (Bot.) The production of two or more embryos in one seed, due either to the existence and fertilization of more than one embryonic sac or to the origination of embryos outside of the embryonic sac.

Polygalaceous
Pol•y•ga•la´ceous, a. Of or pertaining to a natural order of plants ( Polygalaceae) of which Polygala is the type.

Polygalic
Po•lyg´a•lic, a. (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or obtained from, Polygala; specifically, designating an acrid glucoside (called polygalic acid, senegin, etc.), resembling, or possibly identical with, saponin.

Polygamia
Pol•y•ga´mi•a, n. pl. [NL. See Polygamous.] (Bot.) (a) A Linnaean class of plants, characterized by having both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant. (b) A name given by Linnaeus to file orders of plants having syngenesious flowers.

Polygamist
Po•lyg´a•mist, n. [Cf. F. polygamiste, polygame, Gr., a. ] One who practices polygamy, or maintains its lawfulness.

Polygamize
Po•lyg´a•mize, v. i. To practice polygamy; to marry several wives. Sylvester. Coleridge.

Polygamous
Po•lyg´a•mous, a. [Gr. living polygamy; poly•s many + marriage. Cf. Bigamy.]
1. Of or pertaining to polygamy; characterized by, or involving, polygamy; having a plurality of wives; as polygamous marriages; — opposed to monogamous.
2. (Zoöl.) Pairing with more than one female.
"Most deer, cattle, and sheep are polygamous." Darwin.
3. (Bot.) Belonging to the Polygamia; bearing both hermaphrodite and unisexual flowers on the same plant.

Polygastric
Pol•y•gas´tric (-trik), a. [ Poly- + gastric: cf. F. polygastrique.]
1. (Anat.) Having several bellies; — applied to muscles which are made up of several bellies separated by short tendons.
2. (Zoöl.) Pertaining to the Polygastrica. [Obs.]

Polygastric
Pol•y•gas´tric (pol•i•gas"trik), n. (Zoöl.) One of the Polygastrica.

Polygastrica
Pol•y•gas´tri•ca (-tri•ka), n. pl. [NL. So called because they were supposed to have several stomachs, or digestive cavities.] (Zoöl.) The Infusoria. [Obs.] { Pol•y•gen´e•sis (-jen"e•sis), Po•lyg´e•ny (po•lij"e•ny), } n. [ Poly- + genesis, or root of Gr. gi•gnesqai to be born.] (Biol.) The theory that living organisms originate in cells or embryos of different kinds, instead of coming from a single cell; — opposed to monogenesis.

Polygenetic
Pol•y•ge•net´ic, a.
1. Having many distinct sources; originating at various places or times.
2. (Biol.) Of or pertaining to polygenesis; polyphyletic. Polygenetic mountain range (Geol.), one which is composite, or consists of two or more monogenetic ranges, each having had its own history of development. Dana.

Polygenic
Pol•y•gen´ic (-jen"ik), a. (Biol.) Of or relating to polygeny; polygenetic.

Polygenism
Po•lyg´e•nism (po•lij"e•niz’m), n. [Cf. F. polygenisme.] (Biol.) The doctrine that animals of the same species have sprung from more than one original pair.

Polygenist
Po•lyg´e•nist (-nist), n. (Biol.) One who maintains that animals of the same species have sprung from more than one original pair; — opposed to monogenist.

Polygenous
Po•lyg´e•nous, a. [ Poly- + -genous: cf. Gr. of many families.] Consisting of, or containing, many kinds; as a polygenous mountain. Kirwan.

Polyglot
Pol´y•glot, a. [Gr. poly•glwttos many-tongued; poly•s many + glw^tta, glw^ssa, tongue, language: cf. F. polyglotte.]
1. Containing, or made up, of, several languages; as a polyglot lexicon, Bible.
2. Versed in, or speaking, many languages.

Polyglot
Pol´y•glot, n.
1. One who speaks several languages. [R.] "A polyglot, or good linguist." Howell.
2. A book containing several versions of the same text, or containing the same subject matter in several languages; esp., the Scriptures in several languages.
"Enriched by the publication of polyglots." Abp. Newcome.

