Part 218

Pes"sa*ry (?), n.; pl. Pessaries (#). [L. pessarium, pessum, pessus, Gr. &?;: cf. F. pessaire.] (Med.) (a) An instrument or device to be introduced into and worn in the vagina, to support the uterus, or remedy a malposition. (b) A medicinal substance in the form of a bolus or mass, designed for introduction into the vagina; a vaginal suppository.

Pes"si*mism (?), n. [L. pessimus worst, superl. of pejor worse: cf. F. pessimisme. Cf. Impair.] 1. (Metaph.) The opinion or doctrine that everything in nature is ordered for or tends to the worst, or that the world is wholly evil; -- opposed to optimism.

2. A disposition to take the least hopeful view of things.

Pes"si*mist (?), n. [L. pessimus worst: cf. F. pessimiste.] 1. (Metaph.) One who advocates the doctrine of pessimism; -- opposed to optimist.

2. One who looks on the dark side of things.

{ Pes"si*mist (?), Pes`si*mis"tic (?), } a. (Metaph.) Of or pertaining to pessimism; characterized by pessimism; gloomy; foreboding. "Giving utterance to pessimistic doubt." Encyc. Brit.

Pes`si*mis"tic*al (?), a. Pessimistic.

Pes"si*mize (?), v. i. To hold or advocate the doctrine of pessimism. London Sat. Rev.

||Pes"su*lus (?), n.; pl. Pessuli (#). [L., a bolt.] (Anat.) A delicate ||bar of cartilage connecting the dorsal and ventral extremities of the ||first pair of bronchial cartilages in the syrinx of birds.

Pest (?), n. [L. pestis: cf. F. peste.] 1. A fatal epidemic disease; a pestilence; specif., the plague.

England's sufferings by that scourge, the pest.

Cowper.

2. Anything which resembles a pest; one who, or that which, is troublesome, noxious, mischievous, or destructive; a nuisance. "A pest and public enemy." South.

Pes`ta*loz"zi*an (?), a. Belonging to, or characteristic of, a system of elementary education which combined manual training with other instruction, advocated and practiced by Jean Henri Pestalozzi (1746-1827), a Swiss teacher. -- n. An advocate or follower of the system of Pestalozzi.

Pes`ta*loz"zi*an*ism (?), n. The system of education introduced by Pestalozzi.

Pes"ter (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pestered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pestering.] [Abbrev. fr. impester, fr. OF. empaistrier, empestrer, to entangle the feet or legs, to embarrass, F. empÍtrer; pref. em-, en- (L. in in) + LL. pastorium, pastoria, a fetter by which horses are prevented from wandering in the pastures, fr. L. pastorius belonging to a herdsman or shepherd, pastor a herdsman. See In, and Pasture, Pastor.] 1. To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty vexations.

We are pestered with mice and rats.

Dr. H. More.

A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world.

Dryden.

2. To crowd together in an annoying way; to overcrowd; to infest. [Obs.] Milton.

All rivers and pools . . . pestered full with fishes.

Holland.

Pes"ter*er (?), n. One who pesters or harasses.

Pes"ter*ment (?), n. The act of pestering, or the state of being pestered; vexation; worry. "The trouble and pesterment of children." B. Franklin.

Pes"ter*ous (?), a.Inclined to pester. Also, vexatious; encumbering; burdensome. [Obs.] Bacon.

Pest"ful (?), a. Pestiferous. "After long and pestful calms." Coleridge.

Pest`house" (?), n. A house or hospital for persons who are infected with any pestilential disease.