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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
You are here: Webster > Letter P > Page 26 of 206.
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Parquette Par·quette" noun See Parquet .

Parr Parr noun [ Confer Gael. & Ir. bradan a salmon.] (Zoology) (a) A young salmon in the stage when it has dark transverse bands; -- called also samlet , skegger , and fingerling . (b) A young leveret.

Parrakeet, Parakeet Par"ra·keet`, Par"a·keet` noun [ See Paroquet .] (Zoology) Any one of numerous species of small parrots having a graduated tail, which is frequently very long; -- called also paroquet and paraquet .

» Many of the Asiatic and Australian species belong to the genus Paleornis ; others belong to Polytelis , Platycercus , Psephotus , Euphema , and allied genera. The American parrakeets mostly belong to the genus Conurus , as the Carolina parrakeet ( C. Carolinensis ).

Parral, Parrel Par"ral, Par"rel noun [ French appareil . See Apparel , noun ] 1. (Nautical) The rope or collar by which a yard or spar is held to the mast in such a way that it may be hoisted or lowered at pleasure. Totten.

2. A chimney-piece. Halliwell.

Parraqua Par·ra"qua noun (Zoology) A curassow of the genus Ortalida , allied to the guan.

Parrhesia Par·rhe"si·a noun [ New Latin , from Greek ...; para` beside, beyond + ... a speaking.] (Rhet.) Boldness or freedom of speech.

Parricidal Par"ri·ci`dal adjective [ Latin parricidalis , parricidialis . See Parricide .] Of or pertaining to parricide; guilty of parricide.

Parricide Par"ri·cide noun [ French, from Latin parricida ; pater father + caedere to kill. See Father , Homicide , and confer Patricide .]

1. Properly, one who murders one's own father; in a wider sense, one who murders one's father or mother or any ancestor.

2. [ Latin parricidium .] The act or crime of murdering one's own father or any ancestor.

Parricidious Par`ri·cid"i·ous adjective Parricidal. [ Obsolete]

Parrock Par"rock noun [ Anglo-Saxon pearruc , pearroc . See Park .] A croft, or small field; a paddock. [ Prov. Eng.]

Parrot Par"rot noun [ Prob. from French Pierrot , dim. of Pierre Peter. French pierrot is also the name of the sparrow. Confer Paroquet , Petrel , Petrify .] 1. (Zoology) In a general sense, any bird of the order Psittaci .

2. (Zoology) Any species of Psittacus , Chrysotis , Pionus , and other genera of the family Psittacidæ , as distinguished from the parrakeets, macaws, and lories. They have a short rounded or even tail, and often a naked space on the cheeks. The gray parrot, or jako ( P. erithacus ) of Africa (see Jako ), and the species of Amazon, or green, parrots ( Chrysotis ) of America, are examples. Many species, as cage birds, readily learn to imitate sounds, and to repeat words and phrases.

Carolina parrot (Zoology) , the Carolina parrakeet. See Parrakeet . -- Night parrot , or Owl parrot . (Zoology) See Kakapo . -- Parrot coal , cannel coal; -- so called from the crackling and chattering sound it makes in burning. [ Eng. & Scot.] -- Parrot green . (Chemistry) See Scheele's green , under Green , noun -- Parrot weed (Botany) , a suffrutescent plant ( Bocconia frutescens ) of the Poppy family, native of the warmer parts of America. It has very large, sinuate, pinnatifid leaves, and small, panicled, apetalous flowers. -- Parrot wrasse , Parrot fish (Zoology) , any fish of the genus Scarus . One species ( S. Cretensis ), found in the Mediterranean, is esteemed by epicures, and was highly prized by the ancient Greeks and Romans.

Parrot Par"rot transitive verb To repeat by rote, as a parrot.

Parrot Par"rot intransitive verb To chatter like a parrot.

