Pontlevis Pont"le·vis noun [ French, properly, a drawbridge.] (Man.) The action of a horse in rearing repeatedly and dangerously.

Ponton Pon·ton" noun [ French] See Pontoon .

Pontoon Pon·toon" noun [ French ponton (cf. Italian pontone ), from Latin ponto , -onis , from pons , pontis , a bridge, perhaps originally, a way, path: confer Greek ... path, Sanskrit path , pathi , panthan . Confer Punt a boat.] 1. (Mil.) A wooden flat-bottomed boat, a metallic cylinder, or a frame covered with canvas, India rubber, etc., forming a portable float, used in building bridges quickly for the passage of troops.

2. (Nautical) A low, flat vessel, resembling a barge, furnished with cranes, capstans, and other machinery, used in careening ships, raising weights, drawing piles, etc., chiefly in the Mediterranean; a lighter.

Pontoon bridge , a bridge formed with pontoons. -- Pontoon train , the carriages of the pontoons, and the materials they carry for making a pontoon bridge.

» The French spelling ponton often appears in scientific works, but pontoon is more common form.

Pontooning Pon·toon"ing noun The act, art, or process of constructing pontoon bridges. "Army instruction in pontooning ." Gen. W. T. Shermah.

Pontvolant Pont`vo·lant" noun [ French pont bridge + volant flying.] (Mil.) A kind of light bridge, used in sieges, for surprising a post or outwork which has but a narrow moat; a flying bridge.

Ponty Pon"ty noun (Class Making) See Pontee .

Pony Po"ny noun ; plural Ponies [ Written also poney .] [ Gael. ponaidh .] 1. A small horse.

2. Twenty-five pounds sterling. [ Slang, Eng.]

3. A translation or a key used to avoid study in getting lessons; a crib. [ College Cant]

4. A small glass of beer. [ Slang]

Pony chaise , a light, low chaise, drawn by a pony or a pair of ponies. -- Pony engine , a small locomotive for switching cars from one track to another. [ U.S.] -- Pony truck (Locomotive Engine) , a truck which has only two wheels. -- Pony truss (Bridge Building) , a truss which has so little height that overhead bracing can not be used.

Pood Pood noun [ Russian pud' .] A Russian weight, equal to forty Russian pounds or about thirty-six English pounds avoirdupois.

Poodle Poo"dle noun [ German pudel .] (Zoology) A breed of dogs having curly hair, and often showing remarkable intelligence in the performance of tricks.

Pooh Pooh interj. [ Of. imitative origin; confer Icelandic pū .] Pshaw! pish! nonsense! -- an expression of scorn, dislike, or contempt.

Pooh-pooh Pooh`-pooh" transitive verb To make light of; to treat with derision or contempt, as if by saying pooh ! pooh ! [ Colloq.] Thackeray.

Pookoo Poo"koo noun [ From the native name.] (Zoology) A red African antelope ( Kobus Vardoni ) allied to the water buck.

Pool Pool noun [ Anglo-Saxon pōl ; akin to LG. pool , pohl , Dutch poel , German pfuhl ; confer Icelandic pollr , also W. pwll , Gael. poll .] 1. A small and rather deep collection of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream; a reservoir for water; as, the pools of Solomon. Wyclif.

Charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool .

Bacon.

The sleepy pool above the dam.

Tennyson.

2. A small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle. "The filthy mantled pool beyond your cell." Shak.

Pool Pool noun [ French poule , properly, a hen. See Pullet .] [ Written also poule .] 1. The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a snare; also, the receptacle for the stakes.

2. A game at billiards, in which each of the players stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game; a game of skill in pocketing the balls on a pool table.

» This game is played variously, but commonly with fifteen balls, besides one cue ball, the contest being to drive the most balls into the pockets.

He plays pool at the billiard houses.

Thackeray.

3. In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners.

4. Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join.

5. A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed; as, the pool took all the wheat offered below the limit; he put $10,000 into the pool .

6. (Railroads) A mutual arrangement between competing lines, by which the receipts of all are aggregated, and then distributed pro rata according to agreement.

7. (Law) An aggregation of properties or rights, belonging to different people in a community, in a common fund, to be charged with common liabilities.

Pin pool , a variety of the game of billiards in which small wooden pins are set up to be knocked down by the balls. -- Pool ball , one of the colored ivory balls used in playing the game at billiards called pool . -- Pool snipe (Zoology) , the European redshank. [ Prov. Eng.] -- Pool table , a billiard table with pockets.

Pool Pool transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Pooled ; present participle & verbal noun Pooling .] To put together; to contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of; as, the companies pooled their traffic.

Finally, it favors the pooling of all issues.

