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Palmate, with the divisions separated but little more than halfway to the common center.

orm (Palolo viridis) that burrows in the coral reefs of certain of the Pacific Islands. A little before the last quarter of the moon in October and November, they swarm in vast numbers at the surface of the sea for breeding, and are gathered and highly esteemed as food by the natives. An allied species inhabits the tro…

Fig.: To diminish the bulk of; to reduce; to lessen. The king began to pare a little the privilege of clergy. Bacon.

A friction match that contains little or no sulphur.

A minute part or portion of matter; a morsel; a little bit; an atom; a jot; as, a particle of sand, of wood, of dust. The small size of atoms which unite To make the smallest particle of light. Blackmore.

The state or quality of having a little or ignoble mind; pettiness; meanness; -- opposed to magnanimity. De Quincey.

Littleness. [Obs.] Glanvill. Ray.

to repair or strengthen it, esp. upon an old garment to cover a hole. Patches set upon a little breach. Shak.

Characteristic of a patriarch; venerable. About whose patriarchal knee Late the little children clung. Tennyson.

A quick succession of slight sounds; as, the patter of rain; the patter of little feet.

A little pie.

Resembling a little stake.

The saving of a son or a slave with the father's or master's consent; a little property or stock of one's own; any exclusive personal or separate property. Burrill.

A little ball; as, a pellet of wax .

e young lady's pet curate. F. Harrison. Pet cock. Etym: [Perh. for petty cock.] (Mach.) A little faucet in a water pipe or pump, to let air out, or at the end of a steam cylinder, to drain it.

Small; little; insignificant; mean; -- Same as Petty. [Obs., except in legal language.] By what small, petit hints does the mind catch hold of and recover a vanishing notion. South. Petit constable, an inferior civil officer, subordinate to the high constable. -- Petit jury, a jury of twelve men, impaneled to try caus…

Small, little; of a woman or girl, of small size and trim figure.

The quality or state of being petty or paltry; littleness; meanness.

Little; trifling; inconsiderable; also, inferior; subordinate; as, a petty fault; a petty prince. Denham. Like a petty god I walked about, admired of all. Milton. Petty averages. See under Average. -- Petty cash, money expended or received in small items or amounts. -- Petty officer, a subofficer in the navy, as a gu…

A hard, tough, but easily fusible, alloy, originally consisting of tin with a little lead, but afterwards modified by the addition of copper, antimony, or bismuth.