Part 346

Pli"an*cy (?), n. The quality or state of being pliant in sense; as, the pliancy of a rod. "Avaunt all specious pliancy of mind." Wordsworth.

Pli"ant (?), a. [F. pliant, p. pr. of plier to bend. See Ply, v.] 1. Capable of plying or bending; readily yielding to force or pressure without breaking; flexible; pliable; lithe; limber; plastic; as, a pliant thread; pliant wax. Also used figuratively: Easily influenced for good or evil; tractable; as, a pliant heart.

The will was then ductile and pliant to right reason.

South.

2. Favorable to pliancy. [R.] "A pliant hour." Shak. -- Pli"ant*ly, adv. -- Pli"ant*ness, n.

||Pli"ca (?), n. [LL., a fold, fr. L. plicare to fold. See Ply, v.] 1. ||(Med.) A disease of the hair (Plica polonica), in which it becomes ||twisted and matted together. The disease is of Polish origin, and is ||hence called also Polish plait. Dunglison.

2. (Bot.) A diseased state in plants in which there is an excessive development of small entangled twigs, instead of ordinary branches.

3. (Zoˆl.) The bend of the wing of a bird.

{ Pli"cate (?), Pli"ca*ted (?), } a. [L. plicatus, p. p. of plicare to fold.] Plaited; folded like a fan; as, a plicate leaf. -- Pli"cate*ly (#), adv.

Pli*ca"tion (?), n. A folding or fold; a plait. Richardson.

Plic"a*ture (?), n. [L. plicatura, fr. plicare to fold.] A fold; a doubling; a plication. Dr. H. More.

Plic`i*den"tine (?), n. [LL. plica fold + E. dentine.] (Anat.) A form of dentine which shows sinuous lines of structure in a transverse section of the tooth.

Plied (?), imp. & p. p. of Ply.

Pli"ers (?), n. pl. [From Ply to bend, fold.] A kind of small pinchers with long jaws, -- used for bending or cutting metal rods or wire, for handling small objects such as the parts of a watch, etc.

Pli"form (?), a. [Ply a fold + -form.] In the form of a ply, fold, or doubling. [Obs.] Pennant.

Plight (?), obs. imp. & p. p. of Plight, to pledge. Chaucer.

Plight, obs. imp. & p. p. of Pluck. Chaucer.

Plight, v. t. [OE. pliten; probably through Old French, fr. LL. plectare, L. plectere. See Plait, Ply.] To weave; to braid; to fold; to plait.[Obs.] "To sew and plight." Chaucer.

A plighted garment of divers colors.

Milton.

Plight (?), n. A network; a plait; a fold; rarely a garment. [Obs.] "Many a folded plight." Spenser.

Plight, n. [OE. pliht danger, engagement, AS. pliht danger, fr. pleÛn to risk; akin to D. plicht duty, G. pflicht, Dan. pligt. √28. Cf. Play.] 1. That which is exposed to risk; that which is plighted or pledged; security; a gage; a pledge. "That lord whose hand must take my plight." Shak.

2. [Perh. the same word as plight a pledge, but at least influenced by OF. plite, pliste, ploit, ploi, a condition, state; cf. E. plight to fold, and F. pli a fold, habit, plier to fold, E. ply.] Condition; state; -- risk, or exposure to danger, often being implied; as, a luckless plight. "Your plight is pitied." Shak.

To bring our craft all in another plight

Chaucer.

Plight, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Plighted; p. pr. & vb. n. Plighting.] [AS. plihtan to expose to danger, pliht danger;cf. D. verplichten to oblige, engage, impose a duty, G. verpflichten, Sw. fˆrplikta, Dan. forpligte. See Plight, n.] 1. To pledge; to give as a pledge for the performance of some act; as, to plight faith, honor, word; -- never applied to property or goods. " To do them plighte their troth." Piers Plowman.

He plighted his right hand Unto another love, and to another land.

Spenser.