Webster's Unabridged Dictionary - Letter P - Page 68

Pipewort (n.) (Bot.) Any plant of a genus ({Eriocaulon) of aquatic or marsh herbs with soft grass-like leaves.

Piping (a.) Playing on a musical pipe. "Lowing herds and piping swains." -- Swift.

Piping (a.) Peaceful; favorable to, or characterized by, the music of the pipe rather than of the drum and fife. -- Shak.

Piping (a.) Emitting a high, shrill sound.

Piping (a.) Simmering; boiling; sizzling; hissing; -- from the sound of boiling fluids.

Piping crow, Piping crow shrike, Piping roller (Zool.), Any Australian bird of the genus Gymnorhina, esp. Gymnorhina tibicen, which is black and white, and the size of a small crow. Called also caruck.

Piping frog (Zool.), A small American tree frog ({Hyla Pickeringii) which utters a high, shrill note in early spring.

Piping hot, Boiling hot; hissing hot; very hot. [Colloq.] -- Milton.

Piping (n.) A small cord covered with cloth, -- used as trimming for women's dresses.

Piping (n.) Pipes, collectively; as, the piping of a house.

Piping (n.) The act of playing on a pipe; the shrill noted of birds, etc.

Piping (n.) A piece cut off to be set or planted; a cutting; also, propagation by cuttings. Pipistrel

High-pitched (a.) High in pitch or frequency; -- used of sounds and voices. Opposite of low. [Narrower terms: adenoidal, pinched, nasal; altissimo; alto; countertenor, alto; falsetto; peaky, spiky; piping; shrill, sharp; screaky, screechy, squeaking, squeaky, squealing; soprano, treble; sopranino; tenor].

Syn: high.

High-pitched (a.) Set at a sharp or high angle or slant; as, a high-pitched roof.

Syn: steeply pitched, steep. high-power

Piping (adv.) (Used of heat) extremely; "the casserole was piping hot" [syn: piping, steaming].

Piping (n.) A thin strip of covered cord used to edge hems.

Piping (n.) A long tube made of metal or plastic that is used to carry water or oil or gas etc. [syn: pipe, pipage, piping].

Piping (n.) Playing a pipe or the bagpipes.

Pipistrel (n.) Alt. of Pipistrelle.

Pipistrelle (n.) A small European bat (Vesperugo pipistrellus); -- called also flittermouse.

Pipit (n.) Any one of numerous species of small singing birds belonging to Anthus and allied genera, of the family Motacillidae. They strongly resemble the true larks in habits, colors, and the great length of the hind claw. They are, therefore, often called titlarks, and pipit larks.

Pipkin (n.) A small earthen boiler.

Pippin (n.) An apple from a tree raised from the seed and not grafted; a seedling apple.

Pippin (n.) A name given to apples of several different kinds, as Newtown pippin, summer pippin, fall pippin, golden pippin.

Pippul tree () Same as Peepul tree.

Pipras (n. pl. ) of Pipra.

Pipra (n.) (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small clamatorial birds belonging to Pipra and allied genera, of the family Pipridae. The male is usually glossy black, varied with scarlet, yellow, or sky blue. They chiefly inhabit South America.

Pipra (n.) Type genus of the Pipridae containing the typical manakins [syn: Pipra, genus Pipra].

Piprine (a.) Of or pertaining to the pipras, or the family Pipridae.

Pipsissewa (n.) A low evergreen plant (Chimaphila umbellata), with narrow, wedge-lanceolate leaves, and an umbel of pretty nodding fragrant blossoms. It has been used in nephritic diseases. Called also prince's pine.

Pipy (a.) Like a pipe; hollow-stemmed.

Piquancy (n.) The quality or state of being piquant.

Piquant (a.) Stimulating to the taste; giving zest; tart; sharp; pungent; as, a piquant anecdote.

Piquantly (adv.) In a piquant manner.

Pique (n.) A cotton fabric, figured in the loom, -- used as a dress goods for women and children, and for vestings, etc.

Pique (n.) The jigger. See Jigger.

Pique (n.) A feeling of hurt, vexation, or resentment, awakened by a social slight or injury; irritation of the feelings, as through wounded pride; stinging vexation.

Pique (n.) Keenly felt desire; a longing.

Pique (n.) In piquet, the right of the elder hand to count thirty in hand, or to play before the adversary counts one.