Polyglottous
Pol•y•glot´tous, a. [See Polyglot.] Speaking many languages; polyglot. [R.] "The polyglottous tribes of America." Max Müller.

Polygonometry
Pol•y•go•nom´e•try, n. [ Polygon + -metry.] The doctrine of polygons; an extension of some of the principles of trigonometry to the case of polygons.

Polygonous
Po•lyg´o•nous, a. Polygonal.

Polygonum
Po•lyg´o•num, n. [NL., fr. Gr. a kind of plant; poly•s many + go•ny the knee, a joint of a plant. So called in allusion to the numerous joints.] (Bot.) A genus of plants embracing a large number of species, including bistort, knotweed, smartweed, etc.

Polygony
Po•lyg´o•ny, n. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Polygonum.

Polygordius
Pol•y•gor´di•us, n. [NL. See Poly-, and Gordius.] (Zoöl.) A genus of marine annelids, believed to be an ancient or ancestral type. It is remarkable for its simplicity of structure and want of parapodia. It is the type of the order Archiannelida, or Gymnotoma. See Loeven’s larva.

Polygraph
Pol´y•graph, n. [Gr. writing much; poly•s much, many + to write: cf. F. polygraphe.]
1. An instrument for multiplying copies of a writing; a manifold writer; a copying machine.
2. In bibliography, a collection of different works, either by one or several authors. Brande & C. { Pol•y•graph´ic, Pol•y•graph´ic•al } a. [Cf. F. polygraphique.] Pertaining to, or employed in, polygraphy; as a polygraphic instrument.
2. Done with a polygraph; as a polygraphic copy.

Polygraphy
Po•lyg´ra•phy, n. [Gr. ; poly•s much + gra•fein to write: cf. F. polygraphie.]
1. Much writing; writing of many books. [Obs.] Fuller.
2. The art of writing in various ciphers, and of deciphering the same. [R.]
3. The art or practice of using a polygraph.

Polygrooved
Pol´y•grooved, a. [ Poly- + groove.] Having many grooves; as a polygrooved rifle or gun (referring to the rifling).

Polygyn
Pol´y•gyn, n. [Cf. F. polygyne. See Polygyny.] (Bot.) A plant of the order Polygynia.

Polygyny
Po•lyg´y•ny, n. [ Poly- + Gr. woman, wife.] The state or practice of having several wives at the same time; marriage to several wives. H. Spenser.

Polyhalite
Pol•y•ha´lite, n. [ Poly- + Gr. salt.] (Min.) A mineral usually occurring in fibrous masses, of a brick-red color, being tinged with iron, and consisting chiefly of the sulphates of lime, magnesia, and soda. { Pol•y•he´dral, Pol•y•hed´ric•al } a. [See Polyhedron.] (Geom.) Having many sides, as a solid body. Polyhedral angle, an angle bounded by three or more plane angles having a common vertex.

Polyhedrous
Pol•y•he´drous, a. Polyhedral.

Polyhistor
Pol•y•his´tor, n. [Gr. very learned.] One versed in various learning. [R.]

Polyhymnia
Pol•y•hym´ni•a, n. [L., from Gr. ; poly•s many + hymn.] (Anc. Myth.) The Muse of lyric poetry.

Polyiodide
Pol•y•i´o•dide, n. (Chem.) A iodide having more than one atom of iodine in the molecule.

Polylogy
Po•lyl´o•gy, n. [Gr. ; poly•s much + discourse.] Talkativeness. [R.]

Polyloquent
Po•lyl´o•quent, a. [ Poly- + L. loquens, p. pr. of logui to speak.] Garrulous; loquacious. [R.]

Polymastism
Pol•y•mas´tism, n. [ Poly- + Gr. a breast.] (Anat.) The condition of having more than two mammae, or breasts.

Polymathic
Pol•y•math´ic, a. [Cf. F. polymathique. See Polymathy.] Pertaining to polymathy; acquainted with many branches of learning.

Polymathy
Po•lym´a•thy, n. [Gr. ; poly•s much +,, to learn.] The knowledge of many arts and sciences; variety of learning. Johnson.

Polymeniscous
Pol•y•me•nis´cous, a. [See Poly-, and Meniscus.] (Zoöl.) Having numerous facets; — said of the compound eyes of insects and crustaceans.

