Pepper's Ghost, pep′ėrs gōst, n. a device for associating on the same stage living persons and phantoms to act together—the phantom produced by a large sheet of unsilvered glass on the stage, practically invisible to the spectators, reflecting to them, along with a visible actor or actors, the appearance of another actor on an understage, himself invisible. [John H. Pepper (b. 1821), the improver and exhibitor of Henry Dircks' invention.]
Pepsin, Pepsine, pep′sin, n. one of the essential constituents of the gastric juice: the active agent in fermenting food in the stomach—a hydrolytic ferment.—adj. Pep′tic, relating to or promoting digestion: having a good digestion.—ns. Peptic′ity, eupepsia; Pep′tics, digestion considered as a science: the digestive organs; Pep′togen, a substance producing peptone, any preparation that facilitates digestion.—adjs. Peptogen′ic, Peptog′enous, Pepton′ic.—ns. Pep′tōne, one of a class of albumenoids formed by the action of the chemical ferment pepsin and hydrochloric acid, the latter first converting into a syntonin or acid protein, the former converting this syntonin into peptone—they are soluble in water, are not coagulated by boiling, and pass readily through an animal membrane, being therefore easily absorbed; Peptonisā′tion.—v.t. Pep′tonise, to convert into peptones.—n. Pep′tonoid, a substance like peptone: one of certain food preparations. [Fr.,—Gr. pepsis, digestion—peptein, to digest.]
Pepysian, pep′is-i-an, adj. pertaining to Samuel Pepys (1633-1703), his inimitable diary, or the collection of prints, books, ballads, &c. he bequeathed to Magdalene College, Cambridge.
Per, pėr, prep. through, by means of, according to.—Per annum, year by year: for each year; Per capita, by heads, implying equal rights to two or more persons; Per cent., per hundred; Per contra, on the contrary: as a set-off; Per diem, every day: day by day; Per mensem, monthly: by the month; Per saltum, at a single leap: all at once; Per se, by himself, &c.: essentially.
Peracute, per-a-kūt′, adj. very sharp or violent.
Peradventure, per-ad-vent′ūr, adv. by adventure: by chance: perhaps.—n. uncertainty: question.
Perambulate, per-am′bū-lāt, v.t. to walk through or over: to pass through for the purpose of surveying: to survey the boundaries of.—ns. Perambulā′tion, act of perambulating: a survey or inspection by travelling through: the district within which a person has the right of inspection; Peram′bulātor, one who perambulates: an instrument for measuring distances on roads: a light carriage for a child.—adj. Peram′bulātory. [L. perambulāre, -ātum—per, through, ambulāre, to walk.]
Percale, per-käl′, n. a closely woven French cambric.—n. Per′caline, a glossy cotton cloth. [Fr.]
Percase, per-kās′, adv. (Bacon) perchance, perhaps. [L. per, through, by, casus, a chance.]
Perceable, pėrs′a-bl, adj. (Spens.)=Pierceable.