politician 
perflctal colour of reputation by all meant, direct or indi- 
rect, be gotten to wah orer the unsightly bruise uf hon- 
iii iliitnn, Reformation In Eng., ii. 
A politician, where faction! run high, Is Interested not 
for the whole people, but for hli own section of it. 
Macaulay, llallaiii's Const. Hist. 
A sincere I tiliiariun, therefore, Is likely to be an eager 
politician. It. .-i.i-mi,-lt. Methods of Ethics, p. 46. 
3f. A politic or crafty person ; a petty and gen- 
erally an unscrupulous schemer; a trickster. 
The I Mui-ll . . . was noted ... to be a greedle pursuer 
of uewes, and so famous a politician In purchasing that 
Hel, which at the beKlnuing was but an obscure village, 
Is now become a huge citle, whervnto all countreyg are 
trlbutarle. Xa*he, Pierce Fenilesse, p. 9. 
The politician, whose very essence lies In this, that he 
is a person ready to do any thing that he apprehends for 
hit advantage, must first of all be sure to put himself Into 
a state of liberty as free and large as his principles, and so 
to provide elbow-room enough for his conscience to lay 
about it, and have Its free play in. 
South, Sermons (1737), I. S24. 
Pot-house politician, a politician of low alms and mo- 
tives ; a professional politician, Ignorant, irresponsible, and 
often venal : so called from the favorite resorts of such 
iic n. Syn. 1 and 2. This word has degenerated so as gen- 
erally to imply that the person busies himself with parti- 
zanshlp, low arts, and petty management, leaving the 
enlightened and high-minded service of the state to the 
ittiUexiniin. A man, however, would not properly be called 
a Hateman unless he were also of eminent ability in pub- 
lic affaire. 
The Eastern politician* never do anything without the 
opinion of the astrologers on the fortunate moment. . . . 
Statesmen of a more judicious prescience look for the for- 
tunate moment too ; but they seek it, not in the conjunc- 
tions and oppositions of planets, but In the conjunctions 
and oppositions of men and things. 
Burke, To a Member of the Nat. Assembly, 1791. 
II. a. If. Politic; using artifice. 
Vour Ill-meaning politician lords. Milton, s. A., 1. 1196. 
2. Of or pertaining to politicians or their meth- 
ods. [Rare.] 
A turbulent, discoloured, and often unsavory sea of po- 
litical or rather politician quasi-social life. 
Arch. Forbei, Souvenirs of some Continents, p. 155. 
politicise, r. i. See politicize. 
politicist (po-lit'i-sist), n. [< politic + -ist.] 
A student or observer of politics; one who 
writes upon subjects relating to politics. 
[Rare.] 
politicize (po-lit'i-siz), v. i. ; pret. and pp. po- 
liticised, ppr. politicizing. [< politic + -;<.] 
To occupy one's self with politics; discuss po- 
litical questions. Also spelled politicise. 
But while I am politicizing, 1 forget to tell you half the 
purport of my letter. Walpole, To Mann (1758). (Davits.) 
I'utiticitiivj sophists threaten to he a perfect curse to 
India. Contemporary Rev., UI. 711. 
politicly (pol'i-tik-li ), atlr. In a politic manner; 
artfully; cunningly. 
politicot, n. [< Sp. politico = It. politico, a poli- 
tician : see politic, .] A politician ; hence, one 
whose conduct is guided by considerations of 
policy rather than principle. 
He Is counted cunning, a meere politico, a time-server, 
an hypocrite. 
Bp. Oauden, Tears of the Church, p. 25fl. (Dane*.) 
politics (pol'i-tiks), n. {Early mod. E. politicks, 
polytykex; pi. ot politic (see -ics).] 1. The sci- 
ence or practice of government; the regula- 
tion and government of a nation or state for 
the preservation of its safety, peace, and pros- 
perity. Politic*. In Its widest extent, is both the science 
and the art of government, or the science whose subject 
is the regulation of man in all his relations as the member 
of a state, and the application of this science. In other 
words, it Is the theory and practice of obtaining the ends 
of cirll society as perfectly as possible. The subjects 
which political science comprises have t>een arranged un- 
der the following heads : (1) natural law ; (2) abstract 
politics that Is, the object or end of a state, and the re- 
lations between It and Individual citizens ; (S) political 
economy ; (4) the science of police, or municipal regula- 
tion ; (5) practical politics, or the conduct of the immedi- 
ate public affairs of a state ; (6) history of politics ; (7) 
history of the political systems of foreign states ; (8) sta- 
tistics ; (9) positive law relating to state affairs, commonly 
cslled constitutional law ; (10) practical law of nations ; (11) 
diplomacy ; ( I ^) the technical science of politics, or an ac- 
quaintance with the forms and style of public business In 
different countries. 
Hence the stress which Utilitarians are apt to lay on 
social and political activity of all kinds, and the tendency 
which rtlutarlan ethics have always shewn to pass orer 
Into politic*. U. Sidgviek, Methods of Ethics, p. 469. 
Jlachlarelll . . . founded the science of politic* for the 
modern world by concentrating thought upon its funda- 
mental principles. Kncyc. Brit., XV. ISO. 
