PETAL — PHENIX NWAD PETAL.1

PETAL, n. [Gr. to expand; L. pateo.] In botany, a flower leaf. In flowers of one petal, the corol and petal are the same. In flowers of several petals, the corol is the whole, and the petals are the parts, or the petal is one of the leaves of which the whole corol is composed. NWAD PETAL.1

PETALED, PETALOUS, a. Having petals; as a petaled flower; opposed to apetalous. This word is much used in compounds; as one-petaled; three petaled. NWAD PETALED.1

PETALINE, a. Pertaining to a petal; attached to a petal; as a petaline nectary. NWAD PETALINE.1

PETALISM, n. [Gr. See Petal.] A form of sentence among the ancient Syracusans, by which they proscribed a citizen whose wealth or popularity alarmed their jealousy, or who was suspected of aspiring to sovereign power; temporary proscription, or banishment for five years. The mode was to give their votes by writing his name on a leaf. Petalism in Syracuse answered to ostracism in Athens. NWAD PETALISM.1

PETALITE, n. [Gr. a leaf.] A rare mineral occurring in masses, having a foliated structure; its color milk white or shaded with gray, red or green. The new alkali, lithia, was first discovered in this mineral. NWAD PETALITE.1

PETALOID, a. [petal and Gr. form.] Having the form of petals. NWAD PETALOID.1

PETAL-SHAPED, a. Having the shape of a petal. NWAD PETAL-SHAPED.1

PETARD, n. An engine of war made of metal, nearly in the shape of a hat, to be loaded with powder and fixed on a madrier or plank, and used to break gates, barricades, draw-bridges and the like, by explosion. NWAD PETARD.1

PETECHIAE, n. Purple spots which appear on the skin in malignant fevers. NWAD PETECHIAE.1

PETECHIAL, a. Spotted. A petechial fever is a malignant fever accompanied with purple spots on the skin. NWAD PETECHIAL.1

PETER, PETRE, [See Saltpeter.] NWAD PETER.1

PETEREL, PETREL, n. An aquatic fowl of the genus Procellaria. NWAD PETEREL.1

PETERPENCE, n. A tax or tribute formerly paid by the English people to the pope; being a penny for every house, payable at Lammas day. It was called also Romescot. NWAD PETERPENCE.1

PETERWORT, n. A plant. NWAD PETERWORT.1

PETIOLAR, PETIOLARY, a. Pertaining to a petiole, or proceeding from it; as a petiolar tendril. NWAD PETIOLAR.1

1. Formed from a petiole; as a petiolar bud. NWAD PETIOLAR.2

2. Growing on a petiole; as a petiolar gland. NWAD PETIOLAR.3

PETIOLATE, PETIOLED, a. Growing on a petiole; as a petiolate leaf. NWAD PETIOLATE.1

PETIOLE, n. [L. petiolus, probably a diminutive from pes, pedis.] NWAD PETIOLE.1

In botany, a leaf-stalk; the foot-stalk of a leaf. NWAD PETIOLE.2

PETIT, a. pet’ty. Small; little; mean. NWAD PETIT.1

This word petit is now generally written petty. NWAD PETIT.2

Petit constable, an inferior civil officer subordinate to the high constable. NWAD PETIT.3

Petit jury, a jury of twelve freeholders who are empanneled to try causes at the bar of a court; so called in distinction from the grand jury, which tries the truth of indictments. NWAD PETIT.4

Petit larceny, the stealing of goods of the value of twelve pence, or under that amount; opposed to grand larceny. NWAD PETIT.5

Petit serjeanty, in English law, the tenure of lands of the king, by the service of rendering to him annually some implement of war, as a bow, an arrow, a sword, lance, etc. NWAD PETIT.6

Petit treason, the crime of killing a person, to whom the offender owes duty or subjection. Thus it is petit treason for a wife to kill her husband, or a servant his lord or master. NWAD PETIT.7

PETIT-MAITRE, n. pet’ty-maitre. A spruce fellow that dangles about females; a fop; a coxcomb. NWAD PETIT-MAITRE.1

PETITION, n. [L. petitio, from peto, to ask, properly to urge or press.] NWAD PETITION.1

1. In a general sense, a request, supplication or prayer; but chiefly and appropriately, a solemn or formal supplication; a prayer addressed by a person to the Supreme Being, for something needed or desired, or a branch or particular article of prayer. NWAD PETITION.2

2. A formal request or supplication, verbal or written; particularly, a written supplication from an inferior to a superior, either to a single person clothed with power, or to a legislative or other body, soliciting some favor, grant, right or mercy. NWAD PETITION.3

