Search the Dictionary

To surpass in telling, counting, or reckoning. "I have outtold the clock." Beau. & Fl.

r recedes from, the center, without reference to its motion in space, or to its motion as reckoned in any other direction.

Accustomed to, or employed in, desperate enterprises; hence, reckless; hopeless. "A perdue captain." Beau. & Fl.

Daring; reckless; dangerous. [Obs.] Latimer. For I am perilous with knife in hand. Chaucer. -- Per"il*ous*ly, adv. -- Per"il*ous*ness, n.

One who plunders; especially, a plunderer of wrecks; a pirate; a corsair; a marauder; a sharper. Sir W. Temple.

The blow which drives the shuttle, -- the rate of speed of a loom being reckoned as so many picks per minute; hence, in describing the fineness of a fabric, a weft thread; as, so many picks to an inch. Pick dressing (Arch.), in cut stonework, a facing made by a pointed tool, leaving the surface in little pits or depres…

To bet heavily and with seeming recklessness on a race, or other contest; in an extended sense, to risk large sums in hazardous speculations. [Cant] Plunging fire (Gun.), firing directed upon an enemy from an elevated position.

One who bets heavily and recklessly on a race; a reckless speculator. [Cant]

A fixed conventional place for reference, or zero of reckoning, in the heavens, usually the intersection of two or more great circles of the sphere, and named specifically in each case according to the position intended; as, the equinoctial points; the solstitial points; the nodal points; vertical points, etc. See Equi…

Pertaining to, reckoned from, or having a common radiating point; as, polar coördinates. Polar axis, that axis of an astronomical instrument, as an equatorial, which is parallel to the earths axis. -- Polar bear (Zoöl.), a large bear (Ursus, or Thalarctos, maritimus) inhabiting the arctic regions. It sometimes measure…

Falling or rushing headlong; rushing swiftly, violently, or recklessly; moving precipitately. They leave their little lives Above the clouds, precipitant to earth. J. Philips. Should he return, that troop so blithe and bold, Precipitant in fear would wing their flight. Pope.

angle, a pyramid, etc. -- Prime meridian (Astron.), the meridian from which longitude is reckoned, as the meridian of Greenwich or Washington. -- Prime minister, the responsible head of a ministry or executive government; applied particularly to that of England. -- Prime mover. (Mech.) (a) A natural agency applied b…

Given to extravagant expenditure; expending money or other things without necessity; recklessly or viciously profuse; lavish; wasteful; not frugal or economical; as, a prodigal man; the prodigal son; prodigal giving; prodigal expenses. In fighting fields [patriots] were prodigal of blood. Dryden.

e a tender of; as, to proffer a gift; to proffer services; to proffer friendship. Shak. I reck not what wrong that thou me profre. Chaucer.

Of or pertaining to the fourth; occurring every fourth day, reckoning inclusively; as, a quartan ague, or fever.

The fourth of a hundred-weight, being 25 or 28 pounds, according as the hundredweight is reckoned at 100 or 112 pounds.

nday, the Sunday which is the fiftieth day before Easter, both days being included in the reckoning; -- called also Shrove Sunday.

Occurring as the fifth, after four others also, occurring every fifth day, reckoning inclusively; as, a quintan fever. -- n. (Med.)

The fifteenth day after a feast day, including both in the reckoning. [Written also quinzain.]

A wreck; destruction. [Obs., except in a few phrases.] Rack and ruin, destruction; utter ruin. [Colloq.] -- To go to rack, to perish; to be destroyed. [Colloq.] "All goes to rack." Pepys.