pit-saw 
Pllsawv 
it, n, handles for top-uwyer ; f>, f>, handles 
for pit sawyer : i ,(, shanks; rf.rf, blades. In 
No. i 1 is prol.ni^eit and curved vth.iT the 
pit sawyer may stand out of line with the 
(.tiling sawdust. No. 2 shows a pit frame- 
saw, in which the saw, stiffened by a frame 
</, is longer and thinner than in No. I. 
by two men, one 
of whom 
the 
stands in the pit 
In-low the log 
that is being 
sawed, and the 
other (called the 
top-saieyrr) on 
the log. 
pit-sawyer (ptt' 
sa'yeri, . See 
iiit-ftiur. 
pit-specked < pi t'- 
spckt ). ii. Marred 
liv ]iiis or small 
depressed spots, 
as fruit. 
Pitta (pit'ji), . 
[NL. (Vi'eillot, 
1816); from the 
Telugu name.] 
1. The typical 
genus of I'ittiflir, 
including most of 
the Old World 
ant-thrushes, as P. coronata. Also called Citta. 
Hee ISrat'hyurus, aud cut under 1'ittidte. 2. 
( I. <-.] Any member of this genus. 
pittacal (pit'a-kal), n. [Also pittaeall; = V. 
pittacalr, < Or. ttirra, iriaaa, pitch, + KaMf, 
beautiful.] A blue substance used in dyeing, 
originally produced from the tar of beech-wood. 
pittance (pit'ans), . [< ME. pitanee, pitaunre, 
pytance, pytairner, < OF. pitante, an allowance 
of food in a monastery, F. pitanee = Sp. pi- 
tn/i n = Pg. pittinga = Olt. pietama, piatanza, 
It. pietama, dial. pitan:a, an allowance, daily 
subsistence (ML. reflex pitantia, pitancia, pie- 
'mi i ni, allowance of food in a monastery) ; cf, 
OF. robe de pitanee, a uniform ; pitancr, pitrnce, 
an anniversary service; lit. 'a pious office or 
service,' 'apiousdole,' 'an actof piety or pity,' 
< Mli.pictantia,(*i>ietan(t-)i, ppr. of *jiirtare,&n 
assumed verb (> Sp.pitar), dole out allowances 
of food, orig. of any alms, < L. picta(t-)s, piety, 
pity, mercy: see piety, pity. Cf. ML. mineri- 
rontia, a monastic repast, lit. 'pity,' 'mercy': 
see miKfrifwtlr. According to Du Cange, the 
word (in the assumed orig. form ML. "pirtantia) 
meant orig. 'an allowance of the value of a pic- 
ta, 1 < pirta, a small coin issued by the Counts of 
Poitiers, < LL. Pirtarinm, the capital of the Pic- 
tavi, < Pictavi, for L. Pirtonrn, a people in (laid. 
This view is accepted by Skeat as possible, but 
apart from the consideration of the preceding 
etymology, which is confirmed by the evidence, 
ML. pirtantia is not a likely form to be made 
from picta in such a sense, and there is no evi- 
dence that piettt was in such general circula- 
tion as to make it a measure of value.] 1. An 
allowance or dole of food mid drink; hence, 
any very small portion or allowance assigned or 
given, whether of food or money; allowance; 
provision ; dole. 
He was an esy man to yeve pcnaunce 
'I In i as he wistc ban a good ptiaunce. 
Chaucer, den. ProL to O. T., 1. 2S4. 
Before, Diego, 
And get some pretty pittance; my pupil ' hungry. 
Fletcher, Spanish Curate, II. 1. 
I am sensible that the Income of your commission, and 
what I have hitherto allowed you, Is but a small pittance 
for a lad of your spirit Sheridan, Tin- Rivals, Ii. 1. 
2. An allowance of food or money bestowed in 
charity; a small charitable gift or payment. 
One half of this pittance was even given him in money. 
Macatilay. 
3. A small portion or quantity ; a ni.ir-.i-l. 
Our Konls hhall no longer remain obnoxious to her 
treacherous flesh and rebellions passions, nor ratiocinate 
ami grow knowing by little parcels and pittance*. 