2. In a narrower and more usual sense, the art 
or vocation of guiding or influencing the policy 
of a government through the organization of a 
party among it citizens including, therefore, 
not only the ethics of government, but more 
especially, and often to the exclusion of ethical 
principles, the art of influencing public opinion, 
attracting and marshaling voters, and obtain- 
4506 
ing and distributing public patronage, so far as 
the possession of offices may depend upon the 
political opinions or political services of indi- 
viduals; hence, in an evil sense, the schemes 
and intrigues of political parties, or of cliques 
or individual politicians: as, the newspapers 
were full of politics. 
When we say that two men are talking politia, we often 
mean that they are wrangling about some mere party ques- 
tion. F. W. Robertton. 
I always hated politic* in the ordinary sense of the word, 
and 1 am not likely to grow fonder of them. 
Lowell, Blglow Papers, 2d ser., Int. 
3. Political opinions ; party connection or pref- 
erence. 
Politics, like religion, are matters of faith on which rea- 
son says as little as possible. Froude, Sketches, p. 85. 
politient, See volition. 
Politique (pol-i-tek'), . [< F.poliUque: see pol- 
itic.} In French hist., a member of a party, 
formed soon after the massacre of St. Bar- 
tholomew (1572), which aimed at the reconcili- 
ation of the Huguenots and the Catholics. 
At Court three great parties were contending for power 
in the King's name the Guises, the Reformers, and the 
PoKtique*. Quarterly Rev., CXLVI. 21. 
The middle party, the Politiquet of Europe the Eng- 
lish, that is, and the Germans sent help to Henry, by 
means of which he was able to hold his own in the north- 
west and south-west throughout 1591. 
Encyc. Brit., IX. 564. 
polititioust, a. [For "politicioim, < politic + 
-ious.] Politic: crafty. 
The polititiout Walker 
By an intreague did quail them again. 
Undaunted Londonderry (Child's Ballads, VII. 248). 
politizet (pol'i-tiz), v. [< polit-y + -i>e.] I. 
intrans. 1. To play the politician; act in a 
politic manner. 
Let us not, for feare of a scarecrow, or else through ha- 
tred to be reform'd, stand hankering and politizing when 
Cod with spread hands testifies to us. 
Miltiin. Reformation in Eiig., ii 
II. trans. To educate in politics or in polity ; 
make a politician or politicians of. [Rare.] 
IU inhabitants [the state's] must be politized, for they 
[according to Feuerbach), all of them, constitute the polls. 
/.'" , Contemporary Socialism, p. 116. 
polituret (pol'i-tur), . [= D.pulitoer, polituur 
= O. Dan. politur = Sw. polittir, polityr, < OF. 
pitlitiire = Pg. poliditra = It. politura, piiUtiirti, 
< L. politura, a polishing, < potire, polish : see 
polixhl.] Polish; the gloss given by polishing. 
The walls are brick, plaster'd orer w"' such a compos! 
I ion as for strength and politure resembles white marble. 
Evelyn, Diary, Feb. 7, 1645. 
polity (pol'i-ti), . [< F. politic, policie, etc., < 
L. politia, < Gr. iroAircia, polity, policy, the state : 
see policy 1 , the same word in anotherfonn.] 1. 
Government ; form, system, or method of gov- 
ernment: as, civil polity; ecclesiastical polity. 
To our purpose therefore the name of Church-Poftfi/ will 
better serve, because it containeth Inith government and 
also whatsoever besides belongcth to the ordering of the 
Church in public. Hooker, Eccles. Polity, III. 1. 
They alledge 1. That the Church government must l>e 
conformable to the civitl politie. 
Milton, Reformation in Eng., ii. 
2. Any body of persons forming a community 
governed according to a recognized system of 
government. 3f. Policy; art; management; 
scheme. 
It was no polity of court, 
Albe the place were charmed, 
To let In earnest, or In sport, 
So many Loves in, armed. 
B. Jonton, Masque of Beauty. 
= Syn, 1. RcejMfcyl. 
politzerize (pol'it-ser-iz), v. t.; pret. and pp. 
politzerized, ppr. politzcrizinij. [Named after 
Adam Politzer, of Vienna.] To inflate the 
Eustachiau tube and tympanum of, by blowing 
into the anterior nares while the way down the 
pharynx is closed bv the patient's swallowing 
at the instant of inflation. Also spelled polit- 
zerist. 
polivet, A Middle English form of pulley. 
polk 1 ^ r. A Middle English form of pokel. 
polk 2 , n. [Of. yio/l.] A pool. [Old and prov. 
Eng.] 
polk :i (polk), r. i. [< F. polker, dance the pol- 
ka, < polka, polka: see polka.'] To dance a 
polka. [Colloq.] 
Gwendolen says she will not waltz or polk. 