U. S. Grant.

Pool Pool intransitive verb To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.

Pooler Pool"er noun A stick for stirring a tan vat.

Pooling Pool"ing noun (Law) The act of uniting, or an agreement to unite, an aggregation of properties belonging to different persons, with a view to common liabilities or profits.

Poon Poon noun [ Canarese ponne .] A name for several East Indian, or their wood, used for the masts and spars of vessels, as Calophyllum angustifolium , C. inophullum , and Sterculia fœtida ; -- called also peon .

Poonac Poo"nac noun A kind of oil cake prepared from the cocoanut. See Oil cake , under Cake .

Poonah painting Poo"nah paint`ing [ From Poona , in Bombay Province, India.] A style of painting, popular in England in the 19th century, in which a thick opaque color is applied without background and with scarcely any shading, to thin paper, producing flowers, birds, etc., in imitation of Oriental work. Hence: Poonah brush , paper , painter , etc.

Poonga oil Poon"ga oil` A kind of oil used in India for lamps, and for boiling with dammar for pitching vessels. It is pressed from the seeds of a leguminous tree ( Pongamia glabra ).

Poop Poop noun (Architecture) See 2d Poppy .

Poop Poop intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Pooped ; present participle & verbal noun Pooping .] [ Confer Dutch poepen . See Pop .] To make a noise; to pop; also, to break wind.

Poop Poop noun [ French poupe ; confer Spanish & Portuguese popa , Italian poppa ; all from Latin puppis .] (Nautical) A deck raised above the after part of a vessel; the hindmost or after part of a vessel's hull; also, a cabin covered by such a deck. See Poop deck , under Deck . See also Roundhouse .

With wind in poop , the vessel plows the sea.

Dryden.

The poop was beaten gold.

Shak.

Poop Poop transitive verb (Nautical) (a) To break over the poop or stern, as a wave. "A sea which he thought was going to poop her." Lord Dufferin. (b) To strike in the stern, as by collision.

Pooped Pooped past participle & adjective (Nautical) (a) Having a poop; furnished with a poop. (b) Struck on the poop.

Pooping Poop"ing noun (Nautical) The act or shock of striking a vessel's stern by a following wave or vessel.

Poor Poor adjective [ Compar. Poorer (?; 254); superl. Poorest .] [ Middle English poure or povre , Old French povre , French pauvre , Latin pauper ; the first syllable of which is probably akin to paucus few (see Paucity , Few ), and the second to parare to prepare, procure. See Few , and confer Parade , Pauper , Poverty .] 1. Destitute of property; wanting in material riches or goods; needy; indigent.

» It is often synonymous with indigent and with necessitous denoting extreme want. It is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but who are not rich; as, a poor man or woman; poor people.

2. (Law) So completely destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public.

3. Hence, in very various applications: Destitute of such qualities as are desirable, or might naturally be expected ; as: (a) Wanting in fat, plumpness, or fleshiness; lean; emaciated; meager; as, a poor horse, ox, dog, etc. "Seven other kine came up after them, poor and very ill-favored and lean-fleshed." Gen. xli. 19. (b) Wanting in strength or vigor; feeble; dejected; as, poor health; poor spirits. "His genius . . . poor and cowardly." Bacon. (c) Of little value or worth; not good; inferior; shabby; mean; as, poor clothes; poor lodgings. "A poor vessel." Clarendon. (d) Destitute of fertility; exhausted; barren; sterile; -- said of land; as, poor soil. (e) Destitute of beauty, fitness, or merit; as, a poor discourse; a poor picture. (f) Without prosperous conditions or good results; unfavorable; unfortunate; unconformable; as, a poor business; the sick man had a poor night. (g) Inadequate; insufficient; insignificant; as, a poor excuse.

That I have wronged no man will be a poor plea or apology at the last day.

Calamy.

4. Worthy of pity or sympathy; -- used also sometimes as a term of endearment, or as an expression of modesty, and sometimes as a word of contempt.

And for mine own poor part,
Look you, I'll go pray.

Shak.

Poor , little, pretty, fluttering thing.

Prior.

5. Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek. "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Matt. v. 3.

Poor law , a law providing for, or regulating, the relief or support of the poor. -- Poor man's treacle (Botany) , garlic; -- so called because it was thought to be an antidote to animal poison. [ Eng] Dr. Prior. -- Poor man's weatherglass (Botany) , the red-flowered pimpernel ( Anagallis arvensis ), which opens its blossoms only in fair weather. -- Poor rate , an assessment or tax, as in an English parish, for the relief or support of the poor. -- Poor soldier (Zoology) , the friar bird. -- The poor , those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy. In a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public. "I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor , the less they provide for themselves." Franklin.

