Pact, pakt, n. that which is agreed on: an agreement: a contract—also Pac′tion.—adj. Pac′tional.—Pactum illicitum, an unlawful agreement. [L. pactum—pacisci, pactus, to contract.]
Pad, pad, n. a thief on the high-road (more commonly Footpad): (abbrev. from pad-horse) a horse for riding on the road: an easy-paced horse.—v.i. to walk on foot: to trudge along: to rob on foot:—pr.p. pad′ding; pa.t. and pa.p. pad′ded.—adj. Pad′-clink′ing, keeping company with thieves.—n. Pad′ding-ken, a low lodging-house inhabited by thieves.—Stand pad, to beg by the roadside. [Dut. pad, a path.]
Pad, pad, n. anything stuffed with a soft material, to prevent friction or pressure, or for filling out: a soft saddle, cushion, &c.: a number of sheets of paper or other soft material fastened together for writing upon: the fleshy, thick-skinned under-surface of the toes of many animals, as the fox: a fox's foot generally: the large floating leaf of an aquatic plant: (pl.) thick watered ribbon for watch-guards.—v.t. to stuff with anything soft: to fix colours in cloth:—pr.p. pad′ding; pa.t. and pa.p. pad′ded.—ns. Pad′-cloth, a cloth covering a horse's loins; Pad′der, one who pads or cushions; Pad′ding, the soft stuffing of a saddle, &c.: matter of less value introduced into a book or article in order to make it of the length desired: the process of mordanting a fabric; Pad′-el′ephant, a working elephant, distinguished from a war or hunting one; Pad′-sadd′le, a treeless, padded saddle; Pad′-tree, the wooden or metal frame to which harness-pads are attached. [A variant of pod, orig. sig. 'a bag.']
Paddle, pad′l, v.i. to dabble in water with the hands or the feet: to touch or toy with the fingers: to beat the water as with the feet: to row: to move in the water as a duck does: (slang) to make off.—v.t. to move by means of an oar or paddle: to finger, toy with.—n. a short, broad, spoon-shaped oar, used for moving canoes: the blade of an oar: one of the boards at the circumference of a paddle-wheel.—ns. Padd′le-beam, one of the large timbers at the side of a paddle-wheel; Padd′le-board, one of the floats on the circumference of a paddle-wheel; Padd′le-box, a wooden box covering the upper part of the paddle-wheel of a steamer; Padd′ler, one who paddles; Padd′le-shaft, the axle on which the paddle-wheels of a steamer turn; Padd′le-wheel, the wheel of a steam-vessel, which by turning in the water causes it to move forward; Padd′le-wood, the light, strong wood of a Guiana tree of the dogbane family. [For pattle, freq. of pat.]
Paddle, pad′l, n. (B.) a little spade.—n. Padd′le-staff, a spade for clearing a ploughshare. [Prob. from spaddle; cf. Spade.]
Paddock, pad′uk, n. a toad or frog.—n. Padd′ock-stool, a toadstool. [Dim. of M. E. padde, a toad—Ice. padda.]
Paddock, pad′uk, n. a small park under pasture, immediately adjoining the stables of a domain: a small field in which horses are kept. [A.S. pearroc, a park—sparran (Ger. sperren), to shut.]
Paddy, pad′i, n. rice in the husk.—ns. Padd′y-bird, the Java sparrow or rice-bird; Padd′y-field, a field where rice is grown. [East Ind.]
Paddy, pad′i, n. a familiar name for an Irishman, from St Patrick: a drill used in boring wells, with cutters that expand on pressure.—n. Padd′y-whack, a nurse's word for a slap.
Padella, pa-del′la, n. a shallow vessel filled with fat, in the centre of which a wick has been placed—used in illuminations. [It., a frying-pan.]