Podurid - Point

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Podurid (?), n. (Zoöl.) Any species of Podura or allied genera. -- a. Pertaining to the poduras.
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Poe (?), n. Same as .
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Poebird (?), n. (Zoöl.) The parson bird.
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Pœcile (?), n. Same as .
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Pœcilitic (?), a. [Gr. poikilos many-colored, variegated.] (Geol.) (a) Mottled with various colors; variegated; spotted; -- said of certain rocks. (b) Specifically: Of or pertaining to, or characterizing, Triassic and Permian sandstones of red and other colors. [Also written poikilitic.]
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Pœcilopod (?), n. [Cf. F. pœcilopode.] (Zoöl.) One of the Pœcilopoda. Also used adjectively.
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Pœcilopoda (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. � variegated, manifold + -poda.] (Zoöl.) (a) Originally, an artificial group including many parasitic Entomostraca, together with the horseshoe crabs (Limuloidea). (b) By some recent writers applied to the Merostomata.
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Poem (?), n. [L. poëma, Gr. �, fr. � to make, to compose, to write, especially in verse: cf. F. poëme.] 1. A metrical composition; a composition in verse written in certain measures, whether in blank verse or in rhyme, and characterized by imagination and poetic diction; -- contradistinguished from prose; as, the poems of Homer or of Milton.
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2. A composition, not in verse, of which the language is highly imaginative or impassioned; as, a prose poem; the poems of Ossian.
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Poematic (?), a. [Gr. �.] Pertaining to a poem, or to poetry; poetical. [R.] Coleridge.
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Poenamu (?), n. (Min.) A variety of jade or nephrite, -- used in New Zealand for the manufacture of axes and weapons.
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Pœnology (p�nŏl�j�), n. See .
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Poephaga (?), n. pl. [NL., fr. Gr. pohfagos grass eating; poa grass + fagei^n to eat.] (Zoöl.) A group of herbivorous marsupials including the kangaroos and their allies. -- Poephagous (#), a.
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Poesy (?), n. [F. poésie (cf. It. poesia), L. poesis, from Gr. �. from � to make. Cf. .]
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1. The art of composing poems; poetical skill or faculty; as, the heavenly gift of poesy. Shak.
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2. Poetry; metrical composition; poems.
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Music and poesy used to quicken you. Shak.
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3. A short conceit or motto engraved on a ring or other thing; a posy. Bacon.
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Poet (?), n. [F. poëte, L. poëta, fr. Gr. �, fr. � to make. Cf. .] One skilled in making poetry; one who has a particular genius for metrical composition; the author of a poem; an imaginative thinker or writer.
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The poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven. Shak.
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A poet is a maker, as the word signifies. Dryden.
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Coloq. Poet laureate . See under .
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Poetaster (?), n. An inferior rhymer, or writer of verses; a dabbler in poetic art.
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The talk of forgotten poetasters. Macaulay.
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Poetastry (?), n. The works of a poetaster. [R.]
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Poetess, n. [Cf. F. poétesse.] A female poet.
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{ Poetic (?), Poetical (?), } a. [L. poëticus, Gr. �: cf. F. poétiquee.] 1. Of or pertaining to poetry; suitable for poetry, or for writing poetry; as, poetic talent, theme, work, sentiments. Shak.
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2. Expressed in metrical form; exhibiting the imaginative or the rhythmical quality of poetry; as, a poetical composition; poetical prose.
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Coloq. Poetic license . See , n., 4.
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Poetically, adv. In a poetic manner.
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Poetics (?), n. [Cf. F. poétique, L. poëtica, poëtice, Gr. � (sc. �.] The principles and rules of the art of poetry. J. Warton.
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Poeticule (?), n. A poetaster. Swinburne.
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Poetize (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Poetized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Poetizing.] [Cf. F. poétiser.] To write as a poet; to compose verse; to idealize.
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I versify the truth, not poetize. Donne.
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Poetry (?), n. [OF. poeterie. See .] 1. The art of apprehending and interpreting ideas by the faculty of imagination; the art of idealizing in thought and in expression.
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For poetry is the blossom and the fragrance of all human knowledge, human thoughts, human passions, emotions, language. Coleridge.
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2. Imaginative language or composition, whether expressed rhythmically or in prose. Specifically: Metrical composition; verse; rhyme; poems collectively; as, heroic poetry; dramatic poetry; lyric or Pindaric poetry. “The planetlike music of poetry.” Sir P. Sidney.
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She taketh most delight
In music, instruments, and poetry. Shak.
