plight 
For-thjr appease your griefe and heavy plight. 
Spmer, if. g., II. I. 14. 
Borne atone hone* came over In good plight. 
Wtnthrup, HUt. .New Kngland, I. 84. 
I thliik in j .- 1' In better pliuht for a lender than you arc. 
Shale., M. W. of W., if. 2. 172. 
I am lately arrived In Holland In a good Plight of Health. 
//., l.rl I l-l ,. I. I. 7. 
4R60 
One grey plinth, 
Round whose worn base the wild waves hiss and leap. 
Shelley, Revolt of Islam, U. 18. 
Course of a plinth. Bee courwi . Plinth of a statue, 
a flat base, whether round or square. Plinth of a wall, 
a plain projecting band at the :>asc of a wall, upon which 
the wall rests. In classical and medieval buildings th 
, . . . . 
We continued here three weeks In this dismal plight. 
Addt*m, Frozen \Vords. 
In piteous flight he knock'd at George's gate, 
And begg'd for aid, aa he described hi* Kate. 
Cmbbt, Worlu. I. 126. 
In particular (a) A bad condition or state ; a distressed 
or dlatnaalng condition or predicament ; misfortune. 
And ther waa no man that hadde aeyn hym in that plite 
but he wolde haue hadde pite. Merlin (E. E. T. 8. ), U. 364. 
Hare comfort, for I know your flight li pitied 
Of him that caused It. Shot., A. and ('., r. 2. 33. 
(it) A good condition or state. 
He that with labour can use them aright, 
Hath gain to hl> comfort, and cattel In t ti : il,i 
Twaer, February's Husbandry, x. 
All wayet ahee sought him to restore to plight. 
Spaaer, F. li., in. vll. 21. 
plight^, r. t. [An erroneous spelling of plite?, 
< ME. pit ten, plyten, var. of plaiten, plait: see 
plait, and cf. pleat, plat*, t.] 1. To weave; 
plait; fold. See pin <t. 
Now, gode nece, be It never so lite 
Vif me the labour it la letterl t.. sow and plyte. 
Chmuxr, Troilus, U. 1204. 
Her locks are plighted like the fleece of wool 
That Jason with his Grecian mates atchlev d. 
(ireene, Menaphon's Eclogue. 
On his head a roll of llnnen plight, 
Like to the Mores of Malaber, he wore. 
Speiwer, V. Q., VI. vil. 43. 
A long love-lock on his left shoulder plight. 
/'. Fletcher, l-urple Island, vll. 23. 
2. To combine or put together in one's mind. 
80 she gan In hire thought argue 
In this matere, f which I have yow told. 
And what to done Ixat were, and what teschne, 
That plytfdr she f ul ofte in many folde. 
Chawer, Troilus, II. 697. 
plight 3 ! (plit), w. [Also plriaht ; an erroneous 
spelling of. ptiteZ, < ME. plite, plytr, a var. of 
plaite, a fold, plait : see plait, and cf . pleat, 
phit*,n.~\ A fold; a plait. 
He perced through the plUa of his hanbreke vndlr the 
ride, that the spere hede shewed on the tother side. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), II. 2S. 
Stiaunge was her tyre, and all her garment blew, 
Close rownd about, her tuckt with many a pliyht 
Speiaer, . O.., II. Ix. 40. 
If a Tallour make your gownc too little, you couer bis 
fault with a broad stomacher; if too great, with number 
of plight*. Lyly, F.uphue* and his England, p. -ItL 
Our Oentlewomenn dutch Fann, that are made either of 
paper, or parchment, or alike, or other atulfe, which will 
with certalne pint/hit easily mnne and fold themselues to- 
gether. HaUuyt'i Voyage*, I. 610. 
plight 4 !. An obsolete preterit and past parti- 
ciple of pluck 1 . 
plighter (pli'ter), . One who or that which 
plights, engages, or pledges. 