3. The paper containing a supplication or solicitation. Much of the time of our legislative bodies is consumed in attending to private petitions. The speaker’s table is often loaded with petitions. Petitions to the king of Great Britain must contain nothing reflecting on the administration. NWAD PETITION.4

PETITION, v.t. To make a request to; to ask from; to solicit; particularly, to make supplication to a superior for some favor or right; as, to petition the legislature; to petition a court of chancery. NWAD PETITION.5

The mother petitioned her goddess to bestow on them the greatest gift that could be given. NWAD PETITION.6

PETITIONARILY, adv. By way of begging the question. NWAD PETITIONARILY.1

PETITIONARY, a. Supplicatory; coming with a petition. NWAD PETITIONARY.1

Pardon thy petitionary countrymen. NWAD PETITIONARY.2

1. Containing a petition or request; as a petitionary prayer; a petitionary epistle. NWAD PETITIONARY.3

PETITIONER, n. One that presents a petition, either verbal or written. NWAD PETITIONER.1

PETITIONING, ppr. Asking as a favor, grant, right or mercy; supplicating. NWAD PETITIONING.1

PETITIONING, n. The act of asking or soliciting; solicitation; supplication. Tumultuous petitioning is made penal by statute. NWAD PETITIONING.2

PETITORY, a. Petitioning; soliciting. [Not used.] NWAD PETITORY.1

PETONG, n. The Chinese name of a species of copper of a white color. It is sometimes confounded with tutenag. NWAD PETONG.1

PETREAN, a. [L. petra, a rock.] Pertaining to rock or stone. NWAD PETREAN.1

PETRESCENCE, n. The process of changing into stone. NWAD PETRESCENCE.1

PETRESCENT, a. [Gr. a stone; L. petra.] NWAD PETRESCENT.1

Converting into stone; changing into stony hardness. NWAD PETRESCENT.2

PETRIFACTION, n. [See Petrify.] The process of changing into stone; the conversion of wood or any animal or vegetable substance into stone or a body of stony hardness. NWAD PETRIFACTION.1

When the water in which wood is lodged is slightly impregnated with petrescent particles, the petrifaction very slowly takes place. NWAD PETRIFACTION.2

1. That which is converted from animal or vegetable substance into stone. NWAD PETRIFACTION.3

--The calcarious petrifaction called osteocolla. NWAD PETRIFACTION.4

An organized body rendered hard by depositions of stony matter in its cavities. NWAD PETRIFACTION.5

2. In popular usage, a body incrusted with stony matter; an incrustation. NWAD PETRIFACTION.6

PETRIFACTIVE, a. Pertaining to petrifaction. NWAD PETRIFACTIVE.1

1. Having power to convert vegetable or animal substances into stone. NWAD PETRIFACTIVE.2

PETRIFIC, a. Having power to convert into stone. NWAD PETRIFIC.1

The cold, dry, petrific mace of a false and unfeeling philosophy. NWAD PETRIFIC.2

PETRIFICATE, v.t. To petrify. [Not used.] NWAD PETRIFICATE.1

PETRIFICATION, n. The process of petrifying. NWAD PETRIFICATION.1

1. That which is petrified; a petrifaction. NWAD PETRIFICATION.2

[The latter word is generally used.] NWAD PETRIFICATION.3

2. Obduracy; callousness. NWAD PETRIFICATION.4

PETRIFIED, pp. Changed into stone. NWAD PETRIFIED.1

1. Fixed in amazement. NWAD PETRIFIED.2

PETRIFY, v.t. [L. petra; Gr. a stone or rock, and facio, to make.] NWAD PETRIFY.1

1. To convert to stone or stony substance; as an animal or vegetable substance. NWAD PETRIFY.2

North of Quito, there is a river that petrifies any sort of wood or leaves. NWAD PETRIFY.3

2. To make callous or obdurate; as, to petrify the heart. NWAD PETRIFY.4

And petrify a genius to a dunce. NWAD PETRIFY.5

3. To fix; as, to petrify one with astonishment. NWAD PETRIFY.6

PETRIFY, v.i. To become stone, or of a stony hardness, as animal or vegetable substances by means of calcarious or other depositions in their cavities. NWAD PETRIFY.7

PETRIFYING, ppr. Converting into stone; as petrifying operation. NWAD PETRIFYING.1

