Pean. See Pæan.
Pea-nut, or Ground-nut. See Ground.
Pear, pār, n. a common fruit of a somewhat conical shape, and very juicy to the taste: the tree on which it grows, allied to the apple.—adj. Pear′iform, Pear′-shaped, shaped like a pear—that is, thick and rounded at one end, and tapering to the other.—n. Pear′-tree. [A.S. pera or peru—L. pirum, a pear (whence also Fr. poire).]
Pear, pē′ar, n. (Spens.). Same as Peer.
Pearl, pėrl, n. a well-known shining gem, found in several kinds of shellfish, but most esp. in the mother-of-pearl oyster: anything round and clear: anything very precious: a jewel: a while speck or film on the eye: (print.) a size of type immediately above diamond, equal to 5 points (about 15 lines to the inch).—adj. made of, or belonging to, pearls.—v.t. to set or adorn with pearls: to make into small round grains.—v.i. to take a rounded form: to become like pearls.—adj. Pearlā′ceous, resembling pearls or mother-of-pearl: spotted with white.—ns. Pearl′-ash, a purer carbonate of potash, obtained by calcining potashes, so called from its pearly-white colour; Pearl′-bar′ley, barley after the skin has been ground off (prob. for 'pilled barley,' Fr. orge perlé); Pearl′-butt′on, a button made of mother-of-pearl; Pearl′-div′er, one who dives for pearls.—adj. Pearled, set with pearls: like pearls: having a border trimmed with narrow lace.—ns. Pearl′-edge, a thread edging, a border on some ribbons formed by projecting loops of the threads; Pearl′-eye, cataract.—adj. Pearl′-eyed, having a white speck on the eye.—ns. Pearl′-fish′er, one who fishes for pearls; Pearl′-fish′ery, the occupation of fishing for pearls, or the place where it is carried on; Pearl′-fish′ing; Pearl′-gray, a pale gray colour.—adj. of a pale gray colour, like the pearl.—ns. Pearl′iness, state of being pearly; Pearl′-nau′tilus, the pearly nautilus; Pearl′-oys′ter, the oyster which produces pearls; Pearl′-pow′der, a cosmetic for improving the appearance of the skin; Pearl′-white, a material made from fish-scales, used in making artificial pearls: a kind of cosmetic.—adj. Pearl′y, like a pearl, nacreous: yielding pearls: dotted with pearls: clear, transparent: having a pure sweet tone. [Fr. perle, acc. to Diez, prob. either a corr. of L. pirula, a dim. of pirum, a pear, or of L. pilula, dim. of pila, a ball.]
Pearling, pėrl′ing, n. lace made of silk or other kind of thread.—Also Pearl′in. [Ir. peirlin, fine linen.]
Pearling, pėrl′ing, n. the process of removing the outer coat of grain.
Pearmain, pār′mān, n. a name of several varieties of apple.
Peart, pērt, adj. lively: saucy: in good health and spirits.—adv. Peart′ly. [Pert.]
Peasant, pez′ant, n. a countryman: a rustic: one whose occupation is rural labour.—adj. of or relating to peasants, rustic, rural: rude.—n. Peas′antry, the body of peasants or tillers of the soil: rustics: labourers.—Peasant proprietor, a peasant who owns and works his own farm; Peasants' War, a popular insurrection in Germany, in 1525, stamped out with horrible cruelty. [O. Fr. paisant (Fr. paysan)—pays—L. pagus, a district.]