poorhead 
poorheadt, w. [ME. pmierrlierte ; <poor + -hfail.] 
I'ovcrty. 
Tliezothemildelouethpoiierte . . . vor the guodes thet 
byeth In guode pouereheae. 
Ayenoite ./ Iniril (K. K. T. 8.), p. 138. 
poorhouse (poVhous), . An establishment 
in which persons receiving public charity are 
lodged and cared for; an almshouse. 
poor- Johnt (ptfr'jou). n. The hake when salted 
anil dried. 
In well thou art not ttsh ; if thou lutdst, thou hadst 
been poor John. Shall., R. and J., I. 1. 37. 
And then. If you scape with life, and take a faggot-boat 
and a bottle of usquebaugh, come home, poor man, like a 
type of Thames-street, stinking of pitch and poor^John. 
Beau, and Fl., Scornful Lady, II. 3. 
Poor John was halk when salted and dried. It was 
always beaten before it was cooked. 
Shirley, Maid's Revenge, ill. 2, note. 
poor-lights (por'lits), M. pi. Eccles., lights or 
candles provided for the burial ceremonies of 
the poor. Rock, Church of our Fathers, ii. 472, 
note. 
poorliness (por'li-nes), . The state of being 
poorly; ill health. Mrs. Gore. 
poorly (pSr'li), a. [< poor + -fy 1 .] Somewhat 
ill; indisposed; not in health; unwell. [Col- 
loq.] 
Sympathetic inquiries about the state of her health 
which was always "only tol'able," or " rather poorly " 
The Atlantic, XVIII. 84. 
poorly ( por'li ), adv. [< ME. pottrelictie ; < poor 
+ -/.'/'-'.] In a poor manner or condition, (a) 
In indigence or want of the conveniences and comforts of 
life: as, to live poorly. 
For pmireliche yfostred up was she. 
Chaucer, Clerk's Tale, 1. 157. 
(6) With little or no success ; Insufficiently defectively 
as, poorly constructed ; poorly adapted to the purpose. 
You meaner beauties of the night, 
'thai poorly satisfle our eies. 
Sir H. Wotton, On his Mistress, the Queen of Bohemia, 
(e) Humbly ; without spirit ; ignobly. 
The duke of Juliers, his cosyn, of his owne free wyll was 
come to see hyui, and to put himselfe poorely without any 
resi-ruacyon vnto his obeysaunce and commaundement 
Berners, tr. of Kroissart's Chron., II. xciii. 
Dare you do ill. andpoi/rly then shrink under it? 
Were I the Duke Medina, 1 would tight now. 
Fletcher, Rule a Wife, v. S. 
poor-man-of-mutton (poVman-ov-mut'n), w. 
Cold mutton broiled; especially, the remains 
of a shoulder of mutton broiled. [Scotch.] 
poormaster (por'mas'tfrr), H. A parish or 
county officer who superintends the relief and 
maintenance of paupers, or such other persons 
as are dependent on public aid or support. 
The Agent of the Culled States to the Sioux Indians 
was to act as H sort of national pmr-mnnlrr and deal out 
tlons. Amrr. Mi**.. XXXIX. s. 
poorness (por'nes), H. The state, condition, or 
quality of being poor, in any of the senses of 
the word: poverty: meanness. 
When I mock poornem, then heaven make me poor. 
B. Joiumt, Case Is Altered, lii. 1. 
Landalf, . . . for the poorneM thereof, lay Blshopless for 
three years after the death of Bishop Kltchin. 
Fuller, Worthies, Wales, III. 4ft:,. 
There Is over and above a peculiar pmrnrtt and vlleness 
In this action. South. Sermons, IX. v. 
Ovid and Lncan have many roomette* of Expression 
upon this account. Addimn, Spectator, No. 28',. 
poor-rate (por'rat), w. An assessment or t*x 
imposed by law for the relief or support of the 
poor. 
poor-spirited (por'spir'i-ted). n. Of a poor or 
tame spirit ; cowardly. 
Mr. Tulllver would never have askwl anything from so 
poor*piriled a fellow for himself. 
George KIM, Mill on the Floss, III. 1. 
poor-spiritedness (por'spir'i-ted-nes), . 
Tameness or luisi-m-ss of spirit; cowardice. 
