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The Persian language.

A Persian idiom.

A work in the Persian tongue, being a summary of the Zend- Avesta, or sacred books.

o the present day as the literary and sacred dialect of India. It is nearly allied to the Persian, and to the principal languages of Europe, classical and modern, and by its more perfect preservation of the roots and forms of the primitive language from which they are all descended, is a most important assistance in de…

An ancient mode of punishing criminals among the Persians, by confining the victim in a trough, with his head and limbs smeared with honey or the like, and exposed to the sun and to insects until he died.

An Egyptian or Persian measure of length, varying from thirthy- two to sixty stadia.

lade having the edge on the convex side, -- in use among Mohammedans, esp., the Arabs and persians. [Written also cimeter, and scymetar.]

.] A celebrated historical poem written by Firdousi, being the most ancient in the modern Persian language. Brande & C.

Dress for disguise; guise. [Obs.] Look better on this virgin, and consider This Persian shape laid by, and she appearing In a Greekish dress. Messinger.

A member of that branch of the Mohammedans to which the Persians belong. They reject the first three caliphs, and consider Ali as being the first and only rightful successor of Mohammed. They do not acknowledge the Sunna, or body of traditions respecting Mohammed, as any part of the law, and on these accounts are treat…

A kind of Persian wine; -- so called from the place whence it is brought.

A form of headdress worn by the ancient Persians. According to Xenophon, the royal tiara was encircled with a diadem, and was high and erect, while those of the people were flexible, or had rims turned over.

To translate; to construe; as, to turn the Iliad. Who turns a Persian tale for half a crown. Pope.

A glucoside extracted from Persian berries as a yellow crystalline powder, used as a dyestuff.

less broken black stripes or bars. Called also barfish. -- Yellow berry. (Bot.) Same as Persian berry, under Persian. -- Yellow boy, a gold coin, as a guinea. [Slang] Arbuthnot. -- Yellow brier. (Bot.) See under Brier. -- Yellow bugle (Bot.), a European labiate plant (Ajuga Chamæpitys). -- Yellow bunting (Zoöl.),…

f the Avesta, the Zoroastrian sacred writings; as commonly used, the language (an ancient Persian dialect) in which the Avesta is written.

The sacred writings of the ancient Persian religion, attributed to Zoroaster, but chiefly of a later date.

The religious system of Zoroaster, the legislator and prophet of the ancient Persians, which was the national faith of Persia; mazdeism. The system presupposes a good spirit (Ormuzd) and an opposing evil spirit (Ahriman). Cf. Fire worship, under Fire, and Parsee.