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An adjustable piece, pierced with a small hole to peep through in aiming, attached to a rifle or other firearm near the breech; -- distinguished from an open sight.

nce, colloquially and figuratively: A support; a reason; a pretext; as, a peg to hang a claim upon.

person; as, a personal pronoun. Personal action (Law), a suit or action by which a man claims a debt or personal duty, or damages in lieu of it; or wherein he claims satisfaction in damages for an injury to his person or property, or the specific recovery of goods or chattels; -- opposed to real action. -- Personal e…

as distinguished from a possessory suit; also (Scots Law), a suit wherein the plaintiff claims something as due him by the defendant. Burrill.

To advocate like a pettifogger; to argue trickily; as, to pettifog a claim. [Colloq.]

The condition, character, aims, and habits of the class called Philistines. See Philistine, 3. [Recent] Carlyle. On the side of beauty and taste, vulgarity; on the side of morals and feeling, coarseness; on the side of mind and spirit, unintelligence, -- this is Philistinism. M. Arnold.

Same as Arapaima.

To throw, generally with a definite aim or purpose; to cast; to hurl; to toss; as, to pitch quoits; to pitch hay; to pitch a ball.

One who plays, or amuses himself; one without serious aims; an idler; a trifler. Shak.

To argue in support of a claim, or in defense against the claim of another; to urge reasons for or against a thing; to attempt to persuade one by argument or supplication; to speak by way of persuasion; as, to plead for the life of a criminal; to plead with a judge or with a father. O that one might plead for a man wit…

f the plaintiff and defendant, or written statements of the parties in support of their claims, proceeding from the declaration of the plaintiff, until issue is joined, and the question made to rest on some single point. Blackstone.

To direct toward an abject; to aim; as, to point a gun at a wolf, or a cannon at a fort.

The white spot on a target, at which an arrow or other missile is aimed. [Obs.] Jonson.

A tract of low land reclaimed from the sea by of high embankments. [Holland & Belgium]

shed with available means or resources; feasible; as, a practicable method; a practicable aim; a practicable good.

helper one who has an interest in the cause. Bacon. (b) A phrase often used to signify claiming the benefit of an argument. See under Aid. Mozley & W.

To proclaim or publish tidings; specifically, to proclaim the gospel; to discourse publicly on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture; to deliver a sermon. How shall they preach, except they be sent Rom. x. 15. From that time Jesus began to preach. Matt. iv. 17.

To proclaim; to publish; also, to summon; to call. [Obs.] Bp. Burnet.

Predicating; affirming; declaring; proclaiming; hence; preaching. "The Roman predicant orders." N. Brit. Rev.

to present; to proffer; to address; -- said especially of a request, prayer, petition, claim, charge, etc. He spake, and to her hand preferred the bowl. Pope. Presently prefer his suit to Cæsar. Shak. Three tongues prefer strange orisons on high. Byron.