Polymerism
Po•lym´er•ism, n. (Chem.) (a) The state, quality, or relation of two or more polymeric substances. (b) The act or process of forming polymers.

Polymerization
Pol•y•mer•i•za´tion, n. (Chem.) The act or process of changing to a polymeric form; the condition resulting from such change.

Polymerize
Pol´y•mer•ize, v. t. (Chem.) To cause polymerization of; to produce polymers from; to increase the molecular weight of, without changing the atomic proportions; thus, certain acids polymerize aldehyde.

Polymerize
Pol´y•mer•ize, v. i. (Chem.) To change into another substance having the same atomic proportions, but a higher molecular weight; to undergo polymerization; thus, aldehyde polymerizes in forming paraldehyde.

Polymerous
Po•lym´er•ous, a.
1. (Bot.) Having many parts or members in each set. Gray.
2. (Chem.) Polymeric. [Obs.]

Polymnia
Po•lym´ni•a, n. See Polyhymnia.

Polymorph
Pol´y•morph, n. [Gr. multiform; poly•s many + form: cf. F. polymorphe.] (Crystallog.) A substance capable of crystallizing in several distinct forms; also any one of these forms. Cf. Allomorph.

Polymorphism
Pol•y•mor´phism, n.
1. (Crystallog.) Same as Pleomorphism.
2. (Biol.) (a) The capability of assuming different forms; the capability of widely varying in form. (b) Existence in many forms; the coexistence, in the same locality, of two or more distinct forms independent of sex, not connected by intermediate gradations, but produced from common parents.

Polymorphy
Pol´y•mor•phy, n. Existence in many forms; polymorphism.

Poly-mountain
Po•ly-moun´tain, n. (Bot.) (a) Same as Poly, n. (b) The closely related Teucrium montanum, formerly called Polium montanum, a plant of Southern Europe. (c) The Bartsia alpina, a low purple-flowered herb of Europe.

Polymyoid
Po•lym´y•oid, a. [ Poly- + Gr.,, muscle + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Having numerous vocal muscles; of or pertaining to the Polymyodae.

Polyneme
Pol´y•neme, n. [ Poly- + Gr. thread.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of tropical food fishes of the family Polynemidae. They have several slender filaments, often very long, below the pectoral fin. Some of them yield isinglass of good quality. Called also threadfish.

Polynemoid
Pol•y•ne´moid, a. [ Polyneme + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Of or pertaining to the polynemes, or the family Polynemidae.

Polynesian
Pol•y•ne´sian, a. Of or pertaining to Polynesia (the islands of the eastern and central Pacific), or to the Polynesians.

Polynesians
Pol•y•ne´sians, n. pl.; sing. Polynesian. (Ethnol.) The race of men native in Polynesia.

Polynia
Po•lyn´i•a, n. [Russ. poluineia a warm place in water, i. e., a place which does not freeze.] The open sea supposed to surround the north pole. Kane.

Polynomial
Pol•y•no´mi•al, n. [ Poly- + -nomial, as in monomial, binomial: cf. F. polynôme.] (Alg.) An expression composed of two or more terms, connected by the signs plus or minus; as a² - 2ab + b².

Polynomial
Pol•y•no´mi•al, a.
1. Containing many names or terms; multinominal; as the polynomial theorem.
2. Consisting of two or more words; having names consisting of two or more words; as a polynomial name; polynomial nomenclature.

Polynuclear
Pol•y•nu´cle•ar, a. [ Poly- + nuclear.] (Biol.) Containing many nuclei.

Polynucleolar
Pol•y•nu•cle´o•lar, a. [ Poly- + nucleolar.] (Biol.) Having more than one nucleolus.

Polyommatous
Pol•y•om´ma•tous, a. [ Poly- + Gr.,, the eye.] Having many eyes.

Polyonomous
Pol•y•on´o•mous, a. [ Poly- + Gr.,, name: cf. Gr. .] Having many names or titles; polyonymous. Sir W. Jones.

Polyonomy
Pol•y•on´o•my, n. [Cf. Gr. a multitude of names.] The use of a variety of names for the same object. G. S. Faber.

Polyonym
Pol´y•o•nym, n.
1. An object which has a variety of names.
2. A polynomial name or term.

