Pill-willet noun [ So named from its note.] (Zoology) The willet.

Pillworm noun (Zoology) Any myriapod of the genus Iulus and allied genera which rolls up spirally; a galleyworm. See Illust. under Myriapod .

Pillwort noun (Botany) Any plant of the genus Pilularia ; minute aquatic cryptograms, with small pill-shaped fruit; -- sometimes called peppergrass .

Pilocarpine noun [ From New Latin Pilocarpus pennatifolius jaborandi; Latin pilus hair + Greek karpo`s fruit: confer French pilocarpine .] (Chemistry) An alkaloid extracted from jaborandi ( Pilocarpus pennatifolius ) as a white amorphous or crystalline substance which has a peculiar effect on the vasomotor system.

Pilon noun [ Spanish , sugar loaf.] [ Spanish Amer.]
1. A conical loaf of sugar.

2. A gratuity given by tradesmen to customers settling their accounts. [ Southern U. S.]

Pilonce noun [ Amer. Spanish See Piloncillo .] Same as Pilon . [ Texas]

Piloncillo noun [ Amer. Spanish , dim. of pilon .] Same as Pilon . [ Texas]

Pilose adjective [ Latin pilosus , from pilus hair. See Pile .]
1. Hairy; full of, or made of, hair.

The heat-retaining property of the pilose covering.

Owen.

2. (Zoology) Clothed thickly with pile or soft down.

3. (Botany) Covered with long, slender hairs; resembling long hairs; hairy; as, pilose pubescence.

Pilosity noun [ Confer French pilosité .] The quality or state of being pilose; hairiness. Bacon.

Pilot noun [ French pilote , probably from Dutch peillood plummet, sounding lead; peilen , pegelen , to sound, measure (fr. D. & German peil , pegel , a sort of measure, water mark) + lood lead, akin to English lead . The pilot, then, is the lead man, i. e., he who throws the lead. See Pail , and Lead a metal.]
1. (Nautical) One employed to steer a vessel; a helmsman; a steersman. Dryden.

2. Specifically, a person duly qualified, and licensed by authority, to conduct vessels into and out of a port, or in certain waters, for a fixed rate of fees.

3. Figuratively: A guide; a director of another through a difficult or unknown course.

4. An instrument for detecting the compass error.

5. The cowcatcher of a locomotive. [ U.S.]

Pilot balloon , a small balloon sent up in advance of a large one, to show the direction and force of the wind. -- Pilot bird . (Zoology) (a) A bird found near the Caribbee Islands; -- so called because its presence indicates to mariners their approach to these islands. Crabb. (b) The black- bellied plover. [ Local, U.S.] -- Pilot boat , a strong, fast-sailing boat used to carry and receive pilots as they board and leave vessels. -- Pilot bread , ship biscuit. -- Pilot cloth , a coarse, stout kind of cloth for overcoats. -- Pilot engine , a locomotive going in advance of a train to make sure that the way is clear. -- Pilot fish . (Zoöl) (a) A pelagic carangoid fish ( Naucrates ductor ); -- so named because it is often seen in company with a shark, swimming near a ship, on account of which sailors imagine that it acts as a pilot to the shark . (b) The rudder fish ( Seriola zonata ). -- Pilot jack , a flag or signal hoisted by a vessel for a pilot. -- Pilot jacket , a pea jacket. -- Pilot nut (Bridge Building) , a conical nut applied temporarily to the threaded end of a pin, to protect the thread and guide the pin when it is driven into a hole. Waddell. -- Pilot snake (Zoology) (a) A large North American snake ( Coluber obsoleus ). It is lustrous black, with white edges to some of the scales. Called also mountain black snake . (b) The pine snake. -- Pilot whale . (Zoology) Same as Blackfish , 1.

Pilot transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Piloted ; present participle & verbal noun Piloting .] [ Confer French piloter .]
1. To direct the course of, as of a ship, where navigation is dangerous.

2. Figuratively: To guide, as through dangers or difficulties. "The art of piloting a state." Berkeley.

Pilot noun
1. (Aëronautics) One who flies, or is qualified to fly, a balloon, an airship, or a flying machine.

2. (Machinery) A short plug at the end of a counterbore to guide the tool. Pilots are sometimes made interchangeable.

3. (Mining) The heading or excavation of relatively small dimensions, first made in the driving of a larger tunnel.

Pilot transitive verb (Aëronautics) To fly, or act as pilot of (an aircraft).

Pilot balloon A small, unmanned balloon sent up to indicate the direction of air currents.

Pilot flag The flag hoisted at the fore by a vessel desiring a pilot, in the United States the union jack, in Great Britain the British union jack with a white border.

Pilot lamp, light (Electricity) A small incandescent telltale lamp on a dynamo or battery circuit to show approximately by its brightness the voltage of the current.