Piqued (imp. & p. p.) of Pique.

Piquing (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Pique.

Pique (v. t.) To wound the pride of; to sting; to nettle; to irritate; to fret; to offend; to excite to anger.

Pique (v. t.) To excite to action by causing resentment or jealousy; to stimulate; to prick; as, to pique ambition, or curiosity.

Pique (v. t.) To pride or value; -- used reflexively.

Pique (v. i.) To cause annoyance or irritation.

Piqueer (v. i.) See Pickeer.

Piqueerer (n.) See Pickeerer.

Piquet (n.) See Picket.

Piquet (n.) A game at cards played between two persons, with thirty-two cards, all the deuces, threes, fours, fives, and sixes, being set aside.

Piracies (n. pl. ) of Piracy.

Piracy (n.) The act or crime of a pirate.

Piracy (n.) (Common Law) Robbery on the high seas; the taking of property from others on the open sea by open violence; without lawful authority, and with intent to steal; -- a crime answering to robbery on land.

Note: By statute law several other offenses committed on the seas (as trading with known pirates, or engaging in the slave trade) have been made piracy.

Piracy (n.) "Sometimes used, in a quasi-figurative sense, of violation of copyright; but for this, infringement is the correct and preferable term." -- Abbott.

Piracy (n.) Hijacking on the high seas or in similar contexts; taking a ship or plane away from the control of those who are legally entitled to it; "air piracy" [syn: piracy, buccaneering].

Piracy (n.) The act of plagiarizing; taking someone's words or ideas as if they were your own [syn: plagiarism, plagiarization, plagiarisation, piracy].

Software piracy

Piracy, () Making or distributing unauthorised copies of software, either for kudos or for profit.  See software theft.

 (2010-02-03)

Piracy, () crim. law. A robbery or forcible depreciation on the high seas, without lawful authority, done animo furandi, in the spirit and intention of universal hostility. 5 Wheat. 153, 163; 3 Wheat. 610; 3 Wash. C. C. R. 209. This is the definition of this offence by the law of nations. 1 Kent, Com. 183. The word is derived from peira deceptio, deceit or deception: or from peiron wandering up and down, and resting in no place, but coasting hither and thither to do mischief. Ridley's View, Part 2, c. 1, s. 3.

Piracy, () Congress may define and punish piracies and felonies on the high seas, and offences against the law of nations. Const. U. S. Art. 1, s. 7, n. 10; 5 Wheat. 184, 153, 76; 3 Wheat. 336. In pursuance of the authority thus given by the constitution, it was declared by the act of congress of April 30, 1790, s. 8, 1 Story's Laws U. S. 84, that murder or robbery committed on the high seas, or in any river, haven, or bay, out of the jurisdiction of any particular state, or any offence, which, if committed within the body of a county, would, by the laws of the United States, be punishable with death, should be adjudged to be piracy and felony, and punishable with death. It was further declared, that if any captain or manner should piratically and feloniously run away with a vessel, or any goods or merchandise of the value of fifty dollars; or should yield up such vessel voluntarily to pirates; or if any seaman should forcible endeavor to hinder his commander from defending the ship or goods committed to his trust, or should make revolt in the ship; every such offender should be adjudged a pirate and felon, and be punishable with death. Accessaries before the fact are punishable as the principal; those after the fact with fine and imprisonment.

Piracy, () By a subsequent act, passed March 3, 1819, 3 Story, 1739, made perpetual by the act of May 15, 1820, 1 Story, 1798, congress declared, that if any person upon the high seas, should commit the crime of piracy as defined by the law of nations, he should, on conviction, suffer death.

Piracy, () And again by the act of May 15, 1820, s. 3, 1 Story, 1798, congress declared that if any person should, upon the high seas, or in any open roadstead, or in any haven, basin or bay, or in any river where the sea ebbs and flows, commit the crime of robbery in or upon any ship or vessel, or upon any of the ship's company of any ship or vessel, or the lading thereof, such person should be adjudged to be a pirate, and suffer death. And if any person engaged in any piratical cruise or enterprize, or being of the crew or ship's company of any piratical ship or vessel, should land from such ship or vessel, and, on shore; should commit robbery, such person should be adjudged a pirate and suffer death. Provided that the state in which the offence may have been committed should not be deprived of its jurisdiction over the same, when committed within the body of a county, and that the courts of the United States should have no jurisdiction to try such offenders, after conviction or acquittal, for the same offence, in a state court. The 4th and 5th sections of the last mentioned act declare persons engaged in the slave trade, or in forcibly detaining a free negro or mulatto and carrying him in any ship or vessel into slavery, piracy, punishable with death. Vide 1 Kent, Com. 183; Beaussant, Code Maritime, t. 1, p. 244; Dalloz, Diet. Supp. h.t.; Dougl. 613; Park's Ins. Index, h.t. Bac. Ab. h.t.; 16 Vin. Ab. 346; Ayl. Pand. 42 11 Wheat. R. 39; 1 Gall. R. 247; Id. 524 3 W. C. C. R. 209, 240; 1 Pet. C. C. R. 118, 121.

