Petasites . 
intf laru'i- (.-ordiitu or kidney-shaped radical leaves, and 
purplish or uliil-, l;ilr]\ yfllowihll, HowtTS. P. oflcinalia 
(/*. otdyari*, !><-sf.). :i common hnmkMidc plant of Lnrop,-, 
is known as the btttli / Inn- ni hull, t--il:-k, Li-tlli'-ilnt-k. i-t>'. 
hiHf flnibai'h, or/ww//, run w - -' orpettiienae-wort. l-'orotlifr 
>.pri-irs. Mfl I'inl't- ti''li"l>'il"' (ImiliT li< l-'/-i>]tf) and glCl'et 
CM^X/,H.r (Ullllrr *<// 
petaSUS (pct',;i-siis). .; pi. pflimi (-Ml). [L., < 
(Jr. -ir<;<7<, a broad-brimmed frit hat,< irtrai'- 
n'r/, spread on! : ser///^//.] 1. In Hr. until/., 
u low-crowned, broad-brimmed felt hut worn 
characteristically by tra\ rlcrs, unil a common 
attribute of Hermes. Hence 2. The winged 
hat or cap worn liy Mercury ill late artistic 
types. 
Her device, upon a I'elanu, or Mercurial hat, a crescent 
0. Jvnsoit, Cynthia's Revels, v. 3. 
petate (pe-tii'te), . [Sp., < Mex. netatl.~] 1. 
Dried palm-leaves or grass used for plaiting 
into hats. 2. A mat of braided palm-leaf, 
used by the poorer Mexieuns as a bed. 
Petaurinae (pet-d-ri'ne). !>! [NL., < Pit/tu- 
rn^ -t- -ime. ] A subfamily of marsupials of the 
family PJteiM0Mfafa*| typified by the genus Pe- 
tiniriiH, having a parachute; the petaurists or 
ilying-plmlangers. See cut under Petaurixta. 
petaurine (pe-la'rin), . and n. [< PetauruH + 
-mi '.] I. a. Pertaining to tho Petaurinif, or 
having their characters; volitaut,asaphalanger. 
II. it. A member of tho Petaurinif; a tlymg- 
phalangcr or petaurist. 
petaurist (pe-ta'rist), . [= F. p/tauriste, < L. 
/iftiiiirixta, IK tmtrixtfx, a tumbler, vaulter, rope- 
dancer, an animal that leaps very high, < Gr. 
msTavpion'K, a rope-dancer, tumbler, < Keravpi&tv, 
jump from a spring-board, dance on a rope, tum- 
ble, < xhavpov (> L. iiiliiiiriim), also ircTcvpov, 
a perch or roost for fowls, a spring-board or 
stage for a tumbler, a spring or trap ; supposed, 
without probability, to be < mido/wf, ^Eolic for 
ficrcupof, aloft in the air: see meteor.'] A flying- 
phalanger, flying-opossum, Australian flying- 
squirrel, or acrobat; any member of the old 
genus Pettturus, or modern subfamily Pctaitrin;r. 
These animals are marsupials of medium or small size, 
mostly provided with a patagium or parachute which en- 
ables them to take flying leaps. The petaurists proper, or 
I a^iians, iirlonu' to tho genus Petattfinta. The sciuriue or 
squirrel petaurists are of the genus nduh'itu, and strikingly 
like ordinary flying squirrels. Pygmy petaurists, or acro- 
bats, also called niHutmiin-wice, are among the very smallest 
of nmrsupiiilx : they belong to the genus Acrobales. Petau- 
rists without a putaglum form the genus Giftniu^jeliaetta. 
See cuts under Acrvbates and Petaurixta. 