Pilot valve (Hydraulics) A small hand- operated valve to admit liquid to operate a valve difficult to turn by hand.

Pilot wheel (Machinery) A wheel, usually with radial handles projecting from the rim, for traversing the saddle of a machine tool, esp. an automatic machine tool, by hand.

Pilotage noun [ Confer French pilotage .]
1. The pilot's skill or knowledge, as of coasts, rocks, bars, and channels. [ Obsolete] Sir W. Raleigh.

2. The compensation made or allowed to a pilot.

3. Guidance, as by a pilot. Sir W. Scott.

Pilotism, Pilotry noun Pilotage; skill in the duties of a pilot. [ R.]

Pilour noun A piller; a plunderer. [ Obsolete]

Pilous adjective See Pilose .

Pilpul noun [ Aramaic pilpūl ; confer Hebrew pilpel to spice, to season, dispute violently.] Among the Jews, penetrating investigation, disputation, and drawing of conclusions, esp. in Talmudic study. -- Pil"pul*ist noun -- Pil`pul*is"tic adjective

Pilser noun An insect that flies into a flame.

Pilular adjective Of or pertaining to pills; resembling a pill or pills; as, a pilular mass.

Pilulous adjective [ Latin pilula a pill. See Pill .] Like a pill; small; insignificant. [ R.] G. Eliot.

Pilwe noun A pillow. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Pily adjective (Zoology) Like pile or wool.

Pimaric adjective [ New Latin pi num mar itima, an old name for P. Pinaster , a pine which yields galipot.] (Chemistry) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid found in galipot, and isomeric with abietic acid.

Pimelic adjective [ Greek ... fat.] (Chemistry) (a) Pertaining to, or designating, a substance obtained from certain fatty substances, and subsequently shown to be a mixture of suberic and adipic acids. (b) Designating the acid proper (C ₅ H ₁₀ (CO ₂ /H) ₂ ) which is obtained from camphoric acid.

Pimelite noun [ Greek ... fat.] (Min.) An apple-green mineral having a greasy feel. It is a hydrous silicate of nickel, magnesia, aluminia, and iron.

Piment noun [ French See Pimento .] Wine flavored with spice or honey. See Pigment , 3. [ Obsolete]

Pimenta noun (Botany) Same as Pimento .

Pimento noun [ Spanish pimiento , pimienta ; confer Portuguese pimenta , French piment ; all from Latin pigmentum a paint, pigment, the juice of plants; hence, something spicy and aromatic. See Pigment .] (Botany) Allspice; -- applied both to the tree and its fruit. See Allspice .

Pimiento noun [ Spanish ] The Spanish sweet pepper, the fruit of which is used as a vegetable, to stuff olives, etc.

Pimlico noun (Zoology) The friar bird.

Pimola noun An olive stuffed with a kind of sweet red pepper, or pimiento.

Pimp (pĭmp) noun [ Confer French pimpant smart, sparkish; perhaps akin to piper to pipe, formerly also, to excel. Confer Pipe .] One who provides gratification for the lust of others; a procurer; a pander. Swift.

Pimp intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Pimped (pĭmt; 215); present participle & verbal noun Pimping .] To procure women for the gratification of others' lusts; to pander. Dryden.

Pimpernel noun [ French pimprenelle ; confer Spanish pimpinela , Italian pimpinella ; perhaps from Late Latin bipinnella , for bipinnula two-winged, equiv. to Latin bipennis ; bis twice + penna feather, wing. Confer Pen a feather.] (Botany) A plant of the genus Anagallis , of which one species ( A. arvensis ) has small flowers, usually scarlet, but sometimes purple, blue, or white, which speedily close at the approach of bad weather.

Water pimpernel . (Botany) See Brookweed .

Pimpillo noun (Botany) A West Indian name for the prickly pear ( Opuntia ); -- called also pimploes .

Pimpinel noun [ See Pimpernel .] (Botany) The burnet saxifrage. See under Saxifrage .

Pimping adjective [ Confer German pimpelig , pimpelnd , sickly, weak.]
1. Little; petty; pitiful. [ Obsolete] Crabbe.

2. Puny; sickly. [ Local, U.S.]

Pimple noun [ Anglo-Saxon pīpelian to blister; confer Latin papula pimple.]
1. (Medicine) Any small acuminated elevation of the cuticle, whether going on to suppuration or not. "All eyes can see a pimple on her nose." Pope.

2. Fig.: A swelling or protuberance like a pimple. "A pimple that portends a future sprout." Cowper.

Pimpled adjective Having pimples. Johnson.

Pimply adjective Pimpled.

Pimpship noun The office, occupation, or persom of a pimp. [ R.]