Popet Pop"et noun A puppet. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Popgun Pop"gun` noun A child's gun; a tube and rammer for shooting pellets, with a popping noise, by compression of air.
Popinjay Pop"in·jay noun [ Middle English
popingay ,
papejay , Old French
papegai ,
papegaut ; confer Pr.
papagai , Spanish & Portuguese
papagayo , Italian
pappagallo , LGr. ..., NGr. ...; in which the first syllables are perhaps imitative of the bird's chatter, and the last either from Latin
gallus cock, or the same word as English
jay , French
geai . Confer
Papagay .]
1. (Zoology) (a) The green woodpecker. (b) A parrot. The pye and popyngay speak they know not what.
Tyndale. 2. A target in the form of a parrot. [ Scot.]
3. A trifling, chattering, fop or coxcomb. "To be so pestered with a
popinjay ."
Shak.
Popish Pop"ish adjective Of or pertaining to the pope; taught or ordained by the pope; hence, of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church; -- often used opprobriously. --
Pop"ish*ly ,
adverb --
Pop"ish*ness ,
noun
Poplar Pop"lar noun [ Middle English
popler , Old French
poplier , French
peuplier , from Latin
populus poplar.]
(Botany) 1. Any tree of the genus Populus ; also, the timber, which is soft, and capable of many uses. » The aspen poplar is
Populus tremula and
P. tremuloides ; Balsam poplar is
P. balsamifera ; Lombardy poplar (
P. dilatata ) is a tall, spiry tree; white poplar is
Populus alba .
2. The timber of the tulip tree; -- called also white poplar . [ U.S.]
Poplexy Po·plex"y noun Apoplexy. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Poplin Pop"lin noun [ French
popeline ,
papeline .]
A fabric of many varieties, usually made of silk and worsted, -- used especially for women's dresses. Irish poplin ,
a fabric with silk warp and worsted weft, made in Ireland.
Popliteal Pop·lit"e·al adjective [ From Latin
poples ,
-itis , the ham.]
(Anat.) Of or pertaining to the ham; in the region of the ham, or behind the knee joint; as, the popliteal space.
Poplitic Pop·lit"ic adjective (Anat.) Popliteal.
Popovtsy Po·pov"tsy noun plural [ Russian , prop., those having popes or priests.]
See Raskolnik .
Popper Pop"per noun A utensil for popping corn, usually a wire basket with a long handle.
Popper Pop"per noun A dagger. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Poppet Pop"pet noun 1. See Puppet . 2. (Nautical) One of certain upright timbers on the bilge ways, used to support a vessel in launching. Totten. 3. (Machinery) An upright support or guide fastened at the bottom only. Poppet head ,
Puppet head .
See Headstock (a) .
Poppied Pop"pied adjective [ See 1st
Poppy .]
1. Mingled or interspersed with poppies. "
Poppied corn."
Keats. 2. Affected with poppy juice; hence, figuratively, drugged; drowsy; listless; inactive. [ R.]
The poppied sails doze on the yard.
Lowell.
Popping Pop"ping adjective & noun from Pop . Popping crease .
(Cricket) See under Crease .
Popple Pop"ple intransitive verb [ Confer
Pop .]
To move quickly up and down; to bob up and down, as a cork on rough water; also, to bubble. Cotton.
Popple Pop"ple noun 1. The poplar. [ Prov. Eng. & Local, U. S.]
2. Tares. [ Obsolete] "To sow
popple among wheat."
Bale.
Poppy Pop"py noun ;
plural Poppies . [ Middle English
popy , Anglo-Saxon
popig , Latin
papaver .]
(Botany) Any plant or species of the genus Papaver , herbs with showy polypetalous flowers and a milky juice. From one species ( Papaver somniferum ) opium is obtained, though all the species contain it to some extent; also, a flower of the plant. See Illust. of Capsule . California poppy (Botany) ,
any yellow- flowered plant of the genus Eschscholtzia . --
Corn poppy .
See under Corn . --
Horn , or
Horned ,
poppy .
See under Horn . --
Poppy bee (Zoology) ,
a leaf-cutting bee ( Anthocopa papaveris ) which uses pieces cut from poppy petals for the lining of its cells; -- called also upholsterer bee . --
Prickly poppy (Botany) ,
Argemone Mexicana , a yellow-flowered plant of the Poppy family, but as prickly as a thistle. --
Poppy seed ,
the seed the opium poppy ( P. somniferum ). --
Spatling poppy (Botany) ,
a species of Silene ( S. inflata ). See Catchfly .
