Chapter 1169

3. To strip of, or as of, feathers; as, to pluck a fowl .

They which pass by the way do pluck her. Ps. lxxx.<?/2.

4. (Eng. Universities) To reject at an examination for degrees.

C. Bront\'82.

To pluck away , to pull away, or to separate by pulling; to tear away. -- To pluck down , to pull down; to demolish; to reduce to a lower state. -- to pluck off , to pull or tear off; as, to pluck off the skin . -- to pluck up . (a) To tear up by the roots or from the foundation; to eradicate; to exterminate; to destroy; as, to pluck up a plant; to pluk up a nation . Jer. xii. 17 . (b) To gather up; to summon; as, to pluck up courage .

Pluck <Xpage=101>

Pluck , v. i. To make a motion of pulling or twitching; -- usually with at ; as, to pluck at one's gown .

Pluck <Xpage=101>

Pluck , n. 1. The act of plucking; a pull; a twitch.

2. [Prob. so called as being plucked out after the animal is killed; or cf. Gael. & Ir. pluc a lump, a knot, a bunch.] The heart, liver, and lights of an animal.

3. Spirit; courage; indomitable resolution; fortitude.

Decay of English spirit, decay of manly pluck . Thackeray.

4. The act of plucking, or the state of being plucked, at college. See Pluck , v. t. , 4.

5. (Zo\'94l.) The lyrie. [Prov. Eng.]

Plucked <Xpage=101>

Plucked (?) , a. Having courage and spirit. [R.]

Plucker <Xpage=101>

Pluck"er , n. 1. One who, or that which, plucks.

Thou setter up and plucker down of kings. Shak.

2. A machine for straightening and cleaning wool.

Pluckily <Xpage=101>

Pluck"i*ly (?) , adv. In a plucky manner.

Pluckiness <Xpage=101>

Pluck"i*ness , n. The quality or state of being plucky.

Pluckless <Xpage=101>

Pluck"less , a. Without pluck; timid; faint-hearted.

Plucky <Xpage=101>

Pluck"y (?) , a. [ Compar. Pluckier (?) ; superl. Pluckiest .] Having pluck or courage; characterized by pluck; displaying pluck; courageous; spirited; as, a plucky race .

If you're plucky , and not over subject to fright. Barham.

Pluff <Xpage=101>

Pluff (?) , v. t. [Prob. of imitative origin.] To throw out, as smoke, dust, etc., in puffs. [Scot.]

Pluff <Xpage=101>

Pluff , n. 1. A puff, as of smoke from a pipe, or of dust from a puffball; a slight explosion, as of a small quantity of gunpowder. [Scot.]

2. A hairdresser's powder puff; also, the act of using it. [Scot.]

Plug <Xpage=101>

Plug (?) , n. [Akin to D. plug , G. pflock , Dan. pl\'94k , plug , Sw. plugg ; cf. W. ploc .] 1. Any piece of wood, metal, or other substance used to stop or fill a hole; a stopple.

2. A flat oblong cake of pressed tobacco. [U. S.]

3. A high, tapering silk hat. [Slang, U.S.]

4. A worthless horse. [Slang, U.S.]

5. (Building) A block of wood let into a wall, to afford a hold for nails.

Fire plug , a street hydrant to which hose may be attached. [U. S.] -- Hawse plug (Naut.) , a plug to stop a hawse hole. -- Plug and feather . (Stone Working) See Feather , n. , 7. -- Plug centerbit , a centerbit ending in a small cylinder instead of a point, so as to follow and enlarge a hole previously made, or to form a counterbore around it. -- Plug rod (Steam Eng.) , a rod attached to the beam for working the valves, as in the Cornish engine. -- Plug valve (Mech.) , a tapering valve, which turns in a case like the plug of a faucet.

Plug <Xpage=101>

Plug (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Plugged (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Plugging (?) .] To stop with a plug; to make tight by stopping a hole.

Plugger <Xpage=101>

Plug"ger (?) , n. One who, or that which, plugs.

Plugging <Xpage=101>

Plug"ging , n. 1. The act of stopping with a plug.

2. The material of which a plug or stopple is made.

Plum <Xpage=101>

Plum (?) , n. [AS. pl&umac;me , fr. L. prunum ; akin to Gr. <?/, <?/. Cf. Prune a dried plum.]

1. (Bot.) The edible drupaceous fruit of the Prunus domestica , and of several other species of Prunus ; also, the tree itself, usually called plum tree .