Parrot's-bill Par"rot's-bill` noun [ So called from the resemblance of its curved superior petal to a parrot's bill.] (Botany) The glory pea. See under Glory .

Parroter Par"rot·er noun One who simply repeats what he has heard. [ R.] J. S. Mill.

Parrotry Par"rot·ry noun Servile imitation or repetition. [ R.] Coleridge. "The supine parrotry ." Fitzed. Hall.

Parry Par"ry transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Parried ; present participle & verbal noun Parrying .] [ French paré , past participle of parer . See Pare , transitive verb ]

1. To ward off; to stop, or to turn aside; as, to parry a thrust, a blow, or anything that means or threatens harm. Locke.

Vice parries wide
The undreaded volley with a sword of straw.
Cowper.

2. To avoid; to shift or put off; to evade.

The French government has parried the payment of our claims.
E. Everett.

Parry Par"ry intransitive verb To ward off, evade, or turn aside something, as a blow, argument, etc. Locke.

Parry Par"ry noun ; plural Parries A warding off of a thrust or blow, as in sword and bayonet exercises or in boxing; hence, figuratively, a defensive movement in debate or other intellectual encounter.

Parse Parse transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Parsed ; present participle & verbal noun Parsing .] [ Latin pars a part; pars orationis a part of speech. See Part , noun ] (Gram.) To resolve into its elements, as a sentence, pointing out the several parts of speech, and their relation to each other by government or agreement; to analyze and describe grammatically.

Let him construe the letter into English, and parse it over perfectly.
Ascham.

Parsee Par"see noun [ Hind. & Persian pārsī a Persian, a follower of Zoroaster, a fire worshiper. Confer Persian .]

1. One of the adherents of the Zoroastrian or ancient Persian religion, descended from Persian refugees settled in India; a fire worshiper; a Gheber.

2. The Iranian dialect of much of the religious literature of the Parsees.

Parseeism Par"see·ism noun The religion and customs of the Parsees.

Parser Pars"er noun One who parses.

Parsimonious Par`si·mo"ni·ous adjective [ Confer French parcimonieux . See Parsimony .] Exhibiting parsimony; sparing in expenditure of money; frugal to excess; penurious; niggardly; stingy. -- Par`si*mo"ni*ous*ly , adverb -- Par`si*mo"ni*ous*ness , noun

A prodigal king is nearer a tyrant than a parsimonious .
Bacon.

Extraordinary funds for one campaign may spare us the expense of many years; whereas a long, parsimonious war will drain us of more men and money.
Addison.

Syn. -- Covetous; niggardly; miserly; penurious; close; saving; mean; stingy; frugal. See Avaricious .

Parsimony Par"si·mo·ny noun [ Latin parsimonia , parcimonia ; confer parcere to spare, parsus sparing: confer French parcimonie .] Closeness or sparingness in the expenditure of money; -- generally in a bad sense; excessive frugality; niggardliness. Bacon.

Awful parsimony presided generally at the table.
Thackeray.

Syn. -- Economy; frugality; illiberality; covetousness; closeness; stinginess. See Economy .

Parsley Pars"ley noun [ Middle English persely , persil , French persil , Latin petroselinum rock parsley, Greek ...; ... stone + ... parsley. Confer Celery .] (Botany) An aromatic umbelliferous herb ( Carum Petroselinum ), having finely divided leaves which are used in cookery and as a garnish.

As she went to the garden for parsley , to stuff a rabbit.
Shak.

Fool's parsley . See under Fool . - - Hedge parsley , Milk parsley , Stone parsley , names given to various weeds of similar appearance to the parsley. -- Parsley fern (Botany) , a small fern with leaves resembling parsley ( Cryptogramme crispa ). -- Parsley piert (Botany) , a small herb ( Alchemilla arvensis ) formerly used as a remedy for calculus.

