Phytotomidae 
Phytotomidae (fi-to-tom/i-ilr), . //. [NL., < 
I'hi/tdtiinid + -iilif. ] A family of Mirsoiiiynili.-iii 
or clamiitoi-hil passerine bird's, represented by 
the genus l'lii/t<i/<im, having n <'<mir<>stral bill 
with sri-rati 1 tinniii, and certain ] ..... tilinr cranial 
characters representing an ancient type of 
structure. It is peculiar to South America, and contains 
one geoof ends few species of Chili, Holivia, ami the Ai^rn- 
i ..... 1:1 public. Its rulationahipi) are with the CV>(i'/.;/i'<'.'' 
lind /'(,' 
phytotomist (fi-tot'o-mist), . [< phytotom-y 
+ -i.il.\ one who is versed in phytotomy, or 
vegetable anatomy. 
phytotomous (fi-tot'o-mus), a. [< Or. y 
plant, + -rowor, < ri/ivtiv, ra/uiv, cut.] Lcaf-cut- 
tiiif; or plant-cutting, as a bird or an insect. 
phytotomy (fi-tot'o-mi), . [= F. pliytotomic 
= It. ji lulu ui 111, < Gr. </>vr6v, a plant, + rtftvctv, 
ra/tclv, cut.] The dissection of plants; vege- 
table anatomy. 
Phytozoa (fi-to-zo'ft). n.pl. [NL., pi. otplnjtii- 
zoiin, < Gr. <t>vT6v, a plant, + ($ov, an animal.] 
1. Plant -like animals, such as sponges, corals, 
sea-anemones, and sea-mats. 2. Certain ma- 
rine animalcules living in the tissues of plants. 
phytozoan (fi-to-zo'an), a. and . I. a. Phy- 
toid or plant-like, as an animal ; zoophytic ; 
specifically, of or pertaining to the Phutoxxi. 
II. . A' plant-like animal; a member of the 
Phutozoa, in either sense ; a zoOphyte. 
Phytozoaria (fi"t6-zo-a'ri-ii), . pi. [NL., < Gr. 
v, a plant, + MGr. ^i^aptov, dim. of Gr. 
an animal.] Same as Infusoria, in the widest 
sense. 
Phytozoida (fi-to-zo'i-da), n. pi. [NL., as Pny- 
tozou + -i<ta.] A prime division of protozoans. 
It contained the flagellate infusonans. Also 
called Filigera. 
phyz, . See phiz. 
pi 1 , pie 4 (pi), n. [The more common spelling pi 
is out of analogy, and due to ignorance of the 
origin of the word, or to the supposition that it 
is a mere abbr. of pica 3 , with ref. to the com- 
mon use of that sort of type. The word is 
otherwise referred to pie 1 , as a 'mixed mess'; 
to pie' 2 , as 'pied' or 'mixed' ; and to pie 3 , as an 
allusion to the (asserted) frequent illegibility of 
print in the service-book so called.] Printing- 
types mixed together indiscriminately; type in 
a confused or jumbled condition or mass. 
One night, when, having impos'd my forms, I thought 
my day's work over, one of them by accident was broken. 
and two pages reduced to pi. I immediately distributed 
and compos d it over again before I went to bed. 
FranHin, Autobiog., p. 176. 
Unordered paradings and clamour, not without strong 
liquor ; objurgation, insubordination ; your military rank- 
ed arrangement going all (as the typographers say of set 
types in a similar case) rapidly to pie. 
Carlyle, French Rev., II. II. 4. 
pi 1 , pie 4 (pi), r. t. [<pil,pie*, .] To reduce 
(printing-types) to a state of pi. 
pi 2 (pi), [The name of the Greek letter IT, iri, 
the initial letter of Trepujifpeia, periphery, circum- 
ference.] 1. The name of the Greek letter n, 
ir, corresponding to the Roman P, p. 2. The 
name of a symbol (IT) used in geometry for the 
ratio of the circumference of a circle to its di- 
ameter, or 3.1415927: first so used by Euler. 
pia 1 (pi'a), '< [Abbr. of pia mater.] Same as 
pia mater. 
pia 2 (pe'ft), . [Polynesian (Sandwich Islands, 
Marquesas, etc.).] A perennial herb, Tacea 
pmnatifida (also T. maeulata), found wild or 
cultivated throughout Polynesia, and to China 
and Zanzibar. Its value lies in Its large fleshy tubers, 
from which, after rasping, the starch Is washed out and 
dried to form the South Sea or Tahiti arrowroot. This is 
widely used as an article of diet in the tropics (in native 
use not dried, but fermented), and is especially valued in 
diarrhea and dysentery. 
piaba (pi-ii'ba), n. [Braz.] A small fresh- 
water fish of Brazil, of about the size of a 
minnow, much esteemed for the table. Imp. 
