THIRD COLLEGE EDITION
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`Cleveland & New York: - |
`
`Websters
`ewWorld
`Dictionary
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`OF AMERICAN ENGLISH
`
`VICTORIA NEUFELDT ~
`| Editorin Chief.
`
`DAVID B. GURALNIK.
`Editor in Chief Emeritus
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`©
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`Websier’s New World
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`Dedicated »:
`to David B. Gurainik’
`: , lexicographical mentor:
`See and friend 5
`
`Webster's New World Dictionary, Third College Edition
`Copyright © 1988 by Simon & Bekuster,Tne
`,
`Fourth printing, with. corrections
`This edition is amajor revision of Webster’8 NewWorld a
`Dictionary, Second College Edition, copyright ©1986 and ~-
`1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1984 by
`Simon & Schuster, Inc,
`All rights reserved
`including the right ofreproduction
`in whole or in part in any form
`Published by Webster’s New World Dictionaries.
`A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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`Dictionary Editorial Offices: New World Dictionaries,_
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`WEBSTER’S NEW WORLDand colophonsare registered trademarks of
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`DISTRIBUTED BY PRENTICE HALL TRADE
`Database design and creation by Lexi-Comp, Inc., Hudson, Ohio.
`The typefaces used are Century Schoolbook and Helvetica,
`Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica
`678 9
`98
`92
`91
`90 &9
`Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
`Webster’s New World dictionary ofAmerican English’/ Victoria
`E. Neufeldt, editor-in-chief. — 3rd college ed.
`1. English language-—Dictionaries.
`2. Americanisms—
`Dictionaries.
`I. Neufeldt, Victoria E.
`PE1628.W5633
`1988 a 88-1712
`ISBN 0-13-947169-3 (thumb-indexed} 9. i, a
`0-13-949280-1 (plain-edged)
`0-13-949314-X (leatherkraft)
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`plunderer / pneumatics
`1040
`fraud; loot; booty 1'3 [Dial.) personal belongings or household fur(cid:173)
`nishings -SYN. RAVAGE, SPOIL - plun'derjer n. - plun'der•ous adj.
`plun-der-age (plun'dar ij) n. 1 robbery; esp., an embezzling of prop(cid:173)
`erty on shipboard 2 the property embezzled
`plunge (plunj) vt. plunged, plung'lng [ ME plungen < OFr plongier
`< VL •plumbicare < L plumbum, LEAD': see PLUMB J to thrust,
`throw, or force suddenly (into a liquid, hole, condition, etc.) [to
`plunge an oar into the water, to plunge a country into debt] - vi. 1
`to throw oneself, dive, or rush, as into water, a fight, etc. 2 to move
`violently and rapidly downward or forward 3 to pitch, as a ship 4 to
`slope steeply, as a road 5 to extend far down in a revealing way fa
`plunging neckline or back] 6 [Colloq.) to spend, gamble, or specu•
`late heavily or rashly - n. 1 a) a dive or downward leap b) a swim
`2 any sudden, violent plunging motion 3 a place for plunging, or
`swimming 4 [Colloq.) a heavy, rash investment or speculation -
`take the plunge to start on a new and seemingly uncertain enter(cid:173)
`prise, esp. after some hesitation
`plung)er (plun'jar) n. 1 a person who plunges, or dives 2 a large,
`rubber suction cup with a long handle, used to free clogged drains 3
`any cylindrical device that operates with a plunging motion, as a
`piston 4 [Colloq.) a person who acts hastily or recklessly; esp., a
`rash gambler or '!.P"':ulator
`plunk (plu!Jk) vt. I echoic J 1 to pluck or strum (a banjo, guitar, etc.)
`2 to throw or put down heavily; plump -vi. 1 to give out a twanging
`sound, as a banjo 2 to fall or sink heavily - n. 1 the act of plunking
`or the sound made by this 2 [Colloq.) a hard blow - adv. with a
`twang or thud - 1'plunk down [Colloq.) to give in payment -
`plunk'Jer n.