This kingly seal 
And plighter of high hearts .' 
Shot., A. and C., lit 13. 128. 
plightfult (plit'ful), a. [ME. plihtful; < plight 
+ -ful.] Dangerous. 
pligntlyt, adv. [ME. pUMie, < AS. pliiniir. 
dangerous, < pliht, danger: see plight*.} Dan- 
gerously ; with peril. 
plihtt, n. and r. A Middle English form of plight* . 
plim (plim), r. i. [Appar. related to plump: 
seepfumi)!.] To swell. Grose. [Prov. Eng.l 
Plimsolls mark. Seemnnl-i. 
Plinian (plin'i-an), o. and n. [< Pliny + -an.] 
I. n. Of or pertaining to Plinv: specifically, in 
not. hist., pertaining to C. Plim us Secundus 
(Pliny), a celebrated Roman author and natu- 
ralist (A. D. 23-79): as. Plinian names. 
II. n. [/. c.] A variety of cobaltiferous ar- 
senopyrite, erroneously supposed by Breit- 
haupt to b<- distinct in crystallization. 
plinth (plinth), n. [= F. plintht = Sp. plintu 
= Pa. plintlio = It. plinto, < L. /,/i </,*,< Or. 
K>.iv6o(, a brick, tile, plinth: see flint.] In arch., 
the flat square table or slab under the molding 
of the base of a Roman or Renaissance column, 
of which it constitutes the foundation, ami tin- 
bottom of the order; also, an abacus; ul-.,. ., 
square molding or table at the base of anv 
architectural part or member, or of MdMtU, 
etc. See phrases below, and cuts under //>< . 
column, and capital. 
The tower plMh U made * seat for people to sit on ; and 
o 'tis no more to be seen In Its antlent state. 
foeoett, Description of the East, I. 8. 
ematical surface having the general shape of a 
water-worn brick. 
Pliocene (pli'9-sen), n. [= F. pliocene; for 
* Plionocene,<. Gr. ir/c/uv, more, + rauvof, recent.] 
In gcol., the most recent of the divisions of the 
Tertiary proper. See Tertiary. Also spelled 
Pleioceiie. 
Pliohippus (pli-o-hip'us), n. [NL. (Marsh, 1874), 
< Plio(cene) + Gr. iirn-of, horse.] 1. A genus of 
fossil horses or Equidte from the Pliocene of 
North America. 2. [f. c.] A horse of this ge- 
nus. 
Pliolophidae (pli-o-lof 'i-de), n. pi. [NL., < PH- 
olophus + -idee.] A family of fossil perisso- 
dactyl hoofed quadrupeds,' typified by the ge- 
nus Plioloplius, related to the Lophiodontidfp. 
The nasal region was compressed and extended forward, 
the snprainaxillaries being excluded from the nasal aper- 
ture; the long nasal bones extended far forward, and ar- 
ticulated with the premaxfllarles ; and the upper molars 
had two transverse rows of tubercles separated by an in- 
tervening valley, with a clngnlum anteriorly and inter- 
nally. The external lobes of the upper molars were well 
separated and little flattened, and the lobes of the lower 
molars scarcely united. It also Includes the genera Hy- 
rafntherium and 8<iiteniadon, of Eocene age. Also called 
llirracothfriidie and Ilyracotheriiiue. 
pliolophoid (pli-ol'o-foid), a. and n. I. a. Per- 
taining to the Pliolophoidea, or having their 
characters. 
U. . A member of the Pliolophoidea. 
Pliolophoidea (pli-ol-o-foi'de-S), n. pi. [NL., 
< Plitiloplimt + -Hidea.] A supVrfamily of Peris- 
Korlactyla, framed by Gill in 1872 for the recep- 
tion of the family Pliolophid. 
Pliolophus (pli-ol'o-fus), n. [XL. (Owen, 1858), 
< Gr. jr/ritw, more, + /.opor, a crest.] The typi- 
cal genus of PHolophidm. P. rulpicepx is a spe- 
cies from the London clay. 