DM. 
piacere (pia-cha're), . [It., = E. pleiixure.] In 
iiiuxii; in tin- phrase a piacere, at pleasure 
(same as nil liliitum). 
piacevole (pia-cha'vo-le), a. [It., pleasant. 
merry, < piaecre, please : see please.'] In music, 
pleasant; playful: noting passages to be so 
rendered. 
piaclet (pi'a-kl), w. [< OF. piiidc = Pg. pi<n-ni<> 
= It. piaco)o, piaculo, < L. piaculum, a sin-offer- 
ing, expiation, also a sin,</>inrf,appease, < /'.<, 
devout, dutiful: M6JWM.] A grievous or se- 
rious offense ; a crime; a sin. Compare /</<- 
I ii>\ L'. 
Not to answer me when you mind me is pure N'eglect, 
and no less than a Pirtclr. tloirvll. Letters, I. iv. IB. 
281 
44R9 
piacular (pi-ak'n-lar), a. [= F. pinrulnirr, < 
L. piiiriilin -i.i, expiatory, < jHi/riiliim, expiation : 
see ),in<'li-."\ 1. Expiatory; having power to 
atone : as, piarular rites. 
In order to our redemption, Chrlt suffered as a piaat- 
tar victim, which rauit be understood to mean in our 
stead. Waterlaiul, Works, VII. 7ii. 
The piacular sacrifice of his sou and heir was the last 
olfuring which the king of Moab made to deliver his coun* 
try. Encye. Brit., XVI. 696. 
2. Kequiring expiation ; blameworthy ; crimi- 
nal; sinful; wicked. 
Our late arch-bishop (If it were not piacular for you to 
read ought of his) could have taught you in his publike 
writings these five limitations of injoyned ceremonies. 
/'/'. //"/', Apology against the lirownists. 
piacularity (pi-ak-u-lar'i-ti), . [< piaeulm- + 
-ity.] The character of being piacular ; crimi- 
nality; badness. De Quincey. 
piaculoust (pi-ak'u-lus), a. [< li. piaculum, ex- 
piation : see piacle.] Same as piacular. 
And so, as Ciesar reports, unto the ancient Britalns it 
was piaculmu to last a goose, which dish at present no 
table is without. Sir T. Brmcne, Vulg. Err., iii. 24. 
piaffe (pi-af ').t>. . ; pret. and pp. piaffed, ppr. 
piaffing. [< F. piaffer, paw the ground, as a 
norse, lit. make a show, be ostentatious, strut.] 
In the manege, to advance with the same step 
as in a trot, flinging the right fore leg and left 
hind leg diagonally forward, placing them on 
the ground and balancing on them for a few 
seconds, while the other two legs are flung 
forward in the same movement. Tribune Book 
of Sports, p. 41. 
Sir Plercie Hhafton . . . kept alternately pressing and 
checking his gay courser, forcing him to jnaffe, to cara* 
cole, to passage, and to do all the other feats of the school. 
Scott, Monastery, xv. 
piaffer (pi-af 'er), n. [< T?. piaffer, inf. taken as 
a noun: see piaffe.} The act of piaffing. Some- 
times called Spanish walk. 
The alow piaffer is obtained by the slow and alternate 
pressure of the rider's legs. The quick piaffer by quick- 
ening the alternate pressure of the leg. 
Oarrard, Training Cavalry Horses, p. 65. 
pial (pi'al),a. [<j>ia +-/.] Of or pertaining 
to the pia mater; pia-matral. 
In some cases also the appropriate adjectives are em- 
ployed, e. g. pial, din-Mi. 