Petaurista (pet-a-ris'tii), w. [NL. (Desmarest, 
1825), < Gr. jrmii/woTvri' a rope-dancer, tumbler: 
see j>etanrixt.\ A genus of Phalangistitlie, in- 
Tagunn 
eluding the larger flying-phalangers, as the ta- 
guan, /'. ta</itani>iilt:t; tile petaurists proper. 
petauristirie (pct-a-ris'tiu), . and . [< Petttu- 
rixtit + -hir 1 .] Same aspctaitrhie. 
petaurite (pe-tu'rit), a. [< Petaunis + -ite 2 .] 
Same as pi'tiiiiriiii: 
Petaurust (pc-ta'rus), n. [XL., aceom. of L. 
IH-taurixta : see prlaMrist.'] An old genus of fly- 
ing-phalangors, giving name to the subfamily 
I'l-tinirinn- and coiitc'riiiinous with it. Seejje- 
tuiirixt, and cut under Petaurista. 
petchary (peoh'a-ri), n. [W. Ind.] The gray 
king-bird, or chieheree (so called from its cry), 
Tyraiiiinx ilnmiini'oitsis or T. griseus, one of the 
most characteristic and conspicuous birds of the 
West Indies. It also occur* sparingly in the southern 
United states. It resemble* the common king-bird or bee- 
inai -tin, but is larger, grayer, and otherwise distinct. 
pet-cock (pet'kok), . A small plug-cock, usu- 
ally of a size adapted to screw into a female 
thread f-inch, {-inch, or 4-inch pipe-tap size. 
Pet-cocks art- used for draining water of condensation 
from steam cylinders, and they are frequently placed In 
the disi-h:u'n<'-pipes of pumps tu show if the latter are 
working. They are also used as vents to penult air or 
gas to escape fiom IVM-I -von-*, and for other purposes in 
the arts. A small globe-valve is sometimes erroneously 
called a pet cock. Also called pit-cock. 
4425 
petet, . A Middle English form of pit//. 
petechiae (pe-tek'i-e), . pi. [NL. (cf. F. / : - 
trrliifx = Sp. IH liijutn.-i = Pg. peteckias), < It. 
liitirrhir, purple spots on the skin (see def.), 
pi. of in ti'i-i-liiit (ML. yv lii-riii), a spot, scab (ap- 
plied in contempt to a miser); in form dim., 
appar. ult. < L. /H/II/H (IH Hi/in-), a scab, an 
eruption.) I'urple spots on the skin, not dis- 
appearing on pressure, caused by hemorrhage 
into the cutaneous tissues. 
petechial (pe-tek'i-al), a. [= F.pctccliinl = Sp. 
//( ti i/itinl = 'Pg. petechial = It. pi tn-rli'mlc (ML. 
in iii-fliialix), < peteccltia, a spot, scab: see pe- 
lirliiie.'] Of the nature of petechite; charac- 
terized by or accompanied with petechiie or 
livid spots: as, & petechial eruption or fever. 
Petecmal fever, (a) Typhus fever, (ii) Epidemic cere- 
brospinal meningitis. 
petechiate(pe-tek'i-at),a. [<petechise + -atei.] 
Having petoente; spotted with petechiw. 
petegruet, An obsolete variant of pedigree. 
peteoset, <> A Middle English form of piteous. 
peter 1 ! (P't 6r )> " [Alsoj>eeter; in def. I abbr. 
olj>eter-.?ee-nie ; in def. 2 uncertain ; but in both 
appar. ult. < Peter, a man's name, orig. that of 
the apostle Peter, < LL. Petrus, < Gr. Uerpof, 
Peter, lit. 'rock': seedier.] 1. Akindofwine 
otherwise called peter-see-me anApeter-sameene. 
By old claret I enlarge thee, 
by cunar) I charge thee, 
By Britain, metheglin, andpeeter, 
Appear and answer me In meeter. 
Beau, and Fl., Chances, T. 3. (\am.~) 
2. A kind of cosmetic. Sallitcell. 
peter 2 (pe'ter), n. [Abbr. of repeater.] Xaut. 