Poor Poor noun (Zoology) A small European codfish ( Gadus minutus ); -- called also power cod .

Poor-john Poor"-john` noun (Zoology) A small European fish, similar to the cod, but of inferior quality.

Poor-john and apple pies are all our fare.

Sir J. Harrington.

Poor-spirited Poor"-spir`it·ed adjective Of a mean spirit; cowardly; base. -- Poor"-spir`it*ed*ness , noun

Poor-will Poor"-will` noun [ So called in imitation of its note.] (Zoology) A bird of the Western United States ( Phalænoptilus Nutalli ) allied to the whip- poor-will.

Poor-willie Poor"-wil`lie noun [ So called in imitation of its note.] (Zoology) The bar-tailed godwit. [ Prov. Eng.]

Poorbox Poor"box` noun A receptacle in which money given for the poor is placed.

Poorhouse Poor"house` noun A dwelling for a number of paupers maintained at public expense; an almshouse; a workhouse.

Poorliness Poor"li·ness noun The quality or state of being poorly; ill health.

Poorly Poor"ly adverb 1. In a poor manner or condition; without plenty, or sufficiency, or suitable provision for comfort; as, to live poorly .

2. With little or no success; indifferently; with little profit or advantage; as, to do poorly in business.

3. Meanly; without spirit.

Nor is their courage or their wealth so low,
That from his wars they poorly would retire.

Dryden.

4. Without skill or merit; as, he performs poorly .

Poorly off , not well off; not rich.

Poorly Poor"ly adjective Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health. "Having been poorly in health." T. Scott.

Poorness Poor"ness noun The quality or state of being poor (in any of the senses of the adjective). Bacon.

Pop Pop noun [ Of imitative origin. Confer Poop .] 1. A small, sharp, quick explosive sound or report; as, to go off with a pop . Addison.

2. An unintoxicating beverage which expels the cork with a pop from the bottle containing it; as, ginger pop ; lemon pop , etc. Hood.

3. (Zoology) The European redwing. [ Prov. Eng.]

Pop corn . (a) Corn, or maize, of peculiar excellence for popping; especially, a kind the grains of which are small and compact . (b) Popped corn; which has been popped.

Pop Pop intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Popped ; present participle & verbal noun Popping .] 1. To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound; as, the muskets popped away on all sides.

2. To enter, or issue forth, with a quick, sudden movement; to move from place to place suddenly; to dart; -- with in , out , upon , off , etc.

He that killed my king . . .
Popp'd in between the election and my hopes.

Shak.

A trick of popping up and down every moment.

Swift.

3. To burst open with a pop, when heated over a fire; as, this corn pops well.

Pop Pop transitive verb 1. To thrust or push suddenly; to offer suddenly; to bring suddenly and unexpectedly to notice; as, to pop one's head in at the door.

He popped a paper into his hand.

Milton.

2. To cause to pop; to cause to burst open by heat, as grains of Indian corn; as, to pop corn or chestnuts.

To pop off , to thrust away, or put off promptly; as, to pop one off with a denial. Locke. -- To pop the question , to make an offer of marriage to a lady. [ Colloq.] Dickens.

Pop Pop adverb Like a pop; suddenly; unexpectedly. " Pop goes his plate." Beau. & Fl.

Pope Pope noun [ Anglo-Saxon pāpa , Latin papa father, bishop. Confer Papa , Papal .] 1. Any ecclesiastic, esp. a bishop. [ Obsolete] Foxe.

2. The bishop of Rome, the head of the Roman Catholic Church. See Note under Cardinal .

3. A parish priest, or a chaplain, of the Greek Church.

4. (Zoology) A fish; the ruff.

Pope Joan , a game at cards played on a round board with compartments. -- Pope's eye , the gland surrounded with fat in the middle of the thigh of an ox or sheep. R. D. Blackmore. -- Pope's nose , the rump, or uropygium, of a bird. See Uropygium .

Pope's head Pope's head A long-handled brush for dusting ceilings, etc., also for washing windows. [ Cant]

Popedom Pope"dom noun [ Anglo-Saxon pāpedōm .] 1. The place, office, or dignity of the pope; papal dignity. Shak.

2. The jurisdiction of the pope.

Popeling Pope"ling noun 1. A petty or deputy pope.

2. An adherent of the pope. [ R.] Marlowe.

Popelote Pop"e·lote noun A word variously explained as "a little puppet," "a little doll," or "a young butterfly." Confer Popet . [ Obsolete]

So gay a popelote , so sweet a wench.

Chaucer.

Popery Pop"er·y noun The religion of the Roman Catholic Church, comprehending doctrines and practices; -- generally used in an opprobrious sense.

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