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Poets' Corner (?). An angle in the south transept of Westminster Abbey, London; -- so called because it contains the tombs of Chaucer, Spenser, Dryden, Ben Jonson, Gray, Tennyson, Browning, and other English poets, and memorials to many buried elsewhere.
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Poetship, n. The state or personality of a poet. [R.]
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Pogamoggan (?), n. [North Amer. Indian.] An aboriginal weapon consisting of a stone or piece of antler fastened to the end of a slender wooden handle, used by American Indians from the Great Plains to the Mackenzie River.
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Poggy (?), n. (Zoöl.) (a) See . (b) A small whale.
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Pogy (?), n. (Zoöl.) The menhaden.
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☞ Pogy is often confounded with porgy, and therefore incorrectly applied to various fishes.
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Poh (?), interj. An exclamation expressing contempt or disgust; bah !
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Pohagen, n. (Zoöl.) See .
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Poi (?), n. A national food of the Hawaiians, made by baking and pounding the kalo (or taro) root, and reducing it to a thin paste, which is allowed to ferment.
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{ Poicile (?), or Pœcile (?) }, n. [NL., fr. Gr. � (sc. �); cf. L. poecile.] The frescoed porch or gallery in Athens where Zeno taught. R. Browning.
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Poignancy (?), n. The quality or state of being poignant; as, the poignancy of satire; the poignancy of grief. Swift.
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Poignant (?), a. [F., p. pr. of poindre to sting, fr. L. pungere to prick, sting. See .] 1. Pricking; piercing; sharp; pungent. “His poignant spear.” Spenser. “Poynaunt sauce.” Chaucer.
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2. Fig.: Pointed; keen; satirical.
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His wit . . . became more lively and poignant. Sir W. Scott.
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Poignantly, adv. In a poignant manner.
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Poikilitic (?), a. (Geol.) See .
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Poikilocyte (poikĭl�sīt), n. [Gr. poikilos diversified, changeable + kytos hollow vessel.] (Physiol.) An irregular form of corpuscle found in the blood in cases of profound anæmia, probably a degenerated red blood corpuscle.
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{ Poikilothermal (-thẽrm�l), Poikilothermic (-thẽrmĭk), } a. [Gr. poikilos changeable + E. thermal, thermic.] (Physiol.) Having a varying body temperature. See .
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Poikilothermous (-mŭs), a. (Physiol.) Poikilothermal.
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Poinciana (?), n. [NL. Named after M. de Poinci, a governor of the French West Indies.] (Bot.) A prickly tropical shrub (Cæsalpinia, formerly Poinciana, pulcherrima), with bipinnate leaves, and racemes of showy orange-red flowers with long crimson filaments.
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☞ The genus Poinciana is kept up for three trees of Eastern Africa, the Mascarene Islands, and India.
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Poind (poind), v. t. [See to confine.] 1. To impound, as cattle. [Obs. or Scot.] Flavel.
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2. To distrain. [Scot.] Sir W. Scott.
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Poinder (-ẽr), n. 1. The keeper of a cattle pound; a pinder. [Obs. or Scot.] T. Adams.
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2. One who distrains property. [Scot.] Jamieson.
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Poinsettia (poinsĕttĭȧ), n. [NL. Named after Joel R. Poinsett of South Carolina.] (Bot.) A Mexican shrub (Euphorbia pulcherrima) with very large and conspicuous vermilion bracts below the yellowish flowers.
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Point (point), v. t. & i. To appoint. [Obs.] Spenser.
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Point, n. [F. point, and probably also pointe, L. punctum, puncta, fr. pungere, punctum, to prick. See , and cf. , .] 1. That which pricks or pierces; the sharp end of anything, esp. the sharp end of a piercing instrument, as a needle or a pin.
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2. An instrument which pricks or pierces, as a sort of needle used by engravers, etchers, lace workers, and others; also, a pointed cutting tool, as a stone cutter's point; -- called also pointer.
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3. Anything which tapers to a sharp, well-defined termination. Specifically: A small promontory or cape; a tract of land extending into the water beyond the common shore line.
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4. The mark made by the end of a sharp, piercing instrument, as a needle; a prick.
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5. An indefinitely small space; a mere spot indicated or supposed. Specifically: (Geom.) That which has neither parts nor magnitude; that which has position, but has neither length, breadth, nor thickness, -- sometimes conceived of as the limit of a line; that by the motion of which a line is conceived to be produced.
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6. An indivisible portion of time; a moment; an instant; hence, the verge.
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When time's first point begun
Made he all souls. Sir J. Davies.