That meanness and ponrtpiritrdneu that accompanies 
South, Sermons, 
poortlth (pflr'tith), w. [A var. of imrrrtu.} 
I'ovcrly. | Scotch. | 
poor-Will (por'wil), H. [Imitative; cf. irhip- 
/HHiririll.] A bird of the genus I'liiiliriiiiiitiliis. 
M /'. iiiiiinl/i so called from its characteristic 
dissyllabic note. SultaH'spoor-will Is a common bird 
in most parts of the western United states where it 
mainly replaces the whlp|>oi will. See Phalmoptilut. 
At iilKlitr.il tin- poor-irilU begin to utter their fouling 
.-all from the wooded ravlni- hark in the hills : not " whip- 
poorwlll," as In the East, lint w Ith two syllables only 
T. Jtua*ei>elt, The Century, XX XV. on. 
Poospiza ( p"-.-spi'/.ii), [NL. (Cabauis, 1847), 
( <<r. TWI, grass, + nxi^t, a finch.] A genus of 
South Aini-riciiii friugilline birds. The fulled 
States black chinned and Bell'n buntings, long called re- 
Ivel) / /'/,,/ 1U ,,I /.. aelli. are now placed in the 
genii, Ainphinpaa. See cut under *i<je-tparrwc 
4620 
poostet, a. A variant of jtotutt. 
pop 1 (pop), '. : pret. and pp. popped, ppr. IIOH- 
I'nig. [Imitative; cf. Or. ironiri'Zeiv, pop, smack. 
whistle or chirp with the lips compressed ; cf. 
also jt>oo;>2.] intrant. 1. To make a quick 
sudden explosive report. 
Neeslng and popping or smacking with the nn.ni In- 
Touchstone oj Complexion*, p. 124. (Bncyc. Did.) 
They convinced htm that any of his men could . . pop 
away at him with a gun. The Century, XL. -O. 
2. To appear or issue forth with a quick sudden 
motion; come suddenly into view; also, to dis- 
appear suddenly. 
He that hath . . . 
Popp'd in between the election and my hope*. 
Shalt., Hamlet, v. 2. 65. 
I startled at his popping upon me unexpectedly. 
Adduon. 
So, diving in a bottomless sea, they [the Roman Church] 
pap sometimes above water to take breath. 
Donne, Sermons, iv. 
Others have a trick of popping up and down every mo- 
ment from their paper to the audience like an idle school- 
boy- 5Vl. 
When company cornea, you are not to pop out and stare 
and then run in again, like frightened rabbit* in a warren. 
(Joldmiith, She Stoops to Conquer, II. 
3. To propose marriagePopping widgeon, one 
of various ducks which dive with celerity a diving d\ick 
or ducker; a merganser. [Local. Eng.] To pop off to 
disappear or depart suddenly ; die. 
The Glneral he was thick-set and short-necked, and 
drank pretty free, and was one o' the sort that might pop 
o/any time. H. B. Stowe, Uldtown, p. 37. 
U. trans. 1. To cause to make a sudden ex- 
plosive report. 
And all round the glad church lie old bottles 
With gunpowder stopped, 
Which will lie, when the Image re-enters, 
Religiously popped. 
Bromiiny, Englishman in Italy. 
2. To thrust forward, or offer suddenly or 
abruptly; put or thrust suddenly: with i, 
illtO, Ollt, Ol- IIJIOII. 
My daughtei Nell shallpopsjiosseti'ponthee, when thou 
Koest to bed. 
Heyicood, 1 Edw. IV. (Works, ed. Pearson, 1874, I. 47). 
These our Prelates, who are the true Successors of those 
that ;*>pf them iiitu the other world. 
Hilton, On Def. of Humb. Renionst. 
Eat your porridge now, little ones. Charlotte, pop a bit 
of butter in Carrick's porridge. Thackeray, Philip, xvi. 
While some of the small try popped out theii heads to 
have a look. W. Klaclt, House-boat, viii. 
3. To thrust aside or put off abruptly or unex- 
pectedly. 
That Is m> hri.tlu-i ' plea and none of mine ; 
The which if he con prove, a 1 pop* me out 
At least from fair tlvt: hundred ]>ound a yeiir. 
filialr., K. John. i. 1. 88. 
