ponderous 
Pressfd with the pmdermu blow, 
Oown ainks the chip within the abyss below. 
Dryden, tr. of Ovid s Metamorph., s 
In cues doubtfall it Is dangerous 
T admltte light CnunoeUs; for, for want of weight, 
Twil make the case to be more ponderous 
The whilst such Councelll prove Aereous. 
Dana, Mlcrocotmos, p. 50, 
O, the temptation ! To make of his ponderout sorrow a 
security ! To sink, with Its leaden weight upon him, and 
never rise again ! Hawthorne, Seven Gables, xvi. 
2t. Weighty; important: momentous. 
Your more ponderoiit and settled project 
May suffer alteration. Shot., W. T., IT. 4. 5S5. 
St. Disposed to ponder; thinking; thoughtful. 
[Rare.J 
The next perplexed Question, with pious and ponderous 
men, will be What should bee done for th healing of 
these comfortless* 1 exulcerations? 
IT. Ward, Simple Cobler, p. 3. 
Ponderous spar, heavy. spar, or barytas. See barite. 
= 8yn. 1. Mattttiv, Burly, etc. See bulky. 
ponderously (pon'der-us-li), adv. In a ponder- 
ous manner; with great weight. 
ponderousness (pon'der-us-nes), . Ponder- 
ous character or quality ; ponderosity; weight. 
Such downy feathers as these will never make up the 
prtndtrmtjtnfM of a mill-stone. 
Jer. Tniilnr(f), Art If. Handsomeness, p. 126. (Latham.) 
pond-fish (pond'fish), H. One of various fishes 
found in ponds, (o) The pond-carp. (6) A pond- 
perch; a sunnsh of the genus Pomotis or Lepnmit, many 
species of which aliound in the United States. 
pondfoldt (pond'fold), . An obsolete variant 
of pinfold, 
pond-hen (pond'hen), . The American coot. 
See Fulirn. [Massachusetts.] 
pond-lily (pond'lil'i), H. 1. A plant of the 
aquatic genus Nymphxa (Xitphar); a coarse 
plant with yellow globular flowers, and large 
shining leaves floating or erect (more fully, 
yellotc poMil-tily: also yellow tcater-lily); spatter- 
dock. A". lutea Is the common European plant ; fi. ad- 
ivna, the common species of eastern North America. The 
yellow pond-lily of Oregon, etc., ie S.pilyKpala, the larg- 
est species of the genus, with flowers sometimes 5 Inches 
across, and having large nutritious seeds largely gathered 
by the Indian*. See Njfmphsea^, 1. 
2. A plant of the American species of Cnstaliii 
(\ymnlnen). the white pond-lily, more properly 
called tc/iter-lily. See Nymphseal, 2. 
pond-mullet (pond'mul'et). w. A cyprinodont 
fish. Fuiirlutn* bcrmiifltp. [Bermudas.] 
pond-mussel (ppnd'mus"!), . A fresh-water 
mussel, as a unio or an anodon. A very com- 
mon species is the swan-mussel, Anndnnta cyy- 
neiiK. See cut under Anodonta. 
pond-perch (pond'perch), H. A sunnsh; any 
fish of the genus Pomotis or Lepomis. 
pond-pickerel (pond'pik"e-rel), . See pirk- 
f rfl. 
pond-pine (pond'pin), . See /tine*. 
pond-scum (pond skum), . Any free-floating 
fresh-water alga that forms a scum on water: 
specifically, one of the order Zyg>ie>nrea: 
pond-shrimp (pond'shrimp), . A phyllopod 
crustacean of the family Braneliipotlidfp. See 
cut under ftiiry-xlirimv. 
pond-snail (pond'snal), w. A gastropod of the 
family Linmtridx, and especially of the genus 
Limnira. as /,. stagnate. These have spiral turreted 
shells. Members of A /trittn. and related genera are simi- 
lar pond-snails. Those whose shells are a flat or discoid 
spiral belong to Planorbit and related genera. The left 
handed or sinistral pond-snails are of a different family, 
Phyridir. Members of a third family, Paludinidje, are 
also called pond-mail*. See the technical names, and ruts 
under Limruea, Limrueidir, Paludina, Phytn, and Planar 
W*. Also called mud-mail. 
