pltching-tool 
pitching-tool (pich'ing-tol), w. 1. A kind nf 
stoiie-eiiisel or kn:i|i].iii^-tool, made of antler 
or other hard substance, and anciently used 
with a hammer for fluking off stone in making 
arrow-heads, etc. 2. In watrh-miitiiig, a tool 
for placing the wheels of watches in position 
lietween tlif plates. 
pitching-yeast ( |>ii-h'ing-yst), n. In brewing : 
(a) Veast obtained from fermentation of beer, 
and intended for use in pitching worts, (b) 
Yeast which has been prepared for pitching 
worts by washing it with pure cold water in 
the stuff-vat, and allowing it to stand covered 
in the vat in a cool place for a day or longer, 
pitch-kettle (pich'kefl), . Same aspitch-pot. 
pitchkettled (pich'ket'ld), a. [< pitch-kettle + 
-ttf*. ] Covered as i f with a pitch-kettle, and thus 
cast in to helpless darkness; puzzled. [Rare.] 
Thus, the preliminaries settled, 
I fairly find myself pUchkettled, 
Anil cannot nee, though few see better, 
How I shall hammer oat a letter. 
Camper, Epistle to Kobert Lloyd, 1. 32. (Damrt.) 
pitch-ladle (pich'la'dl), n. See ladle. 
pitch-line (pich'Hn), . Same as pitch-circle. 
pitch-mineral (pich'min*e-ral), n. Same as 
liitiniK n and iimilmll n in . 
pitch-opal (pich'o'pal), . An inferior kind of 
opal. 
pitch-ore (pich'or), n. Pitch-blende ; uraninite. 
pitch-pine, n. See pine 1 . 
pitch-pipe (pich'pip), n. A small musical pipe 
of wood or metal to be sounded with the breath, 
by which the proper pitch of a piece of music 
may be given, or an instrument tuned, it Is 
either a fine- or a reed-pipe, and may give either a fixed 
tone, as A or ' '. or one of several tones. In the latter case 
the variation is produced either by a movable plug or stop- 
per altering the length of the air-column, or by a spring 
that alters the free length of the tongue of the reed. 
He had an Ingenious servant, by name Licinias, always 
attending him with a pitch-pipe, or instrument to regulate 
the voice. Steele, Spectator, No. 228. 
pitch-plaster (pich'plas'ter), n. See plaster. 
pitch-point (pich'point), n. The point of con- 
tact on the pitch-line common to two engaged 
wheels. 
The pitch-point, where Its teeth are driven hy those of 
the cogged ring, may be In the same vertical plane, paral- 
lel to the axis. Rankine, Steam Engine, 8 153. 
pitch-pqllsher (pich'pol*ish-er), n. An instru- 
ment of metal for polishing curved surfaces of 
glass, as lenses, specula, etc. It varies in form 
according to the nature of the work. Its surface Is ruled 
accurately into squares by Incised lines, and in use is coat- 
ed with a prepared pitch. Byrne, Artisan's Hand-book. 
pitch-pot (pich'pot), M. A large iron pot used 
for the purpose of boiling pitch for paying the 
seams of wooden ships after calking. 
pitchstone (pich'ston), . An old volcanic 
rock, resembling hardened pitch in appearance. 
It is a natural glass resulting from the rapid cooling of 
those anrlent lavas of which common feldspar (orthochise) 
forms a considerable part. Home pltchstoncs have a 
spherulftic structure. See cut under fluidnl. 
pitch-tankard (pich'tang'kard). n. A tankard 
covered inside with pitch. The pitch gives a flavor 
and perhaps a medicinal value to the beverage which the 
tankard contains. Pitch-tankards are still used In Oer- 
inany with certain kinds of beer, such as the Llchten- 
hainer. The modem German pitch tankards are made of 
wooden staves held together by wooden hoops, and the 
ancient English pitch- tankards were made in the same way. 
pitch-tree (pieh'tre), n. The kauri-pine or the 
Amboyua pine, as the sources of dammar- 
resins; also, the Norway spruce, as yielding 
Burgundy pitch. 
