PHIRMAUND, Ind. This word is sometimes written Firmaun, and signifies a royal commission, mandate, charter, proclamation, or decree.
PHOUSDAR, Ind. The same as Fousdar, the superintendant of a large district. It more immediately signifies the officer in charge of the revenue.
PHOUS-DAN, Ind. The commander of a large body of forces.
PIAN, Fr. a term used in the West Indies, to signify a venereal taint.
PIANISTE, Fr. a person infected with the venereal disorder.
A PIC, Fr. perpendicularly.
PICE, Ind. a copper coin, used in most parts of India, the value of which four pices make an anna, sixteen anna, a rupee; and a rupee is half of our dollar; so that there are 64 pices to a rupee or half a dollar.
PICAROON, a pillager, one who plunders; a smuggler, one who violates the laws.
PICKETS, in fortification, stakes sharp at one end, and sometimes shod with iron, used in laying out the ground, of about three feet long; but, when used for pinning the fascines of a battery, they are from 3 to 5 feet long.
Pickets, in artillery, are about 5 or 6 feet long, shod with iron, to pin the park lines, and to lay out the boundaries of the park.