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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section P and Q · Project Gutenberg — chapter 165 of 752 · ~368 words · public domain

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Pen"ny*weight` (?), n. A troy weight containing twenty-four grains, or the twentieth part of an ounce; as, a pennyweight of gold or of arsenic. It was anciently the weight of a silver penny, whence the name.

Pen"ny*wort` (?), n. (Bot.) A European trailing herb (Linaria Cymbalaria) with roundish, reniform leaves. It is often cultivated in hanging baskets.

March, or Water, pennywort. (Bot.) See under March.

Pen"ny*worth` (?), n. 1. A penny's worth; as much as may be bought for a penny. "A dear pennyworth." Evelyn.

2. Hence: The full value of one's penny expended; due return for money laid out; a good bargain; a bargain.

The priests sold the better pennyworths.

Locke.

3. A small quantity; a trifle. Bacon.

Pen"ock (?), n. See Pend.

Pen`o*log"ic*al (?), a. Of or pertaining to penology.

Pe*nol"o*gist (?), n. One versed in, or a student of, penology.

Pe*nol"o*gy (?), n. [Gr. &?;, or L. poena, punishment + -logy.] The science or art of punishment. [Written also púnology.]

Pen"rack` (?), n. A rack for pens not in use.

Pens (?), n., pl. of Penny. [Obs.] Chaucer.

Pen"sa*tive (?), a. Pensive. [Obs.] Shelton.

Pen"sel (?), n. A pencel. Chaucer.

Pen"si*ble (?), a. Held aloft. [Obs.] Bacon.

Pen"sile (?), a. [L. pensilis, fr. pendere to hang: cf. OE. pensil. See Pendant.] Hanging; suspended; pendent; pendulous. Bacon.

The long, pensile branches of the birches.

W. Howitt.

Pen"sile*ness, n. State or quality of being pensile; pendulousness.

Pen"sion (?), n. [F., fr. L. pensio a paying, payment, fr. pendere, pensum, to weight, to pay; akin to pend&?;re to hang. See Pendant, and cf. Spend.] 1. A payment; a tribute; something paid or given. [Obs.]

The stomach's pension, and the time's expense.

Sylvester.

2. A stated allowance to a person in consideration of past services; payment made to one retired from service, on account of age, disability, or other cause; especially, a regular stipend paid by a government to retired public officers, disabled soldiers, the families of soldiers killed in service, or to meritorious authors, or the like.

To all that kept the city pensions and wages.

1 Esd. iv. 56.

3. A certain sum of money paid to a clergyman in lieu of tithes. [Eng.] Mozley & W.

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