pond-spice (pond'spis), n. A shrub, L\tfu ( T< - 
tranthera) gcniculata, 
of pine-barren ponds 
from Virginia to 
Florida. H has small yel- 
low flowers in clustered 
umbels appearing before 
the coriaceous leaves, glo- 
bose red drupes, and re- 
markably zigzag branches. 
pond-turtle (pond'- 
ter'tl), n. A common 
name in the United 
States of the Emydi- 
dtr. most of which are 
also called terrapins, 
and some of them mttd- 
turtles. 
pondweed(pond'wed), 
n. An aquatic herb 
of the genus 1'otamo- 
geton, found in nume- 
rous species in both 
hemispheres. P.n^tnn, 
Fruit-bearing 
Plant of Fowl. 
" """<* " 
4616 
Is a species found floating or wholly immersed in ponds 
and ditches In most parts of the world. Cape pond- 
weed, a desirable aquarium plant from the Cape of Good 
Hope, Aponrxjtton dutachyon of the Kaiadacf.fr. It puts 
forth fragrant flowers with pure-white bracts In the midst 
of bright-green floating leaves. Compare Ouvirandra. 
Choke-pond weed, a fresh- water plant, Elndta (Ana- 
charts) Canadeturig {A. Alxiivutrum\ introduced into Eu- 
rope from North America, and In both continents so 
thriving as often to obstruct canal navigation. [Eng.l- 
Horned pondweed, a slender submerged plant, Zan- 
nicheUia paliuttrijt, widely distributed over the world : so 
called from the beaked nutleta of the fruit. Tassel 
pondweed. Same as ditch-gram. 
pone 1 (pon), n. [Formerly sAaopannf ; < Amer. 
Ind. oppone (see first quot.).] 1. Cornbread; 
in the southwestern United States, any bread 
made of Indian corn, especially coarse kinds 
used by the negroes and poorer whites, com- 
monly called corn-pone; also, finer bread, made 
with milk and eggs, in flat cakes about an inch 
thick, very light and delicate. Seejohnny-cfike, 
Iioe-cake. ' 
The bread in gentlemen's houses Is generally made of 
wheat, but some rather choose the pone, which is the bread 
made of Indian meal, . . . not so called from the Latin 
p.mis, but from the Indian name oppone. 
Severity, Virginia, iv. 1| 72. 
2. A loaf or cake of such bread. 
Holding A pone of com bread In one hand, the half of n 
roasted chicken in the other. 
W. Baker, New Timothy, p. 74. 
[Southern United States in both uses.] 
pone 2 (po'ne), . [< L. pone, impv. of pnnerr, 
place: see ponenl.] In old Kng. law: (a) A 
writ whereby an action depending in an in- 
ferior court might be removed into the Court 
of Common Pleas. (6) A writ whereby the 
sheriff was commanded to take security of a 
person for his appearance upon an assigned 
day. 
pone'* (po'ne), H. [< L. pone, impv. of ponere, 
place: nee ponent. < 'f. pone-.] In the game of 
vingt-et-un, the player to the left of the dealer; 
the eldest hand. 
ponent (pp'nent), n. [< OF. nnnent (Sp. pnni- 
entf = Pg. It. poneiite. < ML. poneti(t-)s, the 
west, the place of the setting sun, < L. 7)0- 
nen(t-)x, ppr. of ponere, set, put, lay down, in- 
trans. poet, fall, abate (of winds); prob. contr. 
of "ponnfre, *jtoitinere, let down, < po-, forward, 
down, + finere, let: see sitt.\ 1. Western. 
[Rare.] 
Forth rush the Levant and the Pnntnt winds, 
Eurus and Zephyr. IHillnn, P. L., x. 704. 