The bullace, the damson, and the numerous varieties of plum , of our gardens, although growing into thornless trees, are believed to be varieties of the blackthorn, produced by long cultivation. G. Bentham.

<-- the types marked are in bold format, like collocations. --> &hand; Two or three hundred varieties of plums derived from the Prunus domestica are described; among them the greengage , the Orleans , the purple gage , or Reine Claude Violette , and the German prune , are some of the best known.

&hand; Among the true plums are; Beach plum , the Prunus maritima , and its crimson or purple globular drupes, -- Bullace plum . See Bullace . -- Chickasaw plum , the American Prunus Chicasa , and its round red drupes. -- Orleans plum , a dark reddish purple plum of medium size, much grown in England for sale in the markets. -- Wild plum of America , Prunus Americana , with red or yellow fruit, the original of the Iowa plum and several other varieties.

Among plants called plum , but of other genera than Prunus , are; Australian plum , Cargillia arborea and C. australis , of the same family with the persimmon. -- Blood plum , the West African H\'91matostaphes Barteri . -- Cocoa plum , the Spanish nectarine. See under Nectarine . -- Date plum . See under Date . -- Gingerbread plum , the West African Parinarium macrophyllum . -- Gopher plum , the Ogeechee lime. -- Gray plum , Guinea plum . See under Guinea . -- Indian plum , several species of Flacourtia .

2. A grape dried in the sun; a raisin.

3. A handsome fortune or property; formerly, in cant language, the sum of \'9c100,000 sterling; also, the person possessing it.

Plum bird , Plum budder (Zo\'94l.) , the European bullfinch. -- Plum gouger (Zo\'94l.) , a weevil, or curculio ( Coccotorus scutellaris ), which destroys plums. It makes round holes in the pulp, for the reception of its eggs. The larva bores into the stone and eats the kernel. -- Plum weevil (Zo\'94l.) , an American weevil which is very destructive to plums, nectarines cherries, and many other stone fruits. It lays its eggs in crescent-shaped incisions made with its jaws. The larva lives upon the pulp around the stone. Called also turk , and plum curculio . See Illust . under Curculio .

Pluma <Xpage=101>

Plu"ma (?) , n. ; pl. Plum\'91 (#) . [L.] (Zo\'94l.) A feather.

Plumage <Xpage=101>

Plum"age (?) , n. [F., from plume a feather.] (Zo\'94l.) The entire clothing of a bird.

&hand; It consist of the contour feathers , or the ordinary feathers covering the head, neck, and body; the tail feathers , with their upper and lower coverts; the wing feathers , including primaries, secondaries, and tertiaries, with their coverts; and the down which lies beneath the contour feathers. See Illust . under Bird .

Plumassary <Xpage=101>

Plu*mas"sa*ry (?) , n. [Cf. F. plumasseau .] A plume or collection of ornamental feathers.

Plumassier <Xpage=101>

Plu`mas`sier" (?) , n. [F.] One who prepares or deals in ornamental plumes or feathers.

Plumb <Xpage=101>

Plumb (?) , n. [F. plomb , L. plumbum lead, a leaden ball or bullet; cf. Gr. <?/, <?/, <?/. Cf. Plummet , Plunge .] A little mass or weight of lead, or the like, attached to a line, and used by builders, etc., to indicate a vertical direction; a plummet; a plumb bob. See Plumb line , below.

Plumb bob . See Bob , 4. -- Plumb joint , in sheet-metal work, a lap joint, fastened by solder. -- Plumb level . See under Level . -- Plumb line . (a) The cord by which a plumb bob is suspended; a plummet . (b) A line directed to the center of gravity of the earth. -- Plumb rule , a narrow board with a plumb line, used by builders and carpenters.

Plumb <Xpage=101>

Plumb , a. Perpendicular; vertical; conforming the direction of a line attached to a plumb; as, the wall is plumb .

Plumb <Xpage=101>

Plumb , adv. In a plumb direction; perpendicularly. " Plumb down he falls."

Milton.

Plumb <Xpage=101>

Plumb , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Plumbed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Plumbing (?) .] 1. To adjust by a plumb line; to cause to be perpendicular; as, to plumb a building or a wall .

2. To sound with a plumb or plummet, as the depth of water; hence, to examine by test; to ascertain the depth, quality, dimension, etc.; to sound; to fathom; to test.

He did not attempt to plumb his intellect. Ld. Lytton.

3. To seal with lead; as, to plumb a drainpipe .

4. To supply, as a building, with a system of plumbing.

Plumbage <Xpage=101>

Plumb"age (?) , n. Leadwork [R.]