Krrliin, True Religion, I. u'44. 
Kar aliove the mine's most precious ore 
The lnit Mnall fiittanre of Imre mold they prize. 
Scooped from the sacred earth where his dear relics lie. 
Wordnnirth, Eccles. Sonnets, L Si 
pittancer (pit'an-ser), n. [< I-', iiit-nincr (= 
Sp. iiitunrrrii = Pg. pitaiicriro). < pitm/i-f, pit- 
tance: see pittinii-i;] The officer in a in 
tery who dir.tiil.nted the pittance at pertain 
appointed festivals. 
pitted (pit'ed). <i. (< pill + -<*/2.] Marked 
thickly with pit* or small depressions: ax, a 
lace /litli-il by smallpox: specifically, in lint.. 
having pits or piim-tiitions, as the walls of 
many cells; in _-"/., having miiny pi nictations, 
ns a surface; foveolale; an <>l a te'._ pitted. tet,h, 
I r.is 
teeth with pits In the enamel, resulting from defective de- 
velopment. Pitted tissue. See prmvtirhyma. Pitted 
vessel. s ee reael. 
pitter't ([lifer), f. i. [A dim. var. ot fatter*.] 
To murmur; patici. 
When sommers heat hath dried up the springs, 
And when his pitterintj streames are low and thin. 
Greene (Park's Heliconia, III . I,T> 
pitter 2 (pit'er), ii. [<j> + -<r2.] 1. One who 
removes pits or stones from fruit. 2. An im- 
plement for removing the stones from such fruit 
as plums and peaches; a fruit-stoner. [U.S.] 
pitterarot, Same as pciterero torpaterero. 
In an original MS. Accompt of Anns delivered up at 
Inverary in obedience of the .Vet of Parliament for secur- 
ing the peace of the Highlands, 1717, mention is made of 
Two pitteraroet, one broken. 
S. and Q., 7th ser., VIII. 128. 
pitticite, . See pittizite. 
Pittidae (pit'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < Pitta + -iVte.] 
A family of me- 
somyodian or 
songless passe- 
rine birds, typi- 
fied by the ge- 
nus Pitta ; the 
Old World ant- 
thrushes. They 
are of stout form, 
with very short 
tail, and long and 
strong legs ; the 
|>lumage is hrll- 
iant and varied. 
The leading genera 
besides I'lttn are 
Kucichla, Hydnrr- 
Hi*, and JHelann- 
pitta. These birds 
are characteristic 
of the oriental 
and Australian re- 
gions, though one old World Anl thnish (Pirra <-r//M). 
</' angolenrig) is 
African ; they are specially abundant in the islands of 
the Malay archipelago. About SO species are known. 
Pittinae (pi-ti'ne), . pi. [NL., < Pitta + 
-inte.] The Pittidte regarded as a subfamily of 
some other familv. Before the peculiarities of the 
Old World ant-thrushes were known, they were wrongly 
associated with the south American formicarioid birds of 
somewhat similar superficial aspect, the name ant-thnmh 
lieing given to both. See ant-thrush, and compare cuts 
under /''ormwviritw and I*ittidjr. 
pittine (pit'in), a. Of or pertaining to the pit- 
tas, or ant-thrushes of the Old World. 
pitting (pit'ing), n. [Verbal u. of pit 1 , r.] 1. 
The act or operation of digging or sinking n 
hole or pit. 
The exact situation of the clay is first determined by sys- 
tematic jiittiwj, to a depth of several fathoms, or occasion- 
ally by boring. Spans' Kncyc. Mann/., I. 6.S8. 
2. The act or operation of placing in a pit or in 
pits: as, the fritting of potatoes; the pitting at 
hides. 3. A pit, mark, or hollow depression on 
the surface, such as that left on the flesh by a 
pustule of the smallpox. 4. A number of such 
pits considered collectively; a collection of 
pitmarks. 6. In bat., the state or condition 
of being pitted. 
The peculiar pitting of the woody fibre of the flr. 