Pitchurira Dean. See Piehurim bean. 
pitch-wheel (pich'hwel), n. One of two toothed 
wheels which work together. 
pitch-work (pich'werk), n. Work done in a 
mine tinder an arrangement that the workmen 
shall receive a certain proportion of the output. 
pitchy (pieh'i), a. [< i>itrk* + -yl.] 1. Of, or 
of the nature of, or resembling pitch; like 
pitch. 
Native petroleum fonnd floating upon some springs Is 
no other than this veryptteAi/ substance, drawn forth of 
the strata by the water. Woodward, On Fossils. 
The jiitrhy taint of general vice Is such 
As daubs the fancy, and you dread the touch. 
Crabbc, Works, II. 100. 
2. Smeared with pitch. 
The sides convulsive shook on groaning beams, 
And, rent with Intxnir, yawn'd their pitchy seams. 
Falconer, Shipwreck, II. 
3. Black; dark; dismal. 
When saucy trusting of the cozen'd thought* 
IK III. the pilrhti nlttht. Shot., All's Well, Iv. 4. 24. 
The jittery blazes of lmpi< ly /, .Ionian, sejunus, Ir. 5. 
Pitehu and dark the Night sometime* appears, 
Friend to our Woe, and Parent of our rears. 
Prior, Solon , i. 
4516 
4. In zoiil. , dark-brown inclining toward black ; 
piceous. 
pit-coal (pit'kol), ii. Mineral coal, or coal ob- 
tained from mines or pits: distinguished from 
charcoal. [Great Britain.] 
Divers ... of the prime Lords of the Conrt have got 
the sole Patent of making all Sorts of Ulass with Pit-coal. 
UmeeU, Letters, I. I. 2. 
pit-cock (pit'kok), n. Same as pet-cock. E. 
II. Kni ;l l,i. 
pit-crater (pit'kra'tir), n. A volcanic crater 
at the bottom of a pit or gulf. 
The old cone had, like Mt. Loa or the Maul volcano, a 
great pit-crater at top. 
Amer. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., XXXII. 281. 
pitet, . A Middle English form of pity. 
piteous (pit'e-us), a. [< ME. piteous, pytyous, 
peteos, pttivous, pytevous, petevous, pilous, pitog, 
< OF. pitos, piteus, P. piteux = Pr. piatos, pie- 
tos, pitos, pidos = Sp. piatiogo = Pg. piadoso, pie- 
dotio = It. piatoso, pietoso, < ML. pietosus, piti- 
ful, < L. pieta(t-)s, piety, ML. pity: see pity.] 
1. Full of pity or compassion; compassion- 
ate ; affected by pity. 
A more snetter, humble, and amyable. 
Gentile, debonair, sage, wise, and connyng, 
Curtofs, piteuous, ana charitable, 
Sche vnto the pore ful gret good doing. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.\ 1. 6247. 
But of his prtf<>*f tender moder, alasse ! 
I am verray sure, 
The wo and payn passls alle othere. 
MS. Boat. Mu., 180. (HalKteeU.) 
She gave him (piteowaof his case, 
Yet smiling at his rueful length of face) 
A shaggy tapestry. Pope, Dunclad, ii. 141. 
2. Such as to excite pity or move to compas- 
sion; affecting; lamentable; sorro.wful; mourn- 
ful; sad: as, & piteous look; a piteous case. 
And than he seide a piUntse worde : "Ha! Cleodalis," 
quod he, "I cryc the mercy of the trespace that I haue 
don a-gein the, ffor I se well I am come to myn ende." 
Merlin (E. E. T. 8.), ii. 354. 
The most piteous tale of Lear. Shot., Lear, v. 8. 214. 
3t. Pitiful; paltry; poor: as, piteous amends. 
Milton.=&yrL 2. Doleful, woful, rueful, wretched, dis- 
tressing. 
piteously (pit'e-us-li), adv. [< ME. petevottsly, 
pitously; < piteous + -/y 2 .] In a piteous man- 
ner; pleadingly; as if for pity or mercy; 
mournfully; sadly; dreadfully. 