PETROL, PETROLEUM, n. [Gr. a stone, and oil; quasi petrolaion.] NWAD PETROL.1

Rock oil, a liquid inflammable substance or bitumen exuding from the earth and collected on the surface of the water in wells, in various parts of the world, or oozing from cavities in rocks. This is essentially composed of carbon and hydrogen. NWAD PETROL.2

PETRONEL, n. A horseman’s pistol. NWAD PETRONEL.1

PETROSILEX, n. [L. petra, Gr. a stone, and silex, flint.] NWAD PETROSILEX.1

Rock stone; rock flint, or compact feldspar. NWAD PETROSILEX.2

PETROSILICIOUS, a. Consisting of petrosilex; as petrosilicious breccias. NWAD PETROSILICIOUS.1

PETROUS, a. [L. petra, a stone.] Like stone; hard; stony. NWAD PETROUS.1

PETTICOAT, n. A garment worn by females and covering the lower limbs. NWAD PETTICOAT.1

PETTIFOG, v.i. [L. voco, like advocate.] NWAD PETTIFOG.1

To do small business; as a lawyer. [Vulgar.] NWAD PETTIFOG.2

PETTIFOGGER, n. An inferior attorney or lawyer who is employed in small or mean business. NWAD PETTIFOGGER.1

PETTIFOGGERY, n. The practice of a pettifogger; tricks; quibbles. NWAD PETTIFOGGERY.1

PETTINESS, n. [from petty.] Smallness; littleness. NWAD PETTINESS.1

PETTISH, a. [from pet.] Fretful; peevish; subject to freaks of ill temper. NWAD PETTISH.1

PETTISHLY, adv. In a pet; with a freak of ill temper. NWAD PETTISHLY.1

PETTISHNESS, a. Fretfulness; petulance; peevishness. NWAD PETTISHNESS.1

PETTITOES, n. [petty and toes.] The toes or feet of a pig; sometimes used for the human feet in contempt. NWAD PETTITOES.1

PETTO, n. [L. pectus, the breast.] NWAD PETTO.1

The breast; hence, in petto, in secrecy; in reserve. NWAD PETTO.2

PETTY, a. Small; little; trifling; inconsiderable; as a petty trespass; a petty crime. NWAD PETTY.1

1. Inferior; as a petty prince. NWAD PETTY.2

We usually write petty constable, petty jury, petty larceny, petty treason. [See Petit.] NWAD PETTY.3

PETTYCHAPS, n. A small bird of the genus Motacilla, called also beambird; found in the north of Europe. NWAD PETTYCHAPS.1

The beambird is the spotted fly-catcher, of the genus Muscicapa. NWAD PETTYCHAPS.2

PETTYCOY, n. An herb. NWAD PETTYCOY.1

PETULANCEULANCY, n. [L. petulantia.] Freakish passion; peevishness; pettishness; sauciness. Peevishness is not precisely synonymous with petulance; the former implying more permanence of a sour, fretful temper; the latter more temporary or capricious irritation. NWAD PETULANCEULANCY.1

That which looked like pride in some, and petulance in others. NWAD PETULANCEULANCY.2

The pride and petulance of youth. NWAD PETULANCEULANCY.3

PETULANT, a. [L. petulans.] Saucy; pert or forward with fretfulness or sourness of temper; as a petulant youth. NWAD PETULANT.1

1. Manifesting petulance; proceeding from pettishness; as a petulant demand; a petulant answer. NWAD PETULANT.2

2. Wanton; freakish in passion. NWAD PETULANT.3

PETULANTLY, adv. With petulance; with saucy pertness. NWAD PETULANTLY.1

PETUNSE, PETUNTSE, PETUNTZE, n. petuns’. Porcelain clay so called, used by the Chinese in the manufacture of porcelain or chinaware. It is a variety of feldspar. NWAD PETUNSE.1

PEW, n. [L. podium.] An inclosed seat in a church. Pews were formerly made square; in modern churches in America they are generally long and narrow, and sometimes called slips. NWAD PEW.1

PEW, v.t. To furnish with pews. [Little used.] NWAD PEW.2

PEWET, n. An aquatic fowl, the sea crow or mire crow, of the genus Larus. NWAD PEWET.1

1. The lapwing. NWAD PEWET.2

PEW-FELLOW, n. A companion. NWAD PEW-FELLOW.1

PEWTER, n. NWAD PEWTER.1

1. A composition or factitious metal, consisting of tin and lead, or tin, lead and brass, in the proportions of a hundred pounds of tin to fifteen of lead, and six of brass. This was formerly in extensive use in domestic utensils or vessels; but being a soft composition and easily melted, is now less used. NWAD PEWTER.2

