Policy, pol′i-si, n. a warrant for money in the funds: a writing containing a contract of insurance: a kind of gambling by betting on the numbers to be drawn in a lottery.—n. Pol′icy-hold′er, one who holds a policy or contract of insurance. [Fr. police, a policy—L. polyptychum, a register—Gr. polyptychon—polys, many, ptyx, ptychos, fold.]
Poling, pō′ling, n. act of using a pole for any purpose.
Polish, pō′lish, adj. relating to Poland or to its people.
Polish, pol′ish, v.t. to make smooth and glossy by rubbing: to refine: to make elegant.—v.i. to become smooth and glossy.—n. a smooth, glossy surface: refinement of manners: anything used to produce a polish.—adjs. Pol′ishable; Pol′ished, made smooth by rubbing: trained to act with great fineness and exactness: refined: polite.—ns. Pol′isher, one who, or that which, polishes; Pol′ishing-paste, polishing material made in the form of paste; Pol′ishing-pow′der, polishing material made in the form of powder, as whiting, diamond-dust, &c.; Pol′ishing-slate, a mineral used for polishing glass, marble, and metals, composed chiefly of silica, with a little alumina, lime, oxide of iron, and water; Pol′ishment. [O. Fr. polir, polissant—L. polīre, to make to shine.]
Polite, pō-līt′, adj. polished: smooth: refined: well-bred: obliging.—adv. Polite′ly.—ns. Polite′ness, state or quality of being polite: refinement of manners: good-breeding; Politesse′, politeness. [L. politus, pa.p. of polīre.]
Politic, pōl′i-tik, adj. pertaining to policy: well-devised: judicious in management: skilled in political affairs: prudent: discreet: cunning: (Shak.) concerned with politics.—adj. Polit′ical, pertaining to polity or government: pertaining to nations, or to parties in a nation who differ in their views of how it ought to be governed: derived from government.—adv. Polit′ically.—ns. Polit′icaster (Milt.), a petty politician; Politic′ian, one versed in or devoted to politics: a man of artifice and cunning.—adj. (Milt.) politic.—adv. Pol′iticly.—n.sing. Pol′itics, the art or science of government: the management of a political party: political affairs or opinions.—adj. Pol′itique (Bacon), political, civil.—n. Pol′ity, the constitution of the government of a state or an institution: civil constitution: a body of people arranged under a system of government.—Political economy, the science which treats of the production, distribution, and consumption of wealth; Political science, the science or study of government, as to its principles, aims, methods, &c.—Body politic, the whole body of a people, as constituting a state. [Fr. politique—Gr. politikos—politēs, a citizen.]
Polka, pōl′ka, n. a dance of Bohemian origin, invented in 1830, and introduced into England in 1843—also its tune: a knitted jacket worn by women.—v.i. Polk, to dance a polka. [Bohem. pulka, half, from the half-step prevalent in it; or from Slav. polka, a Polish woman.]
Poll, pol, v.t. (Spens.) to exact from, to plunder.
Poll, pol, n. a familiar name, often of a parrot. [Contr. of Polly, a form of Molly=Mary.]
Poll, pōl, n. the round part of the head, esp. the back of it: a register of heads or persons: the entry of the names of electors who vote for civil officers, such as members of Parliament: an election of civil officers: the place where the votes are taken.—v.t. to remove the top: to cut: to clip: to lop, as the branches of a tree: to enter one's name in a register: to bring to the poll as a voter: to give or to receive a vote.—v.i. to give a vote.—ns. Poll′archy, government by the mob or masses; Poll′-book, a register of voters; Poll′-clerk, a clerk who assists at the polling of voters.—adj. Polled, deprived of a poll: lopped: cropped, hence bald: having cast the horns, hence wanting horns.—ns. Poll′er, one who polls; Poll′-man, one who takes the ordinary university degree, without honours; Poll′-tax, a tax by the poll or head—i.e. on each person.—At the head of the poll, having the greatest number of votes at an election. [Old Dut. polle, bol, a ball, top—Ice. kollr, top, head.]