Part 374

POIX résine, Fr. Rosin.

POLACRE, Fr. A lappel coat.

POLACRE, or Polaque, Fr. a Levantine vessel, which carries a smack sail on the mizen and mizen mast, and square sails on the main mast and bowsprit.

POLAIRE, Fr. Polar.

POLE, in a four wheel carriage, is fastened to the middle of the hind axle-tree, and passes between the fore axle-tree and its bolster, fastened with the pole-pin, so as to move about it; keeping the fore and hind carriages together. It is also called the tongue.

POLES, in castrametation, long round pieces of wood, by which a marquee or tent is supported. There are three sorts, viz.

Ridge POLE, a long round piece of wood, which runs along the top of an officer’s tent or marquee, and is supported by two other poles, viz.

Front POLE, a strong pole, which is fixed in the front part of an officer’s tent or marquee, and is kept in a perpendicular position by means of two strong cords, called weather cords, that run obliquely from each other, across two other cords from the rear pole, and are kept fast to the earth by wooden pegs.

Rear POLE, a strong pole, which is fixed in the back part of an officer’s marquee or tent, and is kept in the same relative position as has been described above.

Fire POLES, or Rods, artificial fireworks. They are generally of the length of ten or twelve feet, and of the thickness of two inches at most. One of the ends of the fire pole is hollowed out with three or four flutes to the length of two or three feet. Into one of these flutes are fixed rockets or squibs. Paper crackers are fixed in the others. After holes have been bored through the body of the pole, in order that the rockets may have communication with the crackers, they must be neatly wrapped in paper, the more effectually to deceive the spectators.

POLEAXE, an axe fixed to the end of a long pole. See BATTLE AXE.

POLICE, Fr. in a military sense, among the French, this term comprehends the inspectors, the treasurers, the paymasters, the commissaries, the provost marshal, &c.

POLICE d’assurance, Fr. a policy of Insurance.

POLICY in war. See STRATAGEM.

POLITICAL, relating to policy, or civil government.

POLITICS, (Politique, Fr.) a part of ethics which consists in the governing of states, for the maintenance of the public safety, order, and good morals.

POLK, Fr. a Polish term, signifying a regiment, from whence is derived polkowink, colonel.

POLLAM, Ind., a measure equal to twenty ounces: forty make a viz in weight in Madras.

POLL Money, commonly called poll-tax, or capitation.

POLTROON, (Poltron, Fr.) a coward, a dastard, who has no courage to perform any thing noble. The etymology of poltron or poltroon, as it is usually pronounced, is curious. Both in ancient and modern times frequent instances have occurred of men, who had been forcibly enlisted, having rendered themselves unfit for service by cutting off their thumbs or fingers. When this happened among the Romans, they were called Pollice trunci. The French, (as they do in most of their words that are derived from the Latin) contract these two, and by an elision make poltron or poltroon, from whence we have adopted the term. Another, and in our opinion a more correct derivation, comes from the Italian Poltrone, which takes its derivation from Poltro, a colt; because of that animal’s readiness to run away; or Poltro a bed, as pusillanimous people take a pleasure in lying in bed. This last word is derived from the high Dutch Polster, which signifies a bolster or cushion. This contemptible character is so little calculated for a military life, that the slightest imputation of cowardice is sufficient to render an individual unworthy of serving among real soldiers. Poltroon and coward stand, in fact, foremost in the black catalogue of military incapacities. Every young man, therefore, ought well to weigh, examine, and digest the necessary qualifications for a profession, which, above all others, exacts a daring spirit, and an unqualified contempt of death.

POLIGARCHY, (Polygarchie, Fr.) a government composed of many chiefs or leaders.

POLYGARS, Ind. Chiefs of mountainous and woody districts in the peninsula, who pay only a temporary homage.

POLYGON, (Polygone, Fr.) is a figure of more than four sides, and is either regular or irregular, exterior or interior.

Regular POLYGON, is that whose angles and sides are equal. It has an angle of the centre, and an angle of the polygon. The centre of a regular polygon, is the centre of a circle, which circumscribes the polygon; that is, whose circumference passes through all the angles of the figure.

Irregular POLYGON, is that whose sides and angles are unequal.

Exterior POLYGON, that whose lines touch the points of the flanked angles, when a place is fortified inwards.

Interior POLYGON, that outward fortification which makes the angles of the gorget; so that the whole bastion is without the polygon.

POLYEDRE, Fr. See POLYEDRON.