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By analogy with the French portail, used by recent writers for the whole architectural composition which surrounds and includes the doorways and porches of a church.

To inform; to give the news to; to make (one) acquainted with the details of a subject; -- often with up. Thoroughly posted up in the politics and literature of the day. Lond. Sat. Rev. To post off, to put off; to delay. [Obs.] "Why did I, venturously, post off so great a business" Baxter. -- To post over, to hurry ov…

Philosophical; dealing with causes, reasons, and effects, rather than with details and circumstances; -- said of literature. "Pragmatic history." Sir W. Hamilton. "Pragmatic poetry." M. Arnold. Pragmatic sanction, a solemn ordinance or decree issued by the head or legislature of a state upon weighty matters; -- a term…

ido), which inhabits the prairies of the central United States. Applied also to the sharp-tailed grouse. -- Prairie clover (Bot.), any plant of the leguminous genus Petalostemon, having small rosy or white flowers in dense terminal heads or spikes. Several species occur in the prairies of the United States. -- Prairi…

, or family Glareolidæ, allied to the plovers. They have long, pointed wings and a forked tail.

painters often called Nazarenes, or one who paints and draws with extreme minuteness of detail.

Adapted to seize or grasp; seizing; grasping; as, the prehensile tail of a monkey.

ast Indian insectivore (Tupaia ferruginea). It is arboreal in its habits, and has a bushy tail. The fur is soft, and varies from rusty red to maroon and to brownish black.

One who presses clothes; as, a tailor's pressman.

A tailor; -- so called in contempt. [Old slang] L'Estrange.

A form of redan, so named from its shape; -- called also swallowtail.

The longtailed titmouse. [Prov. Eng.]

length; unnecessarily long; minute in narration or argument; excessively particular in detail; -- rarely used except with reference to discourse written or spoken; as, a prolix oration; a prolix poem; a prolix sermon. With wig prolix, down flowing to his waist. Cowper.

The quality or state of being prolix; great length; minute detail; as, prolixity in discourses and writings. "For fulsomeness of his prolixitee." Chaucer. Idly running on with vain prolixity. Drayton.

birds, and mostly native of New Guinea. They have a long curved beak and a long graduated tail.

A genus including the long-tailed, or diadem, indris. See Indris.

notaria citrea). The general color is golden yellow, the back is olivaceous, the rump and tail are ash-color, several outer tail feathers are partly white.

An adjustable pattern used by tailors. Knight.

A class of flowerless plants, embracing ferns, horsetails, club mosses, quillworts, and other like plants. See the Note under Cryptogamia. -- Pter"i*do*phyte`, n.

The pentail.