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7. A mark of punctuation; a character used to mark the divisions of a composition, or the pauses to be observed in reading, or to point off groups of figures, etc.; a stop, as a comma, a semicolon, and esp. a period; hence, figuratively, an end, or conclusion.
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And there a point, for ended is my tale. Chaucer.
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Commas and points they set exactly right. Pope.
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8. Whatever serves to mark progress, rank, or relative position, or to indicate a transition from one state or position to another, degree; step; stage; hence, position or condition attained; as, a point of elevation, or of depression; the stock fell off five points; he won by tenpoints. “A point of precedence.” Selden. “Creeping on from point to point.” Tennyson.
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A lord full fat and in good point. Chaucer.
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9. That which arrests attention, or indicates qualities or character; a salient feature; a characteristic; a peculiarity; hence, a particular; an item; a detail; as, the good or bad points of a man, a horse, a book, a story, etc.
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He told him, point for point, in short and plain. Chaucer.
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In point of religion and in point of honor. Bacon.
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Shalt thou dispute
With Him the points of liberty ? Milton.
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10. Hence, the most prominent or important feature, as of an argument, discourse, etc.; the essential matter; esp., the proposition to be established; as, the point of an anecdote. “Here lies the point.” Shak.
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They will hardly prove his point. Arbuthnot.
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11. A small matter; a trifle; a least consideration; a punctilio.
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This fellow doth not stand upon points. Shak.
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[He] cared not for God or man a point. Spenser.
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12. (Mus.) A dot or mark used to designate certain tones or time; as: (a) (Anc. Mus.) A dot or mark distinguishing or characterizing certain tones or styles; as, points of perfection, of augmentation, etc.; hence, a note; a tune. “Sound the trumpet -- not a levant, or a flourish, but a point of war.” Sir W. Scott. (b) (Mod. Mus.) A dot placed at the right hand of a note, to raise its value, or prolong its time, by one half, as to make a whole note equal to three half notes, a half note equal to three quarter notes.
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13. (Astron.) A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended; as, the equinoctial points; the solstitial points; the nodal points; vertical points, etc. See .
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14. (Her.) One of the several different parts of the escutcheon. See .
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15. (Naut.) (a) One of the points of the compass (see Points of the compass, below); also, the difference between two points of the compass; as, to fall off a point. (b) A short piece of cordage used in reefing sails. See Reef point, under .
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16. (Anc. Costume) A a string or lace used to tie together certain parts of the dress. Sir W. Scott.
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17. Lace wrought the needle; as, point de Venise; Brussels point. See Point lace, below.
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18. pl. (Railways) A switch. [Eng.]
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19. An item of private information; a hint; a tip; a pointer. [Cant, U. S.]
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20. (Cricket) A fielder who is stationed on the off side, about twelve or fifteen yards from, and a little in advance of, the batsman.
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21. The attitude assumed by a pointer dog when he finds game; as, the dog came to a point. See .
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22. (Type Making) A standard unit of measure for the size of type bodies, being one twelfth of the thickness of pica type. See Point system of type, under .
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23. A tyne or snag of an antler.
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24. One of the spaces on a backgammon board.
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25. (Fencing) A movement executed with the saber or foil; as, tierce point.
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26. (Med.) A pointed piece of quill or bone covered at one end with vaccine matter; -- called also vaccine point.
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27. One of the raised dots used in certain systems of printing and writing for the blind. The first practical system was that devised by Louis Braille in 1829, and still used in Europe (see ). Two modifications of this are current in the United States: Coloq. New York point founded on three bases of equidistant points arranged in two lines (viz., : :: :::), and a later improvement, Coloq. American Braille , embodying the Braille base (:::) and the New-York-point principle of using the characters of few points for the commonest letters.
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28. In technical senses: (a) In various games, a position of a certain player, or, by extension, the player himself; as: (1) (Lacrosse & Ice Hockey) The position of the player of each side who stands a short distance in front of the goal keeper; also, the player himself. (2) (Baseball) (pl.) The position of the pitcher and catcher. (b) (Hunting) A spot to which a straight run is made; hence, a straight run from point to point; a cross-country run. [Colloq. Oxf. E. D.] (c) (Falconry) The perpendicular rising of a hawk over the place where its prey has gone into cover. (d) Act of pointing, as of the foot downward in certain dance positions.
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☞ The word point is a general term, much used in the sciences, particularly in mathematics, mechanics, perspective, and physics, but generally either in the geometrical sense, or in that of degree, or condition of change, and with some accompanying descriptive or qualifying term, under which, in the vocabulary, the specific uses are explained; as, boiling point, carbon point, dry point, freezing point, melting point, vanishing point, etc.
