Papyrus Pa·py"rus noun ;
plural Papyri . [ Latin , from Greek .... See
Paper .]
1. (Botany) A tall rushlike plant ( Cyperus Papyrus ) of the Sedge family, formerly growing in Egypt, and now found in Abyssinia, Syria, Sicily, etc. The stem is triangular and about an inch thick. 2. The material upon which the ancient Egyptians wrote. It was formed by cutting the stem of the plant into thin longitudinal slices, which were gummed together and pressed. 3. A manuscript written on papyrus; esp., plural , written scrolls made of papyrus; as, the papyri of Egypt or Herculaneum.
Pâque Pâque noun [ French
pâque .]
See Pasch and Easter .
Par Par noun (Zoology) See Parr .
Par Par preposition [ French, from Latin
per . See
Per .]
By; with; -- used frequently in Early English in phrases taken from the French, being sometimes written as a part of the word which it governs; as, par amour, or par amour; par cas, or par case; par fay, or par fay.
Par Par noun [ Latin
par , adj., equal. See
Peer an equal.]
1. Equal value; equality of nominal and actual value; the value expressed on the face or in the words of a certificate of value, as a bond or other commercial paper. 2. Equality of condition or circumstances. At par ,
at the original price; neither at a discount nor at a premium. --
Above par ,
at a premium. --
Below par ,
at a discount. --
On a par ,
on a level; in the same condition, circumstances, position, rank, etc.; as, their pretensions are on a par ; his ability is on a par with his ambition. --
Par of exchange .
See under Exchange . --
Par value ,
nominal value; face value.
Par Par noun 1. An amount which is taken as an average or mean. [ Eng.]
2. (Golf) The number of strokes required for a hole or a round played without mistake, two strokes being allowed on each hole for putting. Par represents perfect play, whereas bogey makes allowance on some holes for human frailty. Thus if par for a course is 75, bogey is usually put down, arbitrarily, as 81 or 82.
Para Pa·ra" noun [ Turk., from Persian
pārah a piece.]
A piece of Turkish money, usually copper, the fortieth part of a piaster, or about one ninth of a cent.
Pará Pa·rá" noun 1. The southern arm of the Amazon in Brazil; also, a seaport on this arm. 2. Short for Pará rubber .
Pará cress Pará cress An annual asteraceous herb ( Spilances oleracea ) grown in tropical countries as a pungent salad, and also used medicinally.
Para grass Pa·ra" grass` (Botany) A valuable pasture grass ( Panicum barbinode ) introduced into the Southern United States from Brazil.
Pará grass Pará grass (a) A tall rather coarse grass ( Panicum molle ) grown in the tropics for pasturage, and introduced into the southern United States. (b) Piassaba fiber.
Para nut Pa·ra" nut` (pȧ*rä" nŭt`). (Botany) The Brazil nut.
Pará nut Pará nut The Brazil nut.
Pará rubber Pará rubber The caoutchouc obtained from the South American euphorbiaceous tree Hevea brasiliensis , hence called the Pará rubber tree, from the Brazilian river and seaport named Pará; also, the similar product of other species of Hevea . It is usually exported in flat round cakes, and is a chief variety of commercial India rubber.
Para- Par"a- [ Greek para` beside; probably akin to English for- in forgive . Confer For- .] 1. A prefix signifying alongside of , beside , beyond , against , amiss ; as para ble, literally, a placing beside; para dox, that which is contrary to opinion; para chronism. 2. (Chemistry) A prefix denoting: (a) Likeness , similarity , or connection , or that the substance resembles , but is distinct from , that to the name of which it is prefixed; as par aldehyde, para conine, etc.; also, an isomeric modification . (b) Specifically: (Organ. Chem.) That two groups or radicals substituted in the benzene nucleus are opposite , or in the respective positions 1 and 4; 2 and 5; or 3 and 6, as para xylene; par oxybenzoic acid. Confer Ortho- , and Meta- . Also used adjectively.
Para-anæsthesia, -anesthesia Par`a-an`æs·the"si·a, -an`es·the"si·a noun [ New Latin ;
para- +
anæsthesia .]
(Medicine) Anæsthesia of both sides of the lower half of the body.
Parabanic Par`a·ban"ic adjective [ Greek ... to pass over.]
(Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, a nitrogenous acid which is obtained by the oxidation of uric acid, as a white crystalline substance (C 3 N 2 H 2 O 3 ); -- also called oxalyl urea .
