Panser, Fr. in farriery, signifies to rub down, and otherwise to take care of a horse.
PANTHEON, in architecture, a temple of a circular form, dedicated to all the gods. The name has been adopted among modern nations from the Pantheon of ancient Rome, built by Agrippa in his third consulate, and dedicated to Jupiter Ultor, or Jupiter the avenger. There is a chapel in the Escurial in Spain, called Pantheon, of marble and jasper inlaid: the whole inside is of black marble, excepting the luthern, and some ornaments of jasper and red marble. The Pantheon at Paris during the progress of the French revolution, has been appropriated to national purposes; the names and busts of the most distinguished statesmen and generals being preserved therein as marks of public gratitude, and objects of public emulation. There is a building in London that bears the name of Pantheon, but that is all. It is private property, and the only public use to which it has been appropriated, has been that of operatical speculation, masquerades, or frivolous entertainments.
PANTOGRAPHE, Fr. a mathematical instrument, which serves to copy all sorts of drawings. The French have paid great attention to the improvement of this instrument, of which a minute description may be found in Cours de Mathématiques, by Pere Deschalles. But the sieur Panglois brought it to such perfection in 1750, that it is become universally useful.
PANTOMETER, an instrument used, to take all sorts of angles, distances and elevations. It was invented by the ancients, but has been greatly improved since.
PANTOMETRE, Fr. See [Pantometer].
PAPIER de cartouche, Fr. Paper used for cartridges.
Papier gris, ou Papier brouillard, Fr. Whited brown paper.
Papiers et enseignemens, Fr. All the papers and manuscripts which are found on board a ship are so called.
PAQUEBOT, Fr. a modern French term, derived from [packet-boat], which see.
PARABOLA, in geometry, a figure arising from the section of the cone, when cut by a plane parallel to one of its sides.