Pritchardia 
corolla-lobes and three-angled or three-lobed ovary, atteu- 
uated into a robust style. There are 3 or 4 species, natives 
of the Friendly and the Hawaiian Islands. They are mod- 
erate-sized or low palms, the trunk clad above witli the; 
sheathing liases of the leaves, and ringed below with their 
annular scars. They bear large terminal rounded or fan- 
shaped leaves, often whitened below with a mealy dust, 
cut into shallow and slender two-lobed segments, bearing 
projecting fibers on their margins. Their flowers are 
rather large, with a bell-shaped three-toothed calyx, and 
a tubular corolla l>earlng three thick, rigid, ovate lobee. 
The flowers are scattered on the stiff ascending branch- 
lets of a long -stalked spadix, inclosed in a large, thick, and 
coriaceous spathe, which is tubular below and dusted 
over with silvery particles. In the Hawaiian Islands the 
leaves of P. (jaudichaudii afford fans and hats, and its 
fruit-kernels, called haieane, are eaten unripe. The leaves 
of P. Paciflca in the Fljis are four feet long by three wHde, 
and make fans and umbrellas, their use being confined to 
the chiefs. Some authors have proposed to unite with 
this genus the American palm \\'<i.f t ., f: ,i. ,,,;,,. 
pritchel (prich'el), n. [An assibilated form of 
prickle. Cf. witch.] 1. In farriery, a punch 
employed for making or enlarging the nail- 
holes in a horseshoe, or for temporary insertion 
into a nail-hole to form a means of handling 
the shoe. E. H. Knight. 2. An iron share 
fixed to a thick staff, used for making holes in 
the ground. UaUiicell. [1'rov. Eng.] 
prithee (priTil'e). [Formerly also pri/thee. 
pree-thee; a weakened form of (/) pray tltec.] 
A corruption of pray tlicc ; I pray thee. 
My soules deer Soule, take in good part (I pree-thee) 
This pretty Present that I gladly glue thee. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartus's Weeks, ii., The Handy-Crafts. 
I prithee let me go ; 
I shall do best without thee ; I am well. 
li' a a. and Ft., Philastcr, iv. 3. 
I'rithee, be forgiven, and I prither forgive me too. 
Fletcher, Pilgrim, v. . 
My Love, my Life, said I, explain 
This Change of Humour ; pnj'thee tell ; 
That falling Tear what docs it mean? 
Prior, The Garland, t. (I. 
prittlet (prit'l), <. /. [A weakened form of 
prattle, as in pritllc-prattle.] To chatter. 
Awe man, yon prittle and prattle nothing but Icaiings 
and untruths. 
Heywood, Royal King (Works, ed. Pearson, 1874, VI. 0). 
prittle-prattle (prit'l-prat'l), w. [A varied 
reduplication of prattle.] Empty or idle talk; 
trifling loquacity. [Colloq.] 
Cia>\froyiM fit.), gtbrish, pedlars frcnch, roguish lan- 
guage, fustian toong, prittle prattle. Fltirio. 
It is plain prittle-prattle, and ought to be valued no more 
than the shadow of an ass. 
Abp. Bramhall, Church of Eng. Defended (1859), p. 46. 
[(Latham.) 
prins (pri'ns), n. [< Li. priuit, ueut. of prior, 
being before, prior: see prior.] That which 
necessarily goes before; a precondition. 
prlv. An abbreviation of privative. 
