Part 29

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.

Pes"ti*duct (?), n. [L. pestis pest + ductus a leading, fr. ducere to lead.] That which conveys contagion or infection. [Obs.] Donne.

Pes*tif"er*ous (?), a. [L. pestiferus, pestifer; pestis pest + ferre to bear: cf. F. pestifËre.] 1. Pest-bearing; pestilential; noxious to health; malignant; infectious; contagious; as, pestiferous bodies. "Poor, pestiferous creatures begging alms." Evelyn. "Unwholesome and pestiferous occupations." Burke.

2. Noxious to peace, to morals, or to society; vicious; hurtful; destructive; as, a pestiferous demagogue.

Pestiferous reports of men very nobly held.

Shak.

Pes*tif"er*ous*ly, adv. In a pestiferuos manner.

Pes"ti*lence (?), n. [F. pestilence, L. pestilentia. See Pestilent.] 1. Specifically, the disease known as the plague; hence, any contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating.

The pestilence That walketh in darkness.

Ps. xci. 6.

2. Fig.: That which is pestilent, noxious, or pernicious to the moral character of great numbers.

I'll pour this pestilence into his ear.

Shak.

Pestilence weed (Bot.), the butterbur coltsfoot (Petasites vulgaris), so called because formerly considered a remedy for the plague. Dr. Prior.

Pes"ti*lent (?), a. [L. pestilens, -entis, fr. pestis pest: cf. F. pestilent.] Pestilential; noxious; pernicious; mischievous. "Corrupt and pestilent." Milton. "What a pestilent knave is this same!" Shak.

Pes`ti*len"tial (?), a. [Cf. F. pestilentiel.] 1. Having the nature or qualities of a pestilence. "Sends the pestilential vapors." Longfellow.

2. Hence: Mischievous; noxious; pernicious; morally destructive.

So pestilential, so infectious a thing is sin.

Jer. Taylor.

Pes`ti*len"tial*ly, adv. Pestilently.

Pes`ti*len"tious (?), a. Pestilential. [Obs.]

Pes"ti*lent*ly (?), adv. In a pestilent manner; mischievously; destructively. "Above all measure pestilently noisome." Dr. H. More.

Pes"ti*lent*ness, n. The quality of being pestilent.

Pes`til*la"tion (?), n. [LL. pestillum, L. pistillum. See Pestle.] The act of pounding and bruising with a pestle in a mortar. Sir T. Browne.

Pes"tle (ps"'l; 277), n. [OE. pestel, OF. pestel, LL. pestellum, L. pistillum, pistillus, a pounder, pestle, fr. pisere, pinsere, to pound, crush, akin to Gr. &?;, Skr. pish. Cf. Pistil.] 1. An implement for pounding and breaking or braying substances in a mortar.

2. A constable's or bailiff's staff; -- so called from its shape. [Obs.] Chapman.

3. The leg and leg bone of an animal, especially of a pig; as, a pestle of pork.

Pes"tle (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Pestled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Pestling (?).] To pound, pulverize, bray, or mix with a pestle, or as with a pestle; to use a pestle.

Pet (?), n. [Formerly peat, perhaps from Ir. peat, akin to Gael. peata.] 1. A cade lamb; a lamb brought up by hand.

2. Any person or animal especially cherished and indulged; a fondling; a darling; often, a favorite child.

The love of cronies, pets, and favorites.

Tatler.

3. [Prob. fr. Pet a fondling, hence, the behavior or humor of a spoiled child.] A slight fit of peevishness or fretfulness. "In a pet she started up." Tennyson.

Pet, a. Petted; indulged; admired; cherished; as, a pet child; a pet lamb; a pet theory.

Some young lady's pet curate.

F. Harrison.

Pet cock. [Perh. for petty cock.] (Mach.) A little faucet in a water pipe or pump, to let air out, or at the end of a steam cylinder, to drain it.

Pet, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Petted; p. pr. & vb. n. Petting.] To treat as a pet; to fondle; to indulge; as, she was petted and spoiled.

Pet, v. i. To be a pet. Feltham.

Pet"al (?), n. [Gr. &?; a leaf, a leaf or plate of metal, fr. &?; outspread, broad, flat: cf. F. pÈtale. See Fathom.] 1. (Bot.) One of the leaves of the corolla, or the colored leaves of a flower. See Corolla, and Illust. of Flower.

2. (Zoˆl.) One of the expanded ambulacra which form a rosette on the black of certain Echini.

