Picnic, pik′nik, n. a short excursion into the country by a pleasure-party who take their own provisions with them: an entertainment in the open air, towards which each person contributes.—v.i. to go on a picnic:—pr.p. pic′nicking; pa.t. and pa.p. pic′nicked.—n. Pic′nicker. [Prob. pick, to nibble, and nick, for knack, a trifle.]
Picot, pē-kō′, n. a loop in an ornamental edging, the front of a flounce, &c.—adj. Picotté. [Fr.]
Picotee, pik-ō-tē′, n. a florist's variety of carnation. [From the French botanist Picot, Baron de la Peyrouse, 1744-1818.]
Picquet. Same as Piquet.
Picqué-work, pē-kā′-wurk, n. decoration by dots or slight depressions.—Also Pounced-work.
Picra, pik′ra, n. a cathartic powder of aloes and canella. [Gr. pikros, bitter.]
Picric, pik′rik, adj. carbazotic.—n. Pic′rāte, a salt of picric acid.—adj. Pic′rāted, mixed with a picrate as in a composition for a whistling rocket.—ns. Pic′rīte, one of the peridotites or olivine-rocks; Picrotox′ine, a bitter poisonous principle in the seeds of Cocculus indicus.—Picric acid, an acid used as a dye for wool, &c. [Gr. pikros, bitter.]
Pict, pikt, n. one of an ancient race for 5½ centuries (296-844 A.D.) inhabiting eastern Scotland, from the Forth to the Pentland Firth, most probably Celts, but more nearly allied to the Cymry than to the Gael.—adj. Pic′tish.—Pictish towers, a name sometimes given to brochs (q.v.); Picts' houses, a name popularly given in many parts of Scotland to rude underground dwellings or earth-houses; Picts' work, a name sometimes given to the Catrail, the remains of a large earthwork extending for about fifty miles through the counties of Selkirk and Roxburgh. [L. picti, pl. of pa.p. of pingĕre, pictum, to paint.]
Picture, pik′tūr, n. a painting: a likeness in colours: a drawing: painting: a resemblance: an image: a vivid verbal description.—v.t. to paint, to represent by painting: to form a likeness of in the mind: to describe vividly in words.—n. Pic′tograph, a picture or pictorial sign: a piece of picture-writing.—adj. Pictograph′ic.—n. Pictog′raphy.—adjs. Pictō′rial, Pic′tūral, relating to pictures: illustrated by pictures: consisting of pictures.—adv. Pictō′rially.—ns. Pic′tūral (Spens.), a picture; Pic′ture-book, a book of pictures; Pic′ture-frame, a frame surrounding a picture; Pic′ture-gall′ery, a gallery, or large room, in which pictures are hung up for exhibition; Pic′ture-rod, a rod running round the upper part of the wall of a room, from which pictures are hung; Pic′ture-writ′ing, the use of pictures to express ideas or relate events. [L. pictura—pingĕre, pictum, to paint.]
Picturesque, pik-tū-resk′, adj. like a picture: such as would make a good or striking picture: expressing the pleasing beauty of a picture.—adv. Picturesque′ly.—n. Picturesque′ness. [It. pittoresco—pittura, a picture—L. pictura.]