Plipplatycarpidse (pli-o-plat-i-kar'pi-de), n. pi 
[NL., < Plioplatyearptu + -idie.~\ A family of 
pythonomorph or mosasauvian reptiles, repre- 
sented by the genus Plioplatycarpvt. They are 
distinguished by the presence of int'erclavlcles and a sa- 
crum. They lived In the Upper Cretaxjeous period. 
Plioplatycarpus(pli-<>-plut-i-kar'pus), . [NL., 
< Pfio(ci-ne) + Gr. nv<inV, broad, flat, -I- napa&f, 
the wrist.] An extinct genus of mosasaurian 
reptiles, representing the family Plioplatyear- 
plodder 
ver-finches. They are a Urge and diversified family, 
many of them resembling finches or buntings, but always 
distinguished from Fritigillida by the presence of tt-n in- 
stead of nine primaries. They are specially characteristic 
of the Ethiopian region, where more than three fourths of 
the species occur, but also extend Into the Oriental and 
Australian regions, the weavers are named and noted 
for the construction of their nests, In some cases of im- 
mense sins, In others highly artificial. (See cuts under Atw- 
nett and I'tocewi.) About 250 species are recognized re- 
ferred to some o genera, divided into 3 subfamilies. I'lnce- 
itur, rUttiiur, and Spennatina. Many of the last-named 
are common cage-birds, a* amadavaU. strawlwn j .flnchet, 
and the like. 
ploceiform (plo'se-i-fdrm), a. [< NL. Plofeus 
+ L.fttrma, form.] Resembling or related or 
belonging to the genus Ploceus or family Plo- 
ceidje. 
Ploceinae (plo-se-i'ne), n. pi. [NL., < Ploeeiu 
+ -I'M*.] 1. The Ploffiilee as a subfamily of 
Friiigillid. 2. The characteristic subfamily 
of Ploceidte, represented by such genera as 
Ploceux, Textnr, Hyphantornin, Malimbus, Phi- 
Iftxrus, Xigrita, and Ploctpasxer, See cuts un- 
der hive-nest, Philetierufi, and Plocetis. 
Ploceus (plo'se-us), n. [NL. (Cuvier, 1817), < 
Gr. 7r>*.oA'iV. a 
plaiter, braider, 
< irteneiv, plait, 
braid, weave : 
fiee plait.] The 
typical genus of 
Ploreitlse, for- 
merly of great 
extent, now re- 
stricted to the 
Indian and Ori- 
ental baya- 
birds, as P. plii- 
lippinux, P. ben- 
galensis, and 
others. 
plodH (plod), w. 
[< ME. plod, a 
puddle ;cf. Dan. 
pladder. mire ; 
prob. < Ir. Gael. 
plod, a pool 
(also a clod), 
plodan, a small 
pool (also a 
small clod), plo- 
dacli, a puddle.] 
A puddle. 
plod 2 (plod), p.; 
Baya-bird 1 Ivrur 
. 
pliosaurian (pli-o-sa'ri-an). a. Of or pertain- 
ing to the (TOIIUS Pliosaiinis. 
Further Indications of I'litutaurian affinities are, more- 
over, shown by the teeth themselves. 
Quart. Jmir. Oeul. Soe., XLV. 5a 
Pliosaums(pli-<">-8a'rus), . [NL. (Owen, 1866), 
< Plin(rene) + Gr. aaiipof. lizard.] A genus of 
plesiosaiirs from the Middle and Upper Oolite, 
having the head large and the neck compara- 
tivelv short. Also PMoMnnu. 
pliskie (plis'ki), n. [Origin obscure.] 1. A mis- 
chievous trick. 2. Plight; condition. 