`plu•per•fect (pl0<>'p11r'fikt, pl0<>'p11r' •) adj. l LL plusquamperfectus <
`L plus quam perfectum, lit., more than perfect J 1 Gram. designat(cid:173)
`ing or of the past perfect tense in any of certain languages corre(cid:173)
`sponding to the past perfect in English 2 exceptionally perfect:
`sometimes used as an intensive - n. 1 the past perfect tense 2 a
`verb form in this tense
`plu-ral (plaor'al) adj. [ ME < L pluralis < plus (gen. pluris), more: see
`PLUS J 1 of or including more than one 2 of, involving, or being one
`of, a plurality of persons or things [plural marriage] 3 Gram. desig(cid:173)
`nating or of the category of number that refers to more than one
`person or thing, or in languages having dual number, more than two
`- n. Gram. 1 the plural number 2 the plural form of a word 3 a
`word in plural form
`pluJral-ism (plaor'al iz'am) n. 1 the quality or condition of being
`plural, or of existing in more than one part or form 2 the holding by
`one person of more than one office or church benefice at the same
`time 3 a) the existence within a nation or society of groups distinc(cid:173)
`tive in ethnic origin, cultural patterns, religion, or the like b) a
`policy of favoring the P.reservation of such groups within a given
`nation or society 4 Ph,los. the theory that reality is composed of a
`multiplicity of ultimate beings, principles, or substances: cf. DUALISM,
`MONISM - plu')ral-ist n., adj. - plu')ral-is'tlc adj. - plu')ral-ls'ti-cal~y
`adv.
`plu-ral•iltY (plao ral'• te) n., pl. -!lies ( ME pluralite < MFr pluralite <
`LL pluralitas J 1 the condition of being plural or numerous 2 a
`great number; multitude 3 a) the holding of two or more church
`benefices at the same time b) any of the benefices so held 1'4 the
`number of votes in an election that the leading candidate obtains
`over the next highest candidate [if candidate A gets 65 votes, B gets
`40, and C gets 35, then A has a plurality of 25] 5 MAJORITY (sense 1)
`plulral-ize (plaor'al lz') vt., vi. -ized', •iz'ing [ Fr pluraliser J to make
`or become plural in form or number - plu'!ra lj-za' tion n. - plu')ral·
`iz",er n.
`plu1ral-ly (plaor'al 6) adv. in the plural number or in a plural sense
`plu,ri- (ploor'i, ·•) [ L < plus (gen. pluris), several: see PLUS J combin(cid:173)
`ing form several or many
`plulri-ax•ilal (plaor'i aks'6 al) adj. [ prec. + AXIAL] Bot. having several
`axes; specif., having flowers on secondary shoots
`plus (plus) prep. ( L, more < IE •pleyo,, compar. of •pelu-, much <
`base • pel- > FULL' J 1 added to (2 plus 2 equals 4] 2 increased by;
`in addition to /salary plus bonus] 3 [Colloq.) with the addition of
`[he returned wiser and plus $300] - adj. 1 indicating or involving
`addition fa plus sign] 2 positive /a plus quantity/ 3 somewhat
`higher than fa grade of B plus] 4 involving extra gain or advantage
`[plus sales, a plus factor] 5 [Colloq.) and more /she has personality
`plus/ 6 Bot. designating one of two strains of certain fungi and algae
`which only mate with the opposite (minus) strain 1'7 Elec. POSITIVE
`[the plus terminal] - adv. [Colloq.) moreover; in addition: used with
`conjunctive force [we have the time plus we have the money] - n.,
`pl plus'Jes or plus'ses 1 a plus sign 2 an added or favorable quan(cid:173)
`tity or thing 3 a positive quantity
`plus f B c hange (plil sa shanzh') the more a thing changes (the more
`it's the same thing) In full plus fa change, plus c'est la m~me
`chose
`plus fours l orig. a tailoring term indicating an added four inches of
`material for overlap below the knee J loose knickerbockers worn, esp.
