The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section P and Q

Chapter 38

Chapter 384,116 wordsPublic domain

2. One who travels far, or in strange lands, to visit some holy place or shrine as a devotee; as, a pilgrim to Loretto; Canterbury pilgrims. See Palmer. P. Plowman.

Pil"grim, a. Of or pertaining to a pilgrim, or pilgrims; making pilgrimages. "With pilgrim steps." Milton.

Pilgrim fathers, a name popularly given to the one hundred and two English colonists who landed from the Mayflower and made the first settlement in New England at Plymouth in 1620. They were separatists from the Church of England, and most of them had sojourned in Holland.

Pil"grim, v. i. To journey; to wander; to ramble. [R.] Grew. Carlyle.

Pil"grim*age (?), n. [OE. pilgrimage, pelgrinage; cf. F. pËlerinage.] 1. The journey of a pilgrim; a long journey; especially, a journey to a shrine or other sacred place. Fig., the journey of human life. Shak.

The days of the years of my pilgrimage.

Gen. xlvii. 9.

2. A tedious and wearisome time.

In prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage.

Shak.

Syn. -- Journey; tour; excursion. See Journey.

Pil"grim*ize (?), v. i. To wander as a pilgrim; to go on a pilgrimage. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

||Pi*lid"i*um (?), n.; pl. Pildia (#). [NL., fr. Gr. &?;, dim. of &?; a ||cap.] (Zoˆl.) The free-swimming, hat-shaped larva of certain ||nemertean worms. It has no resemblance to its parent, and the young ||worm develops in its interior.

||Pi*lif"e*ra (?), n. pl. [NL. See Piliferous.] (Zoˆl.) Same as ||Mammalia.

Pi*lif"er*ous (?), a. [L. pilus hair + -ferous: cf. F. pilifËre.] 1. Bearing a single slender bristle, or hair.

2. Beset with hairs.

Pil"i*form (?), a. [L. pilus hair + -form.] (Bot.) Resembling hairs or down.

Pi*lig"er*ous (?), a. [L. pilus hair + -gerous: cf. F. piligËre.] Bearing hair; covered with hair or down; piliferous.

Pil"ing (?), n. [See Pile a heap.] 1. The act of heaping up.

2. (Iron Manuf.) The process of building up, heating, and working, fagots, or piles, to form bars, etc.

Pil"ing, n. [See Pile a stake.] A series of piles; piles considered collectively; as, the piling of a bridge.

Pug piling, sheet piles connected together at the edges by dovetailed tongues and grooves. -- Sheet piling, a series of piles made of planks or half logs driven edge to edge, -- used to form the walls of cofferdams, etc.

Pill (?), n. [Cf. Peel skin, or Pillion.] The peel or skin. [Obs.] "Some be covered over with crusts, or hard pills, as the locusts." Holland.

Pill, v. i. To be peeled; to peel off in flakes.

Pill, v. t. [Cf. L. pilare to deprive of hair, and E. pill, n. (above).] 1. To deprive of hair; to make bald. [Obs.]

2. To peel; to make by removing the skin.

[Jacob] pilled white streaks . . . in the rods.

Gen. xxx. 37.

Pill (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Pilled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pilling.] [F. piller, L. pilare; cf. It. pigliare to take. Cf. Peel to plunder.] To rob; to plunder; to pillage; to peel. See Peel, to plunder. [Obs.] Spenser.

Pillers and robbers were come in to the field to pill and to rob.

Sir T. Malroy.

Pill (?), n. [F. pilute, L. pilula a pill, little ball, dim. of L. pila a ball. Cf. Piles.] 1. A medicine in the form of a little ball, or small round mass, to be swallowed whole.

2. Figuratively, something offensive or nauseous which must be accepted or endured. Udall.

Pill beetle (Zoˆl.), any small beetle of the genus Byrrhus, having a rounded body, with the head concealed beneath the thorax. -- Pill bug (Zoˆl.), any terrestrial isopod of the genus Armadillo, having the habit of rolling itself into a ball when disturbed. Called also pill wood louse.

