peak 
halyard. Feak-purchaae, :> tm-kli- on the standing |irt 
of the peak-halyard, for swaying the peak up. Peak - 
tye, u tye used in some nhips fot hoiHting the peak of a 
heavy -MM. The Peak, a mountainous and picturesque 
region In Derbyshire, Kngland, northwest of <'aBtMon. It 
Is nearly 2,000 feet alxivo the sea-level. Also called the 
////A I'enk. 
peak 1 (pek), i 1 . [< ;izA'J, .] I. intritux. To 
rise upward as a peale. 
In these Cottian Alpes which begin at the town Seguslo 
thure jtea/ceth tlpit ini^litic liiKli iiumiit, that no man almost 
can passe over without dmiKer. 
lli'ilint'l, tr. of Amrnlanus, p. 47. 
II, trim*. An///., to raise (a gaff) more oblique- 
ly to the mast To peak the oars. 'See oar'. 
peak 2 (pek), v. i. [Perhaps < jieaki, with ref . to 
the sharpened features of a sick person.] 1. 
To look sickly; be or become emaciated. 
Weary se'nnlghts nine times nine 
Shall he dwindle, peak, and pine. 
Shot., Macbeth, I. S. 23. 
2t. To make a mean figure ; sneak. 
peak :t t, v. i. An obsolete spelling of peek?. 
peak 4 , n. See peay. 
peak-arch (pek'iirch), . In arch., a pointed 
arch. [Kare.] 
peak-cleat (pek'klct), n. A cleat fastened to 
the side of a boat near the bottom, opposite 
each rowlock, with a hole in it large enough 
to receive the handle of an oar which is peaked. 
See to peak the oars, under war 1 . 
peak-crest (pek'krest), . A. peaked or point- 
ed crest: distinguished among pigeon-fanciers 
from shell-crest, 
peaked 1 (pe'ked or pekt), a. [< peak 1 + -ed 2 .] 
Pointed; ending in a point : as, abated beard. 
peaked 2 (pe'ked or pekt), a. [<.peak% + -erf 8 .] 
Having a sickly, thin, or emaciated appearance ; 
drawn: said of the face or the expression. 
The old Wlddah Elderkin, she was jest about the poor- 
est, peakedeit old body over to Sherburne, and went out 
to days' works. //. /;. Stowe, Oldtown Stories, p. 130. 
You're as pale and peaked as a charity-school girl. 
Julian Hawthorne, Dust, p. 373. 
peak-gooset, . [Also reduced to pea-goose; ap- 
par. <pe<ik% + goose.'] A silly fellow ; a ninny. 
If thou tie thrall to none of these, 
Away, good peak-goose, away, John Cheese ! 
Ascham, The Scholeniaster, p. 48. 
peaking (pe'king), a. [<peak* + -n<7 2 .] 1. 
Sickly; pining. 2. Sneaking; mean-spirited. 
Hang handsomely, for shame ! come, leave your praying, 
You peaking knave, and die like a good courtier. 
Fletcher (and others), Bloody Brother, 111. 2. 
I stole but a dirty pudding, last day, out of an alms 
basket, . . . and the peaking chftty-face page hit me In 
the teeth with It. Mawinger, Virgin-Martyr, II. 1. 
peakish 1 (pe'kish), a. [< peak 1 + -isA 1 .] De- 
noting or belonging to peaks of hills; having 
peaks; situated on a peak; belonging to the 
district known as "The Peak." [Rare.] 
From hence he getteth Ooyt down from her peakith spring. 
Drayton, Polyolblon, xl. 107. 
Her skin as soft as Lemster wooll, 
As white as snow on peakuh Hull, 
Or swanne that swims in Trent. 
Drayton, Shepherd's Garland. (Kara.) 
peakish'-' (pe'kish), . [Early mod. TZ.pekyshe; 
< in-ill;- + -ijtA 1 .] 1. Having features that 
seem thin and sharp, as from sickness ; peaked. 
[Colloq.] 2f. Simple; rude; mean. 
The prltythe parson's brayne 
Could not reach nor attalne 
What the sentence mente. 
Skelton, Ware the Hawke. 
Once hunted he vntlll the chace, 
Long fasting, and the heate 
Did house him in upeakinh graunge 
Within a forrest great. 
