Emily Dickinson Lexicon

PNEU'MA-TO-CELE, n. [Gr. πνευμα, air, and κηλη, a tumor.]

In surgery, a distension of the scrotum by air. – Coxe.

PNEU-MA-TO-LOG'IC-AL, a.

Pertaining to pneumatology. – Davy.

PNEU-MA-TOL'O-GIST, n.

One versed in pneumatology.

PNEU-MA-TOL'O-GY, n. [Gr. πνευμα, air, and λογος, discourse.]

1. The doctrine of the properties of elastic fluids, or of spiritual substances.
2. A treatise on elastic fluids, or on spiritual substances.

PNEU-MO'NI-A, or PNEU'MO-NY, n. [Gr. πνευμων, the lungs, from πνεω, to breathe.]

In medicine, an inflammation of the lungs.

PNEU-MON'IC, a.

Pertaining to the lungs; pulmonic.

PNEU-MON'IC, n.

A medicine for affections of the lungs. – Coxe.

PNEU-MO-NIT'IC, a.

Pertaining to pneumonitis.

PNEU-MO-NI'TIS, n.

Inflammation of the lungs. This is the most correct and appropriate term for this disease.

PO'A, n.

A botanic name of certain grasses.

POACH, v.i.

To be trodden with deep tracks, as soft ground. We say, the ground is soft in spring, and poaches badly. Chalky and clay lands burn in hot weather, chare in summer, and poach in winter. Mortimer.

POACH, v.t.¹ [Fr. pocher. In Fr. poche is a pocket, a bag or purse net; pocheter des fruits, to mellow fruit in the pocket; Ir. boucquaat is to soften; Sax. pocca, a pouch.]

1. To boil slightly. – Johnson.
2. To dress by boiling slightly and mixing in a soft mass.
3. To begin and not complete. – Bacon.
4. To tread soft ground, or snow and water, as cattle, whose feet penetrate the soil or soft substance and leave deep tracks. [New England.]
5. To steal game; properly, to pocket game, or steal it and convey it away in a bag. England.
6. To steal; to plunder by stealth. They poach Parnassus, and lay claim for praise. – Garth.

POACH, v.t.² [Corn. pokkia, to thrust; perhaps Fr. pocher. It seems to be allied to Eng. poke, poker, Norm. pouchon, a puncheon. If so, it is from the root of L. pungo, Eng. to punch; G. pochen, to knock.]

To stab; to pierce; to spear; as, to poach fish. – England.

POACH-ARD, or POCH-ARD, n. [from poach.]

A fresh-water duck of an excellent taste, weighing a pound and twelve ounces. It is the red headed duck of Lawson; found in America and in the north of Europe. – Pennant.

POACH-ED, pp.

Slightly boiled or softened; trodden with deep footsteps; stolen.

POACH-ER, n.

One that steals game. – More.

POACH-I-NESS, n.

Wetness and softness; the state of being easily penetrable by the feet of beasts; applied to land.

POACH'ING, n.

Act of stealing game.

POACH'ING, ppr.

Slightly boiling; stealing game.

POACH-Y, a.

Wet and soft; such as the feet of cattle will penetrate to some depth; applied to land or ground of any kind.

POCK, n. [Sax. poc or pocc; D. pok; G. pocke; Dan. pukkel; W. pwg, that swells out; Ir. bocam, to swell, coinciding with G. bauch, D. buik, Dan. bug, the belly, Eng. big, &c.; probably all of one family.]

A pustule raised on the surface of the body in the veriolous and vaccine diseases, named from the pustules, small pox, or as it ought to be written, small pocks.

POCK'AR-RED, or POCK'FRET-TEN, a.

Pitted with the small pox. [Not in use.]

POCK'ET, n. [Fr. pochette, from poche, pocket, pouch; Sax. pocca.]

1. A small bag inserted in a garment for carrying small articles.
2. A small bag or net to receive the balls in billiards.
3. A certain quantity; as, a pocket of hops, as in other cases we use sack. [Not used in America.] – Johnson.

POCKET, v.t.

1. To put or conceal in the pocket; as, to pocket a penknife.
2. To take clandestinely. To pocket an insult or affront, to receive it without resenting it, or at least without seeking redress. [In popular use.]

POCK'ET-BOOK, n.

A small book of paper covered with leather; used for carrying papers in the pocket.