Piracy, () torts. By piracy is understood the plagiarisms of a book, engraving or other work, for which a copyright has been taken out.

Piracy, () When a piracy has been made of such a work, an injunction will be granted. 5 Ves. 709; 4 Ves. 681; 12 Ves. 270. Vide copyright.

Piracy, (n.)  Commerce without its folly-swaddles, just as God made it.

Pirogue (n.) A dugout canoe; by extension, any small boat. [Written variously periauger, perogue, piragua, periagua, etc.]

Pirogue (n.) A canoe made by hollowing out and shaping a large log [syn: dugout canoe, dugout, pirogue].

Piragua (n.) See Pirogue.

Pirai (n.) (Zool.) Same as Piraya.

Pirameter (n.) A dynamometer for ascertaining the power required to draw carriages over roads.

Pirarucu (n.) (Zool.) Same as Arapaima.

Pirate (n.) A robber on the high seas; one who by open violence takes the property of another on the high seas; especially, one who makes it his business to cruise for robbery or plunder; a freebooter on the seas; also, one who steals in a harbor.

Pirate (n.) An armed ship or vessel which sails without a legal commission, for the purpose of plundering other vessels on the high seas.

Pirate (n.) One who infringes the law of copyright, or publishes the work of an author without permission.

Pirated (imp. & p. p.) of Pirate.

Pirating (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Pirate.

Pirate (v. i.) To play the pirate; to practice robbery on the high seas.

Pirate (v. t.) To publish, as books or writings, without the permission of the author.

They advertised they would pirate his edition. -- Pope.

Piratic (a.) Piratical.

Piratical (a.) Of or pertaining to a pirate; acquired by, or practicing, piracy; as, a piratical undertaking. "Piratical printers."

-- Pope. -- Pi*rat"ic*al*ly, adv.

Piratical (a.) Characteristic of pirates; "piratical attackers".

Piratical (a.) Characteristic of piracy; "piratical editions of my book".

Piraya (n.) (Zool.) A large voracious fresh-water fish ({Serrasalmo piraya) of South America, having lancet-shaped teeth.

Pirie (n.) (Naut.) See Pirry.

Pirie (n.) (Bot.) A pear tree. [Written also pery, pyrie.] [Obs.] -- Chaucer.

Piririgua (n.) (Zool.) A South American bird ({Guira guira) allied to the cuckoos.

Pirl (v. t.) To spin, as a top.

Pirl (v. t.) To twist or twine, as hair in making fishing lines.

PIRL, () Pattern Information Retrieval Language.

A language for digraph manipulation, embeddable in Fortran or ALGOL, for IBM 7094.

["PIRL - Pattern Information Retrieval Language", S. Berkowitz, Naval Ship Res Dev Ctr, Wash DC].

(1994-11-29)

Pirn (n.) A quill or reed on which thread or yarn is wound; a bobbin; also, the wound yarn on a weaver's shuttle; also, the reel of a fishing rod. [Scot.]

Pirogue (n.) A dugout canoe; by extension, any small boat. [Written variously periauger, perogue, piragua, periagua, etc.]

Pirogue (n.) A canoe made by hollowing out and shaping a large log [syn: dugout canoe, dugout, pirogue].

Pirouette (n.) A whirling or turning on the toes in dancing.

Pirouette (n.) (Man.) The whirling about of a horse.

Pirouetted (imp. & p. p.) of Pirouette.

Pirouetting (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Pirouette.

Pirouette (v. i.) To perform a pirouette; to whirl, like a dancer.

Pirouette (n.) (Ballet) A rapid spin of the body (especially on the toes as in ballet).

Pirouette (v.) Do a pirouette, usually as part of a dance.

