poker-picture 
poker-picture (po'ke_r-pik' r tur), . An imita- 
tion of a sepia drawing, executed by singeing 
the surface of wood with a heated poker. 
ppke-sleevet (pok'slov), n. A loose sleeve hav- 
ing a part hanging below the arm like a bag. 
poke-stick (p6k'iuk), n. A stick rounded at 
the end, used by some tribes of American In- 
dians to aid them in gorging food at a feast. 
pokeweed (pok'wed), . A plant of the genus 
Pliytolacca, especially P. decandra of eastern 
North America. This Is a strong-growing branching 
herb, bearing racemes of white flowers and deep-purple 
juicy berries, their coloring principle too evanescent for 
use. The young shnota are boiled like asparagus, and the 
berries and root, especially the latter, are emetic, purga- 
tive, and somewhat narcotic, officinal in the t'nited States. 
Also called poke, tcoke, garget, inkberry-teeed, and pigeon- 
berry. Obscure names are coalcum and pocan. 
poking (po'king), p. a. [Ppr. of poke*, v.] 
Drudging; servile. [Colloq.J 
Some poking profession or employment in some office of 
drudgery. Gray, Works, II. xxxvl. 
poking-stickt (po'king-stik), H. An instrument 
formerly used to adjust the plaits of rnffs. 
Pins and poHny-ttifla of steel. Shot., W. T., IT. 4. 228. 
The horning-bnsk and silken bridelaces are in good re- 
quest with the parson's wife ; your huge poking-ntickc, and 
French periwig, with chambermaids and waiting gentle- 
women. 
Heyicood, If you Know not Me ( Works, ed. Pearson, I. 258). 
poky (po'ki), a. [< poke 1 + -yl."\ 1. Slow; 
dull; stupid: said of persons. 2. Confined; 
cramped; musty; stuffy: said of places. 3. 
Poor; shabby. [Oolloq. in all uses.] 
The ladies were in their pokiest old head-gear and most 
dingy gowns when they perceived the carriage approach- 
ing. Thackeray, Newcomes, Ivli. 
Polabian (po-la'bi-an), a. and n. [< l'I<ib, one 
of a tribe dwelling 'on the Kibe' (< Bohetn. pit, 
near, on, + Labe, L. Albix, (r. Elbe, the Elbe), 
+ -ion.] I. a. Of or pertaining to the Polabs 
or to their language. 
II. . A Slavic language, allied to Polish or to 
Czech, formerly spoken in northern Germany. 
Polabish (po -la 'Irish), n. and n. [= G. 7*0- 
labiscli; as Polab(tan) + -ix/ti.] Same as /'<>- 
labian. 
polacca 1 (po-lak'a), n. [Also polacrc, potaqnr 
(< F.), and 'polacrc ; < It. polacca, a vessel so 
called.] A vessel with two or three masts, used 
on the Mediterranean. The masts are usually 
of one piece. 
polacca- (po-lak'ii), . [It. pohtcca, fern, of /'- 
lacco, Polish: see Polack.'] In ixic, same as 
polonaise Alia polacca, in the style of a polonaise. 
Polack (po'lak), H. [< I). I'olak = (J. Sw. I'o- 
lack = Dan. Polak = ,Sp. Pg. I'olacn = It. I'o- 
laeco, Polish, a Pole, < Pol. Polak = Kuss. /'<>- 
lyakii, a Pole : see Polr%.~\ A Pole ; a Polnnder. 
His nephew's levies . . . appear'd 
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack. 
Shak., Hamlet, ii. 2. 3. 
These vsed to make sudden Inrndes vpon the Polarh*. 
rtirchnx, Pilgrimage, p. 421. 
polacre (po-la'ker), . 1. Same us polacca 1 . 
2. A mast of one piece, without tops. 
polant, Same as pnulnine. 
Poland bill. See 6m 
Polander (po'lan-der), . [< Poland (see def.) 
+ -erl. The name Poland is an accom. (simu- 
lating land) of Tolcn, < D. 0. Sw. Dan. Pole H 
= F. Pologne Sp. Pg. It. Polonia, ML. Po- 
lonia, Poland: see Pole*.] A Pole, or native of 
Poland. 
