Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PEN'CIL, n. [Fr. pinceau; Sp. pincel; L. penicillus.]

1. A small brush used by painters for laying on colors. The proper pencils are made of fine hair or bristles, as of camels, badgers or squirrels, or of the down of swans, inclosed in a quill. The larger pencils, made of swine's bristles, are called brushes. – Encyc.
2. A pen formed of carburet of iron or plumbago, black lead or red chalk, with a point at one end, used for writing and drawing. – Encyc.
3. Any instrument of writing without ink. – Johnson.
4. An aggregate or collection of rays of light.

PEN'CIL, v.t.

To paint or draw; to write or mark with a pencil. – Shak. Harte.

PEN'CIL-ED, pp.

1. Painted, drawn or marked with a pencil.
2. Radiated; having pencils of rays.

PEN'CIL-ING, ppr.

Painting, drawing or marking with a pencil.

PEN'CIL-SHAP-ED, a.

Having the shape of a pencil.

PEN-CRAFT, n.

Penmanship; chirography. – Bruce.

PEND'ANT, n. [Fr. from L. pendeo, to hang, or Sp. pendon. See Pennon.]

1. An ornament or jewel hanging at the ear, usually composed of pearl or some precious stone. – Pope.
2. Any thing hanging by way of ornament. – Waller.
3. In heraldry, a part hanging from the label, resembling the drops in the Doric frieze. – Encyc.
4. A streamer; a small flag or long narrow banner displayed from a ship's mast head, usually terminating in two points, called the swallow's tail. It denotes that a ship is in actual service. The broad pendant is used to distinguish the chief of a squadron. – Mar. Dict.
5. A short piece of rope fixed on each side under the shrouds, on the heads of the main and fore-mast, having an iron thimble to receive the hooks of the tackle. – Mar. Dict. There are many other pendants consisting of a rope or ropes, to whose lower extremity is attached a block or tackle. The rudder-pendant is a rope made fast to the rudder by a chain, to prevent the loss of the rudder when unshipped. – Mar. Dict.
6. A pendulum. [Not used.] – Digby.

PEND'ENCE, n. [L. pendens, pendeo, to hang.]

Slope; inclination. – Wotton.

PEND'EN-CY, n. [L. pendens, pendeo, supra.]

Suspense; the state of being undecided; as, to wait during the pendency of a suit or petition.

PEND'ENT, a. [L. pendens.]

1. Hanging; fastened at one end, the other being loose. With ribbons pendent, flaring about her head. – Shak.
2. Jutting over; projecting; as, a pendent rock. – Shak.
3. Supported above the ground. – Milton.

PENDENTE-LITE, v. [Pendente lite; L.]

Pending the suit or action.

PEN-DEN'TIVE, n.

In architecture, the portion of a vault between the arches under a dome.

PEND'ENT-LY, adv.

In a pendent or projecting manner.

PEND'ING, ppr. [L. pendeo, to hang; pendente lite.]

Depending; remaining undecided; not terminated. This was done, pending the suit.

PEN'DULE, n.

A pendulum. – Evelyn.

PEND-U-LOS'I-TY, or PEND'U-LOUS-NESS, n. [See Pendulous.]

The state of hanging; suspension. [The latter is the preferable word.]

PEND'U-LOUS, a. [L. pendulus; from pendeo, to hang.]

Hanging; swinging; fastened at one end, the other being movable. The dewlap of an animal is pendulous.

PEND'U-LUM, n. [L. pendulus, pendulum.]

A vibrating body suspended from a fixed point; as, the pendulum of a clock. The oscillations of a pendulum depend on gravity, and are always performed in nearly equal times, supposing the length of the pendulum and the gravity to remain the same.

PEN-E-TRA-BIL'I-TY, n. [from penetrable.]

Susceptibility of being penetrated, or of being entered or passed through by another body. There being no mean between penetrability and impenetrability. – Cheyne.

PEN'E-TRA-BLE, a. [Fr. from L. penetrabilis. See Penetrate.]

1. That may be penetrated, entered or pierced by another body. Let him try thy dart, / And pierce his only penetrable part. – Dryden.
2. Susceptible of moral or intellectual impression. I am not made of stone, / But penetrable to your kind entreaties. – Shak.

PEN'E-TRAIL, n. [L. penetralia.]

Interior parts. [Not used.] – Harvey.

PEN'E-TRAN-CY, n. [L. penetrans.]

Power of entering or piercing; as, the penetrancy of subtil effluvia. – Ray.

PEN'E-TRANT, a. [L. penetrans.]

Having the power to enter or pierce; sharp; subtil; as, penetrant spirit; food subtilized and rendered fluid and penetrant. – Boyle. Ray.

PEN'E-TRATE, v.i.

1. To pass; to make way. Born where heaven's influence scarce can penetrate. – Pope.
2. To make way intellectually. He had not penetrated into the designs of the prince.

PEN'E-TRATE, v.t. [L. penetro, from the root of pen, a point.]

1. To enter or pierce; to make way into another body; as, a sword or dart penetrates the body; oil penetrates wood; marrow, the most penetrating of oily substances. Arbuthnot.
2. To affect the mind; to cause to feel. I am penetrated with a lively sense of your generosity.
3. To reach by the intellect; to understand; as, to penetrate the meaning or design of any thing.
4. To enter; to pass into the interior; as, to penetrate a country.