Polyonymous
Pol•y•on´y•mous, a. Polyonomous. { Pol•y•op´tron, Pol•y•op´trum } n. [NL., from Gr. poly•s many + seen.] (Opt.) A glass through which objects appear multiplied, but diminished in size. [R.]

Polyorama
Pol•y•o•ra´ma, n. [ Poly- + Gr. a sight, view.] A view of many objects; also a sort of panorama with dissolving views.

Polyp
Pol´yp, n. [L. polypus, Gr.,, literally, many-footed; poly•s many +,, foot: cf. F. polype. See Poly- and Foot, and cf. Polypode, Polypody, Poulp.] (Zoöl.) (a) One of the feeding or nutritive zooids of a hydroid or coral. (b) One of the Anthozoa. (c) pl. Same as Anthozoa. See Anthozoa, Madreporaria, Hydroid. [Written also polype.] Fresh-water polyp, the hydra. — Polyp stem (Zoöl.), that portion of the stem of a siphonophore which bears the polypites, or feeding zooids.

Polypary
Pol´y•pa•ry, n. ; pl. Polyparies (#). [See Polyp.] (Zoöl.) Same as Polypidom.

Polyperythrin
Pol•y•pe•ryth´rin, n. [ Polyp + Gr. red.] (Physiol. Chem.) A coloring matter found in many simple Anthozoa and some hydroids.

Polypetalous
Pol•y•pet´al•ous, a. [ Poly- + petal.] (Bot.) Consisting of, or having, several or many separate petals; as a polypetalous corolla, flower, or plant. Martyn.

Polyphagous
Po•lyph´a•gous, a. [L. polyphagus, Gr. ; poly•s much, many + to eat: cf. F. polyphage.] Eating, or subsisting on, many kinds of food; as polyphagous animals.

Polyphagy
Po•lyph´´a•gy, n. The practice or faculty of subsisting on many kinds of food.

Polypharmacy
Pol•y•phar´ma•cy, n. [ Poly- + Gr. the using of medicine, fr. medicine: cf. F. polypharmacie.] (Med.) (a) The act or practice of prescribing too many medicines. (b) A prescription made up of many medicines or ingredients. Dunglison.

Polyphase
Pol´y•phase, a. [ Poly- + phase.] (Elec.) Having or producing two or more phases; multiphase; as a polyphase machine, a machine producing two or more pressure waves of electro-motive force, differing in phase; a polyphase current.

Polyphaser
Pol´y•phas•er, n. (Elec.) A machine generating more than one pressure wave; a multiphaser. { Pol•y•pho´tal, Pol´y•phote }, a. [ Poly- + Gr.,, light.] (Elec.) Pertaining to or designating arc lamps so constructed that more than one can be used on a single circuit.

Polyphemus
Pol•y•phe´mus, n. [L. Polyphemus the one-eyed Cyclops who was blinded by Ulysses.] (Zoöl.) A very large American moth ( Telea polyphemus) belonging to the Silkworm family ( Bombycidae). Its larva, which is very large, bright green, with silvery tubercles, and with oblique white stripes on the sides, feeds on the oak, chestnut, willow, cherry, apple, and other trees. It produces a large amount of strong silk. Called also American silkworm.

Polyphone
Pol´y•phone, n. A character or vocal sign representing more than one sound, as read, which is pronounced red or red.

Polyphonic
Pol•y•phon´ic, a. [Gr. ; poly•s many + sound: cf. F. polyphone.]
1. Having a multiplicity of sounds.
2. Characterized by polyphony; as Assyrian polyphonic characters.
3. (Mus.) Consisting of several tone series, or melodic parts, progressing simultaneously according to the laws of counterpoint; contrapuntal; as a polyphonic composition; — opposed to homophonic, or monodic.

Polyphonism
Po•lyph´o•nism, n. Polyphony.

Polyphonist
Po•lyph´o•nist, n.
1. A proficient in the art of multiplying sounds; a ventriloquist.
2. (Mus.) A master of polyphony; a contrapuntist.

Polyphonous
Po•lyph´o•nous, a. Same as Polyphonic.