2. [</>.] A division of the Paleozoic strata in 
Pennsylvania, according to the nomenclature 
suggested by H. P. Rogers: it corresponds to 
theCatskill group of the New York survey, form- 
ing one of the divisions of the T'pper Devonian. 
ponente (po-nen'te), w. [It.: see ponrnt.] In 
Italy, the west ; the region in the west: as, the 
Riviera di Poncntr ; hence, the west wind. 
Ponera (po-ue'rii), n. [NL. (Latreille, 1804), 
< Or. n-nn/pof, bad, useless, < Tomr, be in dis- 
tress.] An important genus of ants, typical of 
the family Poneridir, distributed throughout 
the tropics. P. femyinra Is a Mexican species. The 
females and workers are armed with spines; the abdo- 
men Is elongated, with Its first segment comparatively 
large and often cubical. 
Poneridse (po-ner'i-de), w. pi. [NL., < Pnnfra 
+ -idsp.~\ One of the five families into which 
the true ants or Heteror/i/na are now divided. 
They have the abdominal petiole single-jointed, the abdo- 
men proper constricted between the first and second seg- 
nil-lit*, and the mandibles Inserted close together. Four 
genera are represented In the United States. 
ponerology (pon-^-rol'6-ji), n. [< Or. wi/pAr,, 
bad, -f- -/-o;/o, < //jtd', speak: see -ology.'] In 
theol., the doctrine of wickedness. 
Pongamia (pon-ga'mi-a), w. [NL. (Venteiiat, 
1803), < E. Ind. ponoam.] A genus of legumi- 
nous trees of the tribe Datbergieee and subtribe 
iMnchocarpefr, characterized by its short, thick, 
smooth, compressed, and wingless pod, by the 
union of the ten stamens above into a tube, and 
by the partial adherence of the wing-petals to 
the keel. The only species, P. glabra, Is a native of the 
tropics from India and China to Australia and the Fiji 
Islands. H bears smooth pinnate leaves, and white or 
yellow flowers In racemes, ornamental in cultivation under 
glass The seeds yield knrung- or poonga-oU. 
pongee (pon-je'), H. [Said to be a corruption 
of Chinese )>un-ki, 'own loom,' or of pun-cliili. 
'own weaving' (as if 'home-made'); but all 
silks woven in China are stamped with one or 
other of these phrases, along with the name of 
the house selling them. According to another 
suggestion, a corruption of Chinese pun-shih. 
'native (or wild) silk.'] A soft, unbleached 
washing silk resembling the tasar silk of In- 
dia, woven in China, chiefly in the province of 
Pontederia 
Shantung, from cocoons of a wild silkworm ( At- 
tacns pernyi) which feeds on a scrub-oak. The 
finer kinds, bleached, dyed, or figured after 
importation, are known in the trade as Cliinn 
silkt. 
pongO (pong'go), n. [= F. pongo (NL. Pnngo) ; 
from a native name in Borneo.] 1. A large 
anthropoid ape of Borneo, fiimia (or Pitliecus) 
wurmbi, not known to be distinct from the 
ordinary orang-utan, Nimitt satyrux. 2. [ofljp.] 
[NL.] A genus of apes, including the gorilla 
(P. gorilla) and the chimpanzee ( P . troglodytes). 
Ijicitnede. [Little used.] 
poniard (pon'yard), . [An altered form of 
earlier potniurd, poinard (also corruptly poina- 
do, poinadoe) = MD. poniaerd, D. ponjaard, < F. 
poignard, a poniard, < poing, fist, < L. pugnux, 
fist : see pugnaeiottf. Cf . Sp. punal = Pg. /<//' 
= H.pugnale, a poniard, of the same ult. origin.] 
Poniant, entirety of steel. I7th century. 
A stabbing- weapon ; a dagger: applied to any 
snch weapon, without reference to shape or 
make. 
Those bloody brothers, Hastings and the rest, 
Sheath'd their sharp poniards in his manly breast. 
Drayton, Miseries of Queen Margaret. 
poniard (pon'yard), r. /. [= F. poianarder ; 
from the noun.] To stab with or as with a 
poniard. 