Buck's Handbook of Med. Sciences, VIII. 634. 
pia mater (pi'a ma'ter). [= F. pie-mere = Sp. 
pia-mdter = Pg. pia-ntater = It. pia-madre, < NL. 
pia mater, lit. pious orgentle mother (opposed to 
dura mater), a fanciful name: L. pia, fern, otpiun 
(see pious); mater, mother: see nwitec 2 .] The 
delicate fibrous and very vascular membrane 
which immediately invests the brain and spinal 
cord. It is the third or Inmost of the three meninges, 
covered both by the arachnoid and by the dura mater. 
Al so called pia. - Pia mater testlB. Same as tunica nat- 
ciilotta. 
pia-matral (pi'tt-ma'tral), a. [< pia mater + 
-/.] Pertaining to the pia mater; pial. 
pian (pi-an'), n. [< F. pian, yaws.] In pathol., 
same &sframba>sia. 
pianet, . A Middle English form of peony. 
pianet't, H. [A\so jnonet, piannet, pyannet, py- 
annat, appar. through OF.pion, dim. of OF. pie, 
a pie: seepfe 2 .] The magpie of Europe, Pica 
ptea. 
pianet 2 t, n. [By confusion with pianet 1 , a mag- 
?ie; ult. < L. picus, a woodpecker: see Picas.'] 
. The lesser woodpecker, Picas minor. 2. 
The oyster-catcher, Hsematopus ostrilegus. 
pianet- 1 (pi'a-net), n. [Prop.pionet, < pion + 
-ct.] The double peony. [Prov. Eng.J 
pianette (pe-a-nef), n. [< pianfft + -ette.'] In 
England, a small or miniature upright piano- 
forte. In France also called a bibi (a minced 
form of bebd, baby). 
piangendo (pian-jen'do), a. [It., ppr. otpiax- 
gere, piagnere, weep: see plain 2 .] In music, 
plaintive : noting a passage to be so rendered. 
pianino (pe-a-ne'no), n. [It., dim. of piano : see 
/m/im 2 .] An upright pianoforte. 
pianism (pi-an'izm), . [(piano 1 * + -ism.] The 
act, process, or result of performing music 
upon the pianoforte ; the technique of the 
pianoforte ; the adaptation of a piece of music 
to effective performance on the pianoforte. 
pianissimo (pe-a-nis'i-mo), a. [It., superl. of 
piano: see piano 1 .] In music, very soft; with 
the minimum of force or loudness. Usually 
abbreviated pp orppp. 
pianist (pi-an'ist), . [= D. G. Dan. Sw.pianist 
= T.pianiste = Sp. pianista = Pg. It.pianixta; 
as fiiiinn- + -ist.] A performer on the piano- 
forte. 
pianoforte 
pianistic i|"'-a-nis'tik), n. [< imnnxl + -ir.J 
Of or licrtniniiif.' In a pianist. (Kare.] 
piano 1 (piii'no), it. [= F. Sp. Pg. piano, < It. 
/mi mi, soft, plane, < L. /ilinmx, ]ilaiii': ->< ]>liiin . 
/I/in n.] In HI iixir, sof t ; with little force' or loud- 
ness : opposed to forte. Usually alilircviiiti-d /'. 
Piano pedal ^ee pedal. 
piano- (pi-an'6), . [= D. G. S\v. Dan. F. S]>. 
\'K. jtiiiini, < It. /titino, short for piinnifin -t> : 
see /liiiitiifortc.] A pianoforte. Boudoir piano, 
cabinet piano, an upiighi piano .- Cottage piano. 
See cottage. Dumb piano. Smne as dit/Uorium. Elec- 
tric piano, a pianoforte whose wires are set in vibration 
by electromagnets, Instead of liy hammers. Grand pi- 
ano. See piano/ort, Pedal piano. ttfftdU, a. Pic- 
colo piano. See piccolo.- Square piano, upright pi- 
ano. See pfanqfvrlf. 
piano-case (pi-an'o-kas), H. The wooden box 
inclosing the mechanism of a pianoforte. 
piano-cover (pi-an'6-kuv'er), ". A cloth or 
rubber cover for a pianoforte. 
pianoforte (pi-an'6-f6r-te or -fort), . [= D. G. 
S\v. Dan. F. Sp. Pg. pianoforte, < It. pianoforte, 
a pianoforte, (piano, soft (Me piano'), + forte, 
strong,< L./or<i*,strong: see/orf,/or<c 2 ,/orcel.] 