Pet"aled (?), a. (Bot.) Having petals; as, a petaled flower; -- opposed to apetalous, and much used in compounds; as, one-petaled, three-petaled, etc.

Pet`al*if"er*ous (?), a. [Petal + -ferous.] Bearing petals.

Pe*tal"i*form (?), a. (Bot.) Having the form of a petal; petaloid; petal-shaped.

Pet"al*ine (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈtalin.] (Bot.) Pertaining to a petal; attached to, or resembling, a petal.

Pet"al*ism (?), n. [Gr. &?;, fr. &?; a leaf: cf. F. pÈtalisme.] (Gr. Antiq.) A form of sentence among the ancient Syracusans by which they banished for five years a citizen suspected of having dangerous influence or ambition. It was similar to the ostracism in Athens; but olive leaves were used instead of shells for ballots.

Pet"al*ite (?), n. [Cf. F. pÈtalite.] (Min.) A rare mineral, occurring crystallized and in cleavable masses, usually white, or nearly so, in color. It is a silicate of aluminia and lithia.

Pe*tal"o*dy (?), n. [Petal + Gr. &?; form.] (Bot.) The metamorphosis of various floral organs, usually stamens, into petals.

Pet"al*oid (?), a. [Petal + - oid: cf. F. pÈtaloÔde.] (Bot.) Petaline.

Pet`al*oid"e*ous (?), a. (Bot.) Having the whole or part of the perianth petaline.

Petaloideous division, that division of endogenous plants in which the perianth is wholly or partly petaline, embracing the LiliaceÊ, OrchidaceÊ, AmaryllideÊ, etc.

||Pet`a*los"ti*cha (?), n. pl. [NL., from Gr. &?; a leaf + &?; a row.] ||(Zoˆl.) An order of Echini, including the irregular sea urchins, as ||the spatangoids. See Spatangoid.

Pet"al*ous (?), a. Having petals; petaled; -- opposed to apetalous.

||Pet"a*lum (?), n.; pl. Petala (#). [NL.] A petal.

Pe*tar" (?), n. See Petard. [Obs.] "Hoist with his own petar." Shak.

Pe*tard" (?), n. [F. pÈtard, fr. pÈter to break wind, to crack, to explode, L. pedere, peditum.] (Mil.) A case containing powder to be exploded, esp. a conical or cylindrical case of metal filled with powder and attached to a plank, to be exploded against and break down gates, barricades, drawbridges, etc. It has been superseded.

{ Pet`ar*deer", Pet`ar*dier" } (?), n. [F. pÈtardier.] (Mil.) One who managed a petard.

||Pet"a*sus (?), n. [L., from Gr. &?;.] (Gr. & Rom. Antiq.) The winged ||cap of Mercury; also, a broad-brimmed, low-crowned hat worn by Greeks ||and Romans.

Pe*tau"rist (?), n. [L. petaurista a ropedancer, Gr. &?;, fr. &?; to dance on a rope, fr. &?; a pole, a stage for ropedancers: cf. F. pÈtauriste.] (Zoˆl.) Any flying marsupial of the genera Petaurus, Phalangista, Acrobata, and allied genera. See Flying mouse, under Flying, and Phalangister.

||Pe*tech"i*Ê (?), n. pl.; sing. Petechia (&?;). [NL., fr. LL. ||peteccia; cf. F. pÈtÈchie, It. petecchia, Sp. petequia, Gr. &?; a ||label, plaster.] (Med.) Small crimson, purple, or livid spots, like ||flea-bites, due to extravasation of blood, which appear on the skin ||in malignant fevers, etc.

Pe*tech"i*al (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈtÈchial, LL. petecchialis.] (Med.) Characterized by, or pertaining to, petechiÊ; spotted.

Petechial fever, a malignant fever, accompanied with livid spots on the skin.

Pe"ter (?), n. A common baptismal name for a man. The name of one of the apostles,

Peter boat, a fishing boat, sharp at both ends, originally of the Baltic Sea, but now common in certain English rivers. -- Peter Funk, the auctioneer in a mock auction. [Cant, U.S.] -- Peter pence, or Peter's pence. (a) An annual tax or tribute, formerly paid by the English people to the pope, being a penny for every house, payable on Lammas or St.Peter's day; -- called also Rome scot, and hearth money. (b) In modern times, a voluntary contribution made by Roman Catholics to the private purse of the pope. -- Peter's fish (Zoˆl.), a haddock; -- so called because the black spots, one on each side, behind the gills, are traditionally said to have been caused by the fingers of St. Peter, when he caught the fish to pay the tribute. The name is applied, also, to other fishes having similar spots.