Priva (pri'va), >i. [NL. (Adanson, 1763); ori- 
gin unknown.] A genus of erect herbs of the 
order Vcrbenaee/r and tribe }'erl>enrte. It Is char- 
acterized by afrultof two nutlets, each two-celled and two- 
seeded, a long spike with small bracts and interrupted at 
the base, and an enlarged fruiting-calyx tightly Includ- 
ing the fruit within its closed apex. The 9 species are na- 
tives of warm regions of both hemispheres. They bear 
opposite toothed leaves, slender spikes terminal or long- 
stalked in the axils, and small and somewhat two-lipped 
flowers which have nve lobes and four short didynamous 
stamens. P. echinata of Brazil, the West Indies, south- 
ern Florida, etc., is called styptic- or velvet-bur, its fruiting- 
calyx being bristly with small hooked hairs. P. Isevit of 
Chili and the Argentine Republic yields small edible 
tubers. 
privacy (pri' va-si or priv'a-si), M. ; pi. privacies 
(-siz). [<.prir<t(te) + -cy.]' 1 . A state of being 
private, or in retirement from the company or 
from the knowledge or observation of others; 
seclusion. 
In the closet, where privacy and silence befriend our 
Inquiries. Bp. AUerbmy, Sermons, I. x. 
The housemates sit 
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed 
In a tumultuous privacy of storm. 
Emerson, The Snow-storm. 
2. A place of seclusion from company or ob- 
servation; retreat; solitude; retirement. 
Her sacred privacies all open lie. Rom. 
3f. Joint knowledge ; privity. See privity. 
Ton see Frog is religiously true to his bargain, scorns 
to hearken to any composition without your privacy. 
Artmthnot, Hist. John Bull. 
4f. Taciturnity. Ainsicortli.6. Secrecy; con- 
cealment of what is said or done. 
Of this my privacy 
I have strong reasons. 
HlniL, T. andC., Hi S. 190. 
There was no affectation of priracv in what they (Christ 
and his apostles] said or did: their doctrinal wen preach- 
ed, and their miracles wrought, in broad day-light, and In 
the face of the world ! Bp. Atterbtiry, Sermons, II. i. 
6. A private or personal matter, circumstance, 
or relation. 
4737 
What concernes it us to hear a Husband divulge his 
Household priniciei. extolling to others the vertues of his 
Wife? .Mill; n, Eikonoklastea, vil. 
In all my Acquaintance and utmost Privacies with her. 
Hteele, Conscious Lovers, i. i. 
privadot (pri-va'do) ; M. [Sp., = E. jmvate: see 
pricate.] 1. A private or intimate friend; a 
court favorite. 
The modern languages give unto such persons the name 
of favourites, or privadaet. Bacon, Friendship (ed. 1887). 
The Duke of Lerma was the greatest Prieado, the great- 
est Favourite, that ever was In Spain since Don Alvaro 
de Luna. /;.,//,. Letters, I. III. 11. 
Lot. May I desire one favour? 
Y. Book. What can I deny thee, my privaduf 
fUtxIe, Lying Lover, It. 1. 
2. A private soldier or inferior (non-commis- 
sioned) officer. 
I /mi/, privadoet, who are Corporals' Lieutenants. 
HaiUtu in British Army (Arber's Eng. Oarner, I. 483). 
privant (pri'vant), a. [< L. priraii( t-)s, ppr. of 
prirare, deprive : see prirate .] Noting priva- 
tive opposites. 8ee priratire. 
privat-docent (pre-vat'do-tsenf), w. [G., < L. 
print tv*, private, + rfomi (?-),<, ppr. of ilorere, 
teach: see private and docent.] In the univer- 
sities of Germany and some other countries of 
Europe, a teacher of the third rank: unlike 
professors, he has no part in the government of 
the university, and receives no compensation 
from the university, but is remunerated by fees. 
private (pri' vat), . and . [= F. prirt = Sp. 
Pg. prirtttlo = It. print t = D. privant = G. Sw. 
Dan. prirat, private, < L. priratun, apart from 
what is public, pertaining to an individual, pri- 
vate, pp. of prirare, separate, deprive, release, 
< prints, single, every, one's own, private, prob. 
for orig. "praivun, < prai, older form of prie, be- 
fore : see are-. Cf. priry. Hence also ult. de- 
prive.] I. a. 1. Peculiar to, belonging to, or 
concerning an individual only ; respecting par- 
ticular individuals; personal. 
Why should the private pleasure of some one 
Become the public plague of many moe? 
Shak., Lucrece, 1. 1478. 