Warner, Albion's England, vlll. 189. 
Peakrel (pek'rel), n. and n. [Also Peakril; < 
Peak (see def.) + -cr-el, as in cockerel, pickerel, 
etc.] I. . An inhabitant of the Peak in Derby- 
shire, England. [Local, Eng.] 
II. a. Of or pertaining to the Peak : as, a 
Peakrel horse. 
peaky 1 (pe'ki), n. [< peak 1 + -u 1 .] Consisting 
of peaks; resembling a peak ; characterized by 
a peak or peaks. 
Hills with peaky tops engrail'd. 
Tennyson, Palace of Art 
peaky 2 (pe'ki), a . [Also peeky, ptcky; appar. < 
peak- + -i/ 1 .] Showing the first symptoms of 
decay: said of timber and trees. fU. 8.] 
peal 1 (pel), ii. [< ME. pelf; prob. by aphere- 
gis < ME. a /id, a call in hunting-music (also 
chimes f ),< OF. apel, appel, pi. appeaujr, chimes, 
< apelcr, appeler, call upon, appeal: see /;(//. 
Cf . pcnT-,] 1 . A loud sound, or a succession of 
loud sounds, asof bells, thunder, cannon, shouts 
of a multitude, etc. 
4343 
During which tyme there was shot a wonderful! peak of 
gunnesout of the tmin Hall, Hen. VII.. an. -Ji. 
What peal* of laughter and impertinence shall u< ) 
exposed to! Addinon, Fashions from Knuu >-. 
2. Asetof bells tuned to one another; achiroe 
orcarillon; a ring. Thenumberof bells varies wi.l. l> 
they are usually arranged In diatonic order, so as to afford 
opportunity for playing melodies. See carillon, 1. 
If the Master for the time being shall neglect or forget 
to warn the Company, onec within every fourteen days, for 
to ring a blsett sett [that Is, an appointed] peale, be shall 
pay for his offence one shilling. 
Jiivjtuli GOdi (E. E. T. &), p. 200. 
This caused an universal Joy, 
Sweet ptalu of bells did ring. 
The Seven Champion* o/ChriMendom (Child's Ballads, 1. 87). 
3. A musical phrase or figure played on a set of 
bells, properly a scale or part of a scale played 
up or down, but also applied to any melodic 
figure; a change In peal, In bell-ringing, In order, 
rhythmically and melodic-ally : opposed to an Indiscrimi- 
nate clanging and jangling. 
peal 1 (pel), r. [<j>ea/ 1 , .] I. intrans. To sound 
loudly; resound: as, the pealing organ. 
Hoaannas pealing down the long-drawn aisle. 
Wnrdnrorth, Power of Sound, I. 
A hundred bells began to peal. 
Teunymin, Morte d'Arthur. 
II. i rn us. 1. To assail with noise. [Hare.] 
Nor was his ear less peal'd 
With noises loud and ruinous. 
Milton, P. I -, 11. 920. 
2. To utter loudly and sonorously ; cause to ring 
or sound ; celebrate. 
The warrior's name 
Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame. 
.'. Barloit, Columblad. rlli. 140. 
All that night I heard the watchman peal 
The sliding season. Tennyatm, Gardener's Daughter. 
3f. To stir or agitate. 
peal-t, r. [ME. pelen; by apheresis for apelen, 
appeal: see appeal, c.] To appeal. 
Yf he dose horn no ryjt lele, 
To A baron of chekkcr thay man hit pelt. 
Babcet Boot (E. E. T. S.I, p. 318. 
I pele to god, for he may here my mone, 
of the duresse which greuythe me so sore, 
and of pyte I pleyne me fertherc-more. 
Political 1'ormt, etc. (ed. Furnivall), p. 78. 
pea! 2 t, " [ME. pels; by apheresis for apele: 
see appeal, n.] Appeal; plaint; accusation. 
For there that partye pursueth the pele is so huge 
That the kynge may do no merry til liothe men acorde, 
And eyther hane equlte. Pier* Plowman (B), \ vii. 302. 