And do you pi,,, me on with this slight answer? 
h'letclm- (nurf anolhcr\ Noble (ientleman, i. 1. 
4. To put suddenly: us, to /xi/i the question. 
See phrase below. 
I'lagued with hisdoiihtsandyoiir own diffidences: afraid 
he would now, and now, and now.jxipout the question 
which he had not the courage to put. 
Itieharntnn, (irandlson, vi. 10.1. 
5. To pawn, or pledge with a pawnbroker. 
[Slang. J_ To pop com, to parch or roast a particular 
variety of maize until it pops or burst* open. (U 31 
To pop the question, to propose unexpectedly the Im- 
portant i|iistion (or Ita equivalent) "will you marry me '" 
hence, without implication of unexpectedness, to make 1111 
oner of marriage. [Colloq. ] 
Crowing faint at this sudden proposal I., wed. 
As though his abruptness, in poppiny the question 
So soon after dinner, disturbed her digestion. 
fiarham, Ingoldsby Legends, II. ,1. 
pop 1 (pop), H. [< p,,pl, ,-.] 1. A smart explo- 
sive sound or small report like that made in 
drawing 11 cork from a bottle. 
I cannot bear people to keep their minds bottled up for 
the sake of letting them off with a pop. 
(Jenrye KIM, Daniel Deronda, xxxlx. 
2. An effervescent leverage: so called from 
the sound made by the expulsion of the cork: 
popedom 
There were three or four bidders. I cannot tell whether 
But they never could come two upon me together ; 
For as soon as one spoke, then immediately pop 
I advanc'd something more, fear the hammer should drop 
Byroiu, To Henry Wright, Esq! 
pop'-t (pop), r. t. [< ME. poppen, strike; ori- 
gin obscure.] 1. To strike. Catli. .lay., p. -.SO 
2. To smear (the face) with white lead or 
other cosmetics; powder (the face). 
Fetys she was and smale to se, 
No wyntred browes hedde she 
Ne popped hlr, for It nedede noughte 
To wyndre hlr, or to peynte hir ought. 
Rom. of the ROM. I. 1019. 
The aungelle ansuered, for w haunt- she was on luye she 
plucked, popped and peinted her visage forto plese the 
sighte of the worlde. . . . Alas whl take women none hede 
of the gret loue that God hathe yeue hem to make hem 
after hys figure ? and whl popithe they, and paintithe and 
pluckethe her visage otherwise than Ood hathe ordeined < 
Book oJUu Knight o/ La Tour Landry, p. 68. 
P0p'^t(pop),7i. [M'E.poppe;<poi>*,v.'] A stroke. 
Cath. Ang., p. 286. 
pop 3 (pop), n. [Origin obscure.] The red- 
winged thrush, TttntHS iliactts. C. Stcainson. 
[Local, Eng.] 
pop 4 (pop), w. A contraction of popular: as, the 
Monday pops (popular concerts). [Low.] 
pop-corn (pop'k&rn'), . 1. One of several va- 
rieties of Indian corn suitable for "popping." 
They have small ears and kernels, the latter white yel- 
low, or red, sharp-pointed or not. Pop-corn abounds in 
oil. the expansion of which under heat causes an explo- 
sion, in which the contents of the kernel become putted 
out, nearly hiding the seed-coat, and assuming a pure- 
white color. 
2. Corn thus prepared ; popped corn, 
pop-dock (pop'dok), . The foxglove, Digital 
purpttrea : so called from its large coarse leaves, 
and the use made of the corolla by children 
after inflating it. Also pojM/lore, pops, poppi/. 
[Prov. Eng.] 
pope 1 (pop), H. [< ME. pope, jxipe, < AS. pupa. 
pope, = L). pa<tp, priest, pope, pope, pope (of the 
(ireek Church), = Icel.jwpi, a pope, priest, = 
Sw.jwyVe = Dtai.pave, pope, also with terminal 
-.< (perhaps due to the OF. nom. i>(ipes), OFries. 
l>arcs.pacis,pdus = D.paits =O~LQ.parog, MLG. 
ixms,patres, later patcest,puinrst, pope,=OHG! 