Kin-lie. Krit., XIV. 411. 
6. A corrosion of the inner surface of steam- 
boilers, whereby the metal becomes gradually 
covered with small cavities. 7. A corrosion of 
the bottom of iron ships. Blisters, and afterward 
pits, are formed, apparently by the action of the carbonic 
acid and oxygen in sea-water producing ferric oxld under 
the protecting paint 
pittizite, pitticite (pit'i-rit, -sit), . [Irreg. 
< Gr. "n-iTTiff/v, iriaai&iv, be like pitch (< nirra, 
iriaoa, pitch), -f -itf 2 .] An arsenio-sulphate of 
iron, occurring in reniform masses; pitchy iron 
ore. 
pittlet, >' Same as pickle^, pightlc. Minslu >/. 
pittle-pattlet (pit'l-pat'l), r. i'. [A varied re- 
duplication at patter^ . patter-; cf. yn'f/>r', and 
prattle, tattle, etc.] To talk unmeaningly or 
flippant I v. 
pittock(j>it'okt, a. Thecoalfish. [Prov. Eng.] 
Pittosporaceae (pit o-spo-ra'se-e), H. pi. | N I .. 
(Lindley, 1846), so called from their resinous 
capsules; < Gr. virra, irinan, pitch, + on-o/xif, 
seed (see .i/iiii-r), + -iift/f.] Same as Pitti>- 
pittosporad (pit'o-spo-rad), n. [< PilttHtjMi- 
/(<<*) 4- -(/</'. | A plant of the natural order 
PittotporaeMi, 
Pittosporeae (pit -o-spo're-), . //. [NL. (U. 
Itrown. IH14), < PwQtpOnU* + -i n . } An order 
of i.olypeli.lous plants, of thecohorl I',,!,,,,,,!,,,;,. j,.,,,..,,,,.,, , ,,.,.. S1 , ,..,||,.,| f,,,,,, 11u . character- 
It is iinliki- Hi.- t,. oth.-r orders In its numerous ovules, ... . ,,... 
pit- viper 
their narrow bases or claws commonly forming an incom- 
plete tube, versatile anthers, an ovary usually two-celled, 
a minute embryo in lim.i albumen, and loculK-idal fleshy 
or papery fruit. There are about 90 species and 10 genera 
of which I'itliaporum (the type), Is the mil v one i<Mydls- 
tiil.ul.'.l the .illi' r being iill Australian. They are shrubs 
or fchrnbtiy twiners w.nirtinii-s pro. ninlicnt. generally 
smooth, bearing alternate leaven, and white, blue, yellow, 
or rarely reddish flowers, solitary, nodding, and terminal, 
or variously clustered. 
Pittosporum (pi-tos'i)o-rum). ii. [NL. (Banks, 
17H8), so called from the viscous pulp com- 
monly enveloping the seeds; < Gr. TTITTO, At- 
tic for ifiaaa, pitch, + 0x6/10$, seed.] A genus 
of plants, type of the order Pit tot/pome, char- 
acterized by the thick wingless seeds, and thick 
loculicidal capsule, which is coriaceous or 
woody, globose, ovate, or obovate, often com- 
pressed and with imperfect partitions. There 
are about &5 species, natives of Africa, warmer parts of 
Asia, Pacific islands, Australia, and New Zealand. They 
are erect shrubs, generally low, tunnel inics In mi mi i- pinnll 
trees, often with a resinous hark, generally smooth and 
evergreen. They bear white or yellowish flowers In crowded 
terminal clusters, or sometimes solitary or few and lateral. 
Many species havt broad shining dark-green leaves, con- 
trasting well with the white fragrant flowers, and are cul- 
tivated under the name hf*t<jt-laurrl. Other species are 
known as Brisbane laurel, Queensland laurel, and haekaro. 
