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A pit deceitfully covered to entrap wild beasts or men; a trap of any kind. Sir T. North.

Entrapping; insnaring. [R.] "Full of . . . contradiction and pitfalling dispenses." Milton.

or essential part; concentrated force; vigor; strength; importance; as, the speech lacked pith. Enterprises of great pith and moment. Shak. Pith paper. Same as Rice paper, under Rice.

an animal of this genus. --Pith`e*can"thrope (#), n. -- Pith`e*can"thro*poid (#), a.

A division of mammals including the apes and monkeys. Sometimes used in the sense of Primates.

Of or pertaining to the genus Pithecia, or subfamily Pithecinæ, which includes the saki, ouakari, and other allied South American monkeys.

Full of pith. [R.] W. Browne.

In a pithy manner.

The quality or state of being pithy.

Destitute of pith, or of strength; feeble. Dryden. "Pithless argumentation." Glandstone.

Pithy; robust. [R.] "Pithsome health and vigor." R. D. Blackmore.

Consisting wholly, or in part, of pith; abounding in pith; as, a pithy stem; a pithy fruit.

Deserving pity; wworthy of, or exciting, compassion; miserable; lamentable; piteous; as, pitiable persons; a pitiable condition; pitiable wretchedness.

One who pities. Gauden.

Full of pity; tender-hearted; compassionate; kind; merciful; sympathetic. The Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. James v. 11.

Destitute of pity; hard-hearted; merciless; as, a pitilessmaster; pitiless elements.

One who works in a pit, as in mining, in sawing timber, etc.

A bent tube used to determine the velocity of running water, by placing the curved end under water, and observing the height to which the fluid rises in the tube; a kind of current meter.

A long, flat-bottomed canoe, used for the navigation of rivers and lagoons in Central America. Squier.

See Pitapat.