Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary 1908/Purim Pyxidium

Purim, pū′rim, n. the feast of lots held about 1st of March, in which the Jews commemorated their deliverance from the plot of Haman, as related in Esther. [Heb., pl. of pur, lot.]

Purism, pūr′izm, n. exclusion of mixture of any kind: pure or immaculate conduct or style: the doctrine of a purist: great nicety or care in the use of words.—n. ', one who is excessively pure or nice in the choice of words.—adj. '.

Puritan, pūr′i-tan, n. one aiming at greater strictness in religious life, esp. one of a religious and political party having such aims in the time of Elizabeth and the Stuarts.—adj. pertaining to the Puritans.—adjs. ', ', like a Puritan: rigid: exact.—adv. '.—v.i. '.—n. , a puritan manner of life: strictness of life: simplicity and purity of worship: the notions or practice of Puritans. [L. puritas, purity—purus, pure.]

Purity, pūr′i-ti, n. condition of being pure: freedom from mixture of any kind: freedom from sin or defilement: chastity: sincerity: freedom from foreign or improper idioms or words.

Purl, purl, v.i. to flow with a murmuring sound, as a stream over small stones: to ripple: to flow in eddies: to curl or swirl.—v.t. to whirl about: to unseat.—n. a soft murmuring sound, as of a stream among stones: an eddy or ripple.—n. , the act of flowing with a gentle, murmuring sound: the murmuring sound of a small stream. [Prob. freq. of purr; cf. Sw. porla, Ger. perlen, to bubble.]

Purl, purl, v.t. to fringe with a waved edging, as lace: to invert stitches.—n. an embroidered border: a hem or fringe of twisted gold or silver thread: a ribbed or wavy appearance caused by inverted stitches: a kind of 16th-cent. lace. [Purfle.]

Purl, purl, n. ale warmed and spiced.

Purlieu, pur′lū, n. the borders or environs of any place: (orig.) the grounds on the borders of a royal forest, illegally added to the forest, but afterwards restored to their rightful owners, and marked out by perambulation. [Acc. to Skeat, a corr. of O. Fr. puralee (a mere translation of L. perambulatio), land severed from a royal forest by perambulation—O. Fr. pur (=L. pro), allee, a going.]

Purlin, Purline, pur′lin, n. a piece of timber stretching horizontally across the rafters underneath to support them in the middle. [Perh. Fr. pour, for, or par, through, ligne, a line.]

Purloin, pur-loin′, v.t. to carry off to a distance: to take for one's own use: to steal: to plagiarise.—v.i. to practise theft.—n. . [O. Fr. purloignier—L. prolongāre.]

Purple, pur′pl, n. a very dark-red colour formed by the mixture of blue and red: a purple dress or robe, originally worn only by royalty: a robe of honour: the dignity of a king or emperor: a cardinalate, so called from the red hat and robes worn by cardinals.—adj. red tinged with blue: blood-red: bloody.—v.t. to dye purple: to clothe with purple.—v.i. to become purple in colour.—n. ', a shellfish of genus Purpura.—adjs. ' (Tenn.), purple with frost or cold; ' (Shak.), having a purple hue.—n.pl. ', petechiæ or spots of livid red on the body: a disease of wheat: an early purple-flowered orchid.—adj. ', having purple spikes.—ns. ', ', the heartwood of Copaifera pubiflora, used for ramrods.—adj. ', somewhat purple.—Purple emperor, one of the largest of British butterflies, and one of the most richly coloured.—Born in the purple, of princely rank or birth; Tyrian purple, a fine purple dye for which the people of ancient Tyre were celebrated. [O. Fr. porpre (Fr. pourpre)—L. purpura—Gr. porphyra, the purple-fish.]

Purport, pur′pōrt, n. design: meaning: signification.—v.t. (also ') to give out as its meaning: to convey to the mind: to seem to mean—often with an infinitive clause as its object.—adj. '. [O. Fr., from pur (Fr. pour)—L. pro, for, porter—L. portāre, to carry.]

Purpose, pur′pos, n. idea or aim kept before the mind as the end of effort: aim, intention: effect: (Spens.) conversation: (pl.) a sort of conversational game.—Of, or On, purpose, with design, intentionally; To the purpose, to the point, or material to the question. [O. Fr. pourpos, propos—L. propositum, a thing intended—pro, forward, ponĕre, positum, to place.]