Polyphyletic
Pol•y•phy•let´ic, a. [ Poly- + Gr. clan.] (Biol.) Pertaining to, or characterized by, descent from more than one root form, or from many different root forms; polygenetic; — opposed to monophyletic.

Polyphyllous
Po•lyph´yl•lous, a. [Gr. ; poly•s many + leaf.] (Bot.) Many-leaved; as a polyphyllous calyx or perianth.

Polypi
Pol´y•pi, n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) The Anthozoa.

Polypide
Pol´y•pide, n. (Zoöl.) One of the ordinary zooids of the Bryozoa. [Spellt also polypid.]

Polypidom
Po•lyp´i•dom, n. [ Polypus + L. domus house.] (Zoöl.) A coral, or corallum; also one of the coral-like structure made by bryozoans and hydroids.

Polypier
Po•ly•pier´, n. [F.] A polypidom.

Polypifera
Pol•y•pif´e•ra, n. pl. [NL.] (Zoöl.) The Anthozoa.

Polypiferous
Pol•y•pif´er•ous, a. [ Polypus + -ferous.] (Zoöl.) Bearing polyps, or polypites.

Polypiparous
Pol•y•pip´a•rous, a. [ Polypus + L. parere to produce.] (Zoöl.) Producing polyps.

Polypite
Pol´y•pite, n.
1. (Zoöl.) (a) One of the feeding zooids, or polyps, of a coral, hydroid, or siphonophore; a hydranth. See Illust. of Campanularian. (b) Sometimes, the manubrium of a hydroid medusa.
2. (Paleon.) A fossil coral.

Polypode
Pol•y•pode, n. [Cf. F. polypode. See Polypody.] (Bot.) A plant of the genus Polypodium; polypody. [Written also polypod.]

Polypode
Pol´y•pode, n. [Gr.,, the wood louse, milleped: cf. F. polypode. See Polyp.] (Zoöl.) An animal having many feet; a myriapod.

Polypoid
Pol´y•poid, a. [ Polyp + - oid.]
1. (Zoöl.) Like a polyp; having the nature of a polyp, but lacking the tentacles or other parts.
2. (Med.) Resembling a polypus in appearance; having a character like that of a polypus.

Polypomedusae
Pol•y•po•me•du´sae, n. pl. [NL. See Polyp, and Medusa.] (Zoöl.) Same as Hydrozoa.

Polyporus
Po•lyp´o•rus, n. ; pl. Polypori (#). [NL., fr. Gr. poly•s many + a pore.] (Bot.) A genus of fungi having the under surface full of minute pores; also any fungus of this genus. Polyporus fomentarius was formerly dried and cut in slices for tinder, called amadou. P. betulinus is common in America, and forms very large thick white semicircular excrescences on birch trees. Several species of Polyporous are considered edible.

Polypous
Pol´y•pous, a. [Cf. F. polypeux. See Polyp.] Of the nature of a polypus; having many feet or roots, like the polypus; affected with polypus. { Pol•y•prag•mat´ic, Pol•y•prag•mat´ic•al } a. [ Poly- + pragmatic, - ical.] Overbusy; officious. [R.] Heywood.

Polyprotodonta
Pol•y•pro•to•don´ta, n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. poly•s many + first +,, tooth.] (Zoöl.) A division of marsupials in which there are more fore incisor teeth in each jaw.

Polypteroidei
Po•lyp•te•roi´de•i, n. pl. [NL. See Polypterus, and -oid.] (Zoöl.) A suborder of existing ganoid fishes having numerous fins along the back. The bichir, or Polypterus, is the type. See Illust. under Crossopterygian.

Polyptoton
Pol•yp•to´ton, n. [L., fr. Gr. having, or being in, many cases; poly•s many + case.] (Rhet.) A figure by which a word is repeated in different forms, cases, numbers, genders, etc., as in Tennyson’s line, — "My own heart’s heart, and ownest own, farewell."

Polypus
Pol´y•pus, n. ; pl. E. Polypuses (#), L. Polypi (#). [L. See Polyp.]
1. (Zoöl.) Same as Polyp.
2. (Med.) A tumor, usually with a narrow base, somewhat resembling a pear, — found in the nose, uterus, etc., and produced by hypertrophy of some portion of the mucous membrane.