Parablast Par"a·blast noun [ Confer Greek ... to grow beside. See
Para- , and
-blast .]
(Biol.) A portion of the mesoblast (of peripheral origin) of the developing embryo, the cells of which are especially concerned in forming the first blood and blood vessels. C. S. Minot.
Parablastic Par`a·blas"tic adjective (Biol.) Of or pertaining to the parablast; as, the parablastic cells.
Parable Par"a·ble adjective [ Latin
parabilis , from
parare to provide.]
Procurable. [ Obsolete]
Sir T. Browne.
Parable Par"a·ble noun [ French
parabole , Latin
parabola , from Greek ... a placing beside or together, a comparing, comparison, a parable, from ... to throw beside, compare;
para` beside + ... to throw; confer Sanskrit
gal to drop. Confer
Emblem ,
Gland ,
Palaver ,
Parabola ,
Parley ,
Parabole ,
Symbol .]
A comparison; a similitude; specifically, a short fictitious narrative of something which might really occur in life or nature, by means of which a moral is drawn; as, the parables of Christ. Chaucer. Declare unto us the parable of the tares.
Matt. xiii. 36. Syn. -- See
Allegory , and Note under
Apologue .
Parable Par"a·ble transitive verb To represent by parable. [ R.]
Which by the ancient sages was thus parabled.
Milton.
Parabola Pa·rab"o·la noun ;
plural Parabolas . [ New Latin , from Greek ...; -- so called because its axis is parallel to the side of the cone. See
Parable , and confer
Parabole .]
(Geom.) (a) A kind of curve; one of the conic sections formed by the intersection of the surface of a cone with a plane parallel to one of its sides. It is a curve, any point of which is equally distant from a fixed point, called the focus , and a fixed straight line, called the directrix . See Focus . (b) One of a group of curves defined by the equation y = ax n where n is a positive whole number or a positive fraction. For the cubical parabola n = 3; for the semicubical parabola n = &frac32;. See under Cubical , and Semicubical . The parabolas have infinite branches, but no rectilineal asymptotes.
Parabole Pa·rab"o·le noun [ Latin , from Greek .... See
Parable .]
(Rhet.) Similitude; comparison.
Parabolic, Parabolical Par`a·bol"ic, Par`a·bol"ic·al adjective [ Greek
paraboliko`s figurative: confer French
parabolique . See
Parable .]
1. Of the nature of a parable; expressed by a parable or figure; allegorical; as, parabolical instruction. 2. [ From
Parabola .]
(Geom.) (a) Having the form or nature of a parabola; pertaining to, or resembling, a parabola; as, a parabolic curve. (b) Generated by the revolution of a parabola, or by a line that moves on a parabola as a directing curve; as, a parabolic conoid. Parabolic conoid ,
a paraboloid; a conoid whose directing curve is a parabola. See Conoid . --
Parabolic mirror (Opt.) ,
a mirror having a paraboloidal surface which gives for parallel rays (as those from very distant objects) images free from aberration. It is used in reflecting telescopes. --
Parabolic spindle ,
the solid generated by revolving the portion of a parabola cut off by a line drawn at right angles to the axis of the curve, about that line as an axis. --
Parabolic spiral ,
a spiral curve conceived to be formed by the periphery of a semiparabola when its axis is wrapped about a circle; also, any other spiral curve having an analogy to the parabola.
Parabolically Par`a·bol"ic·al·ly (păr`ȧ*bŏl"ĭ*k
a l*lȳ)
adverb 1. By way of parable; in a parabolic manner. 2. In the form of a parabola.
Paraboliform Par`a·bol"i·form (-ĭ*fôrm)
adjective [
Parabola +
-form .]
Resembling a parabola in form.
Parabolism Pa·rab"o·lism (pȧ*răb"o*lĭz'm)
noun [ From
Parabola .]
(Alg.) The division of the terms of an equation by a known quantity that is involved in the first term. [ Obsolete]
Parabolist Pa·rab"o·list (-lĭst)
noun A narrator of parables.
Paraboloid Pa·rab"o·loid (-loid)
noun [
Parabola +
-oid : confer French
paraboloïde .]
(Geom.) The solid generated by the rotation of a parabola about its axis; any surface of the second order whose sections by planes parallel to a given line are parabolas. » The term
paraboloid has sometimes been applied also to the parabolas of the higher orders.