Pil"lage (?), n. [F., fr. piller to plunder. See Pill to plunder.] 1. The act of pillaging; robbery. Shak.

2. That which is taken from another or others by open force, particularly and chiefly from enemies in war; plunder; spoil; booty.

Which pillage they with merry march bring home.

Shak.

Syn. -- Plunder; rapine; spoil; depredation. -- Pillage, Plunder. Pillage refers particularly to the act of stripping the sufferers of their goods, while plunder refers to the removal of the things thus taken; but the words are freely interchanged.

Pil"lage, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pillaged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pillaging (?).] To strip of money or goods by open violence; to plunder; to spoil; to lay waste; as, to pillage the camp of an enemy.

Mummius . . . took, pillaged, and burnt their city.

Arbuthnot.

Pil"lage, v. i. To take spoil; to plunder; to ravage.

They were suffered to pillage wherever they went.

Macaulay.

Pil"la*ger (?), n. One who pillages. Pope.

Pil"lar (?), n. [OE. pilerF. pilier, LL. pilare, pilarium, pilarius, fr. L. pila a pillar. See Pile a heap.] 1. The general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or post; also, a column or shaft not supporting a superstructure, as one erected for a monument or an ornament.

Jacob set a pillar upon her grave.

Gen. xxxv. 20.

The place . . . vast and proud, Supported by a hundred pillars stood.

Dryden.

2. Figuratively, that which resembles such a pillar in appearance, character, or office; a supporter or mainstay; as, the Pillars of Hercules; a pillar of the state. "You are a well-deserving pillar." Shak.

By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire.

Milton.

3. (R. C. Ch.) A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church. [Obs.] Skelton.

4. (Man.) The center of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns.

From pillar to post, hither and thither; to and fro; from one place or predicament to another; backward and forward. [Colloq.] -- Pillar saint. See Stylite. -- Pillars of the fauces. See Fauces, 1.

Pil"lar, a. (Mach.) Having a support in the form of a pillar, instead of legs; as, a pillar drill.

Pil"lar-block` (?), n. See under Pillow.

Pil"lared (?), a. Supported or ornamented by pillars; resembling a pillar, or pillars. "The pillared arches." Sir W. Scott. "Pillared flame." Thomson.

Pil"lar*et (?), n. A little pillar. [R.] Fuller.

Pil"lar*ist, n. (Eccl. Hist.) See Stylite.

||Pil*lau" (?), n. [Per. & Turk. pilau.] An Oriental dish consisting of ||rice boiled with mutton, fat, or butter. [Written also pilau.]

Pilled (?), a. [See 3rd Pill.] Stripped of hair; scant of hair; bald. [Obs.] "Pilled beard." Chaucer.

Pilled"-gar"lic (?), n. See Pilgarlic.

Pill"er (?), n. One who pills or plunders. [Obs.]

Pill"er*y (?), n.; pl. Pilleries (&?;). Plunder; pillage. [Obs.] Daniel.

Pil"lion (?), n. [Ir. pillin, pilliun (akin to Gael. pillean, pillin), fr. Ir. & Gael. pill, peall, a skin or hide, prob. fr. L. pellis. See Pell, n., Fell skin.] A panel or cushion saddle; the under pad or cushion of saddle; esp., a pad or cushion put on behind a man's saddle, on which a woman may ride.

His [a soldier's] shank pillion without stirrups.

Spenser.

Pil"lo*rize (?), v. t. To set in, or punish with, the pillory; to pillory. [R.]

Pil"lo*ry (?), n.; pl. Pillories (#). [F. pilori; cf. Pr. espitlori, LL. piloricum, pilloricum, pellericum, pellorium, pilorium, spilorium; perhaps from a derivative of L. speculari to look around, observe. Cf. Speculate.] A frame of adjustable boards erected on a post, and having holes through which the head and hands of an offender were thrust so as to be exposed in front of it. Shak.