Parsnip Pars"nip noun [ Middle English parsnepe , from a French form, from Latin pastinaca ; confer pastinare to dig up, pastinum a kind of dibble; confer Old French pastenade , pastenaque .] (Botany) The aromatic and edible spindle-shaped root of the cultivated form of the Pastinaca sativa , a biennial umbelliferous plant which is very poisonous in its wild state; also, the plant itself.

Cow parsnip . See Cow parsnip . -- Meadow parsnip , the European cow parsnip. - - Poison parsnip , the wild stock of the parsnip. -- Water parsnip , any plant of the umbelliferous genus Sium , the species of which are poisonous.

Parson Par"son noun [ Middle English persone person, parson, Old French persone , French personne person, Late Latin persona (sc. ecclesiae ), from Latin persona a person. See Person .]

1. (Eng. Eccl. Law) A person who represents a parish in its ecclesiastical and corporate capacities; hence, the rector or incumbent of a parochial church, who has full possession of all the rights thereof, with the cure of souls.

2. Any clergyman having ecclesiastical preferment; one who is in orders, or is licensed to preach; a preacher.

He hears the parson pray and preach.
Longfellow.

Parson bird (Zoology) , a New Zealand bird ( Prosthemadera Novæseelandiæ ) remarkable for its powers of mimicry and its ability to articulate words. Its color is glossy black, with a curious tuft of long, curly, white feathers on each side of the throat. It is often kept as a cage bird.

Parsonage Par"son·age noun 1. (Eng. Eccl. Law) A certain portion of lands, tithes, and offerings, for the maintenance of the parson of a parish.

2. The glebe and house, or the house only, owned by a parish or ecclesiastical society, and appropriated to the maintenance or use of the incumbent or settled pastor.

3. Money paid for the support of a parson. [ Scot.]

What have I been paying stipend and teind, parsonage and vicarage, for?
Sir W. Scott.

Parsoned Par"soned adjective Furnished with a parson.

Parsonic, Parsonical Par·son"ic, Par·son"ic·al adjective Of or pertaining to a parson; clerical.

Vainglory glowed in his parsonic heart.
Colman.

-- Par*son"ic*al*ly , adverb

Parsonish Par"son·ish adjective Appropriate to, or like, a parson; -- used in disparagement. [ Colloq.]

Part Part noun [ French part , Latin pars , gen. partis ; confer parere to bring forth, produce. Confer Parent , Depart , Parcel , Partner , Party , Portion .] 1. One of the portions, equal or unequal, into which anything is divided, or regarded as divided; something less than a whole; a number, quantity, mass, or the like, regarded as going to make up, with others, a larger number, quantity, mass, etc., whether actually separate or not; a piece; a fragment; a fraction; a division; a member; a constituent.

And kept back part of the price, . . . and brought a certain part and laid it at the apostles'feet.
Acts v. 2.

Our ideas of extension and number -- do they not contain a secret relation of the parts ?
Locke.

I am a part of all that I have met.
Tennyson.

2. Hence, specifically: (a) An equal constituent portion; one of several or many like quantities, numbers, etc., into which anything is divided, or of which it is composed; proportional division or ingredient.

An homer is the tenth part of an ephah.
Ex. xvi. 36.

A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom,
And ever three parts coward.
Shak.

(b) A constituent portion of a living or spiritual whole; a member; an organ; an essential element.

All the parts were formed . . . into one harmonious body.
Locke.

The pulse, the glow of every part .
Keble.

(c) A constituent of character or capacity; quality; faculty; talent; -- usually in the plural with a collective sense. "Men of considerable parts ." Burke. "Great quickness of parts ." Macaulay.

Which maintained so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them.
Shak.

(d) Quarter; region; district; -- usually in the plural. "The uttermost part of the heaven." Neh. i. 9.

All parts resound with tumults, plaints, and fears.
Dryden.

(e) (Math.) Such portion of any quantity, as when taken a certain number of times, will exactly make that quantity; as, 3 is a part of 12; -- the opposite of multiple . Also, a line or other element of a geometrical figure.

