Emily Dickinson Lexicon

pippin, n. [ME < OFr pepin, seed of a fleshy fruit.] (webplay: apple).

Tart apple; piece of fruit.

pirate, n. [L. pīrāta < Gk πειρ ￾ν, attempt, attack.] (webplay: sea).

Robber; plunderer; thief; freebooter; marauder.

pirouette, n. [Fr. pirouette, spinning top, child's whirligig, pirouette in dancing or riding.] (webplay: dance, toes).

Twirl; whirl; dance step; act of spinning on the tip of the toes.

pit, n. [OE pytt < L. puteus, well, pit, shaft.]

Abyss; chasm; gaping gulf; trap; deep opening in the ground; concealed hole created to trap animals; [fig.] death.

pitiful, adj. [see pity, n.]

Miserable; hapless; mournful; lamentable; pathetic.

pitiful, adv. [see pity, n.]

Shamefully; miserably.

pittance (-s), n. [ME < OFr < L. pietās, dutifulness, piety.]

1. Little bit; limited ration; insubstantial portion; small daily food allowance.
2. Debt; price; payment; portion; share.

pity, n. [ME < OFr < L. pietās, dutifulness, piety.] (webplay: children, fear, painful, poor).

1. Empathy; sensitivity to another's affliction; perception of suffering; awareness of pain; desire to relieve another's misery. (496/364, 588/394)
2. Condescending compassion; patronizing sympathy. (229/289, 496/364)
3. Unfortunate circumstance; regrettable fact; lamentable but unchangeable problem.
4. [Fig.] mourning; grief; sorrow; tears of those bereaved.

pity (pitied), v. [see pity, n.] (webplay: children, old, regretted, unhappiness).

Feel sorry for; experience sadness for; feel sorrow in behalf of.

pitying, adj. [see pity, n.]

Compassionate; kindly; benevolent; concerned; sympathetic; tender-hearted.