Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PE-TONG', n.

The Chinese name of a species of copper of a white color. It is sometimes confounded with tutenag. – Pinkerton.

PET-RE'AN, a. [L. petra, a rock.]

Pertaining to rock or stone. – Faber.

PE-TRES'CENCE, n.

The process of changing into stone. – Kirwan.

PE-TRES'CENT, a. [Gr. πετρος, a stone, L. petra.]

Converting into stone; changing into stony hardness. – Boyle.

PET-RI-FAC'TION, n. [See PETRIFY.]

1. The process of changing into stone; the conversion of wood or any animal or vegetable substance into stone or a body of stony hardness. This is effected by the gradual displacement of the particles of the substance said to be petrified, and the infiltration of silicious earth, or lime in composition with iron or iron pyrite. – Bell. When the water in which wood is lodged is slightly impregnated with petrescent particles, the petrifaction very slowly takes place. – Kirwan.
2. That which is converted from animal or vegetable substance into stone. The calcarious petrifactian called osteocolla. – Kirwan. An organized body rendered hard by depositions of stony matter in its cavities. – Ure.
3. In popular usage, a body incrusted with stony matter; on, incrustation. – Ed. Encyc.

PET-RI-FAC'TIVE, a.

1. Pertaining to petrifaction.
2. Having power to convert vegetable or animal substances, into stone. – Brown.

PET-RIF'IC, a.

Having power to convert into stone. Milton. The cold, dry, petrific mace of a false and unfeeling philosophy. – Burke.

PET'RI-FI-CATE, v.t.

To petrify. [Not used.] – Hall.

PET-RI-FI-CA'TION, n.

1. The process of petrifying.
2. That which is petrified a petrifaction. [The latter word; is generally used.]
3. Obduracy; callousness. – Hallywell.

PET'RI-FI-ED, pp.

1. Changed into stone.
2. Fixed in amazement.

PET'RI-FY, v.i.

To become stone, or of a stony hardness, as animal or vegetable substances by means of calcarious or other depositions in their cavities.

PET'RI-FY, v.t. [L. petra, Gr. πετρος, a stone or rock, and facio, to make.]

1. To convert to stone or stony substance; as an animal or vegetable substance. North of Quito, there is a river that petrifies any sort of wood or leaves. – Kirwan.
2. To make callous or obdurate; as, to petrify the heart. And petrify a genius to a dunce. – Pope.
3. To fix; as, to petrify one with astonishment.

PET'RI-FY-ING, ppr.

Converting into stone; as, petrifying operation. – Kirwan.

PE'TROL, or PE-TRO'LE-UM, n. [Fr. petrole, from Gr. πετρος, a stone, and ελαιον, oil; quasi petrolaion.]

Rock oil, a liquid inflammable substance or bitumen exsuding from the earth and collected on the surface of the water in wells, in various parts of the world, or oozing from cavities in rocks. It is essentially composed of carbon and hydrogen. – Fourcroy. Kirwan. Cyc.

PET'RO-LINE, n.

A substance obtained by distilling the petroleum of Rangoon. – Brande.

PET'RO-NEL, n.

A horseman's pistol.

PET'RO-SI-LEX, n. [L. petra, Gr. πετρος, a stone, and silex, flint.]

Rock stone; rock flint, or compact feldspar.

PET-RO-SI-LI'CIOUS, a.

Consisting of petrosilex; as, petrosilicious breccias. – Kirwan.

PE'TROUS, a. [L. petra, a stone.]

Like stone; hard; stony. – Hooper.

PET'TED, pp.

Treated as a pet; fondled.

PET'TI-COAT, n. [Fr. petit, petty, and coat.]

A garment worn by females and covering the lower limbs.

PET'TI-FOG, v.i. [Fr. petit, small, and voguer, to row. But in Norman, voguer is rendered to call again, to return, as if from L. voco, like advocate.]

To do small business; as a lawyer. [Vulgar.]

PET'TI-FOG-GER, n.

An inferior attorney or lawyer who is employed in small or mean business.

PET'TI-FOG-GER-Y, n.

The practice of a pettifogger; tricks; quibbles. – Milton.

PET'TI-NESS, n. [from petty.]

Smallness; littleness. – Shak.