When was public virtue to be found. 
Where private was not? Coicper, Task, v. 603. 
That he [Buckingham] should think more about those 
who were hound to him by prirate tics than about the 
public interest . . . was perfectly natural. 
Macanlaij, Lord Bacon. 
This |the peace policy] is not to be carried by public 
opinion, but by prtmte opinion, by prirate conviction, by 
private, dear, and earnest love. Kmenun, War. 
The expression . . . sounded more harshly as pronounced 
In a public lecture than as read In a private letter. 
O. W. llvlmet, Emerson, v. 
2. Kept or removed from public view; not 
known ; not open ; not accessible to people in 
general ; secret. 
O unfelt sore ! crest-wounding, private 
Shak., Lu 
The poor slave that lies imvate has his liberty 
scar! 
crece, 1. 828. 
i: 
The poor slave that lies tmtatf has bis liberty 
As amply as his master in that tomb. 
Fletcher, Wife for a Month, II. 2. 
Reason . . . then retires 
Into her inrirate cell, when nature rests. 
Milton, P. L., v. 109. 
The Rals gave the captain of the port a printf hint to 
take care what they did, for they might lose their lives. 
Bruce, Source of the Mlc, I. 24!l. 
3. Not holding public office or employment; 
not having a public or official character: as, a 
prirate citizen; private life; prirate schools. 
"Prayers made for the use of the 'Idiotn' or pricate 
persons," as the word is, contradistinguished from the rul- 
ers of the church. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), II. 282. 
Christ and his Apostles, being to civil affairs but prirat 
men, contended not with Magistrates. 
Miltwi, Eikonoklastes, xill. 
Any private person . . . that Is present when a felony 
is committed is bound by the law to arrest the felon. 
Blaebtonc, Com., IV. xxl. 
4. Noting a common soldier, or one of the or- 
dinary rank and file. 
I cannot put him to a private soldier that la the leader 
of so many thousands. Shot., 2 Hen. IV., Hi. 2. 177. 
5. Being in privacy ; retired from company : 
secluded. 
Away from light steals home my heavy son, 
And prirat? In his chamber pens himself. 
Skat., K. and .1., I. 1. In. 
Ceesor is private now ; you may not enter. 
B. Jtmson, Poetaster, v . 1. 
I came home to be private a little, not at all affecting 
the life and hurry of Court. Evelyn, Diary. Jan. 18, 1002. 
Sir, we are prieate with our women here. 
Teiwymn, Queen Mary, v. 6. 
6f. Privy; informed nf what is not generally 
known. 
private 
She knew them [her sisters council of state) advene to 
her religion . . . and private to her troubles and imprison 
mnit. Sir . Xaunbm, Fragment* Regalia. 
7. Keeping privacy or confidence ; secretive ; 
reticent. 
You know I am private as your secret wishes, 
Keady to fling my soul upon your service. 
Fletcher, Wife for a Month, I. 1. 
Let these persons march here (with) a charge to be pri- 
rate and silent In the business till they see It effected. 
Winthrop, lllst. New England, II. 47U. 
8f. Intimate; confidential. 
If Danld, beelng a king, a 1'rophet, a Salnct, and with 
God so private, understoode not wnat to present unto God, 
. . . what shall we doe? 
tiiienirn. Letters (tr. by Hellowes, 1677), p. 2. 
What mokes the Jew and Lodowlck so private f 
MarUnre, Jew of Malta, II. t. 
9. Particular; individual; special: opposed to 
general. 
So prophecy of the scripture Is of any private Interpre- 
tation. 2 Pet. I. 20. 
Who cries out on pride, 
That can therein tax any prirate party T . . . 
Who can come in and say that I mean her, 
When such a one as she such is her neighbour? 
Shak., As you Like It, ii. 7. 71. 
Private acts, bills, or statutes, those acts, etc.. which 
concern private Interests that is. the interests of particu- 
lar persons as distinguished frnm measures of public 
policy in which the community is interested. See bills. 
