Peccary, pek′ar-i, n. a hog-like quadruped of South America.
Peccavi, pe-kā′vī, I have sinned. [L. 1st pers. sing. perf. indic. act. of peccāre, I sin.]
Pech, Pegh, peh, v.i. (Scot.) to pant, to breathe hard. [Imit.]
Pecht, peht, n. a corruption of Pict.
Peck, pek, n. a measure of capacity for dry goods=2 gallons, or one-fourth of a bushel: a great amount. [M. E. pekke, prob. from peck, 'to pick up.']
Peck, pek, v.t. to strike with the beak: to pick up with the beak: to eat: to strike with anything pointed: to strike with repeated blows.—ns. Peck′er, that which pecks: a woodpecker: (slang) spirit, as in 'to keep one's pecker up'=to keep up one's spirits; Peck′ing, the sport of throwing pebbles at birds.—adj. Peck′ish, somewhat hungry. [Pick.]
Pecksniff, pek′snif, n. one who talks large about virtue and benevolence, while at heart a selfish and unprincipled hypocrite.—adj. Peck′sniffian.—n. Peck′sniffianism. [From Mr Pecksniff in Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit.]
Pecten, pek′ten, n. a genus of molluscs, one species of which is the scallop—so called from the valves having ribs radiating from the umbo to the margin like a comb: a membrane on the eyes of birds.—adjs. Pectinā′ceous, like the scallops; Pec′tinal, of a comb: comb-like: having bones like the teeth of a comb; Pec′tināte, -d, having teeth like a comb: resembling the teeth of a comb.—adv. Pec′tinātely.—n. Pectinā′tion, the state of being pectinated—adjs. Pectinē′al, having a comb-like crest; Pec′tinibranchiate, having comb-like gills; Pec′tiniform, comb-like. [L. pecten, a comb.]
Pectic, pek′tik, adj. congealing, curdling.—ns. Pec′tin, Pec′tine, a soluble gelatinising substance obtained from pectose; Pec′tōse, a substance yielding pectin, contained in the fleshy pulp of unripe fruit. [Gr. pēktikos, congealing—pēgnynai, to make solid.]
Pectoral, pek′tō-ral, adj. relating to the breast or chest.—n. armour for the breast: an ornament worn on the breast, esp. the breastplate worn by the ancient Jewish high-priest, and the square of gold, embroidery, &c. formerly worn on the breast over the chasuble by bishops during mass: a pectoral cross: a pectoral fin: a medicine for the chest.—adv. Pec′torally.—n. Pectoril′oquy, the sound of the patient's voice heard through the stethoscope when applied to the chest in certain morbid conditions of the lungs.—Pectoral fins, the anterior paired fins of fishes; Pectoral theology, a name sometimes applied to the theology of those Christians who make much of experience and emotion, as themselves guides to a knowledge of divine truth—in Neander's phrase, 'Pectus est quod facit theologum.' [Fr.,—L. pectoralis—pectus, pectoris, the breast.]