<! p. 1073 !>

Pet"er (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Petered (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Petering.] [Etymol. uncertain.] To become exhausted; to run out; to fail; -- used generally with out; as, that mine has petered out. [Slang, U.S.]

Pet"er*el (?), n. (Zoˆl.) See Petrel.

Pet`e*re"ro (?), n. (Mil.) See Pederero.

Pe"ter*man (?), n.; pl. Petermen (&?;). A fisherman; -- so called after the apostle Peter. [An obs. local term in Eng.] Chapman.

Pe"ter*sham (?), n. [Named after Lord Petersham.] A rough, knotted woolen cloth, used chiefly for men's overcoats; also, a coat of that material.

Pe"ter*wort` (?), n. (Bot.) See Saint Peter's-wort, under Saint.

{ Pet"i*o*lar (?), Pet"i*o*la*ry (?), } a. [Cf. F. pÈtiolarie.] (Bot.) Of or pertaining to petiole, or proceeding from it; as, a petiolar tendril; growing or supported upon a petiole; as, a petiolar gland; a petiolar bud.

{ Pet"i*o*late (?), Pet"i*o*la`ted (?), } a. (Bot. & Zoˆl.) Having a stalk or petiole; as, a petioleate leaf; the petiolated abdomen of certain Hymenoptera.

Pet"i*ole (?), n. [F. pÈtiole, fr. L. petiolus a little foot, a fruit stalk; cf. pes, pedis, a foot.] 1. (Bot.) A leafstalk; the footstalk of a leaf, connecting the blade with the stem. See Illust. of Leaf.

2. (Zoˆl.) A stalk or peduncle.

Pet"i*oled (?), a. Petiolate.

Pet`i*ol"u*late (?), a. (Bot.) Supported by its own petiolule. Gray.

Pet"i*o*lule (?), n. [Cf. F. pÈtiolule.] (Bot.) A small petiole, or the petiole of a leaflet.

Pet"it (?), a. [F. See Petty.] Small; little; insignificant; mean; -- Same as Petty. [Obs., except in legal language.]

By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion.

South.

Petit constable, an inferior civil officer, subordinate to the high constable. -- Petit jury, a jury of twelve men, impaneled to try causes at the bar of a court; -- so called in distinction from the grand jury. -- Petit larceny, the stealing of goods of, or under, a certain specified small value; -- opposed to grand larceny. The distinction is abolished in England. -- Petit maÓtre (&?;). [F., lit., little master.] A fop; a coxcomb; a ladies' man. Goldsmith. -- Petit serjeanty (Eng. Law), the tenure of lands of the crown, by the service of rendering annually some implement of war, as a bow, an arrow, a sword, a flag, etc. -- Petit treason, formerly, in England, the crime of killing a person to whom the offender owed duty or subjection, as one's husband, master, mistress, etc. The crime is now not distinguished from murder.

Pe*ti"tion (?), n. [F. pÈtition, L. petitio, fr. petere, petitum, to beg, ask, seek; perh. akin to E. feather, or find.] 1. A prayer; a supplication; an imploration; an entreaty; especially, a request of a solemn or formal kind; a prayer to the Supreme Being, or to a person of superior power, rank, or authority; also, a single clause in such a prayer.

A house of prayer and petition for thy people.

1 Macc. vii. 37.

This last petition heard of all her prayer.

Dryden.

2. A formal written request addressed to an official person, or to an organized body, having power to grant it; specifically (Law), a supplication to government, in either of its branches, for the granting of a particular grace or right; -- in distinction from a memorial, which calls certain facts to mind; also, the written document.

Petition of right (Law), a petition to obtain possession or restitution of property, either real or personal, from the Crown, which suggests such a title as controverts the title of the Crown, grounded on facts disclosed in the petition itself. Mozley & W. -- The Petition of Right (Eng. Hist.), the parliamentary declaration of the rights of the people, assented to by Charles I.

Pe*ti"tion, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Petitioned (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Petitioning.] To make a prayer or request to; to ask from; to solicit; to entreat; especially, to make a formal written supplication, or application to, as to any branch of the government; as, to petition the court; to petition the governor.

You have . . . petitioned all the gods for my prosperity.

Shak.

Pe*ti"tion, v. i. To make a petition or solicitation.

Pe*ti"tion*a*ri*ly (?), adv. By way of begging the question; by an assumption. [R.] Sir T. Browne.

Pe*ti"tion*a*ry (?), a. 1. Supplicatory; making a petition.

