pistillidium 
pistillidium (pis-ti-lid'i-um), .; pi. pistitlittui 
(-tt). [NL., < pixtilliim, a piHtil, + Or. rliof, 
form.] In cryptogams, same as arcltegoniunt. 
pistilliferous (pis-ii-life-rus), a. [= V. pixtil- 
lilrrc = Pg. pixtillifero, (Hli. pistillum, a pistil. 
4 L. I't'i-iT = E. /'<ir 1 .] In bot.,s&rjae&apistil- 
hi',. 
pistilline(pis'ti-liii), a. [<jriri0 + 4Ml.] In 
hot., relating or belonging to the pistil. 
The yutillint whorl Is very liable to changes. 
Kncye. Brit., IV. 128. 
pistillody (pin'ti-16-di), n. [< NL. instillinn, 
pistil. + Or. f!dof, form.] In hot., tne meta- 
morphosis or transformation of other organs 
into pistils or carpels. Plstlllody may affect the perl- 
anth, the sepals, very frequently the stamens, and rarely 
the oTule. See meUmorplum*. 
Pistioideae (pis-ti-oi de-e), n.pl. [NL. (Durand, 
1M88), < I'lxtin + -oldest.'} A tribe of monocoty- 
jedonoutt plants, of the order Aroceee, consist- 
ing of the genus Pistia, and distinguished by 
the unappendaged spadix united to the back 
of the longer spathe, the two connate stamens, 
the numerous orthotropous ovules, and the 
single soft berry which constitutes the fruit. 
pistlet, pistelt, n. [ME. pistel, pystyl, < AS. 
inxtol, with apheresis of initial vowel < L. tins- 
tola, epistula, epistle: see epistle. For the 
apheresis, cf. pottle, ult . < LL. apostolus, and 
lii*hl>, ult. < LL. episcopus."] An epistle; a 
communication. 
Tbu row neil she a patel In hii ere. 
Chaucer, Wife of Bath's Tale, 1. 166. 
Ai Paul In a pittele. of hym herein witnesse. 
Fieri Plowman (C), xvii. 289. 
pistle-clotht, A covering or wrapper for the 
books of the epistles. 
pistol (pis'tol), n. [Formerly also pisMl; = I). 
pistoof= G" pistole = 8w. Dan. pistol, < OF. pis- 
tole = 8p. Pg. jnstola, < It. pistola, "a dag or 
pistol! " (Florio) ; cf. pistolese, " a great dagger, 
a wood-knife" (Florio), QF.pistoyer, a dagger; 
said to have been orig. made at Pistoria, < */'i- 
tola, now Pistoiti, a town near Florence, < L. 
Pixtorium, a city in Etruria, now Pistoia. The 
name appears to have been transferred from a 
dagger (a small sword) to a pistol (a small gun). 
Cf. pistole, and pistoleft, pistolef*.] A firearm 
intended to be held in one hand when aimed 
and tired. It came Into tue early in the sixteenth cen- 
tury, perhaps as early as 1500, for hy 1520 it was common 
aj a weapon of the reiters or Herman mercenary cavalry. 
a, lock ; *, detachable butt-piece ; c, spring-catch ; </, socket 
fitting butt of pistol-stock. 
pistole (pis-tol'), . [= Q. pistole = Pg. pistola, 
< F. pistole, a pistole, a coin appar. so called as 
being smaller than the crown, < OF. pistole, a 
pistol (a small gun) : see pistol. The name was 
afterward applied to the gold coins of other 
countries, especially of Spain.] A gold coin of 
Spain, worth at the beginning of the nineteenth 
century nearly 84 United States money. The 
name waa also applied to the French louis d'or of gold 
bectiunof Steam-cylinder 
and Piston. 
a, piston ; A *, piston-rod ; 
f r, steam-ports. 
Pistols. 
a. Highland pistol for horseman. i;th century ; *. Highland pistol for 
the belt, i6th century: . . derringer. 
who were called piMolfen from Its use. The early pistol 
was Mtted with the wheel-lock, which was superseded liy 
the flint-lock, and the latter by the percussion-lock. Pis- 
tols with more than one barrel have been In use from the 
Introduction of the weapon, those with two having the 
barrels sometimes side by side, sometimes one over the 
other. The stock of the pistol has been made of many 
forms, the old cavalry pistol having It only slightly curved, 
so that it was held, when pointed at an object, hy the 
right hand, with the lock uppermost, the barrel to the 
left, the trigger to the right. When accurate aiming was 
required, as In dueling pistols, the handle was made much 
more curved. See revolver. Volta's pistol, a metallic 
vessel, closed by a cork, containing an explosive mixture 
of gases which may be ignited by an electric spark, 
pistol (pis'tol), r. t. ; pret. and pp. pistoled or 
installed, ppr. pisMiny or pistolling. [= F. pis- 
toler; from the noun.] To shoot with a pistol. 