2. Vessels or utensils made of pewter; as plates, dishes, porringers and the like. NWAD PEWTER.3

PEWTERER, n. One whose occupation is to make vessels and utensils of pewter. NWAD PEWTERER.1

PHAETON, n. [Gr. to shine.] NWAD PHAETON.1

1. In mythology, the son of Phoebus and Clymene, or of Cephalus and Aurora, that is, the son of light or of the sun. This aspiring youth begged of Phoebus that he would permit him to guide the chariot of the sun, in doing which he manifested want of skill, and being struck with a thunderbolt by Jupiter, he was hurled headlong into the river Po. This fable probably originated in the appearance of a comet with a splendid train, which passed from the sight in the northwest of Italy and Greece. NWAD PHAETON.2

2. An open carriage like a chaise, on four wheels, and drawn by two horses. NWAD PHAETON.3

3. In ornithology, a genus of fowls, the tropic bird. NWAD PHAETON.4

PHAGEDENIC, a. [Gr. to eat.] Eating or corroding flesh; as a phagedenic ulcer or medicine. NWAD PHAGEDENIC.1

Phagedenic water, is made from quick lime and corrosive sublimate. NWAD PHAGEDENIC.2

PHAGEDENIC, n. A medicine or application that eats away proud or fungous flesh. NWAD PHAGEDENIC.3

PHALANGIOUS, a. [Gr. a kind of spider.] Pertaining to the genus of spiders denominated phalangium. NWAD PHALANGIOUS.1

PHALANGITE, n. [Gr. a legionary soldier.] NWAD PHALANGITE.1

A soldier belonging to a phalanx. NWAD PHALANGITE.2

PHALANX, n. In Grecian antiquity, a square battalion or body of soldiers, formed in ranks and files close and deep, with their shields joined and pikes crossing each other, so as to render it almost impossible to break it. The Macedonian phalanx, celebrated for its force, consisted of 8000 men; but smaller bodies of soldiers were called by the same name. NWAD PHALANX.1

1. Any body of troops or men formed in close array, or any combination of people distinguished for firmness and solidity of union. NWAD PHALANX.2

2. In anatomy, the three rows of small bones forming the fingers. NWAD PHALANX.3

3. In natural history, a term used to express the arrangement of the columns of a sort of fossil corolloid, called lithostrotion, found in Wales. NWAD PHALANX.4

PHALAROPE, n. The name of several species of water fowls inhabiting the northern latitudes of Europe and America. NWAD PHALAROPE.1

PHANTASM, n. [Gr. to show, to shine, to appear.] NWAD PHANTASM.1

That which appears to the mind; the image of an external object; hence, an idea or notion. It usually denotes a vain or airy appearance; something imagined. NWAD PHANTASM.2

All the interim is NWAD PHANTASM.3

Like a phantasm or a hideous dream. NWAD PHANTASM.4

PHANTASTIC, PHANTASY, [See Fantastic and Fancy.] NWAD PHANTASTIC.1

PHANTOM, n. [L. phantasma.] NWAD PHANTOM.1

1. Something that appears; an apparition; a specter. NWAD PHANTOM.2

Strange phantoms rising as the mists arise. NWAD PHANTOM.3

2. A fancied vision. NWAD PHANTOM.4

PHARAON, n. The name of a game of chance. NWAD PHARAON.1

PHARAONIC, a. Pertaining to the Pharaohs or kings of Egypt, or to the old Egyptians. NWAD PHARAONIC.1

PHARISAICICAL, a. [from Pharisee.] Pertaining to the Pharisees; resembling the Pharisees, a sect among the Jews, distinguished by their zeal for the traditions of the elders, and by their exact observance of these traditions and the ritual law. Hence pharisaic denotes addicted to external forms and ceremonies; making a show of religion without the spirit of it; as pharisaic holiness. NWAD PHARISAICICAL.1

PHARISAICALNESS, n. Devotion to external rites and ceremonies; external show of religion without the spirit of it. NWAD PHARISAICALNESS.1

PHARISAISM, n. The notions, doctrines and conduct of the Pharisees, as a sect. NWAD PHARISAISM.1

1. Rigid observance of external forms of religion without genuine piety; hypocrisy in religion. NWAD PHARISAISM.2

PHARISEAN, a. Following the practice of the Pharisees. NWAD PHARISEAN.1

PHARISEE, n. [Heb. to separate.] One of a sect among the Jews, whose religion consisted in a strict observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders, and whose pretended holiness led them to separate themselves as a sect, considering themselves as more righteous than other Jews. NWAD PHARISEE.1