Pardon Rome, and any petitionary countrymen.

Shak.

2. Containing a petition; of the nature of a petition; as, a petitionary epistle. Swift.

Pe*ti`tion*ee" (?), n. A person cited to answer, or defend against, a petition.

Pe*ti"tion*er (?), n. One who presents a petition.

Pe*ti"tion*ing, n. The act of presenting apetition; a supplication.

Pet"i*tor (?), n. [L., fr. petere to seek.] One who seeks or asks; a seeker; an applicant. [R.] Fuller.

Pet"i*to*ry (?), a. [L. petitorius, fr. petere, petitum, to beg, ask: cf. F. pÈtitore.] Petitioning; soliciting; supplicating. Sir W. Hamilton.

Petitory suit or action (Admiralty Law), a suit in which the mere title to property is litigated and sought to be enforced, as distinguished from a possessory suit; also (Scots Law), a suit wherein the plaintiff claims something as due him by the defendant. Burrill.

Pe*tong" (?), n. (Metal.) See Packfong.

Pe*tral"o*gy (?), n. See Petrology.

Pet"ra*ry (?), n. [L. petra stone. Cf. Sp. petraria, and E. Pederero.] An ancient war engine for hurling stones.

Pe"tre (p"tr), n. See Saltpeter.

Pe*tre"an (p*tr"an), a. [L. petraeus, Gr. petrai^os, fr. pe`tra a rock.] Of or pertaining to rock. G. S. Faber.

Pe"trel (?), n. [F. pÈtrel; a dim. of the name Peter, L. Petrus, Gr. &?; a stone (John i. 42); -- probably so called in allusion to St. Peter's walking on the sea. See Petrify.] (Zoˆl.) Any one of numerous species of longwinged sea birds belonging to the family ProcellaridÊ. The small petrels, or Mother Carey's chickens, belong to Oceanites, Oceanodroma, Procellaria, and several allied genera.

Diving petrel, any bird of the genus Pelecanoides. They chiefly inhabit the southern hemisphere. -- Fulmar petrel, Giant petrel. See Fulmar. -- Pintado petrel, the Cape pigeon. See under Cape. -- Pintado petrel, any one of several small petrels, especially Procellaria pelagica, or Mother Carey's chicken, common on both sides of the Atlantic.

Pe*tres"cence (?), n. The process of changing into stone; petrification.

Pe*tres"cent (?), a. [L. petra rock, stone, Gr. &?;.] Petrifying; converting into stone; as, petrescent water. Boyle.

Pet`ri*fac"tion (?), n. [See Petrify.] 1. The process of petrifying, or changing into stone; conversion of any organic matter (animal or vegetable) into stone, or a substance of stony hardness.

2. The state or condition of being petrified.

3. That which is petrified; popularly, a body incrusted with stony matter; an incrustation.

4. Fig.: Hardness; callousness; obduracy. "Petrifaction of the soul." Cudworth.

Pet`ri*fac"tive (?), a. 1. Having the quality of converting organic matter into stone; petrifying.

2. Pertaining to, or characterized by, petrifaction.

The . . . petrifactive mutations of hard bodies.

Sir T. Browne.

Pe*trif"ic (?), a. [Cf. F. pÈtrifique.] Petrifying; petrifactive.

Death with his mace petrific, cold and dry.

Milton.

Pet"ri*fi*cate (?), v. t. To petrify. [Obs.]

Our hearts petrificated were.

J. Hall (1646).

Pet`ri*fi*ca"tion (?), n. [Cf. F. pÈtrification. See Petrify.] 1. See Petrifaction.

2. Fig.: Obduracy; callousness. Hallywell.

Pet"ri*fy (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Petrified (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Petrifying (?).] [L. petra rock, Gr. &?; (akin to &?; a stone) + -fy: cf. F. pÈtrifier. Cf. Parrot, Petrel, Pier.] 1. To convert, as any animal or vegetable matter, into stone or stony substance.

A river that petrifies any sort of wood or leaves.

Kirwan.

2. To make callous or obdurate; to stupefy; to paralyze; to transform; as by petrifaction; as, to petrify the heart. Young. "Petrifying accuracy." Sir W. Scott.

And petrify a genius to a dunce.

Pope.

The poor, petrified journeyman, quite unconscious of what he was doing.

De Quincey.

A hideous fatalism, which ought, logically, to petrify your volition.

G. Eliot.

Pet"ri*fy, v. i. 1. To become stone, or of a stony hardness, as organic matter by calcareous deposits.