Purpose, pur′pos, v.t. to intend (often followed by an infinitive or participial clause as its object).—v.i. to have an intention: (Spens.) to discourse.—adj. ', having an object: full of meaning.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', without purpose or effect: aimless.—adv. '.—n. '.—adj. ', having a definite purpose: having the appearance of being fit for a purpose.—adv. ', with purpose: intentionally.—n. '.—adj. ', having an aim: (biol.) functional.—n. . [O. Fr. purposer, form of proposer, influenced by Fr. propos.]

Purprise, pur-prīz′, n. an enclosure: the whole compass of a manor.—n. , a private encroachment upon a public highway, &c. [O. Fr. pourpris—pour, for, prendre—L. prehendĕre, to take.]

Purpura, pur′pū-ra, n. a genus of marine gasteropods: an eruption of small purple spots, caused by extravasation of blood in the skin—also called the Purples.—adj. ', of purple colour.—n. ', purple.—adjs. ', purple; ', relating to purpura. [L.,—Gr. porphyra.]

Purr, Pur, pur, v.i. to utter a low, murmuring sound, as a cat when pleased: to signify by, or as by, purring.—ns. Purr; ', the low, murmuring sound of a cat.—adv. '. [Imit.]

Purse, purs, n. a small bag for money, orig. made of skin: a sum of money, esp. a sum given as a present or offered as a prize: a treasury: a person's finances.—v.t. to put into a purse: to contract as the mouth of a purse: to draw into folds or wrinkles.—n. ', one who has charge of the purse of another: a treasurer.—adj. ', pouched, marsupiate.—ns. ', as much as a purse can hold: enough to fill a purse; ' (Tenn.), a pursed-up mouth; ', a kind of net that can be closed like a purse; '.—adj. ', proud of one's purse or wealth: insolent from wealth.—ns. ', an officer who has charge of the provisions, clothing, and accounts of a ship, now termed a 'paymaster;' '; ', a seine which can be pursed into the shape of a bag.—n.pl. ', the strings fastening a purse.—n. ', robbing.—A light, or empty, purse, poverty; A long, or heavy, purse, riches; Privy purse, an allowance for the private expenses of the British sovereign: an officer in the royal household who pays the sovereign the grant of the civil list for his private expenses. [O. Fr. borse (Fr. bourse)—Low L. bursa—Gr. byrsa, a hide.]

Purslane, Purslain, purs′lān, n. an annual plant, frequently used in salads. [O. Fr. porcelaine—L. porcilaca, portulaca.]

Pursue, pur-sū′, v.t. to follow after in order to overtake: to follow with haste: to chase: to follow up: to be engaged in: to carry on: to seek to obtain: to seek to injure: to imitate: to continue.—v.i. to follow: to go on or continue: to act as a prosecutor at law.—n. (Spens.) pursuit.—adj. '.—n. ', the act of pursuing or following out: process: consequence.—adj. ', done while pursuing or seeking any purpose, hence agreeable.—adv. agreeably: conformably—also '.—n. , one who pursues: (Scots law) a plaintiff. [O. Fr. porsuir (Fr. poursuivre)—L. prosequi, -secutus—pro, onwards, sequi, to follow.]

Pursuit, pur-sūt′, n. the act of pursuing: endeavour to attain: occupation: employment.

Pursuivant, pur′swi-vant, n. an attendant or follower: a state messenger: an attendant on the heralds: one of four inferior officers in the English College of Arms. [Fr., pr.p. of poursuivre, to pursue.]

Pursy, purs′i, adj. puffy: fat and short: short-breathed.—n. . [O. Fr. pourcif (Fr. poussif), orig. poulsif, broken-winded—O. Fr. poulser (Fr. pousser), to push—L. pulsāre, to push.]

Purtenance, pur′ten-ans, n. that which pertains or belongs to: (B.) the inwards or intestines of an animal. [Appurtenance.]

Purulence, pū′rū-lens, n. the forming of pus or matter: pus—also '.—adj. ', consisting of, full of, or resembling pus or matter.—adv. . [Pus.]

Purvey, pur-vā′, v.t, to provide, esp. with conveniences: to procure.—v.i. to provide: to buy in provisions for several persons: (with to) to pander.—ns. ', the act of purveying: a procuring of victuals: that which is supplied: the former royal prerogative of pre-emption of necessaries; ', one who provides victuals: an officer who formerly exacted provisions for the use of the king's household: a procurer. [O. Fr. porvoir (Fr. pourvoir)—L. providēre, to provide.]

Purview, pur′vū, n. a condition or disposition: the part of a statute beginning with 'Be it enacted:' scope: limits. [O. Fr. pourvieu—pourvoir, to provide.]