bObes, MHO. babes, babcxt, biibst, Q.papgt, priest, 
pope, = OF. papc, also in nota.papes, F. pupe = 
Sp. Pg. It. pupa, pope,< LL. j>nn, a bishop, ML. 
nope: see papa*.] 1. The Bishop of Rome as 
head of the Roman Catholic Church and hie- 
rarchy. The title popr (Latin papa or papat, Oreek 
i-axiic, ,a,,a<\ literally 'papa' or 'father,' was given In 
the early church, both In the East and West, to bishops 
in general, and has from the middle of the third century 
to the present day been an especial title of the patriarch 
of Alexandria. In the Western Church it began to be re- 
stricted to the Bishop of Korae in the sixth century and 
in 1073 the assumption of the title by any other bishop 
was formally forbidden. In the Eastern Church the same 
word (with a different accentuation, ai s ) became a fa- 
miliar title of ordinary priests, and Is commonly so used 
at the present day. According to Roman Catholic teach, 
ing, the Pope is not only bishop, metropolitan, and patri- 
arch, but, as incumbent of the Roman see, is successor of 
St. Peter, and as such vicar of Christ and visible head of 
the whole church, nd supreme pastor and teacher of all 
Christians. From his decision there Is no appeal; and 
when he speaks ex cathedra that is, in discharge of his 
office and by virtue of his supreme apostolic authority 
his teaching regarding faith and morals is to be accepted 
as infallible. fSMfn/aUfMOv,!.) Even in very early times 
the Bishop of Rome addressed other churches In a tone of 
authority. The first great asserter of the privileges of the 
Koman see was Leo 1. (440-461): and the medieval papacy 
reached Its climax of spiritual and temporal power under 
M-egory VII. (107S-8B). 
2. The patriarch of Alexandria. 3. A priest 
in the Greek or Russian Church. 4. The head 
With lobsters anil whitebait, and other swatcmeat*, 
And wine, anil naRiis. ami imperial pup. 
Barham, Ingoldsby l.egendts I. 277. 
Homemade pup that will not foam 
And home-made dishes that drive one from home 
Hood. Miss Kilmaiuegg, Her Misery. 
3. A pistol. [Slang or thieves' cant.] 
A pair of popt, silver-mounted. ... I look them loaded 
from thu captain. Smollett, Roderick Random, viii. 
pop 1 (pop), ,nlr. [All elliptical use of ;</,!. ,. 
and w.] Suddenly; abruptly; with iim-xpe.-!.-.! 
entrance or exit. 
Iiit<. that hush 
Pof goes his pate, and all hii face Is mini. .1 ,,v.-i 
flrtcl.fr, lIlKrim. ill. -i 
of any church or ecclesiastical system. 
And In that Vie dwellethc the Pope of hire I-awe that 
they clepcn Lobassy. Manttrrilie. Travels, p. 308. 
Adoration of the Pope. ^eadnrati,,n. Pope's crown 
In her., same as tiara. Pope's size, size so named as a 
trade-term. See the quotation. 
A year or two ago I bought merino vest. On the bill 
I noticed P. S. after it, and by enquiry 1 elicited that P. 8 
stood for pujie i>, and that j*,pe 'na meant short and 
stollt - A. nnrf (/., 7th ser., VII. 226. 
pope- (pop), H. [Of variotis uncertain origin; 
cf. pupr". K. dial, nncopctor niinrp, etc.] 1. The 
blacktail, a fish: same as rujp. [Local. Eng.] 
2. The bullfinch. l'iinliiila"r,<l,jarix. [Dorset- 
shire, Eng.] 3. The' red-backed shrike. 
DOflnrto. | Hants. Kng.] 4. The imftin. 
fulii in-i-ficii. Minil/niii. [Local, Eng.] ft. Tin- 
painted finch, or nonpareil. Si nt under I'us- 
xi'i-iim. [ Louisiana. | 
popedom (pop'dnni). . [< MK. i><,j>ti,iii. < 
AS. /,,l/,ll,,lll ( \}. fHlllxllulll = MM!. !!,< Xlllllll 
= MHO. I'dhcslllnni. (',. /,<ll>xttlllllll = SW. IMll'l'f- 
iliiiin = Dan. iinnil, ,1,11111 i. </(//. pope. + ,'1,1,11. 
jurisdiction: see -,!,,,. | The offlee or dignity of 