[Scotch in both uses.] 
plitt, pliteH, n. Obsolete forms of plight*. 
plite 2 t, f. t. An obsolete form o1 plait. 
plitt (plit), n. Same as plrt. \<,rth Rritixh Ker. 
ploc (plok), w. [< F. plot; sheathing-hair, cow's 
hair, waste wool.] A mixture of hair and tar 
for covering a ship's bottom. fUnimonds. 
Plocamobranchia (plok'n-mo-brang'ki-8), n. 
pi. [NL., < Gr. :r/o/cnuof, fringe'(< TT/^KF/V, weave, 
plait), + /?/>ri;^m, gills.] A group of taenioglos- 
sate gastropods, with rigid filamentary bran- 
chial processes, proposed for the families Capu- 
litlfe or < 'alyplrifitlir and Hippnnyrid*. 
Plocaria (plo-ka'ri-ft), n. [NL., < Or. Jr?oxof, 
something woven of plaited, < vMnetv, weave, 
plait: see;>/rt/.] A genus of algip, of the or- 
der or suborder Ctramtaem. P. helminthochortm 
It the Porslcan mow of the shopa. once of some reputation 
u vermifuge. />. Candida, or Ceylon moss, Is used to a 
considerable extent as an article of food In the East 
ploce (plo'se), n. K Gr. n*nw/, a plaiting, < 
, plait, twist.] In rhct., repetition of a 
pret. and pp. plodded, ppr. plodding. [< ME. 
'ploddcn (found only in deriv. plodder); prob. 
orig. splash through water and mud ; <plodl. n. 
Cf. plodge, and plout'i, plotter, plotter^, plotcdrr. 
of like sense.] I. intrans. 1. To trudge; travel 
or work slowly and perseveringly ; go on in any 
pursuit with steady, laborious diligence. 
Why, universal plodding poisons up 
The nimble spirits in tlie arteries. 
Shalt., L. L. L., iv. 3. 30.1. 
I'le take my blew blade all In my hand, 
And pliid to the green-wood with thec. 
JMy finder o/ Watejield (Child's Ballads, V. 208), 
She reason'd without plodding long, 
Nor ever gave her Judgement wrong. 
Swift, Cadcnus and Vanessa. 
I, with my fate contented, will plod on, 
And hope for higher raptures when life's day Is done. 
Wurdmmrth, Skylark. 
2. To lag behind or puzzle upon the scent: 
said of hounds. =syn. 1. To trudge, Jog. 
U. trans. To go or walk over in a heavy, 
laboring manner; accomplish by heavy, toil- 
some walking or exertion. 
If one of mean affairs 
May plod it in a week, why may not I 
Glide thither In a day? 
Shale., Cymhelinc, 111. 2. 58 
The plowman homeward plutli hi* weary way. 
Oray, Elegy. 
ploddant, . [Prob. < Gael, plaide, a blanket, 
plaid : see plaid.] The checkered plaid of the 
Scotch. '-" 
word one or more times in close succession; 
especially, such repetition with a change of 
meaning or application : as, a man should be 
a in < i n. 
Ploceidae (pl9-8e'i-de). . pi. [NL., < Pliin-u* 
+ -ifltr.'] A family of ()!,] \V,,iM n-rim- jm-i- 
serine binls having ten primaries and a eoni- 
rostral bill ; the weavers, weaver-birds, or wea- 
Coarse cloth of 2 or 3 colours In checker-work, vulgarly 
called plnddan. 
Kiujluh Traveller in Scotland. l'i8 (Planche's History of 
(Costume). 
plodder (plod'cr). . [< MK. /./</W,r; < i>l<Mp 
+ -!.] If. One who trudges or wanders 
about; a "moss-trooper." 
Then- come ont of castels A of clolse townes 
Kfro the bowcnlura nlmte, Uint bom bale wroght, 
Hloiirs (robbers) and plodder*, piked (stole) there goodea. 
Z>*nM<m of Troy (E. E. T. 8.), 1. 12892. 
2. One who plods ; a drudge ; a dull, laborious 
person. 
