Part 225

Pe*tro"sal, n. (Anat.) (a) A petrosal bone. (b) The auditory capsule. Owen.

Pet`ro*si"lex (?), n. [Petro + silex.] (Min.) Felsite.

Pet`ro*si*li"cious (?), a. Containing, or consisting of, petrosilex.

Pet`ro*ste"a*rine (?), n. [Petro + stearine.] A solid unctuous material, of which candles are made.

Pe"trous (?), a. [L. petrosus, fr. petra a stone.] 1. Like stone; hard; stony; rocky; as, the petrous part of the temporal bone. Hooper.

2. (Anat.) Same as Petrosal.

Pet"ti*chaps (?), n. (Zoˆl.) See Pettychaps.

Pet"ti*coat (?), n. (Zoˆl.) [Petty + coat.] A loose under-garment worn by women, and covering the body below the waist.

Petticoat government, government by women, whether in politics or domestic affairs. [Colloq.] -- Petticoat pipe (Locomotives), a short, flaring pipe surrounding the blast nozzle in the smoke box, to equalize the draft.

Pet"ti*fog (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Pettifogged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pettifogging (?).] [Petty + fog to pettifog.] To do a petty business as a lawyer; also, to do law business in a petty or tricky way. "He takes no money, but pettifogs gratis." S. Butler.

Pet"ti*fog, v. t. To advocate like a pettifogger; to argue trickily; as, to pettifog a claim. [Colloq.]

Pet"ti*fog`ger (?), n. A lawyer who deals in petty cases; an attorney whose methods are mean and tricky; an inferior lawyer.

A pettifogger was lord chancellor.

Macaulay.

Pet"ti*fog`ger*y (?), n.; pl. - ies (&?;). The practice or arts of a pettifogger; disreputable tricks; quibbles.

Quirks of law, and pettifoggeries.

Barrow.

Pet"ti*fog`ging (?), a. Paltry; quibbling; mean.

Pet"ti*fog`ging, n. Pettifoggery.

Pet`ti*fog"u*lize (?), v. i. To act as a pettifogger; to use contemptible tricks. De Quincey.

Pet"ti*ly, adv. In a petty manner; frivolously.

Pet"ti*ness, n. The quality or state of being petty or paltry; littleness; meanness.

Pet"tish (?), a. [From Pet.] Fretful; peevish; moody; capricious; inclined to ill temper. "A pettish kind of humor." Sterne. -- Pet"tish*ly, adv. -- Pet"tish*ness, n.

Pet"ti*toes (?), n. pl. [Petty + toes.] The toes or feet of a pig, -- often used as food; sometimes, in contempt, the human feet. Shak.

||Pet"to (?), n. [It., fr. L. pectus.] The breast.

In petto, in the breast; hence, in secrecy; in reserve.

Pet"ty (?), a. [Compar. Pettier (?); superl. Pettiest.] [OE. petit, F. petit; probably of Celtic origin, and akin to E. piece. Cf. Petit.] Little; trifling; inconsiderable; also, inferior; subordinate; as, a petty fault; a petty prince. Denham.

Like a petty god I walked about, admired of all.