Forsoth to liym spake full peteuousty. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 3578. 
Word it, prithee, ptieoiuly. Shale., A. and C., Iv. 13. . 
piteousness (pit'e-us-nes), . The character or 
condition of being piteous or pitiful. 
pit-eye (pit'i), . Same as pit-bottom pit-eye 
pillar, a mass of coal left around the bottom of the shaft 
to support the ground. 
pitfall (pit'fal), n. [< ME. pitfalle, putfalle, 
pytfallc; <pifl+faW. Ct. pit/old.] 1. A pit 
into which an animal may fall unawares, the 
opening being so covered as to escape observa- 
tion. Pitfalls are much used for the capture of large 
animals in Africa and India and elsewhere, and are some- 
times fltted with stout sharp-pointed upright stakes in- 
tended to transfix the animal which falls upon them. 
Poor bird ! thouldst never fear the net nor lime, 
IbepHfaU nor the gin. Shot., Macbeth, Iv. 2. 35. 
Now, poor and basely 
Thou sett'st tolls to betray me ; and, like the peasant 
That dares not meet the lion in the face, 
Dlgg'st crafty pit-faUi. Fletcher, Pilgrim, II. 2. 
All around 
Are dim uncertain shapes that cheat the sight, 
And pUfallt lurk In shade along the ground. 
Bryant, Journey of Life. 
Hence 2. Figuratively, any concealed dan- 
ger or source of disaster. 
pitfallt (pit'fal), v . t. [< pitfall, n.] To lead 
into a pitfall ; insnare. [Rare.] 
Able to shew us the ways of the Lord straight and faith- 
ful as they are, not full of cranks and contradictions and 
pit/ailing dispenses. Milton, Divorce, Pref. 
pit-fish (pit'fish), n. A small fish of the Indian 
ocean, about the size of a smelt, colored green 
and yellow. It has the power of protruding and 
retracting its eyes at pleasure, 
pitfoldt (pit'fold), n. [< pifl + fold*; appar. 
an aocom. form of pitfall] A pitfall; a trap 
or snare. 
In her cheek's pit thon didst thy pit/old set. 
Sir P. Sidney ( Arher's Eng. darner, I. 608). 
pit-frame (pit'fram), . The framework of a 
I'it. 
pit-game (pit'gam), n. See i/ame 1 . 
pit-guide (pil 'gid), ii. In a mining-shaft, a bar 
wined sei-ves as a guide for the i-.'ii,-.-. 
pith (pith), n. [< MK. /,////. iiilhr. t , i/ll,,. < AS. 
/II//KI, pith, = MD. /"'. l>. /lit. nmrrow, ker- 
nel. = MIX}. /HI/I . /lit, LG. intlc, pit, also /ii'il- 
pithecoid 
ilik, piek, pith; root unknown.] 1. In hot., 
the medulla, or central cylinder, composed of 
typical parenchymatous tissue, which occupies 
the center of the stems of dicotyledonous 
plants. By Kris the celts of pith have been divided 
into (a) active cellt, which have the office of storing starch 
and other assimilated products for a time; (6) cryxtal-crllt, 
in which crystals are formed ; and (c) inactive cell*, which 
are empty and have lost the power of receiving starrh < 
other products. See medulla, 2, parenchymatma, and cuts 
under alburnum and rmpen. 
2. In mint. : (of) The spinal cord or marrow ; 
the medulla spinalis. 
The . . . vertebra . . . (arc] all perforated in the mid- 
dle with a large hole for the spinal marrow or pith to pass 
along. Huii, Works of Creation, p. 288. 
(b) The central or medullary core of a hair. 
In the Peccarl the j/ith of the coarse body-hair Is crowed 
by condensed cells, like beams, strengthening the cortex. 
Owen, Anat., III. 621. 
3. Strength; vigor; force. 
But age, alas ! that al wol envenyme, 
Hath me blraft my beautee and my jih. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Wife of Bath s Tale, L 475. 