Poppy, Poppyhead Pop"py, Pop"py·head` noun [ French
poupée doll, puppet. See
Puppet .]
(Architecture) A raised ornament frequently having the form of a final. It is generally used on the tops of the upright ends or elbows which terminate seats, etc., in Gothic churches.
Populace Pop"u·lace noun [ French
populace , from Italian
popolaccio ,
popolazzo , from
popolo people, Latin
populus . See
People .]
The common people; the vulgar; the multitude, -- comprehending all persons not distinguished by rank, office, education, or profession. Pope. To . . . calm the peers and please the populace .
Daniel. They . . . call us Britain's barbarous populaces .
Tennyson. Syn. -- Mob; people; commonalty.
Populacy Pop"u·la·cy noun Populace. [ Obsolete]
Feltham.
Popular Pop"u·lar adjective [ Latin
popularis , from
populus people: confer French
populaire . See
People .]
1. Of or pertaining to the common people, or to the whole body of the people, as distinguished from a select portion; as, the popular voice; popular elections. "
Popular states."
Bacon. "So the
popular vote inclines."
Milton. The men commonly held in popular estimation are greatest at a distance.
J. H. Newman. 2. Suitable to common people; easy to be comprehended; not abstruse; familiar; plain. Homilies are plain popular instructions.
Hooker. 3. Adapted to the means of the common people; possessed or obtainable by the many; hence, cheap; common; ordinary; inferior; as, popular prices; popular amusements. The smallest figs, called popular figs, . . . are, of all others, the basest and of least account.
Holland. 4. Beloved or approved by the people; pleasing to people in general, or to many people; as, a popular preacher; a popular law; a popular administration. 5. Devoted to the common people; studious of the favor of the populace. [ R.]
Such popular humanity is treason.
Addison. 6. Prevailing among the people; epidemic; as, a popular disease. [ Obsolete]
Johnson. Popular action (Law) ,
an action in which any person may sue for penalty imposed by statute. Blackstone.
Populares Pop`u·la"res noun plural [ Latin ]
The people or the people's party, in ancient Rome, as opposed to the optimates .
Popularity Pop`u·lar"i·ty noun ;
plural Popularities . [ Latin
popularitas an effort to please the people: confer French
popularité .]
1. The quality or state of being popular; especially, the state of being esteemed by, or of being in favor with, the people at large; good will or favor proceeding from the people; as, the popularity of a law, statesman, or a book. A popularity which has lasted down to our time.
Macaulay. 2. The quality or state of being adapted or pleasing to common, poor, or vulgar people; hence, cheapness; inferiority; vulgarity. This gallant laboring to avoid popularity falls into a habit of affectation.
B. Jonson. 3. Something which obtains, or is intended to obtain, the favor of the vulgar; claptrap. Popularities , and circumstances which . . . sway the ordinary judgment.
Bacon. 4. The act of courting the favor of the people. [ Obsolete] "Indicted . . . for
popularity and ambition."
Holland. 5. Public sentiment; general passion. [ R.]
A little time be allowed for the madness of popularity to cease.
Bancroft.
Popularization Pop`u·lar·i·za"tion noun The act of making popular, or of introducing among the people.
Popularize Pop"u·lar·ize transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Popularized ;
present participle & verbal noun Popularizing .] [ Confer French
populariser .]
To make popular; to make suitable or acceptable to the common people; to make generally known; as, to popularize philosophy. "The
popularizing of religious teaching."
Milman.
Popularizer Pop"u·lar·i`zer noun One who popularizes.
Popularly Pop"u·lar·ly adverb In a popular manner; so as to be generally favored or accepted by the people; commonly; currently; as, the story was popularity reported. The victor knight,
Bareheaded, popularly low had bowed.
Dryden.
Popularness Pop"u·lar·ness noun The quality or state of being popular; popularity. Coleridge.
Populate Pop"u·late adjective [ Latin
populus people. See
People .]
Populous. [ Obsolete]
Bacon.
Populate Pop"u·late transitive verb [
imperfect & past participle Populated ;
present participle & verbal noun Populating .]
