Poker, pō′kėr, n. a round game at cards, first played in America about 1835. [Ety. uncertain.]
Polabian, pō-lā′bi-an, n. one of an ancient Slavic race, belonging to the same group as the Poles, occupying the basin of the lower Elbe.
Polacca, po-lak′a, n. a species of vessel used in the Mediterranean, with three masts and a jib-boom; the fore and main masts being of one piece, and the mizzen-mast with a top and topmast. [It., 'a Polish vessel.']
Polack, pōl′ak, n. (Shak.) a Pole.—Also Pol′ander.
Polar, pō′lar, adj. pertaining to, or situated near, either of the poles: pertaining to the magnetic poles: having a common meeting-point.—n. (geom.) the line joining the points of contact, of tangents drawn to meet a curve from a point called the pole of the line.—ns.pl. Pōlar-co-or′dinates, co-ordinates defining a point by means of a radius vector and the angle which it makes with a fixed line through the origin; Pō′lar-for′ces, forces that act in pairs and in different directions, as in magnetism.—n. Polarim′eter, the polariscope.—adj. Polarī′sable, capable of polarisation.—ns. Polarisā′tion (opt.), a particular modification of rays of light, by the action of certain media or surfaces, so that they cannot be reflected or refracted again in certain directions: state of having polarity; Polar′iscope, an instrument for polarising light, and analysing its properties.—v.t. Pō′larise, to give polarity to.—ns. Pō′lariser, that which polarises or gives polarity to; Polar′ity, state of having two opposite poles: a condition in certain bodies according to which their properties arrange themselves so as to have opposite powers in opposite directions, as in a magnet with its two poles.—Polar bear, a large white bear found in the Arctic regions; Polar circle, a parallel of latitude encircling each of the poles at a distance of 23° 28′ from the pole—the north polar being called the arctic, the south the antarctic, circle; Polar lights, the aurora borealis or australis. [L. polaris—polus, a pole.]
Polder, pōl′dėr, n. in the Netherlands, land below the level of the sea or nearest river, which, originally a morass or lake, has been drained and brought under cultivation: a morass. [Prob. cog. with pool.]
Pole, pōl, n. that on which anything turns, as a pivot or axis: one of the ends of the axis of a sphere, esp. of the earth: (physics) one of the two points of a body in which the attractive or repulsive energy is concentrated, as in a magnet: (geom.) a point from which a pencil of rays radiates (see Polar).—n. Pole′-star, a star at or near the pole of the heavens: a guide or director.—Poles of the heavens, the two points in the heavens opposite to the poles of the earth—called also Celestial poles. [Fr.,—L. polus—Gr. polos—pelein, to be in motion.]
Pole, pōl, n. a pale or pile: a long piece of wood: an instrument for measuring: a measure of length, 5½ yards: in square measure, 30¼ yards.—v.t. to push or stir with a pole.—v.i. to use a pole.—adj. Pole′-clipt (Shak.), hedged in with poles.—Under bare poles, with all sails furled. [A.S. pál (Ger. pfahl)—L. palus, a stake.]
Pole, pōl, n. a native of Poland.