Pus, pus, n. a thick yellowish fluid exuded from inflamed tissues: that which has become putrid. [L. pus, puris, matter; akin to Gr. pyon.]

Puseyism, pū′zi-izm, n. a name given to the High Church and Catholic principles of Dr E. B. Pusey (1800-82), and other Oxford divines, as set forth in 'Tracts for the Times.'—adjs. ', '.—n. , one who holds the views of Dr Pusey.

Push, pōōsh, v.t. to thrust or press against: to drive by pressure: to press forward: to urge: to press hard: to thrust, as with a sword.—v.i. to make a thrust: to make an effort: to press against: to burst out.—n. a thrust: an impulse: assault: effort: exigence: (Bacon) a pustule, a pimple, eruption.—n. ', one who pushes: a stem or rod.—adj. ', pressing forward in business: enterprising: vigorous.—n. ', an implement for starting a railway-carriage, &c.—adv. '.—n.  (Shak.), a children's game in which pins are pushed alternately. [Fr. pousser—L. pulsāre, freq. of pellĕre, pulsum, to beat.]

Pushtu, Pushtoo, push′tōō, n. the language of the Afghans proper.—Also . [Afghan.]

Pusillanimous, pū-si-lan′i-mus, adj. wanting firmness of mind: of small courage: having a little mind: mean-spirited: cowardly.—adv. '.—ns. ', , state or quality of being weak-minded: lack of spirit or courage: timidity. [L. pusillanimis—pusillus, very little, animus, the mind.]

Puss, pōōs, n. a familiar name for a cat: a hare, in sportsmen's language: a playful name for a child or a girl.—ns. ', the rabbit's foot or stone-clover; ', a dandy; ', a moth of the genus Cerura; ', a common grass with bristly spikes, belonging to the genus Setaria—also called Foxtail; , a dim. of puss—also '; ', the silky catkin of various willows; , a common American willow, Salix discolor, with silky spring catkins.—Puss in the corner, a children's game in which the places are continually being changed, while the player who is out tries to secure one of them. [Dut. poes, puss; Ir. and Gael. pus, a cat.]

Pustule, pus′tūl, n. a small pimple containing pus: anything like a pustule, on plants or animals: a small blister.—adjs. ', ', covered with pustules.—v.t. ', to form into pustules.—n. '. [Fr.,—L. pustula, a pimple.]

Put, pōōt, v.t. to push or thrust: to cast, throw: to drive into action: to throw suddenly, as a word: to set, lay, or deposit: to bring into any state or position: to offer: to propose: to express, state: to apply: to oblige: to incite: to add.—v.i. to place: to turn:—pr.p. putting pa.t. and pa.p. put.—n. a push or thrust: a cast, throw, esp. of a heavy stone from the shoulder (see Putting): an attempt: a game at cards: a contract by which one person, in consideration of a certain sum of money paid to another, acquires the privilege of selling or delivering to the latter within a certain time certain securities or commodities, at a stipulated price (see Options).—ns. ', ', an excuse, a makeshift, evasion; , one who puts.—Put about, to change the course, as of a ship: to put to inconvenience, trouble: to publish; Put an end, or stop, to, to check, hinder: cause to discontinue; Put away, to renounce, to divorce; Put back, to push backward: to delay: to say nay; Put by, to lay aside: to divert: to store up; Put down, to crush: to degrade: (Shak.) to confute: to enter, as a name: (rare) to give up: to start for; Put for, to set out vigorously towards a place; Put forth, to extend: to propose: to publish: to exert: to depart; Put in, to introduce: to hand in: to appoint: to insert: to conduct a ship into a harbour; Put in for, to put in an application or claim for; Put in mind, to bring to one's memory; Put off, to lay aside: to baffle or frustrate: to defer or delay: to push from shore: (Shak.) to discard; Put on, or upon, to invest: to impute: to assume: to promote: to instigate: to impose upon: to hasten: to inflict: to deceive, trick: to foist or palm upon; Put out, to expel, to extinguish: to place at interest: to extend: to publish: to disconcert: to offend: to expend: to dislocate; Put over (Shak.), to refer: to send: to defer: to place in authority; Put the case, Put case, suppose the case to be; Put the hand to, to take hold of: to take or seize: to engage in (any affair); Put this and that together, to infer from given premises; Put through, to bring to an end: to accomplish; Put to, to apply, use: to add to: to bring or consign to; Put to death, to kill; Put to it, to press hard: to distress; Put to rights, to bring into proper order; Put to sea, to set sail: to begin a voyage; Put to, or on, trial, to test: to try; Put two and two together, to draw a conclusion from certain circumstances; Put up, to startle from a cover, as a hare: to put back to its ordinary place when not in use, as a sword: to accommodate with lodging: to nominate for election: (with) to bear without complaint: to take lodgings; Put up to, to give information about, to instruct in. [A.S. potian, to push; prob. Celt., as Gael. put, W. pwtio.]