Polyschematist
Pol•y•sche´ma•tist, a. [ Poly- + Gr. form, manner.] Having, or existing in, many different forms or fashions; multiform.

Polyscope
Pol´y•scope, n. [Gr. farseeing; poly•s much, many + to view: cf. F. polyscope.]
1. (Opt.) A glass which makes a single object appear as many; a multiplying glass. Hutton.
2. (Med.) An apparatus for affording a view of the different cavities of the body.

Polysepalous
Pol•y•sep´al•ous, a. [ Poly- + sepal.] (Bot.) Having the sepals separate from each other.

Polysilicic
Pol•y•si•lic´ic, a. [ Poly- + silicic.] (Chem.) Of or pertaining to compounds formed by the condensation of two or more molecules of silicic acid. Polysilicic acid (Chem.), any one of a series of acids formed by the condensation of two or more molecules of silicic acid, with elimination of water.

Polyspast
Pol´y•spast, n. [L. polyspaston, fr. Gr., fr. drawn by several cords; poly•s many + to draw: cf. F. polyspaste.] (Surg.) A machine consisting of many pulleys; specifically, an apparatus formerly used for reducing luxations.

Polyspermous
Pol•y•sper´mous, a. [Gr. ; poly•s many + seed.] (Bot.) Containing many seeds; as a polyspermous capsule or berry. Martyn.

Polyspermy
Pol´y•sper•my, n. (Biol.) 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. [ Poly- + spore.] (Bot.) Containing many spores.

Polystomata
Pol•y•stom´a•ta, n. pl. [NL., from Gr. poly•s many +,, mouth.] (Zoöl.) A division of trematode worms having more two suckers. Called also Polystomea and Polystoma.

Polystome
Pol´y•stome, a. [Gr. many- mouthed; poly•s + sto•ma mouth.] (Zoöl.) Having many mouths.

Polystome
Pol´y•stome, n. (Zoöl.) An animal having many mouths; — applied to Protozoa.

Polystyle
Pol´y•style, a. [Gr. with many columns; poly•s many + column: cf. F. polystyle.] (Arch.) Having many columns; — said of a building, especially of an interior part or court; as a polystyle hall. — n. A polystyle hall or edifice.

Polysulphide
Pol•y•sul´phide, n. [ Poly- + sulphide.] (Chem.) A sulphide having more than one atom of sulphur in the molecule; — contrasted with monosulphide.

Polysulphuret
Pol•y•sul´phu•ret, n. (Chem.) A polysulphide. [Obsoles.] { Pol•y•syl•lab´ic, Pol•y•syl•lab´ic•al, } a. [Gr. ; poly•s many + syllable: cf. F. polysyllabique.] Pertaining to a polysyllable; containing, or characterized by, polysyllables; consisting of more than three syllables.

Polysyllabicism
Pol•y•syl•lab´i•cism, n. Polysyllabism.

Polysyllabicity
Pol•y•syl•la•bic´i•ty, n. Polysyllabism.

Polysyllabism
Pol•y•syl´la•bism, n. The quality or state of being polysyllabic.

Polysyllable
Pol´y•syl•la•ble, n. [ Poly- + syllable.] 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. Characterized by polysyndeton, or the multiplication of conjunctions. — Pol•y•syn•det´ic•al•ly (#), adv.

Polysyndeton
Pol•y•syn´de•ton, n. [NL., from Gr. poly•s many + bound together, fr. to bind together; with + to bind.] (Rhet.) 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. [ Poly- + synthesis.]
1. The act or process of combining many separate elements into a whole.
2. (Philol.) 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 (-sin•thet"ik), a. [ Poly- + synthetic.] 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 (-i•siz’m), n. Polysynthesis.

Polytechnic
Pol•y•tech´nic (pol•i•tek"nik), a. [Gr. poly•technos; poly•s many + te•chnh an art: cf. F. polytechnique.] 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. Polytechnic.

Polytechnics
Pol•y•tech´nics, n. The science of the mechanic arts.

Polythalamia
Pol•y•tha•la´mi•a, n. pl. [NL. See Polythalamous.] (Zoöl.) A division of Foraminifera including those having a manychambered shell.

