Search the Dictionary

species of very brilliant birds belonging to Promerops, Epimarchus, and allied genera, closely related to the paradise birds, and mostly native of New Guinea. They have a long curved beak and a long graduated tail.

est proportions of her sex. Sir W. Scott. Documents are authentic and facts are true precisely in proportion to the support which they afford to his theory. Macaulay.

To peep narrowly; to gaze; to inspect closely; to attempt to discover something by a scrutinizing curiosity; -- often implying reproach. " To pry upon the stars." Chaucer. Watch thou and wake when others be asleep, To pry into the secrets of the state. Shak.

Inspecting closely or impertinently.

Falsely or imperfectly dipteral, as a temple with the inner range of columns surrounding the cella omitted, so that the space between the cella wall and the columns is very great, being equal to two intercolumns and one column. -- n.

Falsely hypertrophic; as, pseudo-hypertrophic paralysis, a variety of paralysis in which the muscles are apparently enlarged, but are really degenerated and replaced by fat.

Falsely or imperfectly metallic; -- said of a kind of luster, as in minerals.

Falsely or imperfectly peripteral, as a temple having the columns at the sides attached to the walls, and an ambulatory only at the ends or only at one end. -- n.

Falsely romantic. The false taste, the pseudo-romantic rage. De Quincey.

ses or alkaloids formed in the putrefaction of various kinds of albuminous matter, and closely related to the vegetable alkaloids; a cadaveric poison. The ptomaines, as a class, have their origin in dead matter, by which they are to be distinguished from the leucomaines.

rawn by one horse; originally, a rude oblong box on runners. [U.S.] Sledges or pungs, coarsely framed of split saplings, and surmounted with a large crockery crate. Judd. They did not take out the pungs to-day. E. E. Hale.

enus Ceratopogon or allied genus of the family Chironomidæ, found in swarms in various densely wooded or mountaneous regions. [U. S.]

Hence: Imperial sovereignty; royal rank, dignity, or favor; loosely and colloquially, any exalted station; great wealth. "He was born in the purple." Gibbon.

In a purposed manner; according to purpose or design; purposely. A poem composed purposedly of the Trojan war. Holland.

A small bag or pouch, the opening of which is made to draw together closely, used to carry money in; by extension, any receptacle for money carried on the person; a wallet; a pocketbook; a portemonnaie. Chaucer. Who steals my purse steals trash. Shak.

To quarrel with. [R.] "I had quarelled my brother purposely." B. Jonson.

of the order Simarubeæ, as Quassia amara, Picræna excelsa, and Simaruba amara. It is intensely bitter, and is used in medicine and sometimes as a substitute for hops in making beer.

h a small but long pit; it is cured when green, keeps well, and has a delicate flavor. Loosely, any olive of similar character.

To taunt; to treat with quips. The more he laughs, and does her closely quip. Spenser.

An intensely radioactive metallic element found (combined) in minute quantities in pitchblende, and various other uranium minerals. Symbol, Ra; atomic weight, 226.4. Radium was discovered by M. and Mme. Curie, of Paris, who in 1902 separated compounds of it by a tedious process from pitchblende. Its compounds color fla…