A musical instrument of the percussive group, 
the tones being produced by blows of hammers 
upon stretched strings, and the hammers be- 
ing operated from a Keyboard. Essentially, the 
pianoforte is a large dulcimer with a keyboard ; but his- 
torically Itreplaced the clavichord and harpsichord, which 
Action of Modem Upright pianoforte. 
a, key-frame ; l>, key ; c, bnlance-ratl ; d t tf, cushions ; t, balance 
key-pin ; /, balance key-leads, placed where needed to balance die 
key ; g, large action-rail ; g", smalt action-rail ; A, spring-rail or ham- 
mer-rest, which Is moved by the soft pedal, bringing the hammer nearer 
to the string and causing it to strike a lighter olow ; ", spring-rail ; j, 
regulating-rail; A.hammcr; //'.string; ft, hammer-shank: M.nammcr- 
luitt ; a, butt-flange ; /, counter-check or bumper ; q, hammer-sprinf; 
(insuring retreat of hammer from the string promptly after striking); *-, 
hammer-check, against which the bumper strikes to steady the ham- 
mer after the stroke; f. Jack, or Jack-fly, pivoted to the jack-flange and 
acting against the hammer-butt to throw the hammer forward when 
the key is depressed ; t', jack-spring (restoring position of jack after 
the blow); /.Jack-flange; u, whiporjack-whip, which carries the jack- 
flange, hammer-check, bridle-wire, and damper-lifter, and which b> 
pivoted to the whip-flange v, which latter is fastened by a screw to 
the main action-rail ; w, bridle-wire, which carries the bridle or flexible 
tape extending from the bridle-wire to and attached to the hammer- 
butt, and which pulls the hammer back immediately after its blow 
upon the string ; to', regulating or escapement screw, which releases 
the jack-Ay from the hammer-butt and al lows the hammer to be drawn 
backward t>y the bridle immediately after striking; x, damper-lever; 
>, damper-wire ; s, damper-head ; a'.damper-lifter (otherwise called 
j/iwi.from its shape), which lifts the damper from the spring and holds 
it away till the key is released from the pressure of the fingers; t> . 
damper-dange, to which the damper-lever is pivoted, and which is rig- 
idly screwed to the main action-rail ; f ', damper-spring, which presses 
the damper against the string to stop its vibration when the key is re- 
leased from pressure ; e'e' , action-extension, which may be varied in 
length, and which simply connects the jack-whip with the rocker/*, 
screwed to the key ; r', recess in which a horizontal damper-rod (Dot 
shown) is placed, which acts by means of forte pedal-action to remove 
all the dampers simultaneously, thus permitting the strings to vibrate 
without check. 
were keyboard-Instruments more akin to the harp than 
to the dulcimer. The dulcimer has been known in some 
form from the earliest historic times. Several attempts 
were made during the sixteenth and seventeenth centu* 
rles to combine a keyboard with It, perhaps the most Im- 
portant being the pantaUone of Hebenstreit The chief 
esthetic motive to these attempts arose from the fact that 
the key board -Instruments then known were nearly or en- 
tirely incapable of frradation In the loudness of their tone ; 
hence the new instrument, when invented, was called a 
piano e forte, ttfortepiano, or a pianoforte, because its main 
peculiarity was that iU tone might be made either loud or 
soft at the player's will. The earliest manufacture of pi- 
anofortes of which there Is certain record was by Barlolo- 
meo Cristofori of Padua, about 1710. Various improve- 
ments have been and are still being made in details, but 
the essential elements of the mechanism have not been 
radically changed. These elements are as follows, (a) 
The frame or back is a framework of metal, with various 
cross-bars and trusses so planned as to offer a stanch re- 
sistance to the tension of the strings. This tension in a 
modern grand pianoforte amounts to several tons. To the 
frame are attached on one side or end the firing-plate and 
on the other the trrett-planJc, to the former of which one 
end of the strings Is fastened, while In the latter are set 
the tuning-pint, around which their other end is wound, 
and by turning which their tension may be adjusted. 
Frames are sometimes made of wood, but usually of Iron, 
preferably cast in a single piece, (b) The strings are steel 
wires of graduated thickness and length, the larger being 
made heavier by being wound with copper wire. For 
each of the extreme upper and lower tones only one 
wire is provided, but for raoet of the others there are two 