Put, put, n. a rustic, simpleton. [Perh. W. pwt, pytiau, any short thing.]

Put, put, n. a strumpet.—ns. ', a law phrase for a woman's fornication; ', the habit of prostitution. [O. Fr. pute, a whore.]

Putamen, pū-tā′men, n. the hard bony stone of some fruits—cherry, peach, &c.: the soft shell of an egg: the outer and darker portion of the lenticular nucleus of the brain. [L.,—putāre, to prune.]

Putative, pū′tā-tiv, adj. supposed: reputed: commonly supposed to be.—n. , act of considering, estimation.—Putative marriage, a marriage prohibited by canon law, but entered into in good faith by at least one of the parties. [Fr.,—L. putativus—putāre, -ātum, to suppose.]

Putchock, pōō-chok′, n. the fragrant costus-root, exported from India to China—a chief ingredient in the Chinese pastille-rod, commonly called jostick.—Also . [Perh. Telegu pāch'ckāku, 'green leaf;' or more prob. Malay.]

Puteal, pū′tē-al, n. a well-curb. [L.,—puteus, a well.]

Puteli, put′e-li, n. a flat-bottomed Ganges boat.

Putid, pū′tid, adj. rotten: stinking: worthless.—n. . [L. putidus, putrid.]

Put-log, put′-log, n. a cross-piece in a scaffolding, the inner end resting in a hole left in the wall.

Putois, pü-twa′, n. a brush of polecat's hair for pottery. [Fr.]

Putoo, put′ōō, n. a dish made of palmyra-nut meal, scraped coco-nut, &c.

Putorius, pū-tō′ri-us, n. a large family of Mustelidæ, including weasels, stoats, polecats, ferrets, &c.

Putrefy, pū′tre-fī, v.t. to make putrid or rotten: to corrupt.—v.i. to become putrid: to rot:—pa.t. and pa.p. —adjs. ', having an offensive smell; ' (also n.), ', pertaining to or causing putrefaction.—ns. ', the act or process of putrefying: rottenness: corruption; '; '.—adjs. ', becoming putrid: pertaining to putrefaction; ', in a state of decay: showing putrefaction: stinking: rotten: corrupt.—ns. ', ', state of being putrid: corrupt matter: rottenness: corruption.—adj. , liable to putrefy. [O. Fr. putrefier—L. putrefacĕre, to make putrid—puter, putris, rotten.]

Putt, put, v.i. in golf, to play with a putter.—n. a short stroke made with a putter in attempting to hole a ball.—ns. ', one who throws a stone: one who takes coal along underground roads: a short, stiff golf-club used in putting; ' (Shak.), an instigator; ' (obs.), one who deposited money on going abroad, on condition of receiving a larger sum on his return, the money to be forfeited in case of non-return; ', the act of hurling a heavy stone from the hand by a sudden push from the shoulder: the act of striking a golf-ball when near a hole, so as to cause it to fall into it; ', the prepared ground immediately round a hole in a golf-course; ', a heavy stone raised by the hand and thrust forward from the shoulder, as a trial of strength and skill. [Put.]

Putties, put′tiz, n.pl. strips of cloth wound round the legs, from ankle to knee, as leggings.

Puttock, pōōt′ok, n. (Shak.) a kite, a buzzard.

Puttoo, put′ōō, n. a cloth made in Cashmere from the longer and coarser wool of the goat.

Putty, put′i, n. an oxide of tin, or of lead and tin, used in polishing glass, &c.—jewellers' putty: a cement of whiting and linseed-oil, used in glazing windows: a fine cement of lime only—plasterers' putty.—v.t. to fix or fill with putty:—pa.t. and pa.p. —n. ', a glazier.—adj. ', having a face resembling putty in pastiness or colour.—ns. ', a knife with a blunt, flexible blade for laying on putty; ', an artificially prepared oxide of tin used for polishing glass; ', an American orchid the corm of whose root-stock contains a highly glutinous matter; ', decoration in a soft substance which grows very hard. [O. Fr. potée, properly that which is contained in a pot, Fr. pot.]

Put-up, poot′-up, adj. speciously conceived, planned, or carried out. [Put.]

Puture, pū′tūr, n. the claim to food for man, horse, and dog within the bounds of a forest, &c.—Also . [O. Fr. peulture.]