The Grand Council of the Polandrrs. 
MOImt, Letters of State, Feb. ft, 1650. 
Poland manna. 
Polanisia (pol- 
a-nis'i-a), . 
[NL. (Kafi- 
nesque, 1824), 
so called in al- 
lusion to the 
many differ- 
ences between 
the stamens 
and those of 
the related ge- 
nus ('Iconic; ir- 
reg. < Gr. TTO? if, 
many, + avioor, 
unequal, dis- 
similar, < av- 
priv. + laoc., 
i'(|ual.] A ge- 
nus of polypet- 
alous plants of 
the order Cap- 
Saine as manna-seeds. 
Flowering Branch of Polanffia i 
, a flower ; *. a pod ; c, a seed ; rf, the rhi- 
zome and roots. 
4589 
parities' and tribe f'lromrtr, distinguished by its 
short receptacle, four entire petals, eight or 
more free stamens, and numerous reniform 
seeds in a long two-valved pod. There are IS spe 
cles, all tropical or subtropical, with one, />. graetoletu, ex- 
tending north to Vermont. They are annual herbs, com- 
monly glandular and of a strong peculiar odor, bearing 
palmate or undivided leaves, and small flowers In ter- 
minal clusters, which are purplish, greenish, etc. Sev- 
eral species with wjiite, pink, or yellow flowers are occa- 
sionally cultivated. 
polaque (po-lak'), n. Same aspo/aeefl 1 . 
polar (po lar), a. and n. [= F. polaire = Sp. 
Pg. polar = It. polare,<. NL. polaris, < L. polux, 
pole: see pole%, w.] I. a. 1. Of or pertaining 
to a pole or the poles of a sphere, (a) Of or per- 
taining to either extremity of the axis round which the 
earth, or any other sphere, revolves, (b) Pertaining to the 
points in which the axis of the earth meets the sphere of 
the heavens. 
2. Proceeding, issuing from, or found in the 
regions near the poles of the earth or of the 
heavens: as, the polar ocean ; a polar bear. 
Two polar winds, blowing adverse 
Upon the Cronlan sea. Milton, P. L., x. 289. 
3. Pertaining to a magnetic pole or poles; 
pertaining to the points of a body at which its 
attractive or repulsive energy is concentrated. 
4. In anat., having poles in any way distin- 
guished, as a cell: said especially of ovum-cells 
and nerve-cells. There may be one, two, or several 
poles, when the cell is distinguished as unipolar, bipolar, 
or multipolar. 
5. In higher grow., reciprocal to a pole ; of the 
nature of a polar. See II Polar angle, the an- 
gle at a pole formed by two meridians. P"blAT axis, 
that axis of an astronomical instrument, as an equato- 
rial, which is parallel to the earth's axis. Polar bands. 
Same as Xoah'i ark, :). Polar bear. See orar-', 1, and 
cut under naniiarada. Polar cells, in IMcyrmida, cells 
of the cortical layer which Invest the head-end of the 
body: distingninhud from jiarapolar eellt, further back. 
Polar Circles, two small circles of the earth parallel to 
the equator, the one north and the other south, distant 
23 28' from the pole. The north polar circle Is called the 
arctic circle, and the south polar circle the antarctic circle. 
The distance of each from Its own pole Is equal to the 
obliquity of the ecliptic, and the spaces within the two 
circles arc called the/rv/W zone*. Polar clock, an opti- 
cal apparatus whereby the hour of the day is found by 
means of the polarization of light. Polar coordinates. 