But may he It i- your ladyship's pleasure that this young 
esquire shall poniard the nervants, as well as switch anrt 
baton them. Scott, Abbot, Iv. 
ponibilityt (po-ni-biri-tj), [< Ij- ponfre, 
place (see ponent), + -Utility.] The capability 
of being placed. Rnrrntt. [Kare.] 
pons (ponz), i. ; pi. pout (pon'te>,). [L. (> It. 
jionte = Sp. pneiitf = I'K- ponte = F. /Mint = W. 
l>o>it), a bridge: see path.] In aunt., a part 
which connects two parts, as if bridging the 
interval between them. Except in phrases, it desig- 
nates the ventral part of the epencephalon, of which 
the cerebellum constitutes the remaining dorsal part 
The ventral part of the pons ia formed by the heavy 
masses of transverse fibers coming from the middle pedun- 
cles of the cerebellum. Also called ptmn Varnlii andpmi* 
rtrebetti. Brachlum pontis. See brachinm. - - Pons 
asinorum. IL., 'bridge of assea,' F. pnnl ar anet, 
'bridge for asses.' The Latin expression was applied 
early in the sixteenth century to a diagram showing 
hmv to find middle terms to arguments, and "common- 
Iv called the potut axitwrwit on account of its apparent 
difficulty " ; OF. pout aux a*nf* dr Infricqttf (Rabelais), "the 
conversion of propositions" (Cotgrave); hence, "c'cft If. 
pont atijr axnfs (applicable when such as are ignorant of 
the tmc reason or cause of things impute them to witch- 
craft, fortune, etc.X shift, evasion, help at a pinch, for a 
dunce " (Cotgrave), In mod. use equiv. to "everybody 
knows that," "it is a trite thing." The original allusion 
seems to have been to the difficulty of getting asses to 
cross a bridge ; hence, to the difficulty of getting students 
to apprehend what is in fact simple enough If attempted. 1 
A name given to the fifth proposition of the first book of Eu- 
clid, which sets forth that, it a triangle has two of its sides 
equal, the angles opposite to these sides are also equal. 
This proposition affords a difficulty to the learner, because 
It is the first one involving any mathematical puzzle. The 
name is also carelessly given to the Pythagorean propo- 
sition (Euc. I. 47). Pons hepatis, a prolongation, of- 
ten present, of the substance of the left lobe of the liver, 
uniting It with the square lobe across the umbilical fis- 
sure. Pons Tarini, the posterior perforated space at the 
base of the brain; a depressed gray tract between the di- 
verging crura cerehrl and behind the corpora alblcantla. 
Pons Varolil, or pons cerebelll. See def. 
Pontacq (pon'tak), . [From Pmitaetj, in the 
Basses-Pyrenees, France, where it is made.] A 
white wine from southern France, similar to 
Barsac in flavor. 
pontage (pon'taj), . [< W.pontayc = Sp./Mi- 
taje,pontii:yo = It. poiitnflgio, < ML. jioHtiitirum 
(also, after OF., pontagii(ni), bridge-toll, < L. 
pon(1-)x, , bridge: see 7*011*.] A ton or tax for 
the privilege of using a bridge, or a tax for the 
maintenance and repair of bridges. 
The citizens of Hereford fined. In the second year of 
Henry III., in a hundred marks and two palfreys, . . . 
that they might be quit throughout England of toll and 
lustage. of passage, pwHage. and stallage, and of leve, and 
danegeld, and gaywite, and all other customs and exac- 
tions. S. DovrU, Taxes In England, L . 
pontal (pon'tiil). <i. [< L. ;w(f-)*, a bridge. 
+ -nl.] Same as pantile. 
Pontederia (pon-te-de'ri-tt), H. [NL. (Linnii'H-. 
17:17). ii:iinr,l HftcHiiiilio7'Mr<v/mf. 1688-1757. 
professor of botnny ;it I'adna, author of acom- 
pend of botany, etc.] A genus of monocotylo- 
donous aquatic plants, type of the order Ponte- 
deriacfte, characterized 'by the funnel-shaped 
and two-lipped corolla, six stamens, versatile 
