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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section P and Q · Project Gutenberg — chapter 146 of 752 · ~582 words · public domain

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Ped"i*reme (?), n. [Pedi- + L. remus oar.] (Zoˆl.) A crustacean, some of whose feet serve as oars.

{ Ped"lar, Ped"ler } (?), n. See Peddler.

Pe`do*bap"tism (?), n. [Gr. &?;, &?;, a child + E. baptism.] The baptism of infants or of small children. [Written also pÊdobaptism.]

Pe`do*bap"tist (?), n. One who advocates or practices infant baptism. [Written also pÊdobaptist.]

Ped"o*man`cy (?), n. [Pedi- + -mancy.] Divination by examining the soles of the feet.

Pe*dom"e*ter (?), n. [Pedi-, pedo- + -meter: cf. F. pÈdomËtre.] (Mech.) An instrument for including the number of steps in walking, and so ascertaining the distance passed over. It is usually in the form of a watch; an oscillating weight by the motion of the body causes the index to advance a certain distance at each step.

{ Ped`o*met"ric (?), Ped`o*met"ric*al (?), } a. Pertaining to, or measured by, a pedometer.

Ped`o*mo"tive (?), a. [Pedi-, pedo- + -motive.] Moved or worked by the action of the foot or feet on a pedal or treadle.

Pe*dot"ro*phy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?;, &?;, a child + &?; to nourish: cf. F. pÈdotrophie.] The art of nourishing children properly.

||Pe`dre*gal" (?), n. [Sp., a stony place, fr. piedra stone.] A lava ||field. [Mexico & Western U.S.]

Pe*dun"cle (?), n. [Formed fr. (assumed) L. pedunculus, dim. of pes, pedis, a foot: cf. F. pÈdoncule.] 1. (Bot.) The stem or stalk that supports the flower or fruit of a plant, or a cluster of flowers or fruits.

The ultimate divisions or branches of a peduncle are called pedicels. In the case of a solitary flower, the stalk would be called a peduncle if the flower is large, and a pedicel if it is small or delicate.

2. (Zoˆl.) A sort of stem by which certain shells and barnacles are attached to other objects. See Illust. of Barnacle.

3. (Anat.) A band of nervous or fibrous matter connecting different parts of the brain; as, the peduncles of the cerebellum; the peduncles of the pineal gland.

Pe*dun"cled (?), a. Having a peduncle; supported on a peduncle; pedunculate.

Pe*dun"cu*lar (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈdonculaire.] Of or pertaining to a peduncle; growing from a peduncle; as, a peduncular tendril.

||Pe*dun`cu*la"ta (?), n. pl. [NL. See Peduncle.] (Zoˆl.) A division of ||Cirripedia, including the stalked or goose barnacles.

{ Pe*dun"cu*late (?), Pe*dun"cu*la`ted (?), } a. (Biol.) Having a peduncle; growing on a peduncle; as, a pedunculate flower; a pedunculate eye, as in a lobster.

Pee (?), n. See 1st Pea.

Pee, n. (Naut.) Bill of an anchor. See Peak, 3 (c).

Peece (?), n. & v. [Obs.] See Piece.

||Pee"chi (?), n. (Zoˆl.) The dauw.

Peek (?), v. i. [OE. piken: cf. F. piquer to pierce, prick, E. pique. Cf. Peak.] To look slyly, or with the eyes half closed, or through a crevice; to peep. [Colloq.]

Peek"a*boo (?), n. A child's game; bopeep.

Peel (?), n. [OE. pel. Cf. Pile a heap.] A small tower, fort, or castle; a keep. [Scot.]

Peel, n. [F. pelle, L. pala.] A spadelike implement, variously used, as for removing loaves of bread from a baker's oven; also, a T-shaped implement used by printers and bookbinders for hanging wet sheets of paper on lines or poles to dry. Also, the blade of an oar.

Peel, v. t. [Confused with peel to strip, but fr. F. piller to pillage. See Pill to rob, Pillage.] To plunder; to pillage; to rob. [Obs.]

But govern ill the nations under yoke, Peeling their provinces.

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