Pollicate Pol"li·cate adjective [ Latin
pollex ,
pollicis , a thumb.]
(Zoology) Having a curved projection or spine on the inner side of a leg joint; -- said of insects.
Pollicitation Pol·lic`i·ta"tion noun [ Latin
pollicitatio , from
pollicitari to promise, v. intens. from
polliceri to promise: confer French
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 adjective (Zoology) Pollinose.
Pollinate Pol"li·nate transitive verb (Botany) To apply pollen to (a stigma). --
Pol`li*na"tion noun (Botany)
Pollinctor Pol·linc"tor noun [ Latin , from
pollingere .]
(Rom. Antiq.) One who prepared corpses for the funeral.
Polling Poll"ing noun [ See
Poll the head.]
1. The act of topping, lopping, or cropping, as trees or hedges. 2. Plunder, or extortion. [ Obsolete]
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.
Polliniferous Pol`li·nif"er·ous adjective [ Latin
pollen ,
-inis , pollen +
-ferous : confer French
pollinifère .]
(Botany) Producing pollen; polleniferous.
Pollinium Pol·lin"i·um noun ;
plural Pollinia . [
NL . See
Pollen .]
(Botany) A coherent mass of pollen, as in the milkweed and most orchids.
Pollinose Pol"li·nose` adjective [ Latin
pollen ,
-inis , dust.]
(Zoology) Having the surface covered with a fine yellow dust, like pollen.
Polliwig, Polliwog Pol"li·wig, Pol"li·wog noun [ Middle English
polwigle . Confer
Poll head, and
Wiggle .]
(Zoology) A tadpole; -- called also purwiggy and porwigle .
Pollock Pol"lock noun [ See
Pollack .]
(Zoology) A marine gadoid fish ( Pollachius carbonarius ), native both of the European and American coasts. It is allied to the cod, and like it is salted and dried. In England it is called coalfish , lob , podley , podling , pollack , etc.
Pollucite Pol"lu·cite noun [ See
Pollux , and 4th
Castor .]
(Min.) A colorless transparent mineral, resembling quartz, occurring with castor or castorite on the island of Elba. It is a silicate of alumina and cæsia. Called also pollux .
Pollute Pol·lute" transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Polluted ;
present participle & verbal noun Polluting .] [ Latin
pollutus , past participle of
polluere to defile, to pollute, from a preposition appearing only in comp. +
luere to wash. See
Position ,
Lave .]
1. To make foul, impure, or unclean; to defile; to taint; to soil; to desecrate; -- used of physical or moral defilement. The land was polluted with blood.
Ps. cvi. 38 Wickedness . . . hath polluted the whole earth.
2 Esd. xv. 6. 2. To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonor. 3. (Jewish Law) To render ceremonially unclean; to disqualify or unfit for sacred use or service, or for social intercourse. Neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.
Num. xviii. 32. They have polluted themselves with blood.
Lam. iv. 14. Syn. -- To defile; soil; contaminate; corrupt; taint; vitiate; debauch; dishonor; ravish.
Pollute Pol·lute" adjective [ Latin
pollutus .]
Polluted. [ R.]
Milton.
Polluted Pol·lut"ed adjective Defiled; made unclean or impure; debauched. --
Pol*lut"ed*ly ,
adverb --
Pol*lut"ed*ness ,
noun
Polluter Pol·lut"er noun One who pollutes. Dryden.
Polluting Pol·lut"ing adjective Adapted or tending to pollute; causing defilement or pollution. --
Pol*lut"ing*ly ,
adverb
Pollution Pol·lu"tion noun [ Latin
pollutio : confer French
pollution .]
1. The act of polluting, or the state of being polluted (in any sense of the verb); defilement; uncleanness; impurity. 2. (Medicine) The emission of semen, or sperm, at other times than in sexual intercourse. Dunglison.
Pollux Pol"lux noun [ Latin , the twin brother of castor; also, the constellation.]
1. (Astron.) A fixed star of the second magnitude, in the constellation Gemini. Confer 3d Castor . 2. (Min.) Same as Pollucite .
Polly Pol"ly noun A woman's name; also, a popular name for a parrot.
Pollywog Pol"ly·wog noun (Zoology) A polliwig.
Polo Po"lo noun [ 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 noun A game similar to hockey played by swimmers.