Puxi, puk′si, n. the edible larvæ of various flies of the genus Ephydra, found in the alkali lakes of western North America. [Mex. Ind.]

Puy, pwē, n. one of the small volcanic cones in Auvergne, &c. [Fr.]

Puzzel, puz′l, n. (obs.) a drab. [Fr. pucelle.]

Puzzle, puz′l, n. a difficulty to be solved: perplexity: something to try the ingenuity, as a toy or riddle.—v.t. to set a difficult question to: to pose: to perplex.—v.i. to be bewildered: to think long and carefully (with out, over).—ns. ' (coll.), bewilderment; ', one who is puzzle-headed.—adj. ', having the head full of confused notions.—ns. '; ', the state of being puzzled; ' (same as Monkey-puzzle, q.v.); ', a piece of wood so secured under a dog's jaw as to keep his nose from the ground; '; ', a ring made of several small rings intricately linked together, capable of being taken apart and put together again.—adj. ', posing: perplexing.—adv. . [From M. E. opposaile (Eng. opposal), an objection—opposen, posen. Cf. Pose and Oppose.]

Puzzolana, puz-ō-lä′na, n. a loosely coherent volcanic sand found at Pozzuoli, near Naples, forming a hydraulic cement with ordinary lime.—Also ', '.

Pyæmia, Pyemia, pī-ē′mi-a, n. a disease caused by the introduction into the blood of decomposing matter, from pus, &c.—adjs. ', '. [Gr. pyon, pus, haima, blood.]

Pycnid, pik′nid, n. a special receptacle in ascomycetous fungi, resembling a perithecium, in which stylospores or pycnospores are produced—also '.—n. ', a stylospore. [Gr. pyknos, thick.]

Pycnite, pik′nīt, n. a columnar variety of topaz.

Pycnogonida, pik-nō-gon′i-da, n.pl. a division of marine arthropods, the sea-spiders.—adj. . [Gr. pyknos, thick, gony, the knee.]

Pycnometer, pik-nom′e-tėr, n. an instrument for determining the specific gravity of solid bodies. [Gr. pyknos, thick, metron, measure.]

Pycnon, pik′non, n. (mus.) a small interval in Greek music, a quarter-tone: in medieval music, a semi-tone. [Gr. pyknos, thick.]

Pycnostyle, pik′nō-stīl, adj. (archit.) noting a lower degree of intercolumniation, usually 1½ diameters. [Gr. pyknos, thick, stylos, a column.]

Pyebald. See Piebald.

Pyelitis, pī-e-lī′tis, n. inflammation of the pelvis of the kidney—also Endonephritis.—adjs. '; '.—n. , inflammation of the kidney and renal pelvis. [Gr. pyelos, the pelvis, nephros, the kidney.]

Pyengadu, pī-eng′ga-dōō, n. a large acacia-like tree of Burma, India, &c., with reddish-brown wood of great heaviness and hardness.—Also .

Pygal, pī′gal, adj. belonging to the rump or posteriors of an animal.—n. the posterior median or supracaudal plate of a chelonian carapace.—n. , a kind of antelope: the osprey or sea-eagle. [Gr. pygē, the rump, argos, white.]

Pygmy, Pigmy, pig′mi, n. one of a fabulous dwarfish race of antiquity: a dwarf: any diminutive thing: one of several pygmy races in equatorial Africa and elsewhere: one of the ancient diminutive dwellers in underground houses, &c., in whom David MacRitchie sees the historical originals of the fairies and elves of folklore.—adj. resembling a pygmy: very small.—adj. , dwarfish: diminutive. [O. Fr. pigme, pygme—L. Pygmæi—Gr. Pygmaioi, the Pygmies, a (Gr.) pygmē—13½ in. long—pygmē, fist.]

Pygopus, pī′gō-pus, n. a genus of Australian lizards.

Pygostyle, pī′gō-stīl, n. the vomer or ploughshare bone of a bird's tail.—adj. . [Gr. pygē, the rump, stylos, a column.]

Pyjamas, pe-jä′maz, n.pl. loose drawers or trousers tied round the waist, in India, used also by Europeans.—Also ', '. [Hind. pāëjāma, lit. 'leg-clothing.']

Pylon, pī′lon, n. a gateway to an Egyptian temple: the mass of building through which the gateway was pierced. [Gr. pylōn—pylē, a gate.]

Pylorus, pi-lō′rus, n. the lower opening of the stomach leading to the intestines.—adj. . [L.,—Gr. pylōros—pylē, an entrance, ouros, a guardian.]