Whech woman seyd to me that che sewyd nenen the 
pele. Pattm Letten(\ai\ III. 19. 
peal 3 , n. See peel 3 . 
pea! 4 t, . ' An obsolete variant of pile&. 
pealer, . See peeler^. 
pealip (pe'lip), . A catostomine fish, the split- 
mouth or hare-lipped sucker, Lagochila or Quas- 
silabia lacera, of the streams of the western 
United States. 
pealite (pe'lit), n. [After A. C. Peale, of the 
U. S. Geological Survey.] A variety of geyser- 
ite from the geysers of the Yellowstone region, 
containing 6 per cent, of water. 
peal-ringer (pel'ring'er), . One who rings a 
peal or chime of bells; a bell-ringer or change- 
ringer. 
peal-ringing (pel'ring^ing), . The act, pro- 
cess, or result of ringing bells in a peal; bell- 
ringing; change-ringing. 
pea-maggot (pe'mag'ot), n. The grub or larva 
of a tortricid moth, Semairia nebritana, which is 
destructive to pease, a common British species. 
pea-measle (pe'me'zl), . The Cystictrcun pisi- 
formin, a measle or cysticercoid of some ani- 
mals, as the rabbit, being the scolex or hydatid 
form of Ttenia gerrata, a tapeworm of the dog. 
pea-moth (pe'm6th), n. A European tortricid 
moth, whose larva feeds on pea-pods and is 
known as pea-maggot. 
pean', . Seejwrnii. 
pean 2 (pen), n. [OF. panne, a 
skin, fur: see pane%.~\ In her., 
one of the furs, having the 
ground sable, powdered with 
ermine spots or. 
pean 3 , n. and r. See peat. 
peanut (ne'mit), B. 1. One of 
the edible fruits of Arachix hynogtea. 2. The 
plant that bears these fruits, better known in 
England as groundnut. SeeArachit. Alsocalled 
ground-pen, earthnut, Manila ntit,jur-nut, goober, 
and jiimliir. 
peanut-digger (pe'nut-dig'er), n. A harvest- 
ing-plowtor raising from the ground peanut- 
vinos with the pods attached. 
pea-ore (pe'or), n. The name given to a variety 
of brown hematite which occurs in nearly or 
quite spherical form, about the size of a pea. 
pearl 
pea-pheasant O'^'f'' 2 ' !"'). [< i""- + phta*- 
iiiit.] A peacock of tlir (,'i'ims /'/.</,/. i-tmn; a 
|irn( k-plic'iisaiit. Si-e cut uiuli-r i'lili/it/ii'lron. 
pea-pod (po'pod), n. 1. The pod or poricarp of 
the pea. 2. A "double-ended" rowboat used 
by the lobster-fishermen of the coast of Maine. 
Pea-pod argui, a rare British butterfly, LampUet 
I, .,!::: 
pear 1 (pSr), n. [< ME. /-ir, < AS. /.//. t ,m 
= D. peer = MLQ. LO. here = OlHi.pira, (rira, 
MHO. Mr, G. Write = Icel. pera = Sw. piiron = 
Dan. peere = OF. (and F.) poire = Pr. Sp. Pg. 
It. pera, f., a pear, < L. ptrum, ueut., a pear, 
pirus, f., a pear-tree. CfTpear/.] 1. The fruit 
of the pear-tree. 
And thanne the Prelate zevethe him som maner Frute, 
to the nonibre of 9, In a Platere of Hylver, with Pent or 
Apples or other manereKrute. llandeciUe, Travels, p. 245. 
2. The tree Pyrus communii. The wild tree is 
common over temperate Europe and Asia, often scrubby, 
but under favorable conditions becoming, as under cul- 
ture, a handsome tree of good height, Inclining to a py- 
ramidal form. Though close to the apple botanic ally, it 
differs In its more upright habit, smooth shining leaves, 
pure-white flowers with purple stamens, the granular tex- 
ture of the wild fruit, the juicy melting <|Ulilyof the fine 
varieties, and the form of the pome, which tapers toward 
the base and has no depression around the stem. The tree 
Is long-lived, specimens existing which are two or three 
hundred tears old. The pear was known In a number of 
varieties in the days of Pliny, but its excellence Is of much 
later date. In recent times It has received great attention, 
it H culture being pushed with special zeal In France. It la 
a highly successful fruit In the lulled States. The varie- 
ties of pear are numbered by thousands, but only a few 
are really important. The Heckel Is an American variety 
the fruit small, but unsurpassed In quality. The Hartlett, 
known In Europe, where it originated, as Williaiiu't ban 
Chretien, Is also universally popular. Pomologtsta place 
some others, aa the bettrre aAnjov, as high as these or 
higher. Dwarf pean (that U, those grafted or budded on 
quince-stocks) are more convenient for gardens : standard 
pears (that is, those grafted or budded on seedling-pear 
stocks) are commonly more profitable. In some regions, 
as England and northern France, a liquor is made from 
the juice of the fruit. (See prrryi.) Pear-wood has a 
compact fine grain, and U highly prized for cabinet- and 
mill-work, etc., and second only to boxwood for wood-en- 
graving and turnery. 
