Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PEAK'ING, a.

Mean; sneaking; poor. [Vulgar.]

PEAK'ISH, a.

Denoting or belonging to an acuminated situation. – Drayton.

PEAL, n. [from L. pello, whence appello, to appeal. The sense is to drive; a peal is a driving of sound. This word seems to belong to the family of L. balo, and Eng. to bawl, jubilee, bell, &c.]

A loud sound, usually a succession of loud sounds, as of bells, thunder, cannon, shouts of a multitude, &c. – Bacon. Milton. Addison.

PEAL, v.i.

To utter loud and solemn sounds; as, the pealing organ. – Milton.

PEAL, v.t.

1. To assail with noise. Nor was his ear less pealed. – Milton.
2. To cause to ring or sound; to celebrate. The warrior's name / Though pealed and chimed on all the tongues of fame. – J. Barlow.
3. To stir or agitate. [Not used.] – Ainsworth.

PEAL'ED, pp.

Assailed with sound; resounded; celebrated.

PEAL'ING, ppr.

Uttering a loud sound or successive sounds; resounding.

PE'AN, n. [L. pæan; Gr. παιαν.]

A song of praise or triumph.

PE'AN-ISM, n.

The song or shouts of praise or of battle; shouts of triumph. – Milford.

PEAR, n. [Sax. pera; Sp. Port. and It. pera; D. peer; G. birn; Sw. paron; Dan. pære; Arm. peren; W. pêr; L. pyrum.]

The fruit of the Pyrus communis, of many varieties, some of which are delicious to the taste.

PEARCH, n. [or v. See PERCH.]

PEARL, n. [perl; Fr. perle. It. and Sp. perla; Ir. pearla; Sax. pearl; Sw. pärla; D. paarl; G. perle; W. perlyn. This may be radically the same word as beryl, and so named from its clearness.]

1. A white, hard, smooth, shining body, usually roundish, found in a testaceous fish of the oyster kind. The pearl shell is called matrix perlarum, mother of pearl, and the pearl is found only in the softer part of the animal. It is found in the Persian seas and in many parts of the ocean which washes the shores of Arabia and the continent and isles of Asia, and is taken by divers. Pearls are of different sizes and colors; the larger ones approach to the figure of a pear; some have been found more than an inch in length. They are valued according to their size, their roundness, and their luster or purity, which appears in a silvery brightness. – Cyc. Nicholson. Encyc.
2. Poetically, something round and clear, as a drop of water or dew. – Drayton.
3. A white speck or film growing on the eye. – Ainsworth.

PEARL, v.i. [perl.]

To resemble pearls. – Spenser.

PEARL, v.t. [perl.]

To set or adorn with pearls.

PEARL-ASH, n. [perl'ash.]

A somewhat impure carbonate of potassa, obtained from the ashes of wood.

PEARL'-DIV-ER, n.

One who dives for pearls. – Carlisle.

PEARL'-DI-VER, n.

One who dives for pearls. [1841 Addenda only.]

PEARL-ED, a. [perl'ed.]

Set or adorned with pearls. – Milton.

PEARL-EY-ED, a. [perl'-eyed.]

Having a speck in the eye. – Johnson.

PEARL'-OYS-TER, n.

The oyster which yields pearls.

PEARL'-SIN-TER, n.

Fiorite; a variety of silicious sinter, the color gray and white.

PEARL'-SPAR, n. [perl'-spar.]

Brown spar.

PEARL'-STONE, n.

A mineral regarded as a volcanic production. It occurs in basaltic and porphyritic rocks, and is classed with pitch-stone. – Dict. Pearl-stone is a subspecies of indivisible quartz. – Jameson.

PEARL-STUD'DED, a.

Studded with pearls. – Scott.

PEARL'-WORT, or PEARL'-GRASS, n.

A plant of the genus Sagina. – Fam. of Plants.