Pyogenesis, pī-ō-jen′e-sis, n. the formation of pus.—adjs. ', ', '.—ns. ', suppuration; ', expectoration of pus; ', purulent discharge; , the formation of pus.

Pyramid, pir′a-mid, n. a solid figure on a triangular, square, or polygonal base, with triangular sides meeting in a point: (pl.) 'the Pyramids,' or great monuments of Egypt: a game played on a billiard-table in which the balls are arranged in pyramid shape.—adjs. ', ', ', having the form of a pyramid.—advs. ', '.—ns. '; ', the small pyramidal apex of an obelisk; ', one versed in the history of the Pyramids; ' (Shak.), a pyramid:—pl. '.—adjs. ', '. [L.,—Gr. pyramis, pyramidos; prob. Egypt. pir-em-us. Some connection with Gr. pyr, fire.]

Pyramidon, pi-ram′i-don, n. in organ-building a stop having wooden pipes in the form of an inverted pyramid, giving very deep notes somewhat like those of a stopped diapason.

Pyrargyrite, pī-rar′ji-rīt, n. an ore of silver consisting of the sulphide of silver and antimony. [Gr. pyr, fire, argyros, silver.]

Pyre, pīr, n. a pile of wood, &c., on which a dead body is burned.—adj. . [L.,—Gr.,—pyr, fire.]

Pyrene, pī′rēn, n. a stone or putamen.—n. ', any drupaceous fruit.—adjs. ', globular, nucleiform; . [Gr. pyrēn.]

Pyrene, pī′rēn, n. a hydrocarbon obtained from coal-tar.

Pyrenean, pir-ē-nē′an, adj. of or pertaining to the Pyrenees, the range of mountains between France and Spain.—n. , a grayish-black garnet. [L. Pyrenæi (montes), the Pyrenees.]

Pyrenomycetes, pī-rē-nō-mī-sē′tez, n.pl. an order of ascomycetous fungi, including ergot, black-rot, &c. [Gr. pyren, a stone, mykēs, pl. mycētes, a mushroom.]

Pyrethrum, pir-eth′rum, n. a genus of plants containing the fever-few, or golden-feather, so much used in gardens as a bordering. [L.,—Gr.,—pyr, fire.]

Pyretic, pī-ret′ik, adj. pertaining to fever.—n. a remedy for fever.—ns. ', the science of fevers; ', fever.—adjs. ', '. [Gr. pyrektikos—pyretos, fever—pyr, fire.]

Pyrgoidal, pir-goi′dal, adj. tower-shaped. [Gr., pyrgos, a tower.]

Pyrheliometer, pir-hē-li-om′e-tėr, n. an instrument for measuring the intensity of the sun.—adj. . [Gr. pyr, fire, hēlios, sun, metron, measure.]

Pyriform, pir′i-form, adj. pear-shaped. [L. pirum, a pear, forma, form.]

Pyrite, pī′rīt, n. native iron disulphide of a pale-yellow colour and very hard—also Iron pyrites.—Copper pyrites, yellow sulphide of copper and iron. [L.,—Gr. pyrites, a flint—pyr, fire.]

Pyritegium, pir-i-tē′ji-um, n. the curfew-bell. [Low L.]

Pyrites, pir-ī′tēz, n. a term applied to a large class of mineral compounds of metals with sulphur, or with arsenic, or with both—crystalline, hard, generally brittle, and frequently yellow.—adjs. '; ', '; '.—v.t. ', to convert into pyrites.—n. ', knowledge of pyrites.—adj. . [L.,—Gr. pyr, fire.]

Pyritohedron, pī-rī-tō-hē′dron, n. a pentagonal dodecahedron.—adj. . [Gr. pyritēs, pyrites, hedra, a seat.]

Pyro-acetic, pī′rō-a-set′ik, adj. relating to acetic acid under heat.

Pyroballogy, pī-rō-bal′ō-ji, n. the art of throwing fire: (Sterne) the science of artillery. [Gr. pyr, fire, ballein, to throw, logia—legein, to speak.]

Pyroclastic, pī-rō-klas′tik, adj. formed by volcanic agencies. [Gr. pyr, fire, klastos, broken.]

Pyro-electricity, pī′rō-e-lek-tris′i-ti, n. that branch of electricity which deals with electrification as produced by change of temperature in certain crystallised bodies.—adj. .

Pyrogallic, pī-rō-gal′ik, adj. obtained from gallic acid by the action of heat.