2. Fig.: To become stony, callous, or obdurate.

Like Niobe we marble grow, And petrify with grief.

Dryden.

Pe"trine (?), a. Of or pertaining to St.Peter; as, the Petrine Epistles.

Pet"ro- (?). A combining form from Gr. &?; a rock, &?; a stone; as, petrology, petroglyphic.

Pe*trog"a*le (?), n. [NL., fr. Gr. &?; a rock + &?; a weasel.] (Zoˆl.) Any Australian kangaroo of the genus Petrogale, as the rock wallaby (P. penicillata).

Pet`ro*glyph"ic (?), a. Of or pertaining to petroglyphy.

Pe*trog"ly*phy (?), n. [Petro + Gr. &?; to carve.] The art or operation of carving figures or inscriptions on rock or stone.

{ Pet`ro*graph"ic (?), Pet`ro*graph"ic*al (?), } a. Pertaining to petrography.

Pe*trog"ra*phy (?), n. [Petro + -graphy.] 1. The art of writing on stone.

2. The scientific description of rocks; that department of science which investigates the constitution of rocks; petrology.

Pet`ro*hy"oid (?), a. [Petro + hyoid.] (Anat.) Pertaining to petrous, oe periotic, portion of the skull and the hyoid arch; as, the petrohyoid muscles of the frog.

Pe*trol" (?), n. Petroleum. [R.]

Pet`ro*la"tum (?), n. (Chem. & Pharm.) A semisolid unctuous substance, neutral, and without taste or odor, derived from petroleum by distilling off the lighter portions and purifying the residue. It is a yellowish, fatlike mass, transparent in thin layers, and somewhat fluorescent. It is used as a bland protective dressing, and as a substitute for fatty materials in ointments. U. S. Pharm.

Petrolatum is the official name for the purified product. Cosmoline and vaseline are commercial names for substances essentially the same, but differing slightly in appearance and consistency or fusibility.

Pe*tro"le*um (?), n. [NL., fr. L. petra a rock + oleum oil: cf. F. pÈtrole. Cf. Petrify, and Oil.] Rock oil, mineral oil, or natural oil, a dark brown or greenish inflammable liquid, which, at certain points, exists in the upper strata of the earth, from whence it is pumped, or forced by pressure of the gas attending it. It consists of a complex mixture of various hydrocarbons, largely of the methane series, but may vary much in appearance, composition, and properties. It is refined by distillation, and the products include kerosene, benzine, gasoline, paraffin, etc.

Petroleum spirit, a volatile liquid obtained in the distillation of crude petroleum at a temperature of 170∞ Fahr., or below. The term is rather loosely applied to a considerable range of products, including benzine and ligroin. The terms petroleum ether, and naphtha, are sometimes applied to the still more volatile products, including rhigolene, gasoline, cymogene, etc.

{ ||PÈ`tro`leur" (?), n. m. ||PÈ`tro`leuse" (?), n. f. }[F.] One who makes use of petroleum for incendiary purposes.

Pet"ro*line (?), n. (Chem.) A paraffin obtained from petroleum from Rangoon in India, and practically identical with ordinary paraffin.

{ Pet`ro*log"ic (?), Pet`ro*log"ic*al (?), } a. Of or pertaining to petrology.

Pet`ro*log"ic*al*ly, adv. According to petrology.

Pe*trol"o*gist (?), n. One who is versed in petrology.

Pe*trol"o*gy (?), n. [Petro + -logy.] 1. The department of science which is concerned with the mineralogical and chemical composition of rocks, and with their classification: lithology.

2. A treatise on petrology.

Pet`ro*mas"toid (?), a. [Petro + mastoid.] (Anat.) Of or pertaining to the petrous and mastoid parts of the temporal bone, periotic.

Pet`ro*my"zont (?), n. [Petro + Gr. &?; to suck in.] (Zoˆl.) A lamprey.

Pet`ro*nel (?), n. [OF. petrinal, fr. peitrine, petrine, the breast, F. poitrine; so called because it was placed against the breast in order to fire. See Poitrel.] A sort of hand cannon, or portable firearm, used in France in the 15th century.

Pe*tro"sal (?), a. [See Petrous.] (Anat.) (a) Hard; stony; petrous; as, the petrosal bone; petrosal part of the temporal bone. (b) Of, pertaining to, or in the region of, the petrous, or petrosal, bone, or the corresponding part of the temporal bone.

Petrosal bone (Anat.), a bone corresponding to the petrous portion of the temporal bone of man; or one forming more or less of the periotic capsule.

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.