Parole, means also a word given out every day in orders by the commanding officer, both in camp and garrison, in order to know friends from enemies.
PARQUER, Fr. This word, which signifies to lodge and place any thing in a convenient and safe manner, is used by the French both in an active and passive sense.
On Parquera l’artillerie, ou l’artillerie fut parquée en tel endroit, Fr. you will park the artillery in such a quarter, or the artillery will be parked in such a quarter.
Les gens de l’artillerie se parquérent, ou furent parqués, du côté de la rivière, Fr. The train of artillery parked itself on the banks of the river, or was parked upon the banks of the river.
L’artillerie parquoit en tel lieu, Fr. The artillery parked on such ground.
PARRAIN, Fr. means, literally, a godfather. In a military sense, it formerly signified a second or witness who attended at single combats to see fair play. Les combattants se trouvérent dans le lieu du combat, chacun avec son parrain. The combattants met upon the ground, each attended by his second or witness.
Parrain, Fr. in military orders, the person who introduces, or presents a newly elected knight. The term is also used to signify the comrade who is selected by a soldier that has been condemned to be shot, to bind the handkerchief over his eyes.
PARRYING, the action of warding off the push or blow aimed at one by another.
Etre à la Part, Fr. a marine term among the French, signifying, to share in the prizes which are made against an enemy.
PARTHENIÆ,a word derived from the Greek, signifying virginity. In military history it refers to a particular circumstance which occurred among the ancients. The Spartans having been at war with the Messenians for 20 years, and having by that means very much depopulated their country, and apprehending that if this war continued, it might eventually strip Sparta of all its male inhabitants, they sent some of their young men from the army into the city, with licence to be familiar with as many unmarried women as they would; and the children begotten by them in this manner were called Partheniæ, on account of the uncertainty who were their fathers. At the end of the war this brood were deemed bastards, and were denied the bearing of any office in the government, &c. This unjust exclusion enraged them so much, that they conspired with the slaves to destroy all the nobility; but on the discovery of their plot, they were driven out of the city. After which, being headed by Phalantus, a bold and enterprising son of chance, they travelled into Magna Grecia in Italy, and built Tarentum.—Bailey’s Dict.