See cniirdinalf. Polar curve with respect to a line, the 
locus In tangential coordinates corresponding to the polar 
curve with respect to a point. Polar developable. See 
deiviopaiile. polar dial See dial. - Polar distance, the 
distance of a point on a sphere fnmi one of the poles of 
the sphere. Polar equation, an equation in polar coor- 
dinates. Polar forces, in ;I/H;-I',-, forces that are devel- 
oped and net in pairs, with opposite tendencies, as in mag- 
netism, electricity, et<'. Polar formation. Sec/oniM- 
Han. Polar globule, In the maturation of the ovum, a 
small globule, composed of a part of the germinal vesicle 
together with a small amount of the vitellus. which is ex- 
truded into the perivitelline space. Also called polar veh- 
icle, extni*ioit-f/Miulf. Polar hare. See Aarfi, 1. Po- 
lar lights, the aurora horealls or aiistralls. Polar line, 
the last of the polar curves with respect to a point. Po- 
lar line of a skew curve. See Kw-. Polar map- 
projection. See projection. Polar multiplication. 
See multiplication. Polar nucleus, in &f., the fourth 
nucleus in each group at the two extremities of the em- 
bryo-sac, which move toward the middle of the embryo- 
sac and there coalesce to form the secondary nucleus of 
the embryo-sac, (loebel. Polar opposite of a point 
with respect to two conies In a plane, the point of Inter- 
section of the polars of the first point with respect to 
the two conies. Polar pantograph. See pantoyraph. 
Polar plane of a point with respect to a conicold 
or quadric surface, the plane of tangency with the coni- 
coid of a cone having its vertex at the point. Polar pro- 
jection, a map-projection in which the earth's pole Is 
taken as the center of projection : generally, either the 
gnomical or the equal-distance projection is chosen. Po- 
lar reciprocal. See reciprocal. Polar Star, the pole- 
star. Tennyxon. Polar surface, in Milid geometry, a locus 
in all respects analogous to the polar cnrveof plane geom- 
etry. Polar triangle, in tphcrieal trigonometry, a spheri- 
cal triangle formedirom any triangle by the intersections 
of the great circles having the vertices of the flret triangle 
for their poles. Polar vesicle. Same as polar globule. 
Polar Whale. See trhalr. = Syn. 2. fola r, A rctic. That 
which is polar belongs to or Is connected with the north 
or south pole : that which is arctic belongs to a limited 
region about the north pole. See definitions of arctic and 
antarctic. 
II. a. A plane curve whose point-equation 
is derived from that of another plane curve 
(with respect to which it is said to be a polar) 
by operating one or more times (according as 
it is first, second, etc., polar) with the symbol 
x'.d'dx + y'.d/d y + z .d/dr. where x', y', :' 
are the trihnear coordinates of a fixed point (of 
which the curve is said to be a polar). The first 
polar of a point with respect 
to a curve is a curve of the next 
lower order, cutting the primi- 
tive curve at all the points of 
tangency of tangents to the 
primitive from the fixed point, 
as well as at all the nodes of 
the primitive, and tangent t<> 
the primitive at every cusp of 
the latter. Thus, the polar of a 
point with respect to a conic Is Modal cubic with 
simply the straight line joining polar. 
polarlscopist 
the points of tangency of tangents from that point to the 
..... >ii'. The harmonic mean of the distances from the 
fixed point, measured along any given radius of the Inter- 
sections of any polar of that point, Is the same as that of 
the distances of the intersections nf the primitive curve ; 
and the same Is equally true of products of pairs or trip- 
let* or any number of intersections. In a generalized 
MOM, mathematicians speak of a polar of a curve with 
respect to another curve: If the tangential equation of 
the first carve Is (a, ft. , . . .Yu, r, >', and the polnt- 
eouatlon of the second curve u (A, B, C, . . .Tr. y, zf, 
where m > , then the polar of the first with respect to the 
second is 
(a, ft, e, . . .Jd/d*, d.'dy, d/dir^A, B, C, . . . J*. y, ty". 
But if HI, the polar of the second curve with respect to 
the nrst U 
(A, B, C . . .Jd/dti, d/dt>, d'du*) 1 " (, , t -I", *, * 
polar-bilocular (pd'lar-bi-lok'u-lSr), a. In hot., 
having two cells or loculi, as certain spores. 
polaric (po-lar'ik), a. [< polar + -;.] Polar. 
[Bare.] 
polarilyt (po'lttr-i-li), adr. In a polary manner ; 
with respect to polarity. 