Polytheist
Pol´y•the•ist, n. [Cf. F. polytheiste.] One who believes in, or maintains the doctrine of, a plurality of gods. { Pol•y•the•is´tic, Pol•y•the•is´tic•al, } a. 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. To adhere to, advocate, or inculcate, the doctrine of polytheism. Milman.

Polythelism
Pol•y•the´lism, n. [ Poly- + Gr. qhlh• a nipple.] (Anat.) The condition of having more than two teats, or nipples.

Polytocous
Po•lyt´o•cous, a. [Gr. ; poly•s many + offspring.]
1. (Bot.) Bearing fruit repeatedly, as most perennial plants; polycarpic.
2. (Zoöl.) Producing many or young.

Polytomous
Po•lyt´o•mous, a. [ Poly- + Gr. a cutting, fr. to cut.] (Bot.) 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) A division into many members. F. Bowen.

Polytungstate
Pol•y•tung´state, n. A salt of polytungstic acid.

Polytungstic
Pol•y•tung´stic, a. (Chem.) 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. [ Poly- + - type.] (Print.) 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.) 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.) To produce a polytype of; as to polytype an engraving.

Polytype
Pol´y•type, n. [ Poly- + - type: cf. F. polytype, a.] (Print.) A cast, or facsimile copy, of an engraved block, matter in type, etc. — Pol´y•type, a.

Polytype
Pol´y•type, v. t. [ imp. & p. p. -typed p. pr. & vb. n. - typing ] (Print.) To produce a polytype of; as to polytype an engraving.

Polyzoarium
Pol•y•zo•a´ri•um, n. ; pl. Polyzoaria (#). [NL.] (Zoöl.) Same as Polyzoary.

Polyzonal
Pol•y•zon´al, a. [ Poly- + zonal.] 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.

Polyzoön
Pol•y•zo"ön, n. ; pl. Polyzoa (#). [NL. See Polyzoan.] (Zoöl.) One of the individual zooids forming the compound organism of a polyzoan.

Pomacentroid
Po•ma•cen´troid, a. [Gr. a cover + a prickle + -oid.] (Zoöl.) Pertaining to the Pomacentridae, a family of bright-colored tropical fishes having spiny opercula; — often called coral fishes.

Pomaceous
Po•ma´ceous, a. [LL. ponum an apple.]
1. (Bot.) (a) Like an apple or pear; producing pomes. (b) Of or pertaining to a suborder ( Pomeae) 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´ ( 277), n. [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.

Pomarine
Po´ma•rine, a. [Gr. a lid +,, nose.] (Zoöl.) 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. [See Pomade.] A perfumed unguent or composition, chiefly used in dressing the hair; pomade. Wiseman.

Pomatum
Po•ma´tum, v. t. To dress with pomatum.

Pome, n. [L. pomum a fruit: cf. F. pomme apple. Cf. Pomade.]
1. (Bot.) 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.) 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, v. i. [Cf. F. pommer. See Pome, n. ] To grow to a head, or form a head in growing. [Obs.]

Pomelo
Pom´e•lo, n. [Cf. Pompelmous.] A variety of shaddock, called also grape fruit.

Pomewater
Pome´wa•ter, n. A kind of sweet, juicy apple. [Written also pomwater.] Shak.

Pomey
Pom´ey, n. ; pl. Pomeys (#). [F. pomme grown round, or like an apple, p. p. of pommer to pome.] (Her.) A figure supposed to resemble an apple; a roundel, — always of a green color.

Pomfret
Pom´fret, n. [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.) The culture of fruit; pomology as an art.

Pomiferous
Po•mif´er•ous, a. [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. See Pomage.

Pomological
Po•mo•log´ic•al, a. [Cf. F. pomologique.] Of or pertaining to pomology.

Pomologist
Po•mol´o•gist, n. One versed in pomology; one who culticvates fruit trees.

Pomology
Po•mol´o•gy, n. [L. pomum fruit + -logy: cf. F. pomologie.] The science of fruits; a treatise on fruits; the cultivation of fruits and fruit trees.

Pomona
Po•mo´na, n. [L., from pomum fruit.] (Class. Myth.) The goddess of fruits and fruit trees.

Pomp, n. [OE. pompe, F. pompe, L. pompa, fr. Gr. a sending, a solemn procession, pomp, fr. to send. Cf. 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.