Part 151

Peg"a*sus (?), n. [L., fr. Gr. &?;.] 1. (Gr. Myth.) A winged horse fabled to have sprung from the body of Medusa when she was slain. He is noted for causing, with a blow of his hoof, Hippocrene, the inspiring fountain of the Muses, to spring from Mount Helicon. On this account he is, in modern times, associated with the Muses, and with ideas of poetic inspiration.

Each spurs his jaded Pegasus apace.

Byron.

2. (Astron.) A northen constellation near the vernal equinoctial point. Its three brightest stars, with the brightest star of Andromeda, form the square of Pegasus.

3. (Zoˆl.) A genus of small fishes, having large pectoral fins, and the body covered with hard, bony plates. Several species are known from the East Indies and China.

Peg"ger (?), n. One who fastens with pegs.

Peg"ging (?), n. The act or process of fastening with pegs.

Pegm (?), n. [L. pegma a movable stage, Gr. &?;, orig., a framework.] A sort of moving machine employed in the old pageants. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

Peg"ma*tite (?), n. [From Gr. &?; something fastened together, in allusion to the quartz and feldspar in graphic granite: cf. F. pegmatite. See Pegm.] (Min.) (a) Graphic granite. See under Granite. (b) More generally, a coarse granite occurring as vein material in other rocks.

Peg`ma*tit"ic (?), a. (Min.) Of, pertaining to, or resembling, pegmatite; as, the pegmatic structure of certain rocks resembling graphic granite.

Peg"ma*toid (?), a. [Pegmatite + -oid.] (Min.) Resembling pegmatite; pegmatic.

Peg"o*man`cy (?), n. [Gr. phgh` fountain + -mancy.] Divination by fountains. [R.]

Peg"roots` (pg"rts`), n. Same as Setterwort.

Peh"le*vi` (?), n. [Parsee Pahlavi.] An ancient Persian dialect in which words were partly represented by their Semitic equivalents. It was in use from the 3d century (and perhaps earlier) to the middle of the 7th century, and later in religious writings. [Written also Pahlavi.]

Pein (?), n. See Peen.

Pei*ram"e*ter (?), n. [Gr. &?; a trail + -meter.] A dynamometer for measuring the force required to draw wheel carriages on roads of different constructions. G. Francis.

Pei*ras"tic (?), a. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to try, fr. &?; a trail.] Fitted for trail or test; experimental; tentative; treating of attempts.

Peise (?), n. [See Poise.] A weight; a poise. [Obs.] "To weigh pence with a peise." Piers Plowman.

Peise, v. t. To poise or weight. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Lest leaden slumber peise me down.

Shak.

Pei"trel (?), n. (Anc. Armor) See Peytrel.

Pe*jor"a*tive (?), a. [F. pÈjoratif, fr. L. pejor, used as compar. of malus evil.] Implying or imputing evil; depreciatory; disparaging; unfavorable.

Pek"an (?), n. [F. pekan.] (Zoˆl.) See Fisher, 2.

Pek"oe (?), n. [Chin. pih-hoau: cf. F. pekoÎ] A kind of black tea. [Written also pecco.]

Pe"la (?), n. (Zoˆl.) See Wax insect, under Wax.

Pel"age (?), n. [F. pelage, fr. L. pilus hair.] (Zoˆl.) The covering, or coat, of a mammal, whether of wool, fur, or hair.

Pe*la"gi*an (?), a. [L. pelagius, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; the sea: cf. F. pÈlagien.] Of or pertaining to the sea; marine; pelagic; as, pelagian shells.