Ueorge KKot, Daniel Deronda, xL 
polka (pol'ka). . [< F. polka = G. polka, a 
uolka, so called with ref. to the half-step preva- 
lent in it. < Bohem. pulka, half; cf. Pol. /ml, 
half, Russ. iniluriini, a half.] 1. A lively round 
dance which originated in Bohemia about 1830, 
poll 
and was soon after introduced into Austria, 
France, and England, where it immediately at- 
tained a remarkable popularity. 2. Music for 
such a dance or in its rhythm, which is duple, 
and marked by a capricious accent on the sec- 
ond beat, frequently followed by a rest Polka 
mazurka, a modification of the mazurka to the move- 
ment of a polka. 
polka-dot (pol'ka-dot), n. In textile fabrics, a 
pattern of round dots or spots, especially in 
printed stuffs for women's wear. 
polka-gauze (pol'k&-gaz), n. Gauze into which 
are woven spots or dots of more solid texture. 
polka-jacket (pol'kS-jak'et), n. A knitted 
jacket worn by women. 
poll 1 (pol), . [Formerly also pole, pol; 8c. 
pow; < ME. poll, pol, head, list (AF. poll, list), 
< MD. polle, pol, also bol, the head, = Ui.polle, 
the head, top of a tree, bulb, = Sw. dial. /'//. 
the head, = Dan. puld, crown (of a hat) ; ac- 
cording to some, a variant or connection of 
6oic(i,etc.; according to Skeat.the same, by the 
occasional interchange of initial // and /., as 
Icel.toHr, top, shaven crown, =OSw. hull, kulle, 
crown of the head, Sw. kulle, crown, top, peak; 
cf. IT. coll, head, neck, = W. col, peak, top, sum- 
mit: cf. kill 1 . Hence poll 1 , r., pollard, etc.; 
in .-on i ] i. catchpoll, etc.] 1. The head, or the 
rounded back part of the head, of a person; also, 
by extension, the head of an animal. 
And preyen for the, pol bl pol. 
Pien Plowman (B), xl. 57. 
His beard was as white as snow, 
All flaien was Us poll. 
Shak., Hamlet, Iv. 5. 196. 
Have you a catalogue 
Of all the voices that we have procured 
Set down by the poll* Shak., Cor., 111. S. 9. 
You shall sometimes see a man begin the offer of a salu- 
tation, and observe a forbidding air, or escaping eye, in 
the person he is going to salute, and stop short In thepoU 
of his neck. Steele Spectator, No. 269. 
Hence 2. A person, an individual enumer- 
ated in a list. 3. An enumeration or register 
of heads or persons, as for the imposition of a 
poll-tax, or the list or roll of those who have 
voted at an election. 4. The voting or regis- 
tering of votes at an election, or the place where 
the votes are taken : in the United States used 
chiefly in the plural: as, to go to the poll; the 
jtiillx will close at four. 5. A poll-tax. 
According to the different numbers which from time to 
time shall be found in each jurisdiction upon a true and 
just account, the service of men and all charges of the 
war be home by the poll [that is, by a tax of so much per 
hcii.ll. Bint/trap, Hist. .New England, n. 128. 
When, therefore, in 1379, an immediate sum of money 
was required for "instant operations " on the continent, 
recourse was again had to a poll. 
S. Dowell, Taxes In England, III. 6. 
6. The broad end or butt of a hammer. 
Jake began pounding on it [the door) with the pott of an 
ax. K. Eyyletton, The Graysons, xxr. 
7. The chub or cheveu, Leucigcun ceplialus, 
Also called itolliinl.M the bead of the poll, in 
Great Britain, having the highest number of votes in au 
election : as, the Gladstonian candidate was at the head of 
the poll. Challenge to the polls. See challenge, . 
Hours Of Poll Act. See Election* Act, under election. 
poll 1 (pol), r. [< polfl, n. Cf. kilft, v., etvm.] 
I. trans. 1. To remove the top or head of; 
hence, to cut off the tops of; lop; clip; also, 
to cut off the hair of; also, to cut, as hair; 
shear; cut closely; mow; also, to remove the 
horns of, as cattle : as, to poll tares, hair, wool, 
or grass. 
So was It here In England till her Majesties most noble 
father, for diuers good respects, caused his owne head and 
all his Courtiers to be polled, and his tieard to be cut short. 
I'l'ii-nli'iin. Arte of Eng. Poesle, p. 239. 
Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their 
locks to grow long ; they shall only poll their heads. 
Eiek. xliv. 20. 
Kv'ry man that wore long hair 
.should poll him out of hand. 
(tueen Eleanor', fall (Child's Ballads, VII. 894). 
So inn) thy woods, oft poll'd, yet ever wear 
A green and (when she list) a golden hair. 
Donne, Letters, To Mr. J. 
P. 
since this pnUin;i and shaving world crept up, locks were 
locked up, and hair fell to decay. 
Dekker, Gull's Hornbook, p. tig. 
2. In laic, to cut even without indenting, as a 
deed executed by one party. See deed poll, un- 
der tleed. 
A deed made by one party only Is not Indented, but 
polled or shaved 1 quite even, and therefore called a deed- 
poll, or a single deed. Illackttone, Com., II. xx. 
3. To rob; plunder; despoil, as by excessive 
taxation. [In this sense associated with, and 
perhaps suggested by, the synonymous JwP.] 