From the flowers of /'. undulatuin, the Victorian laurel, a 
highly fragrant volatile oil is distilled. This species and 
/' tricolor, the Victorian cheesewood or whitewood, yield a 
wood adapted to turners' use, and sometimes substituted 
for twxwood. A few sometimes reach the height of 90 
feet, as /'. rti'iiiliifi'JKiiti. 
pittypatt (pit'i-pat), (//. aud a. Same as pita- 
pat. 
pituita (pit-u-i'ta), n. [L., mucus, phlegm ; 
prob., with loss of initial x, < it/were, pp. sputus, 
spit out: seeapftr. Ct.fi p^.j Phlegm or mu- 
cus; especially, the mucous secretion of the 
pituitary or Schneidcrian membrane. Also, 
rarely, pituitt. 
As of the pituita, or the bile, or (he like disorders to 
which the body is subject 
T. Taylor, tr. of Five Books of Plotlnus (17IMX p. 102. 
pituital (pit-u-i'ta)), . [< pituita + -a/.] 8ame 
as pituitary. 
pituitary (pit'u-i-ta-ri), . [= F. pituitaire = 
Pg. It. pituitario, < L. pituituritix, in fern, pitui- 
ttiria (sc. herlxi). an herb that removes phlegm, 
< pituita, phlegm: see pituita.'} Mucous; se- 
creting or containing mucus, or supposed to do 
so; relating to pituita.- pituitary body, a xmall 
ovoid pale-reddish rxxly, occupying the sella tnrcica, itnd 
attached to the under surface of the cerebrum by the in- 
fundlbuliim. It consists of two lobes an anterior, re- 
sembling in structure that of a ductless gland, and a poste- 
rior, which in the lower vertebrates is composed of nerve- 
substance, forming an integral part of the brain, and 
called the infundibular lobe, but in the higher vertebrates 
showing only slight indicationsnf nervous elements. Also 
called pituitan/ ylaiul, hifptifihiftan ceretrri. See cuts under 
brain (cut 2), klasiiitibraHchii, amleiifeptialim. Pituitary 
(liverticuluin, a Hask like outgrowth of the middle of the 
upper posterior part of the Inn ml cavity in the embryo, 
which takes part in the formation of the pituitary )M>dy. 
Pituitary fossa. 8e/mii. and cuts under iwra- 
uphenoid, Struthvinidep , Ualliiur, Crncndilia, and xtfiill (cut 
s). Pituitary gland. Same as pituitary body. Pitui- 
tary membrane. See mrmlrrane. Pituitary space, in 
rnibrjfol., an open space at the base of the skull, just In ad- 
vance of the end of the notochord, Inclosed by the trabe- 
culfecranii : ft subsequently becomes the seat of the pitui- 
tary body, and corresponds to what is known in human 
anatomy as the sella turcica of the sphenoid bone. See 
hywiihyfi*, and cute under chondrncranww and perititic 
(in lull turtle). Pituitary stem, the hollow neck of the 
pituitary body, by which that body hangs from the brain ; 
the inf uii.liiinlmii of the brain. See cut under tnrput. 
pitulte (pit'u-H), tt. [< F. pitnite = Sp. Pg. It. 
pituita, < L. pituita, mucus, phlegm: nee pitni- 
ta.~] Same R*pituita. [Hare.] 
Phlegm or jiituite is a sort of semifluid. 
Arlmthnnt, AllmenU, vi., prop. 7, 1 7. 
pituitous (pit-u-i'tus), . [= F. pitiiitmr = Sp. 
Pg. It. pitiiituso, < L. pituitmnut, full of phlegm, 
< pituita. phlegm: sec pituita.] Same a.s pit- 
tiitnri/. 
Pituqphis (jii-tu'o-fls), . See Pit 
pituri tpi-tu'ri). H. A plant. See 
pit-Viper (jiit'\-i*per), n. A venomous sei-peu* 
of the family t'rvtuliilee, as a rattlesnake; a 
A l'it-vi|K-r, Ihr M, . .isin or O.ttomnouth \AH<iM 
I .III !l ttllf.l I F/' ,,. 11". ftll I A. pit. 
, 
and in IU regular flowers with five stamens; It is also 
characterized by It.t live imbricated sepals, five petals with 
istii- pit lictwi'i'ii the eye's and the nosr. 
' ln ni. 
See 