To furnish with inhabitants, either by natural increase or by immigration or colonization; to cause to be inhabited; to people.
Populate Pop"u·late intransitive verb To propagate. [ Obsolete]
Great shoals of people which go on to populate .
Bacon.
Population Pop`u·la"tion noun [ Latin
populatio : confer French
population .]
1. The act or process of populating; multiplication of inhabitants. 2. The whole number of people, or inhabitants, in a country, or portion of a country; as, a population of ten millions.
Populator Pop"u·la`tor noun One who populates.
Populicide Pop"u·li·cide` noun [ Latin
populus people +
caedere to kill.]
Slaughter of the people. [ R.]
Populin Pop"u·lin noun [ Latin
populus poplar: confer French
populine .]
(Chemistry) A glycoside, related to salicin, found in the bark of certain species of the poplar ( Populus ), and extracted as a sweet white crystalline substance.
Populism Pop"u·lism noun (U. S. Politics) The political doctrines advocated by the People's party.
Populist Pop"u·list noun [ Latin
populus people +
-ist .]
(U. S. Politics) A member of the People's party. --
Pop`u*lis"tic adjective
Populosity Pop`u·los"i·ty noun [ Latin
populositas : confer French
populosité .]
Populousness. [ Obsolete]
Populous Pop"u·lous adjective [ Latin
populosus , from
populus people: confer French
populeux .]
1. Abounding in people; full of inhabitants; containing many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of the country. Heaven, yet populous , retains
Number sufficient to possess her realms.
Milton. 2. Popular; famous. [ Obsolete]
J. Webster. 3. Common; vulgar. [ Obsolete]
Arden of Feversham. 4. Numerous; in large number. [ Obsolete] "The dust . . . raised by your
populous troops."
Shak. --
Pop"u*lous*ly ,
adverb --
Pop"u*lous*ness ,
noun
Poraille Po·raille" noun [ Old French
pouraille . See
Poor .]
Poor people; the poor. [ Obsolete]
Chaucer.
Porbeagle Por"bea`gle noun (Zoology) A species of shark ( Lamna cornubica ), about eight feet long, having a pointed nose and a crescent-shaped tail; -- called also mackerel shark . [ Written
also probeagle .]
Porcate Por"cate adjective [ Latin
porca a ridge between two furrows.]
(Zoology) Having grooves or furrows broader than the intervening ridges; furrowed.
Porcelain Por"ce·lain noun (Botany) Purslain. [ Obsolete]
Porcelain Por"ce·lain -277
noun [ French
porcelaine , Italian
porcellana , orig., the porcelain shell, or Venus shell (
Cypræa porcellana ), from a dim. from Latin
porcus pig, probably from the resemblance of the shell in sha
Porcelainized Por"ce·lain·ized adjective (Geol.) Baked like potter's lay; -- applied to clay shales that have been converted by heat into a substance resembling porcelain.
Porcelaneous, Porcellaneous Por`ce·la"ne·ous, Por`cel·la"ne·ous adjective 1. Of or pertaining to porcelain; resembling porcelain; as, porcelaneous shells. 2. (Zoology) Having a smooth, compact shell without pores; -- said of certain Foraminifera.
Porcelanite Por"ce·la·nite noun [ Confer French
porcelanite .]
(Min.) A semivitrified clay or shale, somewhat resembling jasper; -- called also porcelain jasper .
Porcelanous, Porcellanous Por"ce·la`nous, Por"cel·la`nous adjective Porcelaneous. Ure.
Porch Porch noun [ French
porche , Latin
porticus , from
porta a gate, entrance, or passage. See
Port a gate, and confer
Portico .]
1. (Architecture) A covered and inclosed entrance to a building, whether taken from the interior, and forming a sort of vestibule within the main wall, or projecting without and with a separate roof. Sometimes the porch is large enough to serve as a covered walk. See also Carriage porch , under Carriage , and Loggia . The graceless Helen in the porch I spied
Of Vesta's temple.
Dryden. 2. A portico; a covered walk. [ Obsolete]
Repair to Pompey's porch , where you shall find find us.
Shak. The Porch ,
a public portico, or great hall, in Athens, where Zeno, the philosopher, taught his disciples; hence, sometimes used as equivalent to the school of the Stoics . It was called "h poiki`lh stoa` . [ See Poicile .]