PHARMACEUTIC, PHARMACEUTICAL, a. [Gr. to practice witchcraft or use medicine; poison or medicine.] Pertaining to the knowledge or art of pharmacy, or to the art of preparing medicines. NWAD PHARMACEUTIC.1

PHARMACEUTICALLY, adv. In the manner of pharmacy. NWAD PHARMACEUTICALLY.1

PHARMACEUTICS, n. The science of preparing and exhibiting medicines. NWAD PHARMACEUTICS.1

PHARMACOLITE, n. Arseniate of lime, snow white or milk white, inclining to reddish or yellowish white. It occurs in small reniform, botryoidal and globular masses, and has a silky luster. NWAD PHARMACOLITE.1

PHARMACOLOGIST, n. [Gr.] One that writes on drugs, or the composition and preparation of medicines. NWAD PHARMACOLOGIST.1

PHARMACOLOGY, n. [supra.] The science or knowledge of drugs, or the art of preparing medicines. NWAD PHARMACOLOGY.1

1. A treatise on the art of preparing medicines. NWAD PHARMACOLOGY.2

PHARMACOPAEIA, PHARMACOPY, n. [Gr. to make.] A dispensatory; a book or treatise describing the preparations of the several kinds of medicines, with their uses and manner of application. NWAD PHARMACOPAEIA.1

PHARMACOPOLIST, n. [Gr. to sell.] NWAD PHARMACOPOLIST.1

One that sells medicines; an apothecary. NWAD PHARMACOPOLIST.2

PHARMACY, n. [Gr. a medicament, whether salutary or poisonous.] NWAD PHARMACY.1

The art or practice of preparing, preserving and compounding substances, whether vegetable, mineral or animal, for the purposes of medicine; the occupation of an apothecary. NWAD PHARMACY.2

PHAROS, n. [Gr. This word is generally supposed to be taken from the name of a small isle, near Alexandria, in Egypt. But qu. is not the word from the root of fire, or from the Celtic fairim, to watch, and the isle so called from the tower upon it?] NWAD PHAROS.1

1. A light-house or tower which anciently stood on a small isle of that name, adjoining the Egyptian shore, over against Alexandria. It consisted of several stories and galleries, with a lantern on the top, which was kept burning at night as a guide to seamen. NWAD PHAROS.2

2. Any light-house for the direction of seamen; a watch-tower; a beacon. NWAD PHAROS.3

PHARYNGOTOMY, n. [Gr. the muscular and glandular bag that leads to the esophagus, and to cut.] NWAD PHARYNGOTOMY.1

The operation of making an incision into the pharynx to remove a tumor or any thing that obstructs the passage. NWAD PHARYNGOTOMY.2

PHASE, PHASIS, n. plu. phases. [Gr. to shine.] NWAD PHASE.1

1. In a general sense, an appearance; that which is exhibited to the eye; appropriately, any appearance or quantity of illumination of the moon or other planet. The moon presents different phases at the full and the quadratures. NWAD PHASE.2

2. In mineralogy, transparent green quartz. NWAD PHASE.3

PHASEL, n. [Gr.] The French bean or kidney bean. NWAD PHASEL.1

PHASM, PHASMA, n. [Gr. supra.] Appearance; fancied apparition; phantom. NWAD PHASM.1

[Little used.] NWAD PHASM.2

PHASSACHATE, n. The lead colored agate. [See Agate.] NWAD PHASSACHATE.1

PHEASANT, n. phez’ant. [L. phasianus.] A fowl of the genus Phasianus, of beautiful plumage, and its flesh delicate food. NWAD PHEASANT.1

PHEER, n. A companion. [See Peer.] NWAD PHEER.1

PHEESE, v.t. To comb. [See Fease.] NWAD PHEESE.1

PHENGITE, n. [Gr. to shine.] A beautiful species of alabaster, superior in brightness to most species of marbles. NWAD PHENGITE.1

PHENICOPTER, n. [Gr. red winged; red, and wing.] NWAD PHENICOPTER.1

A fowl of the genus Phaenicopterus, the flamingo, inhabiting the warm latitudes of both continents. NWAD PHENICOPTER.2

PHENIX, n. [L. phoenix, the palm or date tree, and a fowl.] NWAD PHENIX.1

1. The fowl which is said to exist single, and to rise again from its own ashes. NWAD PHENIX.2

2. A person of singular distinction. NWAD PHENIX.3