3. That which belongs to one, or which is assumed by one, or which falls to one, in a division or apportionment; share; portion; lot; interest; concern; duty; office.

We have no part in David.
2 Sam. xx. 1.

Accuse not Nature! she hath done her part ;
Do thou but thine.
Milton.

Let me bear
My part of danger with an equal share.
Dryden.

4. Hence, specifically: (a) One of the opposing parties or sides in a conflict or a controversy; a faction.

For he that is not against us is on our part .
Mark ix. 40.

Make whole kingdoms take her brother's part .
Waller.

(b) A particular character in a drama or a play; an assumed personification; also, the language, actions, and influence of a character or an actor in a play; or, figuratively, in real life. See To act a part , under Act .

That part
Was aptly fitted and naturally performed.
Shak.

It was a brute part of him to kill so capital a calf.
Shak.

Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part , there all the honor lies.
Pope.

(c) (Mus.) One of the different melodies of a concerted composition, which heard in union compose its harmony; also, the music for each voice or instrument; as, the treble, tenor, or bass part ; the violin part , etc.

For my part , so far as concerns me; for my share. -- For the most part . See under Most , adjective -- In good part , as well done; favorably; acceptably; in a friendly manner. Hooker. -- In ill part , unfavorably; with displeasure. -- In part , in some degree; partly. -- Part and parcel , an essential or constituent portion; -- a reduplicative phrase. Confer might and main , kith and kin , etc. "She was . . . part and parcel of the race and place." Howitt. -- Part of speech (Gram.) , a sort or class of words of a particular character; thus, the noun is a part of speech denoting the name of a thing; the verb is a part of speech which asserts something of the subject of a sentence. -- Part owner (Law) , one of several owners or tenants in common. See Joint tenant , under Joint . -- Part singing , singing in which two or more of the harmonic parts are taken. -- Part song , a song in two or more (commonly four) distinct vocal parts. "A part song differs from a madrigal in its exclusion of contrapuntual devices; from a glee, in its being sung by many voices, instead of by one only, to each part." Stainer & Barrett.

Syn. -- Portion; section; division; fraction; fragment; piece; share; constituent. See Portion , and Section .

Part Part transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Parted ; present participle & verbal noun Parting .] [ French partir , Latin partire , partiri , past participle partitus , from pars , gen. partis , a part. See Part , noun ]

1. To divide; to separate into distinct parts; to break into two or more parts or pieces; to sever. "Thou shalt part it in pieces." Lev. ii. 6.

There, [ celestial love] parted into rainbow hues.
Keble.

2. To divide into shares; to divide and distribute; to allot; to apportion; to share.

To part his throne, and share his heaven with thee.
Pope.

They parted my raiment among them.
John xix. 24.

3. To separate or disunite; to cause to go apart; to remove from contact or contiguity; to sunder.

The Lord do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.
Ruth i. 17.

While he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
Luke xxiv. 51.

The narrow seas that part
The French and English.
Shak.

4. Hence: To hold apart; to stand between; to intervene betwixt, as combatants.

The stumbling night did part our weary powers.
Shak.

5. To separate by a process of extraction, elimination, or secretion; as, to part gold from silver.

The liver minds his own affair, . . .
And parts and strains the vital juices.
Prior.

6. To leave; to quit. [ Obsolete]

Since presently your souls must part your bodies.
Shak.

To part a cable (Nautical) , to break it. -- To part company , to separate, as travelers or companions.

Part Part intransitive verb 1. To be broken or divided into parts or pieces; to break; to become separated; to go asunder; as, rope parts ; his hair parts in the middle.

2. To go away; to depart; to take leave; to quit each other; hence, to die; -- often with from .

He wrung Bassanio's hand, and so they parted .
Shak.

He owned that he had parted from the duke only a few hours before.
Macaulay.