Pyrogen, pī′rō-jen, n. any substance which causes fever when introduced into the blood.—adjs. ', ', producing fire: produced by fire; , producing fever. [Gr. pyr, fire, root of gignesthai, to become.]

Pyrognomic, pī-rog-nom′ik, adj. becoming incandescent when heated to a certain degree. [Gr. pyr, fire, gnōmōn, a mark.]

Pyrognostic, pī-rog-nos′tik, adj. pertaining to fire or heat. [Gr. pyr, fire, gnōstikos, knowing.]

Pyrography, pī-rog′ra-fi, n. the art of producing a design on wood by applying heat and pressure. [Gr. pyr, fire, graphein, to write.]

Pyrogravure, pī-rō-grā-vūr′, n. a method of engraving on wood by a red-hot metallic point: a picture so produced.

Pyrola, pī′rō-la, n. a genus of plants of the heath kind, called also Wintergreen: a single plant of this genus. [L., dim. of pirus, a pear-tree.]

Pyrolatry, pī-rol′a-tri, n. fire-worship.—n. , a fire-worshipper. [Gr. pyr, pyros, fire, latreia, worship.]

Pyroleter, pī-rol′e-tėr, n. a fire-extinguishing chemical apparatus by which carbonic acid is generated and thrown on the fire. [Gr. pyr, fire, oletēr, destroyer—ollynai, to destroy.]

Pyroligneous, pī-rō-lig′ne-us, adj. procured by the distillation of wood—applied to a kind of acetic acid.—Also ', '.

Pyrology, pī-rōl-ō-ji, n. the science of heat: a treatise on heat.—n. . [Gr. pyr, pyros, fire, logos, discourse.]

Pyrolusite, pī-rō-lū′sīt, n. native manganese dioxide.

Pyromagnetic, pī-rō-mag-net′ik, adj. pertaining to magnetism as modified by the action of heat.

Pyromancy, pī′rō-man-si, n. divination by fire.—adj. . [Gr. pyr, pyros, fire, manteia, divination.]

Pyromania, pī-rō-mā′ni-a, n. a mania for destroying things by fire: insanity which takes this form.—n. '.—adjs. ', .

Pyrometamorphism, pī-rō-met-a-mor′fizm, n. metamorphism due to heat, as opp. to Hydrometamorphism, that due to water.

Pyrometer, pī-rom′e-tėr, n. an instrument in the form of a metallic bar for measuring the temperature of bodies under heat.—adjs. ', '.—n. , the science or art of measuring degrees of heat beyond the compass of the mercurial thermometer. [Gr. pyr, fire, metron, a measure.]

Pyromorphous, pī-rō-mor′fus, adj. assuming a crystallised form after fusion by heat. [Gr. pyr, pyros, fire, morphē, form.]

Pyronomics, pī-rō-nom′iks, n. the science of heat.

Pyrope, pī′rōp, n. a gem nearly allied to garnet, of a deep-red colour and translucent, generally occurring in roundish grains. [Gr. pyrōpos, fiery-eyed—pyr, pyros, fire, ōps, opos, the face.]

Pyrophanous, pī-rof′a-nus, adj. made transparent by heat.—n. , an opal translucent while hot by melted wax. [Gr. pyr, fire, phainein, to show.]

Pyrophone, pī′rō-fōn, n. a musical instrument invented by Eugene Kastner (1873), in which the tones are produced by means of burning jets of hydrogen enclosed in graduated glass tubes. [Gr. pyr, fire, phōnē, sound.]

Pyrophorus, pī-rof′ō-rus, n. a substance which takes fire on exposure to air: a genus of elaterid beetles.—n. ', any composition which takes fire on exposure to air or water.—adjs. ', . [Gr. pyr, fire, pherein, to carry.]

Pyrophosphoric, pī-rō-fos-for′ik, adj. formed by heating phosphoric acid.

Pyrophotography, pī-rō-fō-tog′ra-fi, n. any photographic process in which heat is applied to fix the picture.

Pyroscope, pī′rō-skōp, n. an instrument for measuring the intensity of radiating heat. [Gr. pyr, pyros, fire, skopein, to view.]

Pyrosilver, pī-rō-sil′vėr, n. electroplated ware in which the silver is made to sink into the pores of the plated baser metal by the action of heat.

Pyrosis, pī-rō′sis, n. water-brash (q.v.). [Gr.,—pyr, fire.]

Pyrosoma, pī-rō-sō′ma, n. a genus of compound Tunicates, with brilliant phosphorescence, inhabiting the Mediterranean and the Atlantic—fire-flames. [Gr. pyr, fire, sōma, body.]