Pil"lo*ry, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pilloried (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pillorying.] [Cf. F. pilorier.] 1. To set in, or punish with, the pillory. "Hungering for Puritans to pillory." Macaulay.

2. Figuratively, to expose to public scorn. Gladstone.

Pil"low (?), n. [OE. pilwe, AS. pyle, fr. L. pilvinus.] 1. Anything used to support the head of a person when reposing; especially, a sack or case filled with feathers, down, hair, or other soft material.

[Resty sloth] finds the down pillow hard.

Shak.

2. (Mach.) A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block. [R.]

3. (Naut.) A block under the inner end of a bowsprit.

4. A kind of plain, coarse fustian.

Lace pillow, a cushion used in making hand- wrought lace. -- Pillow bier [OE. pilwebere; cf. LG. b¸re a pillowcase], a pillowcase; pillow slip. [Obs.] Chaucer. -- Pillow block (Mach.), a block, or standard, for supporting a journal, as of a shaft. It is usually bolted to the frame or foundation of a machine, and is often furnished with journal boxes, and a movable cover, or cap, for tightening the bearings by means of bolts; -- called also pillar block, or plumber block. -- Pillow lace, handmade lace wrought with bobbins upon a lace pillow. -- Pillow of a plow, a crosspiece of wood which serves to raise or lower the beam. -- Pillow sham, an ornamental covering laid over a pillow when not in use. -- Pillow slip, a pillowcase.

Pil"low (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pillowed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pillowing.] To rest or lay upon, or as upon, a pillow; to support; as, to pillow the head.

Pillows his chin upon an orient wave.

Milton.

Pil"low*case` (?), n. A removable case or covering for a pillow, usually of white linen or cotton cloth.

Pil"lowed (?), a. Provided with a pillow or pillows; having the head resting on, or as on, a pillow.

Pillowedon buckler cold and hard.

Sir W. Scott.

Pil"low*y (?), a. Like a pillow. Keats.

Pill"-wil`let (?), n. [So named from its note.] (Zoˆl.) The willet.

Pill"worm` (?), n. (Zoˆl.) Any myriapod of the genus Iulus and allied genera which rolls up spirally; a galleyworm. See Illust. under Myriapod.

Pill"wort` (?), n. (Bot.) Any plant of the genus Pilularia; minute aquatic cryptograms, with small pill-shaped fruit; -- sometimes called peppergrass.

Pi`lo*car"pine (?), n. [From NL. Pilocarpus pennatifolius jaborandi; L. pilus hair + Gr. karpo`s fruit: cf. F. pilocarpine.] (Chem.) An alkaloid extracted from jaborandi (Pilocarpus pennatifolius) as a white amorphous or crystalline substance which has a peculiar effect on the vasomotor system.

Pi*lose" (?), a. [L. pilosus, fr. pilus hair. See Pile.] 1. Hairy; full of, or made of, hair.

The heat-retaining property of the pilose covering.

Owen.

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

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

Pi*los"i*ty (?), n. [Cf. F. pilositÈ.] The quality or state of being pilose; hairiness. Bacon.

Pi"lot (?), n. [F. pilote, prob. from D. peillood plummet, sounding lead; peilen, pegelen, to sound, measure (fr. D. & G. peil, pegel, a sort of measure, water mark) + lood lead, akin to E. lead. The pilot, then, is the lead man, i. e., he who throws the lead. See Pail, and Lead a metal.] 1. (Naut.) 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. (Zoˆl.) (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. (Zoˆl) (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 (Zoˆl.) (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. (Zoˆl.) Same as Blackfish, 1.

Pi"lot, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Piloted; p. pr. & vb. n. Piloting.] [Cf. F. 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.