The patime Is the pith of the honde, and profreth forth 
the fyngres, 
To mynystre and to make that myght of hond knowetb. 
Pirn Plowman (C), xx. 116. 
I shall do what I can for that young man he 's got some 
pith in him. George Eliot, Mill on the Kloss, Hi. 6. 
4. Energy ; concentrated force ; closeness and 
vigor of thought and style. 
And hee alone in the pith and weight of his Sentences 
may be compared to Plato or Seneca. 
Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 430. 
Others, that think whatever I have writ 
Wants pith and matter to eternize it. 
B. Jonton, Poetaster, v. 1. 
5. Condensed substance or matter; quintes- 
sence. 
Perhaps you mark'd not what 's the pith of all. 
SAo*., T. of the S., i. 1. 171. 
He [Shakspere] could take Ulysses away from Homer, 
and expand the shrewd and crafty islander into a states- 
man whose words are the pith of history. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 226. 
6. Weight; moment; importance. 
Enterprises of great pith and moment. 
5Ao*., Hamlet (ed. Knight), ill. 1. 86. 
Discoid pith. See ditcoid. 
pith (pith), r. t. [< pith, n.] To introduce an 
instrument into the cranial or spinal cavity of 
(an animal, as a frog), and destroy the cere- 
brospiual axis or a part of it. 
A spear from above Intended to fall upon the head or to 
pith the animal, etc. Encyc. Brit., XIII. 521. 
pith-ball (pith'bal), n. A small ball or pellet 
of pith. Such balls suspended by a silk thread 
are used in an electroscope. See electroscope. 
pit-head (pit'hed), n. The head or mouth of a 
mining-shaft or -pit, or the ground surrounding 
it. Pit-head gear, In coal-mining, same as head-gear, S. 
I Eng.) 
pit-headed (pit'hed'ed), a. [< ;>i + head + 
-J2.] Having a pit on the head. It Is applied 
specifically (<t) to tapeworms, as Bothriocephalut latut (T. 
S. Cobbald) and (6) to venomous serpents of the family 
Cratalidy, known as pit-headed vipers (see Bothrniphrra. 
and cut under pit-riper). 
pithecanthrope (pith-e-kan'throp), . [< NL. 
pithecantlirojms ; see pithecanthropi.'] One of 
the supposed pithecanthropi. 
Prehistoric man . . . has even been sometimes called 
man-monkey, or pithecanthrope. 
N. Jolt/, Mail before Metals (trans.), p. 17. 
pithecanthropi (pith 'e-kan- thro 'pi), n. pi. 
[NL., pi. of pitliecantliropug, < Gr. M^wf, an 
ape, monkey. + aifyxjjrof, man.] Hypothetical 
ape-men, pithecanthropes, or Mali. See /- 
man, Alahig. 
pithecanthropoid (pith-e-kan'thro-poiil). ii. 
[< ptthecanthri>j>e + -oi({.] Relating to the 
pithecanthropi, or resembling them. 
Pitheda (pi-the'si-a), n. [NL. (Desmarest, 
1804), < Gr. 7ri'%KOc, an ape : see ruin-ens.] The 
typical genus of the subfamily I'ithcciins-. con- 
taining such species as 1'. satannn, the black 
couxio. They are known as sakin anAfojr-tuilnl 
monkey*. See cut on following page. 
Pitheciinae (pi-the-si-i'ne), w. pi. [NL., < J'i- 
Ituci/i + -i>ia-.] A South American subfamily 
of Cebiilx', having the cerebrum overlapping 
the cerebellum, the hyoid apparatus nmilernle. 
the incisors proclivou*. and the tail bushy; the 
sakis and ouakaris. There are .'f genera, Pi- 
llnri/i (the type'i. / liironotcH, and Hrnrlnjuru*. 
pitheciine (irt-th6'l-in), a. Of or pawning 
to the I'llln i-iillfp. 
pithecoid < pi-thf-'koid). . and . [= F. pitli,'- 
inn/i : < (ir. -itti,i.in, mi ;ipo. + r/Air, form.] I. 
n. 1. Hesembling or pertaining to the 