His precious bag, which he would by no means part from.
G. Eliot.

3. To perform an act of parting; to relinquish a connection of any kind; -- followed by with or from .

Celia, for thy sake, I part
With all that grew so near my heart.
Waller.

Powerful hands . . . will not part
Easily from possession won with arms.
Milton.

It was strange to him that a father should feel no tenderness at parting with an only son.
A. Trollope.

4. To have a part or share; to partake. [ Obsolete] "They shall part alike." 1 Sam. xxx. 24.

Part Part adverb Partly; in a measure. [ R.] Shak.

Partable Part"a·ble adjective See Partible . Camden.

Partage Part"age noun [ French See Part , v. & noun ]

1. Division; the act of dividing or sharing. [ Obsolete] Fuller.

2. Part; portion; share. [ Obsolete] Ford.

Partake Par·take" intransitive verb [ imperfect Partook ; past participle Partaken ; present participle & verbal noun Partaking .] [ Part + take .]

1. To take a part, portion, lot, or share, in common with others; to have a share or part; to participate; to share; as, to partake of a feast with others. "Brutes partake in this faculty." Locke.

When I against myself with thee partake .
Shak.

2. To have something of the properties, character, or office; -- usually followed by of .

The attorney of the Duchy of Lancaster partakes partly of a judge, and partly of an attorney-general.
Bacon.

Partake Par·take" transitive verb 1. To partake of; to have a part or share in; to share.

Let every one partake the general joy.
Driden.

2. To admit to a share; to cause to participate; to give a part to. [ Obsolete] Spencer.

3. To distribute; to communicate. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Partaker Par·tak"er noun 1. One who partakes; a sharer; a participator.

Partakers of their spiritual things.
Rom. xv. 27.

Wish me partaker in my happiness.
Shark.

2. An accomplice; an associate; a partner. [ Obsolete]

Partakers wish them in the blood of the prophets.
Matt. xxiii. 30.

Partan Par"tan noun [ Confer Ir. & Gael. partan .] (Zoology) An edible British crab. [ Prov. Eng.]

Parted Part"ed adjective 1. Separated; devided.

2. Endowed with parts or abilities. [ Obsolete] B. Jonson.

3. (Botany) Cleft so that the divisions reach nearly, but not quite, to the midrib, or the base of the blade; -- said of a leaf, and used chiefly in composition; as, three- parted , five- parted , etc. Gray.

Parter Part"er noun One who, or which, parts or separates. Sir P. Sidney.

Parterre Par·terre" noun [ French, from par on, by (L. per )+ terre earth, ground, Latin terra . See Terrace .] 1. (Hort.) An ornamental and diversified arrangement of beds or plots, in which flowers are cultivated, with intervening spaces of gravel or turf for walking on.

2. The pit of a theater; the parquet. [ France]

Partheniad Par·the"ni·ad noun [ See Parthenic .] A poem in honor of a virgin. [ Obsolete]

Parthenic Par·then"ic adjective [ Greek ..., from ... a maid, virgin.] Of or pertaining to the Spartan Partheniæ, or sons of unmarried women.

Parthenogenesis Par`the·no·gen"e·sis noun [ Greek parqe`nos a virgin + English genesis .] 1. (Biol.) The production of new individuals from virgin females by means of ova which have the power of developing without the intervention of the male element; the production, without fertilization, of cells capable of germination. It is one of the phenomena of alternate generation. Confer Heterogamy , and Metagenesis .

2. (Botany) The production of seed without fertilization, believed to occur through the nonsexual formation of an embryo extraneous to the embrionic vesicle.

Parthenogenetic Par`the·no·ge·net"ic adjective (Biol.) Of, pertaining to, or produced by, parthenogenesis; as, parthenogenetic forms. -- Par`the*no*ge*net"ic*al*ly , adverb

Parthenogenitive Par`the·no·gen"i·tive adjective (Biol.) Parthenogenetic.

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