I do not like this humour In thee In piMoling men In 
this sort ; It Is a moat dangerous and stlgmat leal humour. 
Chapman, Blind Beggar of Alexandria. 
This varlet afterwards threatened to filial me. 
Bvdyn, Diary, Aug. 1, 1644. 
pistoladet (pis-to-lad'), n. [< F. pistolade, <]>>*- 
tnli-r, discharge a pistol: see pistol, r.] The 
'liseliarge of a pistol; a pistol-shot. 
pistol-cane (pis'tol-kan),n. A pistol having the 
form of a cane, the barrel constituting the staff 
and the lock being concealed; also,acane which 
in iiny form conceals or IB combined with a pis- 
tol. It U el;i--iM in the legal category of con- 
cealed weapons (which see, under mention). 
pistol-carbine (pis'tol-klir'biii), . A lout; pis- 
tol having it stock so arranged that a shouIcW- 
piece or butt-piece can be adjusted to it, nttiii._' 
it for firing from the shoulder. See cut in m-\t 
column. 
Pistole of Charles IV. of Spain, 1790. British Museum. 
(Size of the original ) 
Issued by Louis XIII. In 1640, and to gold coins of various 
European countries, worth either more or less than the 
Spanish pistole. About 1835, the .Swiss pistole was worth 
nearly *4. 75; the Italian, from 33.45 to *6.5B ; the German, 
alK>ut $4. Double pistole. See double. 
pistoleer (pis-to-ler'), n. [Also pistolier = Q. 
pistolier; < OF ^ pistolier (= Pg. pistolero = It. 
pistoliere), < pistole, a pistol : see pistol."] One 
who fires or uses a pistol; a soldier armed with 
a pistol, especially a German reiter. 
Is the Chalk-Farm puttoUer Inspired with any reasonable 
belief and determination ; or is he hounded on by haggard 
Indefinable fear? Carlyle, Misc., ill. 94. (Danes.) 
pistolet't (pis'to-let), w. [Early mod. E. also 
pestilett, pestelet '(also pistoletto, < It.); = D. pis- 
tolet, < OF. (and F.) jmtolet = Sp. Pg. pistolete, 
< It. pistoletto (ML. pistolettun), a little pistol, 
dim. of pistola, a pistol: see pistol."} A small 
pistol. 
Pistolett and short swords under their robes. 
Atargton and Webster, Malcontent, v. 3. 
We had ventelets enew [that Is, In plenty .. 
And shot among them as we might 
Raid of the Rridtwin (Child's Ballads, VI. ISO), 
fetch me my patilett, 
And charge me my gonne. 
Captain Car (Child's Ballads, VI. 151 ). 
pistolet 2 ! (pis'to-let), n. [OF. pistolet, dim. of 
pistule, a pistole : see pistole.] A pistole. 
The putolet and rolals of plate are most currant there. 
HaUuyt'i Voyaget, II. 176. 
Give a double putolet 
To some poor needy friar, to say a Mass. 
Beau, and ., .Spanish Curate, t. 1. 
pistolettot (pis-to-let'6), M. [It.: see pistoled.'} 
Same as pistolet^. 
Give us leave to talk Squibs and Pittoletto'i charged with 
nothing but powder of Love and shot of Reason. 
Jv". Ward, Simple Cooler, p. 88. 
pistol-grip (pis'tol-grip), . A handle, shaped 
like the butt of a pistol, attached to the under 
side of the small of the stock of fowling-pieces 
and rifles. It affords a better hold for the 
hand than the ordinary form of stock. Also 
pistol-hand. See cut under gun. 
pistolier, . See pistoleer. 
pistol-pipe (pis'tpl-pip), n. In metal-worl-iii;/, 
t he t wyer of a hot-Mast furnace. E. H. Ktiiijlit. 
pistol-router (pis'tol-rou'ter), . A form of 
carpenters' plane; a router having a handle 
shaped like a pistol-butt. 
pistol-shaped (pis'tol-shapt). u. Having the 
general form of a pistol that is, partly straight, 
with a curved addition or extension like the 
stock of a pistol. 
pistol-shot (pis'tol-shot), . 1. The shot from 
a pistol, or the report from the firing of a pis- 
tol. 2. As an estimate of distance, the range, 
or the approximate range, of a pistol-tall. 3. 
One who shoots with a pistol; a marksman 
with the pistol: as, a good pistol-shot. 
pistol-splint (l>is' tol- splint), . In tturg., a 
splint shaped like a pistol, employed espe- 
cially in fractures of the lower end of the 
niilius. 
pistomesite (pis-to-mS'sit), n. [< Gr. Tturrtx;, 
true, + E. mes(it)ite.'] A carbonate of iron and 
piston-sleeve 
magnesium like raesitite, intermediate between 
magnesit t- and siderite, but more closely related 
to the latter. 
piston (pis'ton), n. [< F. piston, a piston, for- 
merly also a pestle, = Sp. piston, a piston, < It. 
pistone, a piston, var. oipes- 
tone, a large pestle, < pestare, 
pound, < ML. pistare, pes- 
tare, pound, freq. of L. pin- 
sere, pisere, pp. pistus, beat, 
pound: see pestle, pistil.] 1. 
