Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PHLE-BOT'O-MIST, n. [See Phlebotomy.]

One that opens a vein for letting blood; a blood-letter.

PHLE-BOT'O-MIZE, v.t.

To let blood from a vein. Howell.

PHLE-BOT'O-MIZ-ED, pp.

Let blood from a vein.

PHLE-BOT'O-MIZ-ING, ppr.

Letting blood from a vein.

PHLE-BOT'O-MY, n. [Gr. φλεβοτομια; φλεψ, a vein, and τεμνω, to cut.]

The act or practice of opening a vein for letting blood for the cure of diseases or preserving health.

PHLEGM, n. [flem; Gr. φλεγμα, inflammation, and pituitous matter, from φλεγω, to burn; hence the word must have originally expressed the matter formed by suppuration.]

1. Cold animal fluid; watery matter; one of the four humors of which the ancients supposed the blood to be composed. Coxe. Encyc.
2. In common usage, bronchial mucus; the thick viscid matter secreted in the throat.
3. Among chimists, water, or the water of distillation. Coxe.
4. Dullness; coldness; sluggishness; indifference.

PHLEG-MA-GOGUE, n. [phleg'magog; Gr. φλεγμα, phlegm, and αγω, to drive.]

A term anciently used to denote a medicine supposed to possess the property of expelling phlegm. [Obs.] – Encyc. Floyer.

PHLEG-MAT'IC, a. [Gr. φλεγματικος.]

1. Abounding in phlegm; as, phlegmatic humors; a phlegmatic constitution.
2. Generating phlegm; as, phlegmatic meat. – Shak.
3. Watery.
4. Cold; dull; sluggish; heavy; not easily excited into action or passion; as, a phlegmatic temper or temperament. – Addison.

PHLEG-MAT'IC-AL-LY, adv.

Coldly; heavily. – Warburton.

PHLEG-MON, n. [Gr. φλεγμονη, from φλεγω, to burn.]

A specific cutaneous, hemispheric and defined inflammatory tumor, red, tensive, glabrous, painful, polarized, suppurating, pus perfect, bursting at the pole.

PHLEG'MO-NOUS, a.

Having the nature or properties of a phlegmon; being of the same specific inflammation as phlegmon; as, a phlegmonous Pneumonitis. – Harvey.

PHLEME, n. [Arm. flemm, a sharp paint. See Fleam.]

PHLO-GIS'TIAN, n.

A believer in the existence of phlogiston.

PHLO-GIS'TIC, a. [See Phlogiston.]

1. In chimistry, partaking of phlogiston; inflaming. – Adams.
2. In medicine, entonic or sthenic, that is, attended with a preternatural degree of vital energy and strength of action in the heart and arteries.

PHLO-GIS'TIC-ATE, v.t.

To combine phlogiston with.

PHLO-GIS-TIC-A'TION, n.

The act or process of combining with phlogiston.

PHLO-GIS'TON, n. [Gr. φλογιστος, from φλογιζω, to burn or inflame; φλεγω, to burn.]

The principle of inflammability; the matter of fire in composition with other bodies. Stahl gave this name to an hypothetical element which he supposed to be pure fire fixed in combustible bodies, in order to distinguish it from fire in action or in a state of liberty. But the theory has been proved to be false, and is generally abandoned. – Bartram.

PHO'CA, n. [Gr. and L., a seal.]

In zoology, a genus of mammals; the seal; sea-bear; sea-calf.

PHO-CE'NIN, n. [Gr. φωκαινα, a porpess.]

A fatty substance obtained in the oil of the porpess.

PHO'CINE, a.

Pertaining to the seal tribe.

PHO'LA-DITE, n.

A petrified shell of the genus Pholas. – Jameson.

PHO-NET'IC, a. [Gr. φωνητικος, vocal, from φωνη, sound.]

Vocal; expressive of sound. Russell.

PHO-NET'IC-AL-LY, adv.

In a manner expressive of sounds or letters. – Gliddon.

PHON'ICS, n. [Gr. φωνη, sound.]

1. The doctrine or science of sounds; otherwise called acoustics. – Encyc.
2. The art of combining musical sounds. Busby.

PHO-NO-CAMP'TIC, a. [Gr. φωνη, sound, and χαμπτω, to inflect.]

Having the power to inflect sound, or turn it from its direction, and thus to alter it. – Derham.