Plumbagin <Xpage=101>

Plum*ba"gin (?) , n. [L. plumbago leadwort, fr. plumbum lead; cf. F. plombagin .] (Chem.) A crystalline substance said to be found in the root of a certain plant of the Leadwort ( Plumbago ) family.

<-- p. 102 -->

Plumbagineous <Xpage=102>

Plum`ba*gin"e*ous (?) , a. (Bot.) Pertaining to natural order ( Plumbagine\'91 ) of gamopetalous herbs, of which plumbago is the type. The order includes also the marsh rosemary, the thrift, and a few other genera.

Plumbaginous <Xpage=102>

Plum*bag"i*nous (?) , a. Resembling plumbago; consisting of, or containing, plumbago; as, a plumbaginous slate .

Plumbago <Xpage=102>

Plum*ba"go , n. [L., from plumbum lead.] 1. (Min.) Same as Graphite .

2. (Bot.) A genus of herbaceous plants with pretty salver-shaped corollas, usually blue or violet; leadwort.

Plumbean, Plumbeous <Xpage=102>

Plum"be*an (?) , Plum"be*ous (?) , a. [L. plumbeus , from plumbum the metal lead.] 1. Consisting of, or resembling, lead.

J. Ellis.

2. Dull; heavy; stupid. [R.]

J. P. Smith.

Plumber <Xpage=102>

Plumb"er (?) , n. [F. plombier . See Plumb .] One who works in lead; esp., one who furnishes, fits, and repairs lead, iron, or glass pipes, and other apparatus for the conveyance of water, gas, or drainage in buildings.

Plumber block <Xpage=102>

Plumb"er block` (?) . A pillow block.

Plumbery <Xpage=102>

Plumb"er*y (?) , n. [F. plomberie .] 1. The business of a plumber. [Obs.]

2. A place where plumbing is carried on; lead works.

Plumbic <Xpage=102>

Plum"bic (?) , a. [From Plumbum .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, resembling, or containing, lead; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which it has a higher valence as contrasted with plumbous compounds; as, plumbic oxide .

Plumbiferous <Xpage=102>

Plum*bif"er*ous (?) , a. [ Plumbum + -ferous .] Producing or containing lead.

Kirwan.

Plumbing <Xpage=102>

Plumb"ing (?) , n. 1. The art of casting and working in lead, and applying it to building purposes; especially, the business of furnishing, fitting, and repairing pipes for conducting water, sewage, etc.

Gwilt.

2. The lead or iron pipes, and other apparatus, used in conveying water, sewage, etc., in a building.

Plumbism <Xpage=102>

Plum"bism (?) , n. [From Plumbum .] (Med.) A diseased condition, produced by the absorption of lead, common among workers in this metal or in its compounds, as among painters, typesetters, etc. It is characterized by various symptoms, as lead colic, lead line, and wrist drop. See under Colic , Lead , and Wrist .

Plumbous <Xpage=102>

Plum"bous (?) , a. [From Plumbum .] (Chem.) Of, pertaining to, or containing, lead; -- used specifically to designate those compounds in which it has a lower valence as contrasted with plumbic compounds.

Plumbum <Xpage=102>

Plum"bum (?) , n. [L.] (Chem.) The technical name of lead. See Lead .

Plume <Xpage=102>

Plume (?) , n. [F., fr. L. pluma . Cf. Fly , v. ]

1. A feather; esp., a soft, downy feather, or a long, conspicuous, or handsome feather.

Wings . . . of many a colored plume . Milton.

2. (Zo\'94l.) An ornamental tuft of feathers.

3. A feather, or group of feathers, worn as an ornament; a waving ornament of hair, or other material resembling feathers.

His high plume , that nodded o'er his head. Dryden.

4. A token of honor or prowess; that on which one prides himself; a prize or reward. "Ambitious to win from me some plume ."

Milton.

5. (Bot.) A large and flexible panicle of inflorescence resembling a feather, such as is seen in certain large ornamental grasses.

Plume bird (Zo\'94l.) , any bird that yields ornamental plumes, especially the species of Epimarchus from New Guinea, and some of the herons and egrets, as the white heron of Florida ( Ardea candidissima ). -- Plume grass . (Bot) (a) A kind of grass ( Erianthus saccharoides ) with the spikelets arranged in great silky plumes, growing in swamps in the Southern United States . (b) The still finer E. Ravenn\'91 from the Mediterranean region. The name is sometimes extended to the whole genus. -- Plume moth (Zo\'94l.) , any one of numerous small, slender moths, belonging to the family Pterophorid\'91 . Most of them have the wings deeply divided into two or more plumelike lobes. Some species are injurious to the grapevine. -- Plume nutmeg (Bot.) , an aromatic Australian tree ( Atherosperma moschata ), whose numerous carpels are tipped with long plumose persistent styles.