In ,n 1 1 i-li.. a movable piece, 
generally of a cylindrical 
form, so fitted as to fill the 
sectional area of a tube, such 
as the barrel of a pump or the 
cylinder of a steam-engine, 
and capable of being driven 
alternately in two directions 
by pressure on one or the 
other of its sides. One of Its 
sides Is fitted to a rod, called the 
piiton-rod, to which It Imparte 
reciprocatory motion, as in the 
steam-engine, where the motion 
given to the piston-rod la com- 
municated to the machinery, or 
by which, on the other hand, It Is 
Itself made to move, as In the 
pump. Two sorts of pistons are used in pumps one 
hollow with a valve, used In the suction-pump, and the 
other solid, which is employed In the force-pump. The 
latter Is also called a ptunyer. 
2. In inimical wind-instruments of the trumpet 
family, one of the forms of valve whereby a crook 
is temporarily added to the tube and the pitch 
of the tones altered. It Is operated hy depressing a 
nnger-knob, and thus pushing a plunger Into a cylinder. 
The plunger has channels for changing the direction of 
the air-column. Pistons have been applied to various in- 
struments, but especially to the cornet, which U therefore 
called the cornetJt-pitftum. 
3. In organ-building, a thumb-knob which may 
be pushed in like a piston, whereby some 
change in registration is pneumatically effect- 
ed; a pneumatic coupler or combination knob. 
4. The central retractile part of the ace- 
t M lull inn or sucker of a cephalopod, whose ac- 
tion in producing a vacuum resembles that of 
the piston of an air-pump Differential piston. 
See differential. Double-piston locomotive. See loco- 
motive. Oscillating piston, an engine-piston which os- 
cillates In a sector-shaped chamber. Piston blowing- 
machine. See bloiring-machine. 
piston-head (pis'ton-hed), . The disk which 
is fitted closely to the interior of the cylinder, 
and is the direct receiver or transmitter of the 
power developed : distinguished from the pis- 
ton-rod. 
piston-knob (pis'ton-nob), . Same Aspiston, 3. 
piston-packing (pis'ton-pak'ing), n. 1. Any 
material used to pack or make tight the space 
between the perimeter of a piston-head and 
the interior of the cylinder or -barrel in which 
it moves. Many different materials have bren used for 
piston-packings, among which are hemp (usually In the 
form of a braided gasket), either by itself or saturated with 
tallow or mixtures of various oily or fatty materials, India- 
rubber or compositions of which india-rubber Is a princi- 
pal Ingredient, leather, metallic alloys, etc. I'iston-pack- 
Ings are usually inserted in a groove or depression in the 
perimeter of the piston-head, and expanded by mechani- 
cal compression to make a steam-tight, air-tight, water- 
tight, or gas-tight joint. 
2. A mechanical device for packing pistons, in 
which the operation depends more upon the 
construction than upon the fibrous, plastic, or 
compressible properties of the packing-mate- 
rial Piston-packing expander, a steel spring In a 
piston-head serving to expand the packing against the In- 
terior of the cylinder ; a piston-spring. E. II Knight. 
piston-pump (pis'ton-pump), n. A pump con- 
sisting of a pump-cylinder or -barrel in whirh 
a reciprocating piston works. It Is provided with 
appliances for moving the piston, as a piston-rod or pump- 
roa,and a hand-lever actuating the pump-rod, or the cross- 
head of an engine attached to It ; an induction-port or 
, 
These are the essential features of piston-pumps. They 
usually also have induction- or suctlon-plprs, and fre- 
i|in ntly eduction- or discharge pipes. Si-e j/umpi, l(ft- 
pump, /orce-pump, plunyer-puinp, and auction-pump. 
piston-rod (pis'ton-rod), n. See piston, 1 __ pig. 
ton-rod packing, '(a) A material placet! In the slutting. 
IMIX of a cylinder to mnke a atom-tight joint about th. 
piston, (i.) The rluffliig-lxix of u piston. 
piston-sleeve (pis'ton-slev), . The piston of 
a truiik-ciii;iii,', with which the connecting-rod 
or pitman is directly connected by a pivot. 
Such a piston has a hollow cylinder (sleeve) cast upon It 
in ord.-r t., glv.- it Mitti.i.m I., iiiink-. length to enable It 
In Itself t<i perform also the function of a cnnu-lu-ail, the 
walls of the c \lind. r then p, i f..rni!iii: the function of the 
croas-heail rlldo. the pin uhich directly connects the pit- 
man with the piston taking the place of the ordinary 