Private attorney. See attorney', 2. Private bank. 
See bank*, 4. Private baptism. Set- baptinn. Private 
carrier. See carrier^, 2.- Private chapel, a chopel at- 
tached to a private residence. Private corporations, 
corporations created for private as distinguished from 
purely public purposes. Such corporations are not, In con- 
templation of law, public merely localise It may have been 
supposed by the legislature that their establishment would 
iromote, either directly or consequentially, the public in- 
.erest. (Dillon.) Thus, a railroad company is a priratecor- 
porati'in, although it takes property for public use. See 
corporation. Private detective, rtee detective. Pri- 
vate international law. See inUrraUonal, - Private 
judgment, in thenl., the Judgment of an individual ns to 
doctrine or Interpretation of Scripture, in contradistinc- 
tion to the judgment of the church. Private law. that 
branch of the law whit h deals with the rights and duties 
of persons considered in their private or individual ca- 
pacity, as distinguished from the rights and duties which 
are possessed by and Incumbent on persons or bodies of 
persons considered as filling public positions or ofliccs, or 
which have relation to the whole political community, or 
to its magistrates anil officers. Kenelin f'dicard IH'iby, 
Hist, of Law of Real Prop., p. 256. Private legislation, 
legislation affecting the interests of particular persons, as 
distinguished from measures of pumic policy in which 
the community is Interested. Private mass. See 
I/KIWI. Private nuisance, see nuimnce, 6. Private 
parts, the organs of sex. Private person, one not hav- 
ing or not for the time being acting In a public official 
capacity. Private property, private rights, the prop- 
erty and rights of persons, natural or artificial, in their 
individual, personal, or private capacity, as distinguished 
from the rights of the state or public vested in a l>ody 
politic or a public officer or board as such and for public 
use. Thus, if a city owns a building which It leases for 
obtaining a revenue, the property and Its rights In respect 
thereto are deemed the private proi/erty of the city, ns dis- 
tinguished from parks, etc., and buildings in municipal use. 
- Private rights of way. or private ways, rights which 
belong to a particular Individual only, or to a body of In- 
dividuals exclusively, either for the purpose of passing 
generally or for the purpose of passing from a particular 
tenement of which they are possessed. Goddard. Pri- 
vate trusts, those trusts In the maintenance of which the 
public have no interest. 
Private Trutti are those wherein the beneficial Interest 
is vested absolutely In one or more Individuals, who are, 
or within a certain time may be, definitely ascertained, 
and to whom, therefore, collectively, unless under some 
legal disability, it Is competent to control, modify, or de- 
termine the trust. Bitpham, Principles of Equity, f 58. 
Private war, a war carried on by individuals, without the 
authority or sanction of the state of which they are sub- 
jects. UaUeck. Private wrong, a civil Injury ; an in- 
fringement or privation of some civil right which belongs 
to a person considered In his private capacity. =Syn. 2. 
latent, Covert, etc. (see ecret\ retired, secluded, isolated, 
sequestered. 
II, H. If. A person not in public life or office. 
And what have kings that private* have not too, 
Save ceremony? Shak., Hen. V., Iv. 1. 2S6. 
2. A common soldier; one of the rank and file 
of an army. 3t. A secret message ; private in- 
timation. 
Pern. Who brought that letter from the cardinal? 
.S<i/. The Count Melun. a noble lord of France; 
Whose prirate with me of the Dauphin's lore 
Is much more general than these lines import. 
Shak., K. John, iv. 3. 16. 
4f. Personal interest or use ; particular busi- 
ness. 
My lords, this strikes at every Roman's private. 
B. Jonton, Sejanus, ill. 1. 
Our President . . . ingrosslng to his private Oatmeale, 
Sacke, Oyle, Aquavits, Beefe, Egges, or what not. 
Quoted In Capt. John Smith't Works, I. 154. 
5t. Privacy; retirement. 
do off I ... let me enjoy my prirate. 
Shot., T. S., III. 4. 100. 