If an iron be touched before, it vartcth not in this man- 
ner ; for then It admits not this magnetical impression, as 
being already informed by the loadstone, and polarily de- 
termined by its preactlon. Sir T. Bromie, Vulg. Err., II. 2. 
polariiueter (po-la-rim'e-ter), n. [= F. palnri- 
nittre; < NL. potari*, polar, + Gr. /terpov, mea- 
sure.] A polariscope; more specifically, an in- 
strument for measuring the amount of polar- 
ized light in the light received from a given 
source, or for measuring the angular rotation 
of the plane of polarization. See photn-polu- 
Hmetrr, polarixtrobometfi; and xarcharimeter. 
polarlmetry (po-la-rim'et-ri), H. [< NL. pola- 
rix, polar, + Qft.-fitrpla, (/iiTpriv, measure.] The 
art or process of measuring or analyzing the po- 
larization of light. 
Polaris (po-la'ris), H. [NL., < L. poliix, pole: 
see polar, pole-.'] The pole-star. 
polarisable, polarisation. See polari:nble, po- 
larization. 
polariscope (po-lnr'i-skop), n. [= F. polari- 
xcopr ; irreg. \ NL. polaria, polar, + <tr. axmrcii; 
view.] An optical instrument, various forms 
of which have been contrived, for exhibiting 
the polarization of light, or for examining sub- 
stances in polarized light. The essential parts of 
the instrument are the polarizing and analyzing plates or 
prisms, and these are formed either from natural crystals 
or of a series of reflecting surfaces, as of glass, artificial!) 
joined tiigether. 
(See polarization.) 
A polarloco 
ope em- 
ploying parallel 
fi 
fight, and designed 
to find the extinc- 
tion-directions - 
that Is, planes of 
light-vibration 
in a crystal sect Ion. 
Is called a ftauro- 
cope. One using 
converging light, 
and employed In 
examining the In- 
terference flgnres, 
as of unlaxlal and 
biaxial crystals, in 
sometimes called 
a conofcftjif. The 
tourmalin tong*, 
consisting of two 
transparent plates 
of tourmalin, cut 
parallel to the axis, 
and mounted In 
circular pieces of 
cork held in a kind 
of wire pincers, form the simplest 
kind of polariscope for viewing 
axial interference figures. The 
more complex and convenient 
forms have polarizing prisms of 
Iceland spar mounted in a verti- 
cal stand resembling that of a 
microscope, with a movable stage, 
coarse adjustment, and other ar- 
rangement*. When the polari- 
scope Is essentially a microscope 
with Ni.-.rl prisms and attach- 
ments for viewing crystal-sec- 
tions in polarized light, It Is usu- 
ally called a polarization-micro- 
cope or polarizing microtcope. 
The mccharimctcr and the podr- 
i&robometrr are special forms of 
polariscope designed to measure 
the angular rotation of the plane 
Tongit. 
Points.."!*: for ConvenftnK 
Light. I After Funs. ) 
.-I, upright support : /!. 
lower adjustable arm carry- 
ing lube with polarizer / . 
C. upper arm with coarse 
adjustment, carrying tul~e 
with analyzer ?, also ob- 
jective system *, and eye- 
lens e ' ; S. mirror reflecting 
the light through 
' 
e light through polarizer 
* ami lenses r, e' in paral- 
lel rays upon the converging 
me angular ruumou ui me plane system n : *, support for 
of polarization of an optically ^SS^S^S^SSa^L 
active substance, as a sugar sola- having a graduated circle 
tion,quartz,etc. See rotation, and at i. aTao index and vernier 
rotatorji potccr (under rotatory). t *.' *> < t u * rlz , w T%* ff 
polariscopic (po-lar-i- 
Skop'ik). a. [< poltiriXCOpe fj micrometer adjusted 
, r -, '-r- . r * by screw at a. 
T-IO.] Pertaining to a po- 
hiriscopi-: nscrrhiined by the polariscope. 
polariscopist (po-lar'i-sko-pist). . [< polar i- 
xn,pi- + -ixf 1 .] One who is expert in the use of 
the polariscope. 
