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The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary: Section P and Q · Project Gutenberg — chapter 387 of 752 · ~585 words · public domain

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Pol"len*in (?), n. [Cf. F. pollÈnine.] (Chem.) A substance found in the pollen of certain plants. [R.]

Pol"len*ize (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Pollenized (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pollenizing (?).] To supply with pollen; to impregnate with pollen.

Poll"er (?), n. [From Poll] One who polls; specifically: (a) One who polls or lops trees. (b) One who polls or cuts hair; a barber. [R.] (c) One who extorts or plunders. [Obs.] Baex>. (d) One who registplws votplws, or one who enters his name as a voter.

||Pol"lex (?), n.; pl. Pollices (#). [the thumb.] (Anat.) The first, or ||preaxial, digit of the fore limb, corresponding to the hallux in the ||hind limb; the thumb. In birds, the pollex is the joint which bears ||the bastard wing.

Pol"li*cate (?), a. [L. pollex, pollicis, a thumb.] (Zoˆl.) Having a curved projection or spine on the inner side of a leg joint; -- said of insects.

Pol*lic`i*ta"tion (?), n. [L. pollicitatio, fr. pollicitari to promise, v. intens. fr. polliceri to promise: cf. F. pollicitation.] 1. A voluntary engagement, or a paper containing it; a promise. Bp. Burnet.

2. (Roman Law) A promise without mutuality; a promise which has not been accepted by the person to whom it is made. Bouvier.

Pol"li*nate (?), a. (Zoˆl.) Pollinose.

Pol"li*nate (?), v. t. (Bot.) To apply pollen to (a stigma). -- Pol`li*na"tion (#), n. (Bot.)

||Pol*linc"tor (?), n. [L., fr. pollingere.] (Rom. Antiq.) One who ||prepared corpses for the funeral.

Poll"ing (?), n. [See Poll the head.] 1. The act of topping, lopping, or cropping, as trees or hedges.

2. Plunder, or extortion. [Obs.] E. Hall.

3. The act of voting, or of registering a vote.

Polling booth, a temporary structure where the voting at an election is done; a polling place.

Pol`li*nif"er*ous (?), a. [L. pollen, -inis, pollen + -ferous: cf. F. pollinifËre.] (Bot.) Producing pollen; polleniferous.

||Pol*lin"i*um (?), n.; pl. Pollinia (#). [NL. See Pollen.] (Bot.) A ||coherent mass of pollen, as in the milkweed and most orchids.

Pol"li*nose` (?), a. [L. pollen, -inis, dust.] (Zoˆl.) Having the surface covered with a fine yellow dust, like pollen.

{ Pol"li*wig (?), Pol"li*wog (?) }, n. [OE. polwigle. Cf. Poll head, and Wiggle.] (Zoˆl.) A tadpole; -- called also purwiggy and porwigle.

Pol"lock (?), n. [See Pollack.] (Zoˆl.) A marine gadoid fish (Pollachius carbonarius), native both of the European and American coasts. It is allied to the cod, and like it is salted and dried. In England it is called coalfish, lob, podley, podling, pollack, etc.

Pol"lu*cite (?), n. [See Pollux, and 4th Castor.] (Min.) A colorless transparent mineral, resembling quartz, occurring with castor or castorite on the island of Elba. It is a silicate of alumina and cÊsia. Called also pollux.

Pol*lute" (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Polluted; p. pr. & vb. n. Polluting.] [L. pollutus, p. p. of polluere to defile, to pollute, from a prep. appearing only in comp. + luere to wash. See Position, Lave.] 1. To make foul, impure, or unclean; to defile; to taint; to soil; to desecrate; -- used of physical or moral defilement.

The land was polluted with blood.

Ps. cvi. 38

Wickedness . . . hath polluted the whole earth.

2 Esd. xv. 6.

2. To violate sexually; to debauch; to dishonor.

3. (Jewish Law) To render ceremonially unclean; to disqualify or unfit for sacred use or service, or for social intercourse.

Neither shall ye pollute the holy things of the children of Israel, lest ye die.

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