Polo Po"lo noun [ Spanish , 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" adjective [ French
polonais ,
polonaise , Polish.]
Of or pertaining to the Poles, or to Poland. [ Written also
Polonese .]
Polonaise Po`lo·naise" noun [ 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" adjective & noun See Polonaise .
Polonium Po·lo"ni·um noun [ New Latin So named after Poland, in Latin form
Polonia , one of the discoverers being a Pole.]
(Chemistry) A supposed new element, a radioactive substance discovered by M. and MMe. Curie in pitchblende. It is closely related chemically to bismuth. It emits only alpha rays and is perhaps identical with radium F.
Polony Po·lo"ny noun [ Prob. corrupt. from
Bologna .]
A kind of sausage made of meat partly cooked.
Polron Pol"ron noun See Pauldron .
Polt Polt noun [ Confer English
pelt , Latin
pultare to beat, strike.]
A blow or thump. Halliwell. --
adjective Distorted. Pot foot ,
a distorted foot. Sir T. Herbert.
Polt-foot, Polt-footed Polt"-foot`, Polt"-foot`ed adjective Having a distorted foot, or a clubfoot or clubfeet. B. Jonson.
Poltroon Pol·troon" noun [ French
poltron , from Italian
poltrone an idle fellow, sluggard, coward,
poltro idle, lazy, also, bed, from Old High German
polstar ,
bolstar , cushion, German
polster , akin to English
bolster . See
Bolster .]
An arrant coward; a dastard; a craven; a mean-spirited wretch. Shak.
Poltroon Pol·troon" adjective Base; vile; contemptible; cowardly.
Poltroonery Pol·troon"er·y noun [ French
poltronnerie ; confer Italian
poltroneria .]
Cowardice; want of spirit; pusillanimity.
Poltroonish Pol·troon"ish adjective Resembling a poltroon; cowardly.
Polverine Pol"ve·rine noun [ Italian
polverino , from
polvere ... ust, Latin
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.
Polwig Pol"wig noun (Zoology) A polliwig. Holland .
Poly Po"ly noun [ Latin
polium , the name of a plant, perhaps
Teucrium polium , Greek ....]
(Botany) A whitish woolly plant ( Teucrium Polium ) of the order Labiatæ , 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.
Poly- Pol"y- [ See
Full ,
adjective ]
A combining form or prefix from Greek poly`s , many ; as, poly gon, a figure of many angles; poly atomic, having many atoms; poly chord, poly conic.
Poly-mountain Po`ly-moun"tain noun (Botany) (a) Same as Poly , noun (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.
Polyacid Pol`y·ac"id adjective [
Poly- +
acid .]
(Chemistry) Capable of neutralizing, or of combining with, several molecules of a monobasic acid; having more than one hydrogen atom capable of being replaced by acid radicals; -- said of certain bases; as, calcium hydrate and glycerin are polyacid bases.
Polyacoustic Pol`y·a·cous"tic adjective [
Poly- +
acoustic : confer French
polyacoustique .]
Multiplying or magnifying sound. --
noun A polyacoustic instrument.
Polyacoustics Pol`y·a·cous"tics noun The art of multiplying or magnifying sounds.
Polyacron Pol`y·a"cron noun ;
plural Polyacra , English
Polyacrons . [ New Latin , from Greek
poly`s many +
'a`kron summit.]
(Geom.) A solid having many summits or angular points; a polyhedron.
Polyactinia Pol`y·ac·tin"i·a noun plural [ New Latin See
Poly- , and
Actinia .]
(Zoology) An old name for those Anthozoa which, like the actinias, have numerous simple tentacles.
Polyadelphia Pol`y·a·del"phi·a noun plural [ New Latin , from Greek
poly`s many + ... brother.]
(Botany) A Linnæan class of plants having stamens united in three or more bodies or bundles by the filaments.
Polyadelphian, Polyadelphous Pol`y·a·del"phi·an, Pol`y·a·del"phous adjective (Botany) Belonging to the class Polyadelphia; having stamens united in three or more bundles.
Polyandria Pol`y·an"dri·a noun plural [ New Latin See
Polyandry .]
(Botany) A Linnæan class of monoclinous or hermaphrodite plants, having many stamens, or any number above twenty, inserted in the receptacle.
Polyandrian Pol`y·an"dri·an adjective (Botany) Polyandrous.
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