Of good pire com gode perus, 
Wcrse tre wers fruyt herns. 
Cur0r Mtindi, MS. Coll. Trin. Cantab. (E. R T. S.\ 1. 87. 
3. A pear-shaped pearl, as for the pendant of 
an ear-ring. Evelyn, Mum Ins Muliebris oar- 
llc pear, a name of CraUna yj/nandra and C. Tapia. small 
trees of tropical America. See Cratxva. I West Indies. | 
Grape-pear, an unusual name of the June-berry. Pear- 
haw. See AaicZ, 3. Pear lemon. See lemon. Pear- 
thorn. Samensprar-Aaw. Prickly pear. Seeprukty- 
pear. SHOW or snowy pear, a form of the common 
pear, sometimes classed as J^ru* nivalit, found in mid- 
dle and southern Europe. Its fruit becomes soft and 
edible under exposure to snow. Swallow-pear, the 
wild service-tree, Pyrut tonninalit, whose fruit, In con- 
trast with the choke-pear, may be swallowed. (Local or 
obsolete.) Wild pear, a timber tree or shrub, Clrthra 
tiiiiiiJiit, of tropical South America : probably so called 
from resemblance In leaves and habit. (West Indies.) 
Winter pear, a name given to any pear that keeps well 
until winter, or that ripens very late. Wooden pear, a 
tree or shrub of the Australian genus Xylomelvm, espe- 
cially A', iiyrifnrme. The fruit Is 2 or :< Inches long, thick 
and woody, narrowed above the middle, at length split- 
ting. (See also alliyator-pear, anchocy-pear, choke-pear, 
hanyiny-pear.) 
pear' J t, '' ' An obsolete form of peer 1 . 
pea-rake (pe'rak), n. An agricultural imple- 
ment especially designed for harvesting the 
field-pea. It combines a rake for gathering the 
vines together and on the rake-head a toothed 
cutter which cuts them off. 
pear-blight (par'blit), . A very destructive 
disease of the pear-tree. It destroys trees seemingly 
In the fullest vigor and health In a few hours, turning the 
leaves suddenly brown, as if they had passed through a 
hot flame. It Is caused by a minute bacterium, which was 
discovered by Burrill In 1877 and named Micrococciu 
amiilimonu. See Mitrococctu and blight. Pear-blight 
beetle, the pin-borer. 
pearcht, An obsolete spelling of perch^ and 
perrh't. 
pear-encrinite (par'en'kri-nit), n. An encri- 
nite or fossil criuoid of the genus Apiorrinu.i. 
pearle(par'i), n. [Dim. of pear 1 .] A peg-top: 
so called from its resemblance to a pear. 
[North. Eng. and Scotch.] 
pea-rifle (pe'ri'fl), n. A rifle throwing a very 
small bullet, especially used by sharp-shooters 
before the introduction of conical balls. The 
range not being very great, the light ball answered Its 
purpose, and the smallneas of the bore allowed the metal 
of the barrel to be extremely thick a supposed merit. 
peariform (par'i-f6rm), a. [Improp. (accom. to 
ywvir 1 ) fur /lirifirrm, < L. pinim, pear, + forma, 
shape.] Pear-shaped. 
pea-rise (pe'ris), n. In her., a stalk of the pea- 
vine, leafed and blossomed and sometimes 
podded, used as a bearing. 
pearl (perl), . [< ME. pcrle (the alleged AS. 
/, 'pterl, a pearl, rests on a dubious gloss 
