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The cowcatcher of a locomotive. [U.S.] Pilot balloon, a small balloon sent up in advance of a large one, to show the direction and force of the wind. -- Pilot bird. (Zoöl.) (a) A bird found near the Caribbee Islands; - - so called because its presence indicates to mariners their approach to these islands. Crabb. (b) T…

A small, unmanned balloon sent up to indicate the direction of air currents.

The flag hoisted at the fore by a vessel desiring a pilot, in the United States the union jack, in Great Britain the British union jack with a white border.

A small incandescent telltale lamp on a dynamo or battery circuit to show approximately by its brightness the voltage of the current.

A small hand-operated valve to admit liquid to operate a valve difficult to turn by hand.

A wheel, usually with radial handles projecting from the rim, for traversing the saddle of a machine tool, esp. an automatic machine tool, by hand.

The pilot's skill or knowledge, as of coasts, rocks, bars, and channels. [Obs.] Sir W. Raleigh.

Pilotage; skill in the duties of a pilot. [R.]

A fine material for ladies' shawls, scarfs, handkerchiefs, etc., made from the fiber of the pineapple leaf, and perhaps from other fibrous tropical leaves. It is delicate, soft, and transparent, with a slight tinge of pale yellow.

A small extent of ground; a plat; as, a garden plot. Shak.

Secure against harm by plots. Shak.

Abounding with plots.

Of pertaining to the Plotinists or their doctrines.

A disciple of Plotinus, a celebrated Platonic philosopher of the third century, who taught that the human soul emanates from the divine Being, to whom it reunited at death.

One who plots or schemes; a contriver; a conspirator; a schemer. Dryden.

Having a varying body temperature. See Homoiothermal.

Poikilothermal.

Containing, or made up, of, several languages; as, a polyglot lexicon, Bible.

Speaking many languages; polyglot. [R.] "The polyglottous tribes of America." Max Müller.

a little puppet," "a little doll," or "a young butterfly." Cf. Popet. [Obs.] So gay a popelote, so sweet a wench. Chaucer.