Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PAR-HEL'ION, n. [Gr. παρα, near, and ἡλιος, the sun.]

A mock sun or meteor, appearing in the form of a bright light near the sun; sometimes tinged with colors like the rainbow, with a luminous train.

PA'RI-AH, n.

The name of the lowest caste of people in Hindoostan. Hence, an outcast.

PA-RI'AL, or PAIR-ROY-AL, n.

Three of a sort in certain games of cards. – Butler.

PA'RI-AN, a.

Pertaining to Faros, an isle in the Egean sea; as, Parian marble. Parian chronicle, a chronicle of the city of Athens, engraven on marble in capital letters in the isle of Paros. It contains a chronological account of events from Cecrops, 1582 years before Christ, to the archonship of Diognetus, 264 years before that era; but the chronicle of the last 90 years is lost. This marble was procured from Asia Minor in 1627, by the Earl of Arundel, and being broken, the pieces are called Arundelian marbles. They are now deposited in the university of Oxford. The antiquity of the inscription has been disputed. – Cyc. Encyc.

PAR-I'E-TAL, a. [from L. paries, a wall, properly a partition wall, from the root of part or pare.]

1. Pertaining to a wall.
2. The parietal bones form the sides and upper part of the skull. They are so called because they defend the brain like walls. – Parr.

PA-RI'E-TA-RY, n. [Fr. parietaire, from L. paries, a wall.]

A plant, the pellitory of the wall, of the genus Parietaria.

PAR'I-E-TINE, n. [L. paries, wall.]

A piece of a wall. [Not used.] – Burton.

PA'RING, n.

1. That which is pared off; rind separated from fruit; a piece clipped off. – Mortimer. Pope.
2. The act or practice of cutting off the surface of grass land, for tillage.

PA'RING, ppr.

Cutting or shaving off the extremities.

PARI-PASSU, adv. [Pari passu; L.]

With equal pace, or progress.

PAR'IS, n.

A plant, herb Paris or true-love, or rather a genus of plants of two species, at least, if not more.

PAR'ISH, a.

1. Belonging to a parish; having the spiritual charge of the inhabitants belonging to the same church; as, a parish priest. – Dryden.
2. Belonging to a parish; as, a parish church; parish records.
3. Maintained by the parish; as, parish poor. – Gay.

PAR'ISH, n. [Fr. paroisse; It. parrocchia; Sp. parroquia; Arm. parres; Ir. parraiste; usually deduced from the Low L. parochia, Gr. παροικια, a dwelling or near residence; παρα, near, and οικος, house, or οικεω, to dwell; or more probably from the Greek παροχη, a salary or largess, an allowance for support, from παρεχω, to afford, yield or supply, whence L. parocha, entertainment given to embassadors at the public expense; whence It. parrocchii. If Parish is to be deduced from either of these sources, it is probably from the latter, and parish is equivalent to benefice, living, as pre-bend, from L. præbeo. In German, pfarre signifies a benefice or parish; pfarrer or pfarrherr, a parson, the lord of a living or parish, and this is evidently from the same root as parson. I know not the origin of pfarre, but it coincides in elements with the W. pori, to graze, Corn. peuri, L. voro, Gr. βορα. The Italian and Spanish words are undoubtedly from the Latin and Greek, and the French paroisse may be from the same source.]

1. The precinct or territorial jurisdiction of a secular priest, or the precinct, the inhabitants of which belong to the same church.
2. In some of the American states, parish is an ecclesiastical society not bounded by territorial limits; but the inhabitants of a town belonging to one church, though residing promiscuously among the people belonging to another church, are called a parish. This is particularly the case in Massachusetts. In Connecticut, the legal appellation of such a society is ecclesiastical society.

PA-RISH'ION-ER, n.

One that belongs to a parish. – Addison.

PA-RIS'IAN, n.

A native or resident of Paris.

PAR-I-SYL-LAB'IC, or PAR-I-SYL-LAB'IC-AL, a. [L. par, equal, and syllaba, syllable.]

Having equal or like syllables.

PAR'I-TOR, n. [for apparitor.]

A beadle; a summoner of the courts of civil law. – Dryden.

PAR'I-TY, n. [Fr. parité; It. parità; from L. par, equal. See Pair and Peer.]

1. Equality; as, parity of reason. – South.
2. Equality; like state or degree; as a parity of orders or persons.

PARK, n. [Sax. parruc, pearruc; Scot. parrok; W. pairc; Fr. id.; It. parco; Sp. parque; Ir. pairc; G. and Sw. park; D. perk. It coincides in elements with L. parcus, saving, and the Teutonic bergen, to keep.]

A large piece of ground inclosed and privileged for wild beasts of chase, in England, by the king's grant or by prescription. To constitute a park three things are required; a royal grant or license; inclosure by pales, a wall or hedge; and beasts of chase, as deer, &c. – Encyc. Park of artillery or artillery park, a place in the rear of both lines of an army for encamping the artillery, which is formed in lines, the guns in front, the ammunition-wagons behind the guns, and the pontoons and tumbrils forming the third line. The whole is surrounded with a rope. The gunners and matrosses encamp on the flanks; the bombardiers, pontoon-men and artificers in the rear. – Encyc. Also, the whole train of artillery belonging to an army or division of troops. Park of provisions, the place where the sutlers pitch their tents and sell provisions, and that where the bread wagons are stationed.

PARK, v.t.

To inclose in a park. – Shak.

PARK'ED, pp.

Inclosed in a park.

PARK-ER, n.

The keeper of a park.

PARK-LEAVES, n.

A plant of the genus Hypericum. – Ainsworth. Lee.

PAR-LANCE, n. [Norm. from Fr. parler, to speak; part. parlant, It. parlante.]

Conversation; discourse; talk. – Woodeson.

PARLE, n. [pàrl.]

Conversation; talk; oral treaty or discussion. [Not used. See Parley.] – Shak.