Pledget noun [ Prov. E., a small plug.]
1. A small plug. [ Prov. End.]

2. (Nautical) A string of oakum used in calking.

3. (Medicine) A compress, or small flat tent of lint, laid over a wound, ulcer, or the like, to exclude air, retain dressings, or absorb the matter discharged.

Plegepoda noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek a stroke + -poda . In allusion to the rapid strokes of the vibrating cilia.] (Zoology) Same as Infusoria .

Pleiad noun One of the Pleiades.

Pleiades noun plural [ Latin , from Greek ]
1. (Myth.) The seven daughters of Atlas and the nymph Pleione, fabled to have been made by Jupiter a constellation in the sky.

2. (Astron.) A group of small stars in the neck of the constellation Taurus. Job xxxviii. 31.

» Alcyone, the brightest of these, a star of the third magnitude, was considered by Mädler the central point around which our universe is revolving, but there is no sufficient evidence of such motion. Only six pleiads are distinctly visible to the naked eye, whence the ancients supposed that a sister had concealed herself out of shame for having loved a mortal, Sisyphus.

Plein adjective Plan. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Plein intransitive verb & t. To complain. See Plain . [ Obsolete]

Plein adjective [ Old French & F., from Latin plenus .] Full; complete. [ Obsolete] " Plein remission." Chaucer. -- Plein"ly , adverb

Pleiocene adjective (Geol.) See Pliocene .

Pleiophyllous adjective [ Greek ... more + ... leaf.] (Botany) Having several leaves; -- used especially when several leaves or leaflets appear where normally there should be only one.

Pleiosaurus noun [ New Latin ] (Paleon.) Same as Pliosaurus .

Pleistocene adjective [ Greek ... most + ... new.] (Geol.) Of or pertaining to the epoch, or the deposits, following the Tertiary, and immediately preceding man. -- noun The Pleistocene epoch, or deposits.

Plenal adjective [ Latin plenus full. Confer Plenary .] Full; complete; as, a plenal view or act. [ Obsolete]

Plenarily adverb In a plenary manner.

Plenariness noun Quality or state of being plenary.

Plenarty noun The state of a benefice when occupied. Blackstone.

Plenary adjective [ Late Latin plenarius , from Latin plenus full. See Plenty .] Full; entire; complete; absolute; as, a plenary license; plenary authority.

A treatise on a subject should be plenary or full.

I. Watts.

Plenary indulgence (R. C. Ch.) , an entire remission of temporal punishment due to, or canonical penance for, all sins. -- Plenary inspiration . (Theol.) See under Inspiration .

Plenary noun (Law) Decisive procedure. [ Obsolete]

Plene æ. [ Latin plenus full.] Full; complete; plenary. [ Obsolete]

Plenicorn noun [ Latin plenus full + cornu horn.] (Zoology) A ruminant having solid horns or antlers, as the deer. Brande & C.

Plenilunary adjective Of or pertaining to the full moon. [ Obsolete] Sir T. Browne.

Plenilune noun [ Latin plenilunium ; plenus full + luna the moon.] The full moon. [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

Plenipotence, Plenipotency noun The quality or state of being plenipotent. [ R.]

Plenipotent adjective [ Latin plenus full + potens , -entis , potent.] Possessing full power. [ R.] Milton.

Plenipotentiary noun ; plural Plenipotentiaries . [ Late Latin plenipotentiarius : confer French plénipotentiaire .] A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or envoy to a foreign court, with full power to negotiate a treaty, or to transact other business.

Plenipotentiary adjective Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers. Howell.

Plenish transitive verb [ See Replenish .]
1. To replenish. [ Obsolete] T. Reeve.

2. To furnish; to stock, as a house or farm. [ Scot.]

Plenishing noun Household furniture; stock. [ Scot.]

Plenist noun [ Latin plenus full; confer French pléniste .] One who holds that all space is full of matter.

Plenitude noun [ Latin plenitudo , from plenus full; confer French plenitude .]
1. The quality or state of being full or complete; fullness; completeness; abundance; as, the plenitude of space or power.

