Peacock, pē′kok, n. a large gallinaceous bird of the pheasant kind, remarkable for the beauty of its plumage, esp. that of its tail:—fem. Pea′hen.—v.t. to cause to strut like a peacock.—v.i. to strut about proudly.—ns. Pea′chick, the young of the pea-fowl; Pea′cock-fish, a variegated labroid fish; Pea′-fowl, the peacock or peahen. [A.S. pawe—L. pavo—Gr. taōs—Pers. tāwus; and cock (q.v.).]
Peacod. Same as Peascod.
Pea-crab, pē′-krab, n. a genus of small crustaceans, which live within the mantle-lobes of mussels, oysters, &c.
Peag, pēg, n. polished shell-beads used as money among the North American Indians.—Also Peak (pēk).
Pea-green, pē′-grēn, adj. a shade of green like the colour of green peas.
Pea-jacket, pē′-jak′et, n. a coarse thick jacket worn esp. by seamen.—Also Pea′-coat. [Dut. pij (pron. pī), a coat of coarse thick cloth; jacket.]
Peak, pēk, n. a point: the pointed end of anything: the top of a mountain: (naut.) the upper outer corner of a sail extended by a gaff or yard, also the extremity of the gaff.—v.i. to rise upward in a peak: to look thin or sickly.—v.t. (naut.) to raise the point (of a gaff) more nearly perpendicular.—adjs. Peaked, pointed: ending in a point: having a thin or sickly look; Peak′ing, sickly, pining, sneaking; Peak′ish, having peaks: thin or sickly looking; Peak′y (Tenn.), having or showing peaks. [M. E. pec—Ir. peac, a sharp thing. Cf. Beak, Pike.]
Peal, pēl, n. a loud sound: a number of loud sounds one after another: a set of bells tuned to each other: a chime or carillon: the changes rung upon a set of bells.—v.i. to resound like a bell: to utter or give forth loud or solemn sounds.—v.t. to cause to sound loudly: to assail with noise: to celebrate. [For appeal; O. Fr. apel—apeler—L. appellāre, inten. of appellĕre, ap- (ad), to, pellĕre, to drive.]
Pea-maggot, pē′-mag′ut, n. the caterpillar of a small moth which lays its eggs in pods of peas.
Pean, pēn, n. one of the heraldic furs, differing from ermine only in the tinctures, the ground being sable and the spots of gold. [O. Fr. panne, a fur. Cf. Pane.]