`formerly, for active sports
`plush (plush) n. l Fr pluche < peluche < OFr peluchier, to pluck < VL
`•piluccare: see PLUCK I a fabric with a soft, thick, deep pile - adj. 1
`of or made of plush 2 [Colloq.) luxurious, as in furnishings
`plushjy (plush'~) adj. plus h'li•er, plush'ji-est 1 of or like plush 1'2
`(Colloq.) luxurious; plush - plush'li•ly adv. - plush'lf-ness n.
`pfus s ign Math. a sign ( + ), indicating addition or positive quantity
`Plu-tarcll (plO<>'tiirk') c. A.D. 46-c. 120; Gr. biographer & historian
`plu-tejus (plO<>t'6 as) n., pl. -te(i' (·l') r ModL < L, shelf, backrest(<
`IE •plouto-, structure of boards > ON fleythr, rafter): from being
`shaped like a painter's easel ] Zoo/. the free-swimming, ciliate, larval
`
`stage of sea urchins and brittle stars, characterized by elongated.
`slender ar ms
`Pl~ o (plO<>t'0) [ L < Gr Plout/'m < ploutos, wealth: see fol. J 1 Gr. 4.
`Rom. Myth. the god ruling over the lower world: also called Hades~
`the Greeks and Dis or Orcus by the Romans 2 the smallest planet
`the solar system and the ninth in average distance from the su:.
`diameter, c. 3,400 km (c. 2,110 mi.); period of revolution, c. 249 ea.rt.
`years; period of rotation, 6.39 earth days; one satellite; symbol I!
`plu-toc-raicy (plO<> tak'ra 86) n., pl. -cies [ Gr ploutokratia < plouto.
`wealth, akin to plein, to float, swim ( < IE base •pel- > FULL') •
`kratein, to rule J 1 government by the wealthy 2 a group of wealth
`people who control or influence a government
`plu•to•crat (ploot'0 krat', ploot'a-) n. [ < Gr ploutos, wealth (sa
`prec.) + ·CRA-r ] 1 a member of a wealthy ruling class 2 a persoa
`whose wealth is the source of control or great influence - plu1l>
`cral'jic adj. - plU'to-crat'ji•cal!ly adv.
`Plu•to•ni)an (ploo W'ne an) adj. [ L Plutonius < Gr Ploutonios ] or or
`like Pluto or the infernal regions
`Plu•tonJic (p!OO tiin'ik) adj. [ < L Pluto (gen. Plutonis) + -1c 1 1
`PLtJTONIAN 2 IP· I GeoL a) formed far below the surface or the eartl'
`by intense heat, great pressure, and slow cooling: plutonic rocks att
`typically crystalline and granitelike b) (Rare) of igneous origin
`* PIU·to•nijum (ploo Wn6 am) n. [ ModL, after Puno (planet) •
`•!UM: so named (1942) by SEABORG, E. McMillan, A. C. Wahl
`(1917- ), & J. W. Kennedy, U.S. physicists who isolated it (1940
`because next to neptunium, as Pluto comes next to Neptune J 1
`radioactive, metallic chemical element of the actinide series similar
`to uranium and neptunium and found in trace quantities in nati,~
`uranium ores: its most important isotope, plutonium-239, is used in
`nuclear weapons and as a reactor fuel: symbol, Pu; at. wt., 239. 13; aL
`no., 94; sp. gr. (alpha form), 19.84 (25"C); melt. pt., 641 "C; boil. pL
`3,232"C
`Plu•tus (ploot'as) I L < Gr Ploutos < ploutos, wealth: see PLlll'OC·
`RACY] Gr. Myth. the blind god of wealth
`plu·vijal (p!OO'v6 al) adj. [ L pluvialis < pluvia, rain < IE •pleu-, c...
`flow, pour < base •pel-, to pour, fill > FULL', L pluere J 1 a) of oc
`having to do with rain b) having much rain 2 Geol. formed by tht
`action of rain
`plu-vi-om-ejter (ploo'v6 iim'at ar) n. l < L pluvia, rain (see prec.) •
`-METER ) RAIN GAUGE - plU'vilO-me l'ric (-0 me'trik, -• me'•) adj. -
`plu'vi-om'ejlry n.
