Pettichaps, Petty-Chaps, pet′i-chaps, n. the garden warbler, the willow-warbler, chiff-chaff.
Petticoat, pet′i-kōt, n. a loose under-skirt worn by females and little boys: (coll.) a woman: a fisherman's loose canvas or oilcloth skirt: a bell-mouthed piece over the exhaust nozzles in the smoke-box of a locomotive, strengthening and equalising the draught through the boiler-tubes.—adj. feminine: female, as 'petticoat influence.'—n. Pett′icoat-affair′, an affair in which a woman is concerned.—n.pl. Pett′icoat-breech′es, a loose short breeches worn by men in the 17th century.—adj. Pett′icoated.—Petticoat government, government by women, either at home or in the state. [Petty + coat.]
Pettifogger, pet′i-fog-ėr, n. a lawyer who practises only in paltry cases.—v.i. Pett′ifog, to play the pettifogger.—n. Pett′ifoggery, mean tricks: quibbles.—adj. Pett′ifogging. [Petty, and obs. fog, to cheat (cf. Old Dut. focker).]
Pettitoes, pet′i-tōz, n.pl. the feet of a sucking pig: (Shak.) human feet. [Petty + toe.]
Pettle, pet′l, v.t. (Scot.) to indulge, pet.
Petto, pet′o, n. the breast. [It.,—L. pectus, breast.]
Petty, pet′i, adj. small: of less importance: lower in rank, power, &c.: inconsiderable, insignificant: contemptible.—adv. Pett′ily.—n. Pett′iness.—Petty cash, small sums of money received or paid; Petty larceny (see Larceny); Petty officer, a naval officer with rank corresponding to a non-commissioned officer in the army. [O. Fr. petit.]
Petulant, pet′ū-lant, adj. showing peevish impatience, irritation, or caprice: forward, impudent in manner.—ns. Pet′ulance, Pet′ulancy, sauciness: peevishness or impatience.—adv. Pet′ulantly. [L. petulans, -antis—obs. petulāre, dim. of petĕre, to fall upon.]
Petunia, pē-tū′ni-a, n. a Brazilian genus of ornamental plants of the nightshade family, with small undivided leaves and showy funnel-form flowers. [Amer. Ind. petun, tobacco.]
Pew, pū, n. an enclosed seat in a church.—ns. Pew′-fell′ow, companion; Pew′-hold′er, one who rents a pew in a church; Pew′-ō′pener, an attendant who opens pews in a church; Pew′-rent, rent paid for the use of a pew in church. [O. Fr. pui, a raised place—L. podium, a front seat in the amphitheatre—Gr. podion, orig. a footstool—pous, podos, foot.]