Paralyse transitive verb Same as Paralyze .

Paralysis noun [ Latin , from Greek ..., from ... to loosen, dissolve, or disable at the side; para` beside + ... to loosen. See Para- , and Loose , and confer Palsy .] (Medicine) Abolition of function, whether complete or partial; esp., the loss of the power of voluntary motion, with or without that of sensation, in any part of the body; palsy. See Hemiplegia , and Paraplegia . Also used figuratively. "Utter paralysis of memory." G. Eliot.

Mischievous practices arising out of the paralysis of the powers of ownership.

Duke of Argyll (1887).

Paralytic adjective [ Latin paralyticus , Greek ...: confer F. paralytique .]
1. Of or pertaining to paralysis; resembling paralysis.

2. Affected with paralysis, or palsy.

The cold, shaking, paralytic hand.

Prior.

3. Inclined or tending to paralysis.

Paralytic secretion (Physiol.) , the fluid, generally thin and watery, secreted from a gland after section or paralysis of its nerves, as the pralytic saliva.

Paralytic noun A person affected with paralysis.

Paralytical adjective See Paralytic .

Paralyzation noun The act or process of paralyzing, or the state of being paralyzed.

Paralyze transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Paralyzed ; present participle & verbal noun Paralyzing .] [ French paralyser . See Paralysis .]

1. To affect or strike with paralysis or palsy.

2. Fig.: To unnerve; to destroy or impair the energy of; to render ineffective; as, the occurrence paralyzed the community; despondency paralyzed his efforts.

Param noun (Chemistry) A white crystalline nitrogenous substance (C ₂ H ₄ N ₄ ); -- called also dicyandiamide .

Paramagnetic adjective [ Prefix para- + magnetic .] Magnetic, as opposed to diamagnetic . -- noun A paramagnetic substance. Faraday. -- Par`a*mag*net"ic*al*ly adverb

Paramagnetism noun Magnetism, as opposed to diamagnetism . Faraday.

Paramaleic adjective [ Prefix para- + maleic .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid obtained from malic acid, and now called fumaric acid . [ Obsolete]

Paramalic adjective [ Prefix para- + malic .] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an organic acid metameric with malic acid.

Paramastoid adjective [ Prefix para- + mastoid .] (Anat.) Situated beside, or near, the mastoid portion of the temporal bone; paroccipital; -- applied especially to a process of the skull in some animals.

Paramatta noun [ So named from Paramatta , in Australia.] A light fabric of cotton and worsted, resembling bombazine or merino. Beck (Draper's Dict.)

Parament noun [ Spanish paramento , from parar to prepare, Latin parare .] Ornamental hangings, furniture, etc., as of a state apartment; rich and elegant robes worn by men of rank; -- chiefly in the plural. [ Obsolete]

Lords in paraments on their coursers.

Chaucer.

Chamber of paraments , presence chamber of a monarch.

Paramento noun [ Spanish ] Ornament; decoration. Beau. & Fl.

Paramere noun [ Prefix para- + -mere .] (Zoology) One of the symmetrical halves of any one of the radii, or spheromeres, of a radiate animal, as a starfish.

Parameter noun [ Prefix para- + -meter : confer French paramètre .]
1. (a) (Math.) A term applied to some characteristic magnitude whose value, invariable as long as one and the same function, curve, surface, etc., is considered, serves to distinguish that function, curve, surface, etc., from others of the same kind or family. Brande & C. (b) Specifically (Conic Sections) , in the ellipse and hyperbola, a third proportional to any diameter and its conjugate, or in the parabola, to any abscissa and the corresponding ordinate.

» The parameter of the principal axis of a conic section is called the latus rectum .

2. (Crystallog.) The ratio of the three crystallographic axes which determines the position of any plane; also, the fundamental axial ratio for a given species.

Parametritis noun [ New Latin See Para- , and Metritis .] (Medicine) Inflammation of the cellular tissue in the vicinity of the uterus.

Paramiographer noun [ Greek ... proverb + -graph + -er .] A collector or writer of proverbs. [ R.]

Paramitome noun [ Prefix para- + mitome .] (Biol.) The fluid portion of the protoplasm of a cell.

Paramo noun ; plural Paramos . [ Spanish pæramo .] A high, bleak plateau or district, with stunted trees, and cold, damp atmosphere, as in the Andes, in South America.

Paramorph noun [ Prefix para- + Greek ... form.] (Min.) A kind of pseudomorph, in which there has been a change of physical characters without alteration of chemical composition, as the change of aragonite to calcite.

Paramorphism noun (Min.) The change of one mineral species to another, so as to involve a change in physical characters without alteration of chemical composition.

Paramorphous adjective (Min.) Relating to paramorphism; exhibiting paramorphism.

