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as being at a more or less measurable distance. Hence, aërial perspective, the assumed greater vagueness or uncertainty of outline in distant objects. Aërial perspective is the expression of space by any means whatsoever, sharpness of edge, vividness of color, etc. Ruskin.

re shaped like a church pew, as a stall, formerly used by money lenders, etc.; a box in theater; a pen; a sheepfold. [Obs.] Pepys. Milton. Pew opener, an usher in a church. [Eng.] Dickens.

Formerly, that part of a theater, on the floor of the house, below the level of the stage and behind the orchestra; now, in England, commonly the part behind the stalls; in the United States, the parquet; also, the occupants of such a part of a theater.

of food in most tropical countries, especially when cooked. Plantain cutter, or Plantain eater (Zoöl.), any one of several large African birds of the genus Musophaga, or family Musophagidæ, especially Musophaga violacea. See Turaco. They are allied to the cuckoos. -- Plantain squirrel (Zoöl.), a Java squirrel (Sciuru…

terior, especially that used for the lining of rooms. Ordinarly, mortar is used for the greater part of the work, and pure plaster of Paris for the moldings and ornaments.

stage; to personate a character. A lord will hear your play to-night. Shak. Courts are theaters where some men play. Donne. To play into a person's hands, to act, or to manage matters, to his advantage or benefit. -- To play off, to affect; to feign; to practice artifice. -- To play upon. (a) To make sport of; to de…

A building used for dramatic exhibitions; a theater. Shak.

The greater number; a majority; also, the greatest of several numbers; in elections, the excess of the votes given for one candidate over those given for another, or for any other, candidate. When there are more than two candidates, the one who receives the plurality of votes may have less than a majority. See Majority…

The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheater, from the top of which the seats began.

A number or aggregate of heads; a list or register of heads or individuals. We are the greater poll, and in true fear They gave us our demands. Shak. The muster file, rotten and sound, upon my life, amounts not to fifteen thousand poll. Shak.

Having a valence greater than one. [Obs.]

habits. The Canada porcupine (Erethizon dorsatus) is a well known species. Porcupine ant-eater (Zoöl.), the echidna. -- Porcupine crab (Zoöl.), a large spiny Japanese crab (Acantholithodes hystrix). -- Porcupine disease (Med.). See Ichthyosis. -- Porcupine fish (Zoöl.), any plectognath fish having the body covered…

doubly refracting crystal in which the index of refraction for the extraordinary ray is greater than for the ordinary ray, and the former is refracted nearer to the axis than the latter, as quartz and ice; -- opposed to negative crystal, or one in which this characteristic is reversed, as Iceland spar, tourmaline, etc.…

The part of a theater behind the scenes; the back part of the stage of a theater.

; to fall continuously and abundantly; as, the rain pours; the people poured out of the theater. In the rude throng pour on with furious pace. Gay.

ing else in estimation, favor, or liking; to regard or honor before another; to hold in greater favor; to choose rather; -- often followed by to, before, or above. If I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy. Ps. cxxxvii. 6. Preferred an infamous peace before a most just war. Knolles. Preferred stock, stock which take…

ice or dignity of a prelate; church government by prelates. Prelacies may be termed the greater benefices. Ayliffe.

ing. The mind should . . . reject or receive proportionably to the preponderancy of the greater grounds of probability. Locke. In a few weeks he had changed the relative position of all the states in Europe, and had restored the equilibrium which the preponderance of one power had destroyed. Macaulay.…

An inconsiderable weight, by distance from the center of the balance, will preponderate greater magnitudes. Glanvill.

The act of going, or state of being, before. [Obs.] The greater the distance, the greater the prevention. Bacon.