Pirry (n.) Alt. of Pirrie

Pirrie (n.) A rough gale of wind. [Obs.] -- Sir T. Elyot.

Pisasphaltum (n.) See Pissasphalt.

Compare: Pissasphalt

Pissasphalt (n.) (Min.) Earth pitch; a soft, black bitumen of the consistency of tar, and of a strong smell. It is inflammable, and intermediate between petroleum and asphalt. [Written also pisasphaltum, pisasphalt, etc.]

Pisay (n.) (Arch.) See Pise.

Piscary (n.) (Law) The right or privilege of fishing in another man's waters.  -- Blackstone.

Piscary (n.) A workplace where fish are caught and processed and sold [syn: fishery, piscary].

Piscary. () The right of fishing in the waters of another. Bac. Ab. h.t.; 5 Com. Dig. 366. Vide Fishery.

Piscation (n.) Fishing; fishery. [Obs.] -- Sir T. Browne.

Piscator (n.) [L.] A fisherman; an angler. Piscatorial

Piscatorial (a.) Alt. of Piscatory.

Piscatory (a.) Of or pertaining to fishes or fishing. -- Addison.

Piscatorial (a.) Relating to or characteristic of the activity of fishing; "a piscatory life" [syn: piscatorial, piscatory].

Pisces (n. pl.) (Astron.) The twelfth sign of the zodiac, marked [pisces] in almanacs.

Pisces (n. pl.) (Astron.) A zodiacal constellation, including the first point of Aries, which is the vernal equinoctial point; the Fish.

Pisces (n. pl.) (Zool.) The class of Vertebrata that includes the fishes. The principal divisions are Elasmobranchii, Ganoidei, and Teleostei.

Pisces (n.) The twelfth sign of the zodiac; the sun is in this sign from about February 19 to March 20 [syn: Pisces, Pisces the Fishes, Fish].

Pisces (n.) (Astrology) A person who is born while the sun is in Pisces [syn: Pisces, Fish].

Pisces (n.) A large faint zodiacal constellation; between Aquarius and Aries.

Pisces (n.) A group of vertebrates comprising both cartilaginous and bony fishes and sometimes including the jawless vertebrates; not used technically.

Piscicapture (n.) Capture of fishes, as by angling. [R.] -- W. H. Russell.

Piscicultural (a.) Relating to pisciculture.

Pisciculture (n.) Fish culture. See under Fish.

Pisciculturist (n.) One who breeds fish.

Pisciform (a.) Having the form of a fish; resembling a fish.

Piscina (n.) (Arch.) A niche near the altar in a church, containing a small basin for rinsing altar vessels.

Piscinal (a.) Belonging to a fishpond or a piscina.

Piscine (a.) (Zool.) Of or pertaining to a fish or fishes; as, piscine remains.

Piscine (a.) Of or relating to fish.

Piscivorous (a.) (Zool.) Feeding or subsisting on fish.

Piscivorous (a.) Feeding on fishes.

Pise (n.) (Arch.) A species of wall made of stiff earth or clay rammed in between molds which are carried up as the wall rises; -- called also pise work. -- Gwilt.

Pish (interj.) An exclamation of contempt.

Pish (v. i.) To express contempt. -- Pope.

Pishu (n.) (Zool.) The Canada lynx. [Written also peeshoo.]

Pisiform (a.) Resembling a pea or peas in size and shape; as, a pisiform iron ore.

Pisiform (n.) (Anat.) A small bone on the ulnar side of the carpus in man and many mammals. See Illust. of Artiodactyla.

Pisiform (n.) A small wrist bone that articulates only with the triquetral [syn: pisiform, pisiform bone, os pisiforme].

Pismire (n.) (Zool.) An ant, or emmet.

Pismire (n.) Social insect living in organized colonies; characteristically the males and fertile queen have wings during breeding season; wingless sterile females are the workers [syn: ant, emmet, pismire].

Pisolite (n.) (Min.) A variety of calcite, or calcium carbonate, consisting of aggregated globular concretions about the size of a pea; -- called also peastone, peagrit.

Note: Oolite is similar in structure, but the concretions are as small as the roe of a fish.

Pisolitic (a.) (Min.) Composed of, containing, or resembling, pisolite.

Pisophalt (n.) (Min.) Pissasphalt. [Obs.]

[previous page] [Index] [next page]