Paramount adjective [ Old French par amont above; par through, by (L. per ) + amont above. See Amount .] Having the highest rank or jurisdiction; superior to all others; chief; supreme; preëminent; as, a paramount duty. "A traitor paramount ." Bacon.

Lady paramount (Archery) , the lady making the best score. -- Lord paramount , the king.

Syn. Superior; principal; preëminent; chief.

Paramount noun The highest or chief. Milton.

Paramountly adverb In a paramount manner.

Paramour noun [ French par amour , lit., by or with love. See 2d Par , and Amour .]
1. A lover, of either sex; a wooer or a mistress (formerly in a good sense, now only in a bad one); one who takes the place, without possessing the rights, of a husband or wife; -- used of a man or a woman.

The seducer appeared with dauntless front, accompanied by his paramour

Macaulay.

2. Love; gallantry. [ Obsolete] "For paramour and jollity." Chaucer.

Paramour, Paramours adverb By or with love, esp. the love of the sexes; -- sometimes written as two words. [ Obsolete]

For par amour , I loved her first ere thou.

Chaucer.

Paramylum noun [ New Latin , from Greek para` beside + ... starch.] (Chemistry) A substance resembling starch, found in the green frothy scum formed on the surface of stagnant water.

Paranaphthalene noun [ Prefix para- + naphthalene .] (Chemistry) Anthracene; -- called also paranaphthaline . [ Obsolete]

Paranoia (păr`ȧ*noi"ȧ) noun [ New Latin , from Greek para`noia .] (Medicine) Mental derangement; insanity.

Paranoia noun (Medicine) A chronic form of insanity characterized by very gradual impairment of the intellect, systematized delusion, and usually by delusious of persecution or mandatory delusions producing homicidal tendency. In its mild form paranoia may consist in the well-marked crotchetiness exhibited in persons commonly called "cranks." Paranoiacs usually show evidences of bodily and nervous degeneration, and many have hallucinations, esp. of sight and hearing.

Paranoiac adjective (Medicine) Of or pertaining to paranoia; affected with, or characteristic of, paranoia.

Paranoiac noun A person affected with paranoia.

Paranthracene noun [ Prefix par a- + anthracene .] (Chemistry) An inert isomeric modification of anthracene.

Paranucleus noun [ Prefix para- + nucleus .] (Biol.) Some as Nucleolus .

Paranymph noun [ Latin paranymphus , Greek ...; para` beside, near + ... a bride: confer French paranymphe .]
1. (Gr. Antiq.) (a) A friend of the bridegroom who went with him in his chariot to fetch home the bride. Milton. (b) The bridesmaid who conducted the bride to the bridegroom.

2. Hence: An ally; a supporter or abettor. Jer. Taylor.

Paranymphal adjective Bridal; nuptial. [ R.]

At some paranymphal feast.

Ford.

Parapectin noun [ Prefix para- + pectin .] (Chemistry) A gelatinous modification of pectin.

Parapegm noun [ Latin parapegma , Greek ..., from ... to fix beside; para` beside + ... to fix: confer French parapegme .] An engraved tablet, usually of brass, set up in a public place.

» Parapegms were used for the publication of laws, proclamations, etc., and the recording of astronomical phenomena or calendar events.

Parapeptone noun [ Prefix para- + peptone .] (Phisiol. Chem.) An albuminous body formed in small quantity by the peptic digestion of proteids. It can be converted into peptone by pancreatic juice, but not by gastric juice.

Parapet noun [ French, from Italian parapetto , from parare to ward off, guard (L. parare to prepare, provide) + petto the breast, Latin pectus . See Parry , and Pectoral .]

1. (Architecture) A low wall, especially one serving to protect the edge of a platform, roof, bridge, or the like.

2. (Fort.) A wall, rampart, or elevation of earth, for covering soldiers from an enemy's fire; a breastwork. See Illust. of Casemate .

Parapetalous adjective [ Prefix para- + petal .] (Botany) Growing by the side of a petal, as a stamen.

Parapeted adjective Having a parapet.

Paraph noun [ French paraphe , parafe , contr. from paragraphe .] A flourish made with the pen at the end of a signature. In the Middle Ages, this formed a sort of rude safeguard against forgery. Brande & C.

Paraph transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Paraphed ; present participle & verbal noun Paraphing .] [ Confer French parapher , parafer .] To add a paraph to; to sign, esp. with the initials.

Parapherna noun plural [ Latin ] (Rom. Law) The property of a woman which, on her marriage, was not made a part of her dower, but remained her own.

Paraphernal adjective [ Confer French paraphernal .] Of or pertaining to paraphernalia; as, paraphernal property. Kent.