Hutton.
Paraboloidal Par`a·bo·loid"al adjective Of, pertaining to, or resembling, a paraboloid.
Parabronchium Par`a·bron"chi·um noun ;
plural Parabronchia . [ New Latin See
Para- ,
Bronchia .]
(Anat.) One of the branches of an ectobronchium or entobronchium.
Paracelsian Par`a·cel"si·an adjective Of, pertaining to, or in conformity with, the practice of Paracelsus , a Swiss physician of the 15th century. Ferrand.
Paracelsian Par`a·cel"si·an noun A follower of Paracelsus or his practice or teachings. Hakewill.
Paracelsist Par`a·cel"sist noun A Paracelsian.
Paracentesis Par`a·cen·te"sis noun [ Latin , from Greek ..., from ... to pierce at the side, to tap.]
(Medicine) The perforation of a cavity of the body with a trocar, aspirator, or other suitable instrument, for the evacuation of effused fluid, pus, or gas; tapping.
Paracentric, Paracentrical Par`a·cen"tric, Par`a·cen"tric·al adjective [ Prefix
para- +
centric ,
- ical : confer French
paracentrique .]
Deviating from circularity; changing the distance from a center. Paracentric curve (Math.) ,
a curve having the property that, when its plane is placed vertically, a body descending along it, by the force of gravity, will approach to, or recede from, a fixed point or center, by equal distances in equal times; -- called also a paracentric . --
Paracentric motton or
velocity ,
the motion or velocity of a revolving body, as a planet, by which it approaches to, or recedes from, the center, without reference to its motion in space, or to its motion as reckoned in any other direction.
Parachordal Par`a·chor"dal adjective [ Prefix
para- +
chordal .]
(Anat.) Situated on either side of the notochord; -- applied especially to the cartilaginous rudiments of the skull on each side of the anterior part of the notochord. --
noun A parachordal cartilage.
Parachronism Pa·rach"ro·nism noun [ Prefix
para- + Greek ... time: confer French
parachronisme .]
An error in chronology, by which the date of an event is set later than the time of its occurrence. [ R.]
Parachrose Par"a·chrose adjective [ Greek ... false coloring;
para` beside, beyond + ... color.]
(Min.) Changing color by exposure Mohs.
Parachute Par"a·chute noun [ French, from
paper to ward off, guard +
chute a fall. See
Parry , and
Chute ,
Chance .]
1. A contrivance somewhat in the form of an umbrella, by means of which a descent may be made from a balloon, or any eminence. 2. (Zoology) A web or fold of skin which extends between the legs of certain mammals, as the flying squirrels, colugo, and phalangister.
Paraclete Par"a·clete noun [ Latin
paracletus , Greek ..., from ... to call to one, to exhort, encourage;
para` beside + ... to call.]
An advocate; one called to aid or support; hence, the Consoler, Comforter, or Intercessor; -- a term applied to the Holy Spirit. From which intercession especially I conceive he hath the name of the Paraclete given him by Christ.
Bp. Pearson.
Paraclose Par"a·close noun (Architecture) See Parclose .
Paracmastic Par`ac·mas"tic adjective [ Greek .... See
Para- , and
Acme .]
(Medicine) Gradually decreasing; past the acme, or crisis, as a distemper. Dunglison.
Paraconic Par`a·con"ic adjective [ Prefix
par a- +
acon itic.]
(Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an organic acid obtained as a deliquescent white crystalline substance, and isomeric with itaconic, citraconic, and mesaconic acids.
Paraconine Par`a·co"nine noun [ Prefix
para- +
conine .]
(Chemistry) A base resembling and isomeric with conine, and obtained as a colorless liquid from butyric aldehyde and ammonia.
Paracorolla Par`a·co·rol"la noun [ Prefix
para- +
corolla .]
(Botany) A secondary or inner corolla; a corona, as of the Narcissus.
Paracrostic Par`a·cros"tic noun [ Prefix
para- +
acrostic .]
A poetical composition, in which the first verse contains, in order, the first letters of all the verses of the poem. Brande & C.
Paracyanogen Par`a·cy·an"o·gen noun [ Prefix
para- +
cyanogen .]
(Chemistry) A polymeric modification of cyanogen, obtained as a brown or black amorphous residue by heating mercuric cyanide.
Paracymene Par`a·cy"mene noun [ Prefix
para- +
cymene .]
(Chemistry) Same as Cymene .
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