Pi"lot*age (?), n. [Cf. F. pilotage.] 1. The pilot's skill or knowledge, as of coasts, rocks, bars, and channels. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

2. The compensation made or allowed to a pilot.

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

{ Pi"lot*ism (?), Pi"lot*ry (?), } n. Pilotage; skill in the duties of a pilot. [R.]

<! p. 1087 !>

Pil"our (?), n. A piller; a plunderer. [Obs.]

Pil"ous (?), a. See Pilose.

Pil"ser (?), n. An insect that flies into a flame.

Pil"u*lar (?), a. Of or pertaining to pills; resembling a pill or pills; as, a pilular mass.

Pil"u*lous (?), a. [L. pilula a pill. See Pill.] Like a pill; small; insignificant. [R.] G. Eliot.

Pil"we (?), n. A pillow. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pi"ly (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Like pile or wool.

Pi*mar"ic (?), a. [NL. pinum maritima, an old name for P. Pinaster, a pine which yields galipot.] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or designating, an acid found in galipot, and isomeric with abietic acid.

Pi*mel"ic (?), a. [Gr. &?; fat.] (Chem.) (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 (C5H10(CO2/H)2) which is obtained from camphoric acid.

Pim"e*lite (?), n. [Gr. &?; fat.] (Min.) An apple-green mineral having a greasy feel. It is a hydrous silicate of nickel, magnesia, aluminia, and iron.

Pi"ment (?), n. [F. See Pimento.] Wine flavored with spice or honey. See Pigment, 3. [Obs.]

Pi*men"ta (?), n. (Bot.) Same as Pimento.

Pi*men"to (?), n. [Sp. pimiento, pimienta; cf. Pg. pimenta, F. piment; all fr. L. pigmentum a paint, pigment, the juice of plants; hence, something spicy and aromatic. See Pigment.] (Bot.) Allspice; -- applied both to the tree and its fruit. See Allspice.

Pim"li*co (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The friar bird.

Pimp (pmp), n. [Cf. F. pimpant smart, sparkish; perh. akin to piper to pipe, formerly also, to excel. Cf. Pipe.] One who provides gratification for the lust of others; a procurer; a pander. Swift.

Pimp, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pimped (pmt; 215); p. pr. & vb. n. Pimping.] To procure women for the gratification of others' lusts; to pander. Dryden.

Pim"per*nel (?), n. [F. pimprenelle; cf. Sp. pimpinela, It. pimpinella; perh. from LL. bipinnella, for bipinnula two-winged, equiv. to L. bipennis; bis twice + penna feather, wing. Cf. Pen a feather.] (Bot.) 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. (Bot.) See Brookweed.

||Pim"pil*lo (?), n. (Bot.) A West Indian name for the prickly pear ||(Opuntia); -- called also pimploes.

Pim"pi*nel (?), n. [See Pimpernel.] (Bot.) The burnet saxifrage. See under Saxifrage.

Pimp"ing (?), a. [Cf. G. pimpelig, pimpelnd, sickly, weak.] 1. Little; petty; pitiful. [Obs.] Crabbe.

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

Pim"ple (?), n. [AS. ppelian to blister; cf. L. papula pimple.] 1. (Med.) 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.

Pim"pled (?), a. Having pimples. Johnson.

Pim"ply (?), a. Pimpled.

Pimp"ship (?), n. The office, occupation, or persom of a pimp. [R.]

Pin (?), v. t. (Metal Working) To peen.

Pin (?), v. t. [Cf. Pen to confine, or Pinfold.] To inclose; to confine; to pen; to pound.

Pin, n. [OE. pinne, AS. pinn a pin, peg; cf. D. pin, G. pinne, Icel. pinni, W. pin, Gael. & Ir. pinne; all fr. L. pinna a pinnacle, pin, feather, perhaps orig. a different word from pinna feather. Cf. Fin of a fish, Pen a feather.] 1. A piece of wood, metal, etc., generally cylindrical, used for fastening separate articles together, or as a support by which one article may be suspended from another; a peg; a bolt.