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Coloq. At all points , in every particular, completely; perfectly. Shak. -- Coloq. At point , Coloq. In point , Coloq. At the point , Coloq. In the point , or Coloq. On the point , as near as can be; on the verge; about (see , prep., 6); as, at the point of death; he was on the point of speaking. “In point to fall down.” Chaucer. “Caius Sidius Geta, at point to have been taken, recovered himself so valiantly as brought day on his side.” Milton. -- Coloq. Dead point . (Mach.) Same as Dead center, under . -- Coloq. Far point (Med.), in ophthalmology, the farthest point at which objects are seen distinctly. In normal eyes the nearest point at which objects are seen distinctly; either with the two eyes together (binocular near point), or with each eye separately (monocular near point). -- Coloq. Nine points of the law , all but the tenth point; the greater weight of authority. -- Coloq. On the point . See At point, above. -- Coloq. Point lace , lace wrought with the needle, as distinguished from that made on the pillow. -- Coloq. Point net , a machine-made lace imitating a kind of Brussels lace (Brussels ground). -- Coloq. Point of concurrence (Geom.), a point common to two lines, but not a point of tangency or of intersection, as, for instance, that in which a cycloid meets its base. -- Coloq. Point of contrary flexure , a point at which a curve changes its direction of curvature, or at which its convexity and concavity change sides. -- Coloq. Point of order , in parliamentary practice, a question of order or propriety under the rules. -- Coloq. Point of sight (Persp.), in a perspective drawing, the point assumed as that occupied by the eye of the spectator. -- Coloq. Point of view , the relative position from which anything is seen or any subject is considered. -- Coloq. Points of the compass (Naut.), the thirty-two points of division of the compass card in the mariner's compass; the corresponding points by which the circle of the horizon is supposed to be divided, of which the four marking the directions of east, west, north, and south, are called cardinal points, and the rest are named from their respective directions, as N. by E., N. N. E., N. E. by N., N. E., etc. See Illust. under . -- Coloq. Point paper , paper pricked through so as to form a stencil for transferring a design. -- Coloq. Point system of type . See under . -- Coloq. Singular point (Geom.), a point of a curve which possesses some property not possessed by points in general on the curve, as a cusp, a point of inflection, a node, etc. -- Coloq. To carry one's point , to accomplish one's object, as in a controversy. -- Coloq. To make a point of , to attach special importance to. -- Coloq. To make a point , or Coloq. To gain a point , accomplish that which was proposed; also, to make advance by a step, grade, or position. -- Coloq. To mark a point , or Coloq. To score a point , as in billiards, cricket, etc., to note down, or to make, a successful hit, run, etc. -- Coloq. To strain a point , to go beyond the proper limit or rule; to stretch one's authority or conscience. -- Coloq. Vowel point , in Arabic, Hebrew, and certain other Eastern and ancient languages, a mark placed above or below the consonant, or attached to it, representing the vowel, or vocal sound, which precedes or follows the consonant.
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Point (point), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pointed; p. pr. & vb. n. Pointing.] [Cf. F. pointer. See , n.] 1. To give a point to; to sharpen; to cut, forge, grind, or file to an acute end; as, to point a dart, or a pencil. Used also figuratively; as, to point a moral.
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2. To direct toward an abject; to aim; as, to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort.
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3. Hence, to direct the attention or notice of.
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Whosoever should be guided through his battles by Minerva, and pointed to every scene of them. Pope.
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4. To supply with punctuation marks; to punctuate; as, to point a composition.
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5. To mark (a text, as in Arabic or Hebrew) with vowel points; -- also called vocalize.
Syn. -- vocalize. [ Webster + RP]

6. To give particular prominence to; to designate in a special manner; to indicate, as if by pointing; as, the error was pointed out. Pope.
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He points it, however, by no deviation from his straightforward manner of speech. Dickens.
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7. To indicate or discover by a fixed look, as game.
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8. (Masonry) To fill up and finish the joints of (a wall), by introducing additional cement or mortar, and bringing it to a smooth surface.
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9. (Stone Cutting) To cut, as a surface, with a pointed tool.
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Coloq. To point a rope (Naut.), to taper and neatly finish off the end by interweaving the nettles. -- Coloq. To point a sail (Naut.), to affix points through the eyelet holes of the reefs. -- Coloq. To point off , to divide into periods or groups, or to separate, by pointing, as figures. -- Coloq. To point the yards (of a vessel) (Naut.), to brace them so that the wind shall strike the sails obliquely. Totten.
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