Pyrostat, pī′rō-stat, n. an automatic draught-regulator for chimney-stacks, smoke-pipes, &c. [Gr. pyr, fire, statos—histanai, to stand.]

Pyrosulphuric, pī-rō-sul-fū′rik, adj. obtained from sulphuric acid by the action of heat.

Pyrotechnics, pī-rō-tek′niks, n. the art of making fireworks: the use and application of fireworks—also '.—adjs. ', ', pertaining to fireworks.—n. ', a maker of fireworks: one skilled in pyrotechny. [Gr. pyr, fire, technikos, artistic—technē, art.]

Pyrotic, pī-rot′ik, adj. burning: caustic.—n. a caustic medicine. [Gr. pyrōtikos—pyr, pyros, fire.]

Pyroxene, pī′rok-sēn, n. an important mineral species, occurring in monoclinic crystals.—adj. . [Gr. pyr, fire, xenos, a guest.]

Pyroxylic, pī-rok-sil′ik, adj. obtained by distilling wood.—ns. ', ', , gun-cotton.—Pyroxylic spirit, a mixture of acetone, methyl-alcohol, acetate of methyl, &c., obtained by the destructive distillation of wood in the manufacture of pyroligneous acid. [Gr. pyr, fire, xylon, wood.]

Pyrrhic, pir′ik, n. a kind of war-dance among the ancient Greeks: a poetical foot consisting of two short syllables.—adj. pertaining to the dance or to the poetical foot.—n. , one who dances the pyrrhic. [Gr. pyrrhichē (orchēsis), a kind of war-dance, so called from Pyrrhichos, the inventor.]

Pyrrhic, pir′ik, adj. of or pertaining to Pyrrhus, king of Epirus (318-272 B.C.).—Pyrrhic victory, a victory gained at too great a cost, in allusion to Pyrrhus's exclamation after his victory of Asculum (279), 'Another such victory and we are lost!'

Pyrrhonist, pir′rō-nist, n. one who holds the tenets of Pyrrho, a philosopher of Elis (360-270 B.C.), who taught universal scepticism: a sceptic.—adjs. ', '.—n. , scepticism.

Pyrrhous, pir′us, adj. reddish. [Gr.]

Pyrus, pī′rus, n. a genus of trees and shrubs of the natural order Rosaceæ, sub-order Pomeæ. [L. pyrus, for pirus, a pear-tree.]

Pythagorean, pi-thag-ō-rē′an, adj. pertaining to Pythagoras (c. 532 B.C.), a celebrated Greek philosopher, or to his philosophy.—n. a follower of Pythagoras.—ns. ', ', his doctrines.—Pythagorean proposition, the 47th proposition of Euclid, Book I., said to have been discovered by Pythagoras; Pythagorean system, the astronomical system of Copernicus, erroneously attributed to Pythagoras; Pythagorean triangle, a triad of whole numbers proportional to the sides of a right-angled triangle—e.g. 3, 4, 5.

Pythian, pith′i-an, adj. pertaining to the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo at Delphi, who delivered the oracles of the god there: noting one of the four national festivals of ancient Greece, in honour of Apollo, held every four years at Delphi.—Pythian verse, the dactylic hexameter.



Pythogenic, pī-thō-jen′ik, adj. produced by filth.—n. . [Gr. pythein, to rot, root of gignesthai, to become.]

Pythometric, pī-thō-met′rik, adj. pertaining to the gauging of casks. [Gr. pithos, a wine-jar, metron, a measure.]

Python, pī′thon, n. a genus of serpents of the boa family, all natives of the Old World, and differing from the true boas by having the plates on the under surface of the tail double: a demon, spirit.—n. ', the priestess of the oracle of Apollo at Delphi, in Greece: a witch.—adj. ', pretending to foretell future events, like the Pythoness: prophetic: like a python.—ns. ', the art of predicting events by divination; '. [Gr. Pythōn, the serpent slain near Delphi by Apollo.]

Pyx, piks, n. (R.C.) the sacred box in which the host is kept after consecration: the box at the British Mint containing sample coins.—v.t. to test the weight and fineness of, as the coin deposited in the pyx.—Trial of the pyx, final trial by weight and assay of the gold and silver coins of the United Kingdom, prior to their issue from the Mint. [L. pyxis, a box—Gr. pyxis—pyxos (L. buxus), the box-tree.]

Pyxidium, pik-sid′i-um, n. (bot.) a pod or seed-vessel which opens in two halves, the upper one resembling a lid. [Gr. pyxidion, dim. of pyxis.]