With pins of adamant And chains they made all fast.

Milton.

2. Especially, a small, pointed and headed piece of brass or other wire (commonly tinned), largely used for fastening clothes, attaching papers, etc.

3. Hence, a thing of small value; a trifle.

He . . . did not care a pin for her.

Spectator.

4. That which resembles a pin in its form or use; as: (a) A peg in musical instruments, for increasing or relaxing the tension of the strings. (b) A linchpin. (c) A rolling-pin. (d) A clothespin. (e) (Mach.) A short shaft, sometimes forming a bolt, a part of which serves as a journal. See Illust. of Knuckle joint, under Knuckle. (f) (Joinery) The tenon of a dovetail joint.

5. One of a row of pegs in the side of an ancient drinking cup to mark how much each man should drink.

6. The bull's eye, or center, of a target; hence, the center. [Obs.] "The very pin of his heart cleft." Shak.

7. Mood; humor. [Obs.] "In merry pin." Cowper.

8. (Med.) Caligo. See Caligo. Shak.

9. An ornament, as a brooch or badge, fastened to the clothing by a pin; as, a Masonic pin.

10. The leg; as, to knock one off his pins. [Slang]

Banking pin (Horol.), a pin against which a lever strikes, to limit its motion. -- Pin drill (Mech.), a drill with a central pin or projection to enter a hole, for enlarging the hole, or for sinking a recess for the head of a bolt, etc.; a counterbore. -- Pin grass. (Bot.) See Alfilaria. -- Pin hole, a small hole made by a pin; hence, any very small aperture or perforation. -- Pin lock, a lock having a cylindrical bolt; a lock in which pins, arranged by the key, are used instead of tumblers. -- Pin money, an allowance of money, as that made by a husband to his wife, for private and personal expenditure. -- Pin rail (Naut.), a rail, usually within the bulwarks, to hold belaying pins. Sometimes applied to the fife rail. Called also pin rack. -- Pin wheel. (a) A contrate wheel in which the cogs are cylindrical pins. (b) (Fireworks) A small coil which revolves on a common pin and makes a wheel of yellow or colored fire.

Pin (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pinned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pinning.] [See Pin, n.] To fasten with, or as with, a pin; to join; as, to pin a garment; to pin boards together. "As if she would pin her to her heart." Shak.

To pin one's faith upon, to depend upon; to trust to.

Pi"Òa cloth` (?). A fine material for ladies' shawls, scarfs, handkerchiefs, etc., made from the fiber of the pineapple leaf, and perhaps from other fibrous tropical leaves. It is delicate, soft, and transparent, with a slight tinge of pale yellow.

Pin"a*coid (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, a tablet + -oid.] (Crystallog.) A plane parallel to two of the crystalline axes.

Pi*nac"o*lin (?), n. [Pinacone + L. oleum oil.] (Chem.) A colorless oily liquid related to the ketones, and obtained by the decomposition of pinacone; hence, by extension, any one of the series of which pinacolin proper is the type. [Written also pinacoline.]

Pin"a*cone (?), n. [From Gr. &?;, &?;, a tablet. So called because it unites with water so as to form tablet- shaped crystals.] (Chem.) A white crystalline substance related to the glycols, and made from acetone; hence, by extension, any one of a series of substances of which pinacone proper is the type. [Written also pinakone.]

||Pin`a*co*the"ca (?), n. [L. pinacotheca, fr. Gr. &?;; &?;, &?;, a ||picture + &?; repisitory.] A picture gallery.

Pin"a*fore` (?), n. [Pin + afore.] An apron for a child to protect the front part of dress; a tier.

||Pin"a*ko*thek` (?), n. [G.] Pinacotheca.

Pi*nas"ter (?), n. [L., fr. pinus a pine.] (Bot.) A species of pine (Pinus Pinaster) growing in Southern Europe.

||Pi"nax (?), n.; pl. Pinaces (#). [L., fr. Gr. &?; tablet.] A tablet; ||a register; hence, a list or scheme inscribed on a tablet. [R.] Sir ||T. Browne.

||Pince`-nez" (?), n. [F. pincer to pinch + nez nose.] Eyeglasses kept ||on the nose by a spring.