See blue-peter Blue peter, (a) See blue-peter. <f>) 
In H'lii't, a conventional signal indicating a call for trumps. 
Seepettrt, r. (c)The common American coot, Fulica ame- 
ricana : so called with reference to its color, with an allu- 
sion to blue-peter. [Southern U. S.) 
peter- (pe'ter), p. . [< peter'*, .] In whist, to 
call for trumps by throwing away a higher card 
of a suit while holding a smaller. [Lng.] 
Surely the Blue Peter I* well understood ; it is always 
used when a ship is alxmt to start a blue flag with a 
white centre. Calling for trumps, or petmiuj, is derived 
from this source. S. and Q., 7th ser., IV. 36S. 
peter 3 (pe'ter), v. i. [Origin uncertain.] To 
diminish gradually and then cease; fail; be- 
come exhausted; in mining, to split up into 
branches and become lost: said of a vein which 
runs out or disappears, so that it can no longer 
be followed by the miner: without. [Colloq.] 
Then the bar petered out, 
And the boys wouldn't stay. 
Bret Uarte, Dow's Flat. 
peter-boat (pe'ter-bot), . [< Pettn- (see Peter- 
man) + boat.] 1. A fishing-boat; a small 
boat pointed alike at stem and stern, which 
may be rowed with either end foremost. 2. A 
live-box; a crate or box for fish, made with slats, 
and intended to be set in water to keep the fish 
alive. [U. S. (Chesapeake Bay).] 
peterelt, An obsolete form of petrel 1 . 
peter-gunnert (pe'ter-gun' l '6r), n. A gunner 
or sportsman. [Slang.] 
I smell powder ; . . . this peier-mnnrr should have given 
fire. Shirley, Witty Fair One, ii. 2. 
Petermant (pe'ter -man), n. ; pi. Petermen 
(-men). [So called in allusion to "Simon called 
Peter, and Andrew his brother, . . . for they 
were fishers" (Mat. iv. 18).] A fisherman. 
[Eng. (on the Thames).] 
Yet his skin is too thick to make parchment ; 'twould 
make good boots for a Peterman to catch salmon In. 
Margton, Jotuon, and Chapman, Eastward Ho, 11. 3. 
Peter-pence (pe'ter-peus), w. See Peter's pence, 
under penny. 
peter-sameenet, Same a.speter-see-me. Mid- 
Peter's bird. A petrel. 
Peter's cress. See cress, 
peter-see-met, " [A corruption of Peter (Pedro) 
\'i>nen<:i.~] A kind of wine, one of the richest 
and most delicate of the Malaga wines. 
Peter-iee-me shall wash thy noul, 
And Malaga glasses fox thee. 
Middleton, Spanish Oypsy, ill. 1. 
Peterson's bag. A rubber bag introduced into 
the rectum and distended during suprapubic 
cystotomy. 
Peter's fish. [So called from the spot on each 
side near the pectoral fin, fancied to be the mark 
made by St. Peter's thumb and finger when, it is 
said, he caught this fish for tribute.] The had- 
dock ; also, some other fish similarly marked, as 
the John-dory. 
petersham (pe'ter-sham), . [After Lord Pe- 
tersham, who set the fashion of wearing it.] 1. 
petiole 
A kind of greatcoat formerly fashionable. 
2. The heavy rough-napped woolen cloth of 
which such greatcoats were made. Ivtcrnham 
cloth is now irnnaally lai k-Mn. , ami i* UM-d for lua\y 
overcoats of all sort*, pea-jackets, and the like. Peter- 
sham ribbon, see /iWxm. 
Peter's pence. See pinny. 
Peter's-stafft, . The common mulleu. 
peth 1 (peth), ii. [A dial, form of jiatli.] Asleep 
road; a road or path up a steep hill. [North. 
Eng.] 
peth- (peth), r. t. [A dial, form otpith.] To 
kill with a pething-pole. [Australian.] 