Plume <Xpage=102>

Plume , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Plumed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Pluming .] [Cf. F. plumer to pluck, to strip, L. plumare to cover with feathers.] 1. To pick and adjust the plumes or feathers of; to dress or prink.

Pluming her wings among the breezy bowers. W. Irving.

2. To strip of feathers; to pluck; to strip; to pillage; also, to peel. [Obs.]

Bacon. Dryden.

3. To adorn with feathers or plumes. "Farewell the plumed troop."

Shak.

4. To pride; to vaunt; to boast; -- used reflexively; as, he plumes himself on his skill .

South.

Plumed adder (Zo\'94l.) , an African viper ( Vipera, &or; Clotho, cornuta ), having a plumelike structure over each eye. It is venomous, and is related to the African puff adder. Called also horned viper and hornsman . -- Plumed partridge (Zo\'94l.) , the California mountain quail ( Oreortyx pictus ). See Mountain quail , under Mountain .

Plumeless <Xpage=102>

Plume"less (?) , a. Without plumes.

Plumelet <Xpage=102>

Plume"let (?) , n. [ Plume + -let .] A small plume.

When rosy plumelets tuft the larch. Tennyson.

Plumery <Xpage=102>

Plum"er*y (?) , n. Plumes, collectively or in general; plumage. [R.]

Southey.

Plumicorn <Xpage=102>

Plu"mi*corn (?) , n. [L. pluma feather + cornu horn.] (Zo\'94l.) An ear tuft of feathers, as in the horned owls.

Plumigerous <Xpage=102>

Plu*mig"er*ous (?) , a. [L. plumiger ; pluma a feather + gerere to bear.] Feathered; having feathers.

Bailey

Plumiliform <Xpage=102>

Plu*mil"i*form (?) , a. [L. plumula , or plumella a little feather (dim. of pluma feather) + -form .] Having the of a plume or feather. [R.]

Plumiped <Xpage=102>

Plu"mi*ped (?) , a. [L. plumipes , -edis ; pluma a feather + pes : cf. F. plumip\'8ade .] (Zo\'94l.) Having feet covered with feathers. -- n. A plumiped bird.

Plummet <Xpage=102>

Plum"met (?) , n. [OE. plommet , OF. plommet , fr. plom , plum , lead, F. plomb . See Plumb .] 1. A piece of lead attached to a line, used in sounding the depth of water.

I'll sink him deeper than e'er plummet sounded. Shak.

2. A plumb bob or a plumb line. See under Plumb , n.

3. Hence, any weight.

4. A piece of lead formerly used by school children to rule paper for writing.

Plummet line , a line with a plummet; a sounding line.

Plumming <Xpage=102>

Plum"ming (?) , n. [See Plumb .] (Min.) The operation of finding, by means of a mine dial, the place where to sink an air shaft, or to bring an adit to the work, or to find which way the lode inclines.

Plummy <Xpage=102>

Plum"my (?) , a. [From Plum .] Of the nature of a plum; desirable; profitable; advantageous. [Colloq.] "For the sake of getting something plummy ."

G. Eliot.

Plumose, Plumous <Xpage=102>

Plu*mose" (?) , Plu"mous (?) , a. [L. plumosus , fr. pluma feather: cf. F. plumeux .]

1. Having feathers or plumes.

2. Having hairs, or other p\'a0rts, arranged along an axis like a feather; feathery; plumelike; as, a plumose leaf; plumose tentacles.

Plumosite <Xpage=102>

Plu"mo*site (?) , n. (Min.) Same as Jamesonite .

Plumosity <Xpage=102>

Plu*mos"i*ty (?) , n. The quality or state of being plumose.

Plum <Xpage=102>

Plum (?) , a. [ Compar. Plumper (?) ; superl. Plumpest .] [OE. plomp rude, clumsy; akin to D. plomp , G., Dan., & Sw. plump ; probably of imitative origin. Cf. Plump , adv. ] Well rounded or filled out; full; fleshy; fat; as, a plump baby; plump cheeks.

Shak.

The god of wine did his plump clusters bring. T. Carew.

Plum <Xpage=102>

Plum , n. A knot; a cluster; a group; a crowd; a flock; as, a plump of trees, fowls, or spears . [Obs.]