Pin"cers (?), n. pl. [Cf. F. pince pinchers, fr. pincer to pinch. See Pinch, Pinchers.] See Pinchers.

Pinch (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pinched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pinching.] [F. pincer, probably fr. OD. pitsen to pinch; akin to G. pfetzen to cut, pinch; perhaps of Celtic origin. Cf. Piece.] 1. To press hard or squeeze between the ends of the fingers, between teeth or claws, or between the jaws of an instrument; to squeeze or compress, as between any two hard bodies.

2. o seize; to grip; to bite; -- said of animals. [Obs.]

He [the hound] pinched and pulled her down.

Chapman.

3. To plait. [Obs.]

Full seemly her wimple ipinched was.

Chaucer.

4. Figuratively: To cramp; to straiten; to oppress; to starve; to distress; as, to be pinched for money.

Want of room . . . pinching a whole nation.

Sir W. Raleigh.

5. To move, as a railroad car, by prying the wheels with a pinch. See Pinch, n., 4.

Pinch, v. i. 1. To act with pressing force; to compress; to squeeze; as, the shoe pinches.

2. (Hunt.) To take hold; to grip, as a dog does. [Obs.]

3. To spare; to be niggardly; to be covetous. Gower.

The wretch whom avarice bids to pinch and spare.

Franklin.

To pinch at, to find fault with; to take exception to. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pinch, n. 1. A close compression, as with the ends of the fingers, or with an instrument; a nip.

2. As much as may be taken between the finger and thumb; any very small quantity; as, a pinch of snuff.

3. Pian; pang. "Necessary's sharp pinch." Shak.

4. A lever having a projection at one end, acting as a fulcrum, -- used chiefly to roll heavy wheels, etc. Called also pinch bar.

At a pinch, On a pinch, in an emergency; as, he could on a pinch read a little Latin.

Pinch"beck (?), n. [Said to be from the name of the inventor; cf. It. prencisbecco.] An alloy of copper and zinc, resembling gold; a yellow metal, composed of about three ounces of zinc to a pound of copper. It is much used as an imitation of gold in the manufacture of cheap jewelry.

Pinch"beck, a. Made of pinchbeck; sham; cheap; spurious; unreal. "A pinchbeck throne." J. A. Symonds.

Pinch"cock` (?), n. A clamp on a flexible pipe to regulate the flow of a fluid through the pipe.

Pin"chem (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The European blue titmouse. [Prov. Eng.]

Pinch"er (?), n. One who, or that which, pinches.

Pinch"ers (?), n. pl. [From Pinch.] An instrument having two handles and two grasping jaws working on a pivot; -- used for griping things to be held fast, drawing nails, etc.

This spelling is preferable to pincers, both on account of its derivation from the English pinch, and because it represents the common pronunciation.

Pinch"fist` (?), n. A closefisted person; a miser.

Pinch"ing, a. Compressing; nipping; griping; niggardly; as, pinching cold; a pinching parsimony.

Pinching bar, a pinch bar. See Pinch, n., 4. -- Pinching nut, a check nut. See under Check, n.

Pinch"ing*ly, adv. In a pinching way.

Pinch"pen`ny (?), n. A miserly person.

Pin"coff*in (?), n. [From Pincoff, an English manufacturer.] A commercial preparation of garancin, yielding fine violet tints.

Pinc"pinc` (?), n. [Named from its note.] (Zoˆl.) An African wren warbler. (Drymoica textrix).

Pin"cush`ion (?), n. A small cushion, in which pins may be stuck for use.

{ Pin"dal (?), Pin"dar (?), } n. [D. piendel.] (Bot.) The peanut (Arachis hypogÊa); -- so called in the West Indies.