" Now then, shall we peth It or shoot It ? " says our butcher 
pro tern. P. Clarke, Sew Chum in Australia, p. 180. 
pething-pole (peth'ing-pol), n. A sort of har- 
poon used for butchering cattle. [Australian.] 
So up jumps Tom on the l>ar overhead with a long peth- 
ing-pole, like an abnormally long and heavy alpenstock, in 
his liand ; he selects the beast to lie killed, stands over It 
in breathless but seemingly careless silence, adjusts hi* 
point over the centre of the vertebra, and with one plunge 
sends the cruel point with unerring aim Into the spinal 
cord. P. Clarke, New Chum In Australia, p. 184. 
petigreet, " An obsolete form of peitiyrn: 
petiolaceous (pefi-o-la'shius), a. [(petiole + 
-IIIVOHS.] Same &s petiolate. 
petiolar (pet'i-6-lfi.r), n. [= F. p^tiolaire = Pg. 
tieciolar = It. picciuolare, < NL. *petiolarig, < 
L. petiolun, a petiole : see petiole.] 1. In bot., 
pertaining to a petiole, or proceeding from it; 
growing on or supported by a petiole : as, &pet- 
iolar tendril ; & petiolar bud; a petiolar gland. 
2. In ..niil. and mint., same &spctiotate. 
petiolary (pet'i-o-la-ri), a. [As petiolar + -yl.] 
1. In bot., same as petiolar. 2. In zool., same 
as petiolate. 
Petiolata (pet'i-o-la'ta), n. pi. [NL., neut. pi. of 
petiolatns, a petiole, petiolate: seepeWotate.] A 
division of hymeuopterous insects, including all 
the true bees, wasps, etc. These have the ab- 
domen united to the thorax by a slender peti- 
ole or stalk, whence the name, which is opposed 
to Securifera. 
petiolate (pet'i-o-lat), a. [= F. petiole = Sp. 
Pg.peciolado = It. nieeitiolato, < NL. "petiolatiig, 
L. petiolus, a petiole : see petiole.] 1. In l>ot., 
haying a petiole: as, a petiolate leaf. 2. In 
zool. and anat., stalked as if petiolate ; having 
a footstalk, peduncle, or petiole like that of a 
leaf; specifically, in entom., pertaining to the 
Petiolata, or having their characters. See cuts 
under Eucharinte. and Eumeiies Petiolate abdo- 
men, an abdomen in which the petiole, composed of a 
basal joint or two, is long and much more slender than 
the others. Petiolate egg, in <ii<oni., an egg attached 
by a slender stem, as those of many Ichneumon. flies. 
Petiolate insects, those insects which have the abdomen 
petiolated. Petiolate Wing, a wing in which the base is 
very narrow and has parallel sides, suddenly enlarging to 
the body of the wing, as in the genus Ayrifiii and its allies. 
Petiolate wing-cell, a wing-cell greatly constricted at 
one end, where it adjoins another cell. 
petiolated (pet'i-o-la-ted), a. [< petiolate -4- 
-erf 2 .] Same us petiolate. 
petiole (pet'i-61), . [< F. petiole = Sp. Pg. pe- 
ciolo = It. peziolo, picciuolo, a petiole, < L. petio- 
iii". a stem or stalk of fruits (NL. a petiole), also 
lit. a little foot ; for "pediolus, dim. of pen (wed-) 
= K. font.} 1. In but., a leafstalk; the stalk or 
Petiole of (a) Ptferomta arfentta, terete; (*) Popttlus trrmtt- 
lotttft. flat; (ft TkatfiMm barbittedt, dilated at the base; (</> Py- 
rola rotMHdtfolia, winged ; If) SrtMotafkrtim amtrifaMtttH. form- 
ing a sheath ; (/) Acacia ttiltri/ermis. leaf-like (the K>called phyl- 
lodium). 
support by which the blade or limb of a leaf is 
attached to the stem. It is usually round or semi- 