`plu•vi-ose (ploo'v6 Os') adj. [ L pluviosus < pluvia: see PLUVIAL.
`characterized by much rain; rainy Also plu'vi·OUS (-as) - plu'vi•os'·
`ijty (-as'• te) n.
`ply1 (pl!) vt. plied, ply'lng ( ME plien < OFr plier < L plicare, to fold
`< IE base •ptek-, to entwine > FLAX ] [Now Rare] to bend, twisL
`fold, or mold - vi. [Obs.) to bend or submit - n., pl. plies [ MFr P"
`< the v. J 1 a single thickness, fold, or layer, as of doubled cloth.
`plywood, etc. 2 one of the twisted strands in rope, yarn, etc. 3 a
`the state of being bent or twisted b) bias or inclination - adj. ha,·(cid:173)
`ing (a specified number of) layers, thicknesses, or strands: usually in
`hyphenated compounds {three-ply]
`ply:f (pl!) vt. plied, ply'ing [ ME plien, aphetic for applien, APPLY ] 1
`to do work with; wield or use (a tool, faculty, etc.), esp. with enerc
`2 to work at (a trade) 3 to address (someone) urgently and con•
`stantly (with questions, etc.) 4 to keep supplying (with gifts, food.
`drink, etc.) S to sail regularly back and forth across [boats ply tbt
`channel] - vi. 1 to keep busy or work (at something or with a tool
`etc.) 2 to sail or travel regularly back and forth (between places
`said of ships, buses, etc. 3 [Old Poet.] to steer a course - S YN.
`HANDLE
`Ply-mouth (plim'ath) 1 seaport in Devonshire, SW England, on w
`English Channel: pop. 244,000 2 I after the English seaport ] town
`on the SE coast of Mass.: settled by the Pilgrims (1620) as the 1st
`permanent colonial settlement (Plymouth Colony) in New England
`pop. 36,000
`1'Plymouth Rock any of a breed of domestic chicken with white or
`gray, barred plumage: formerly raised esp. for its eggs and meat, now
`usually kept for crossbreeding
`* Plymouth Rock boulder at Plymouth, Mass., where the Pilgrims
`who sailed on the Mayflower a re said to have landed in 1620
`ply-wood (pli'wood') n. [ PLY' + wOOD' I a construction materia,
`made of thin layers of wood glued and pressed together, usually with
`their irrains at right angles to one another
`Plzeii {pul'zen ya) city in W Bohemia, Czechoslovakia: pop. 174,00C,
`pm 1 phase modulation 2 post-mortem: also p.m. 3 premium
`Pm Chem. symbol for promethium
`PM 1 l L post meridiem J after noon: used to designate the time from
`noon to midnight: also P.M. or p.m. or pm 2 Past Master 3 Pay(cid:173)
`master 4 Police Magistrate 5 Postmaster 6 Prime Minister 7
`Provost Marshal
`PMG 1 Paymaster General 2 Postmaster General
`pmk postmark
`PMS PREMENSTRUAL SYNDROME
`PIN, PN, pin, or pn promissory note
`pneum- (n®m, nyOOm) combining form PNEUMO•: used before a
`vowel
`pneU:ma (nO<>'ma, ny®'·) n. I Gr< pnein, to breathe < IE echoic
`base •pneu-, to wheeze, breathe > OE fneosan, to SNEEZE I the soul
`o r spirit
`pneu-ma~ c (nO<> mat'ik, nyOO-) adj. ( L pneumaticus < Gr pneuma
`tikos < pneuma, breath: see prec. J 1 of or containing wind, air, or
`gases 2 a) filled with compressed air [pneumatic tire] b) worked b)
`compressed air [pneumatic drill] 3 TheoL having to do with tM
`spirit or soul 4 Zool. having hollows filled with air, as certain bone1
`in birds - pneu-mat'll•ca{ly adv.
`pneu-mat·ics (-iks) n.pl. [with sing. v.) the branch of physics that
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