2. Animal fullness; repletion; plethora. [ Obsolete]

Plenitudinarian noun A plenist.

Plenitudinary adjective Having plenitude; full; complete; thorough. [ Obsolete]

Plenteous adjective [ From Plenty .]
1. Containing plenty; abundant; copious; plentiful; sufficient for every purpose; as, a plenteous supply. "Reaping plenteous crop." Milton.

2. Yielding abundance; productive; fruitful. "The seven plenteous years." Gen. xli. 34.

3. Having plenty; abounding; rich.

The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods.

Deut. xxviii. 11.

Syn. -- Plentiful; copious; full. See Ample .

-- Plen"te*ous*ly , adverb -- Plen"te*ous*ness , noun

Plentevous adjective Plenteous. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Plentiful adjective
1. Containing plenty; copious; abundant; ample; as, a plentiful harvest; a plentiful supply of water.

2. Yielding abundance; prolific; fruitful.

If it be a long winter, it is commonly a more plentiful year.

Bacon.

3. Lavish; profuse; prodigal. [ Obsolete]

He that is plentiful in expenses will hardly be preserved from

Bacon.

-- Plen"ti*ful*ly , adverb -- Plen"ti*ful*ness , noun

Plenty noun ; plural Plenties , in Shak. [ Middle English plentee , plente , Old French plenté , from Latin plenitas , from plenus full. See Full , adjective , and confer Complete .] Full or adequate supply; enough and to spare; sufficiency; specifically, abundant productiveness of the earth; ample supply for human wants; abundance; copiousness. " Plenty of corn and wine." Gen. xxvii. 28. "Promises Britain peace and plenty ." Shak.

Houses of office stuffed with plentee .

Chaucer.

The teeming clouds Descend in gladsome plenty o'er the world.

Thomson.

Syn. -- Abundance; exuberance. See Abundance .

Plenty adjective Plentiful; abundant. [ Obsolete or Colloq.]

If reasons were as plenty as blackberries.

Shak. (Folio ed.)

Those countries where shrubs are plenty .

Goldsmith.

Plenum noun [ Latin , from plenus full.] That state in which every part of space is supposed to be full of matter; -- opposed to vacuum . G. Francis.

Plenum noun (Ventilation) A condition, as in an occupied room, in which the pressure of the air is greater than that of the outside atmosphere; as, a plenum may exist in a hall ventilated by a fan blower.

Pleochroic adjective Having the property of pleochroism.

Pleochroism noun [ Greek ... mor... + ... color.] (Crystallog.) The property possessed by some crystals, of showing different colors when viewed in the direction of different axes.

Pleochromatic adjective Pleochroic.

Pleochromatism noun Pleochroism.

Pleochroous adjective Pleochroic.

Pleomorphic adjective Pertaining to pleomorphism; as, the pleomorphic character of bacteria.

Pleomorphism noun [ Greek ... more + ... form.]
1. (Crystallog.) The property of crystallizing under two or more distinct fundamental forms, including dimorphism and trimorphism .

2. (Biol.) The theory that the various genera of bacteria are phases or variations of growth of a number of Protean species, each of which may exhibit, according to undetermined conditions, all or some of the forms characteristic of the different genera and species.

Pleomorphous adjective Having the property of pleomorphism.

Pleonasm noun [ Latin pleonasmus , Greek ..., from ... to be more than enough, to abound, from ..., neut. of ..., more, compar. of ... much. See Full , adjective , and confer Poly- , Plus .] (Rhet.) Redundancy of language in speaking or writing; the use of more words than are necessary to express the idea; as, I saw it with my own eyes .

Pleonast noun One who is addicted to pleonasm. [ R.] C. Reade.

Pleonaste noun [ Greek ... abundant, rich; confer French pl é onaste .] (Min.) A black variety of spinel.

Pleonastic, Pleonastical adjective [ Confer French pléonastique .] Of or pertaining to pleonasm; of the nature of pleonasm; redundant.